When you’ve got a larger family, it can be hard to find a new car that first everyone and everything you need in especially if you don’t want to have an SUV. Multi-person vehicles (MPVs) have moved on from the days of boxy van conversions, though there are still a few of these remaining, and there are now plenty of stylish and modern options available for you to choose from.

Top 10 MPVs and People Carriers

1. Citroen Berlingo

The Citroen Berlingo was first introduced over twenty years ago and with it Citroen pioneered the van-based MPV that has since become a staple of the large car sector. Today’s Berlingo is only in its third generation, but it is packed full of modern features and design stylings.

There are currently two versions of the Berlingo available, with the longer XL having seven seats for those who need more passenger seats.

In terms of fuel, you have the option of a 1.2-litre petrol, 1.5-litre diesel engine and electric in the standard model, while the XL only comes as an electric-powered e-Berlingo. Electric models have a range of up to 182 miles. Something to be aware of if you’re looking at an electric vehicle (EV) is that the range it actually achieves may be slightly different to the advertised range as it depends on a number of factors including your driving style, the terrain and even the weather.

The Berlingo not only offers spacious passenger seats, with enough head, shoulder and leg room for three adults to fit comfortably in the rear seats, but also has a lot of handy storage solutions. There were various cubbies in the cabin for small storage and a roomy boot.

We think that this is the ideal MPV for drivers with small children as the sliding rear doors make it easy to get them in and out even in the tightest of parking spaces.

To see fantastic leasing deals simply take a look at our Citroen Berlingo leasing page. 

2. Volkswagen Touran

The Touran is another great seven-seater that offers drivers a practical and reliable car that is comfortable for you and all of your passengers. Unlike the Berlingo it’s not based on a van so has a longer and more curved silhouette that makes it look like a tall estate.

It’s currently only available with one engine, a 1.5-litre TSI Evo engine but this offers drivers great economy and plenty of power to move the car quickly, even when it’s fully loaded.

The rear two seats are designed to fold away when not in use to maximise the cargo space available to you and increases the boot space to 927 litres. This makes it a great choice for drivers with young children as you can easily fit a buggy into the rear. It’s equally as great for businesses if you’ve got drivers who regularly need to travel or have a lot of work equipment.

It’s not just us who think the Touran is an excellent car, it won the What Car? MPV of the Year award in 2021 and remains a popular choice for drivers who want a large car. To find out more about the Touran and how affordable it can be for you take a look at our Touran leasing deals. 

3. Ford S-Max 

The S-Max is the first of three Fords to make it into our top pick of MPVs, which goes to show just how good Ford is at making larger vehicles.

First introduced in 2015 the S-Max has been updated with a new infotainment system and hybrid powertrain to create a modern people carrier which remains a popular choice. It was Ford’s flagship people carrier and is today the only model remaining from their Max range.

As we mentioned there’s a hybrid powertrain, and the S-Max is only produced with a 2.5-litre petrol hybrid engine. The electric component is self-charging so you won’t need to worry about how you’ll plug it in. Being a hybrid, it offers great fuel economy and will help reduce your fuel spend.

If you’re interested in seeing how affordable the S-Max is then why not take a look at our current Ford S-Max leasing offers? 

4.BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

When you think of MPVs you might not think of a premium brand like BMW, however the 2 Series Active Tourer is a great choice for drivers that want a stylish car full of luxury touches.

The new 2 Series Active Tourer is based on the current 1 Series platform, which gives it a sleek and recognisably BMW exterior in a larger package. They have dropped the seven-seater Gran Tourer from the range, but even with five seats we think it’s a great choice for growing families and company drivers who are looking for more room but don’t necessarily need a full people-carrier.

There’s plenty of practical touches as well, with a sliding rear bench that allows you to move the seats to provide more leg or luggage room depending on your needs and advanced driver aids including their Live Cockpit system on a curved display.

There is a range of petrol, diesel and hybrid engines for you to choose from depending on your needs. This includes a plug-in hybrid which offers an electric-only range up to 56 miles, making it a great choice for company car drivers as it’s got a lower BIK rate.

For drivers who don’t need maximum space and want a technologically advance and stylish option this is the ideal MPV.

5. Toyota Proace Verso

The Toyota Proace Verso is one of the largest vehicles to be included in this list, with the option of nine seats. Toyota also offer the Proace Verso in seven and eight-seat versions if you don’t need that much passenger space.

The Proace Verso is an incredibly versatile car. It’s not just the number of passenger seats that you have a choice on, there’s two lengths and three engines to choose from. The engines are all diesel so offer great fuel economy for drivers who cover a long distance regularly.

