How to choose the best 8-seater car
There’s still not much in the way of style with today’s 8-seat options but the more expensive executive shuttle-style models can feel pretty plush inside, if you can afford one on your family’s budget. With their large, boxy bodies and huge windows, these vehicles can still feel spacious, even when you’re driving with a full load of passengers on board.
Advertisement – Article continues below
Another great advantage of the van-based people carrier is the seating flexibility on offer. In most van-based people carriers, the front two chairs will be fixed, but the second and third rows should offer a versatile range of seating layouts, from two rows of three-abreast seats, to seats facing each other. Some eight seaters have a dual passenger seat in the front but be aware that this isn’t always the most spacious seat for adult occupants.
Stronger owners will also be able to move seats and even remove them completely in some models to turn the people carrier back into a van – although you will need somewhere to store the seats when they’re not in use.
Van-based people carriers can be large compared to purpose-built passenger cars, as they’re normally based on mid-sized panel vans. But as they come with sliding side doors, access in tight spots is straightforward. To help with parking, most come with either a reversing camera or parking sensors, although sometimes these are optional rather than standard.
Even these large vehicles don’t always have a lot of luggage space when all eight seats are in use. The boot space can look generous when shown in litres on paper but in practice the load area behind the third row is often very tall with limited floor space. You’ll need to stack luggage to fit a lot in.
Tell us which new car you’re interested in and get the very best offers from our network of over 5,500 UK dealers to compare. Let’s go…