Whilst this car is predominantly designed for taxi and transportation companies it is a great choice if you need a pool vehicle for your fleet to move teams between sites, or want a comfortable family car with room for older children to fit comfortably.

6. Ford Galaxy

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The Ford Galaxy is another model that is loved by families and taxi drivers alike. It’s a great seven-seater with plenty of room for luggage which makes it ideal for drivers who need a car that offers space for people and their belongings.

Unlike some seven seaters, the Galaxy is designed for all seven seats to be in use the majority of the time, which means that the very rear seats are comfortable and spacious enough for longer journeys.

Now in its fourth edition, there’s plenty of modern touches that come as standard in the Galaxy including an eight-inch touchscreen, front and rear parking sensors and keyless entry. If you go for a higher spec trim level there are also options including adaptive LED headlights, front and rear view parking cameras, and sat nav.

If you’d like to find out more about the Ford Galaxy and how affordable it is then please take a look at our Galaxy leasing deals.

7. Peugeot e-Traveller

The Peugeot e-Traveller is a fully electric version of their popular MPV the Traveller that offers drivers a range of just over 140 miles on a single charge. Peugeot have since removed the diesel Traveller from their range, which means this electric model is the only one available for them.

With the e-Traveller Peugeot have essentially taken a panel van, added some windows and fitted seats in the cargo areas to create a spacious rear passenger area that doesn’t feel cramped or leave taller passengers bending over.  It’s a great choice for those with teenage children who might be a bit cramped in another car.

The e-Traveller shares its chassis with the Peugeot 308, Citroen C5 X and Vauxhall Astra, which means you don’t feel like you’re driving a van but rather it handles like a larger car.

There’s plenty of different trim levels for you to choose from and we’ve got lease deals on them all if you’re interested in the e-Traveller for your next car.

8. Ford Tourneo Connect

Images Sourced: https://www.ford.co.uk/cars/new-tourneo-connect

The last of the Ford trio to be included in our list is the Ford Tourneo Connect. It was introduced to their lineup to replace the previous Focus based Connect model, and it’s improved upon it.

There’s plenty of space, all of the latest in Ford’s infotainment and safety systems in a modern and stylish package. With standard plenty of features as standard including Apple CarPlay, lane keep assist and when you upgrade to higher specs heated seats and keyless go are just some of the extras you’ll get.

You’ll have the option of two bodies, a standard five seater and a longer seven-seat version. You can choose the best version for your family and we’ve got Tourneo Connect leasing deals on them both.

There’s only two engine choices available for you a 1.5-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel, both of which offer you great fuel economy. Ford is a reliable brand, known for their dependable and affordable models and the Tourneo Connect is no exception. Not only does it have great fuel economy, but it is also hard-wearing and generally has low maintenance costs.

This is another MPV that has sliding rear doors, which is a great feature if your children are still in car seats that need you to secure them in. Sliding doors also make it the ideal choice if you need a large car but are often parking in tight spaces.

9. Dacia Jogger 

The Dacia Jogger is one of the most affordable people carriers on the market and is a great choice for anyone looking for a seven-seat car at a low price, with purchase prices starting under £15,000.

Whilst it might not have all the bells and whistles that some of our other top picks do it is a great choice for those on a budget who need more space. And it does have all of the features that you actually need. Some drivers will find this a benefit, as there’s not a lot of different alerts and buttons to distract you.

The minimalist design provides you a clear and relatively uncluttered dashboard but does have a built-in smartphone holder to ensure your phone is safely secured whilst traveling. There’s also a touchscreen system to control the infotainment centre.

There’s the choice of a 1.0 litre petrol engine or a 1.6 litre petrol hybrid engine, which offers drivers great fuel economy and 138 bhp.

Take a look at just how cheaply you can lease the Jogger for with our affordable Dacia Jogger lease deals.

10. Volkswagen Multivan

The final selection for our top 10 pick is the Volkswagen Multivan! As the name suggests it’s an MPV based on the design of a van, specifically VW’s new T7 model.  

There’s seven individual seats in the vehicle, and the rear five seats can all be removed, though they are fairly heavy so we wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you needed to. And for drivers needing a little more space, there’s a long-wheel-based version. For easy access to the rear passenger seats there’s sliding rear doors that are great for moving children in and out.

It’s underpinned by the brand’s MQB architecture, which is used on some of their current car modes, which gives it better handling, accurate steering, and absorbent suspension for a comfortable ride. In fact, apart from the high driver position you’d feel as if you were behind the wheel of a smaller car, not a van-inspired MPV.

VW offer the Multivan with a range of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines for you to choose from. This range of engines means you’ll be able to pick the right option for you. To see the difference in pricing between fuel sources then take a look at our current Multivan leasing offers.

 

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