What 7-seater vehicle fits...

[Izzie]

...the following criteria:

1) City-driving.(90%) With an average of 20kms/day. (Out-of-town-driving (10%) Probabaly a distance of 150kms
(one-way)).
2) Max Budget: 1.5m
3) Can seat 7 pax comfortably
4) Easy (fun?) to drive.
5) Keep for more than 5 years.

TIA

[1D4LV]

innova diesel.... sobra pa yang budget mo.

[Horsepower]

KIA Carnival

[foresterx]

with a 1.5M budget only starex or hiace can seat 7 comfortably but they're not fun to drive. they are reliable and has a great fc. all mid-sized SUV's/AUV's or smaller has a really really cramped 3rd row seat, so you won't be able to seat 7 comfortably. it can seat 7 but the other 2 won't be comfortable.

[dct]

Masarap idrive ang starex. Wag lang sa masikip dahil malapad sya. Hehe

[jaggerx3]

Kia Carens, or again Grand Starex na CRDi VGT kung fun to drive hanap mo.

[IMm29]

with a 1.5M budget only starex or hiace can seat 7 comfortably but they're not fun to drive. they are reliable and has a great fc. all mid-sized SUV's/AUV's or smaller has a really really cramped 3rd row seat, so you won't be able to seat 7 comfortably. it can seat 7 but the other 2 won't be comfortable.

I agree with foresterx's reply.

7-seater SUVs can seat a maximum of 5 comfortably. The 2 in the 3rd row will not be too happy unless they're petite and are shorter than the average Pinoy.

7-seater vans/minivans are your best bet for the "seats 7 comfortably" part. You can check these out:
GRAND STAREX 2.5L CRDi VGT GLS MT (10 STR) is P1.563M (Hyundai Pricelist Philippines - PRICE LIST)
KIA carnival 2.9l ex crdi lwb a/t is P1.575M (Kia Pricelist Philippines - Kia Pricelist Philippines)

These 2 are not exactly fun to drive, if your definition of fun is based on a car's driving dynamics. They are, however, comfortable to drive. They're not small rides, but once you get the hang of driving them, they'll grow on you.

[Ry_Tower]

Get the TOTL Innova Diesel.

[niky]

First off... I'm assuming you don't want an L300. :hysterical:

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Looking at AUVs, The Crosswind has the most space. With side facing third row, can seat ten people squeezed in (with belts for all six in the first and second row), or seven in relative comfort. Very crude. Very ancient. Very dependable.

But a real truck. The Innova is much nicer. But the ride is stiff. Diesel engine lacks power on the highway (okay, so the Crosswind is even more underpowered... but you expect that), and gas engine is unrefined. But it's relatively dependable and fuel economy is okay. Also handles pretty well compared to the likes of the the Crosswind and Adventure... but of course, that's not hard to do!

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If you really, really need a seven seater Toyota AUV, the Avanza actually has a better third row than the Innova (having driven both several times... and having sat in the third row of both on long trips). The Innova's third row is more bearable than the Fortuner's, but it's still very short of knee room. The big, padded seats simply take up too much space. The Avanza's thinner seat cushions sit further up and it's not a bad place to sit.

And the Avanza is relatively nice to drive. Not as nice as the Spin or Grand Livina, but those have bugger all third row space.

Of course, compared to anything else you can get under 1.5m, the Avanza is kind of plasticky. And tinny. And tippy. And a lot of other "-y's"

The Ertiga is better, with a bigger second row, but space is tight if there are people in all three rows, and the third row is small for two. While I like it best among small sevens, it works best as a five seater with a great sliding second row and a big trunk.

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The APV has even better third row legroom. Seats up to eight, but tight squeeze for three in any row. Drives and rides like a stiff truck, driver sits on the engine cover (if you're tall, you'll feel it under your knees after you've slid the seat back) and fuel economy sucks with the automatic and is barely acceptable with the manual. Under 600k, though... that extra 900k buys lots and lots and lots of gas.

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The big boy SUVs... don't like the third row in any of them... Montero's is tiny... Everest's is flat on the floor... Fortuner's has no knee room at all... Trailblazer strangely tight (but whoa, man... that engine). MU-X? Will be trying that tomorrow. Will keep you posted.

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And that leaves the vans.

The HiAce... well... it's basically a truck. Punchy diesel with short gears, but you have to climb high up into the driver's seat, and the ride is so-so. Also very expensive, nowadays. You can't even get an automatic for under 1.6m!

The Grand Starex is better to drive. Still too big and wide, but better to drive... and the interior is much nicer in this price range. Fun... errh... uhhh.... reliability is okay. Not terrible, not great... just okay. Three relatives have them, and only one had big issues... but that's because he used it as a rental vehicle.

Best bet among vans is the Carnival. Ultra-wide, great legroom in all rows. Built like a mini-van instead of a breadbox. Think of it as a really cheap Honda Odyssey with a diesel. Ride is stiff compared to the Honda, though... and the seat folding system in the last one I drove was fiddly, but I have no experience with the current one.... don't know if it's the same.

Oddball... Foton View Traveller. You can get the Traveller with the high roof and captain's chairs for under 1.3m. Nice 2.8 liter Cummins engine. Interior and build quality no longer worse than a homebuilt Jeepney. Still, it's a Chinese car. Up to you if you want to take that gamble. In the end, it's basically another HiAce clone for a lot less money... heck... if you really want a HiAce, there are a dozen clones on the market right now...

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If we're going for the most comfortable seven seaters out there... it's got to be the Sorento and the Santa Fe... the basic Santa Fe is just under 1.6m. The old Santa Fe was great. We fit three guys (and we're talking 170 to 200+ pound guys) in that third row once... tight, but more bearable than two in most seven-seat SUVs. The current Santa Fe has better legroom than the old one in the third row, but they pushed the seat far back, so if you're over five feet, your head is near the rear glass. The Sorento's squared-off roof makes this less of a hassle, but only the five seat versions are within your budget. Both great cars, though... and with the 2.2 liter diesel... lots of "fun"... ...if you can stretch it, the Santa Fe is a great car. My dad's had his for years, and he basically got rid of his other cars (except the big van, for when he's carrying more than seven people) as he didn't need anything else, really.

I think it's the pick of the litter...even if you can only get a base 2WD for the money... but that's all up to you.

[Jun aka Pekto]

If I need to drive my cousins around Manila, I'd go for the Kia Carnival:

[IMG]http://m.kia.com/worldwide/wcm/groups/webcontent/*mkgn/documents/webvehiclecontent/074313.jpg[/IMG]

Comfortable captain's chairs with lots of room. Heck, add a dvd player and the passengers won't feel bored while mired in Metro Manila's traffic snarls.

Unless you have an SUV the size of a GMC Acadia, most 3rd-row seats are for kids.

[dct]

Carnival to? Bakit 4 rows?

[IMm29]

If I need to drive my cousins around Manila, I'd go for the Kia Carnival:

[IMG]http://m.kia.com/worldwide/wcm/groups/webcontent/*mkgn/documents/webvehiclecontent/074313.jpg[/IMG]

Comfortable captain's chairs with lots of room. Heck, add a dvd player and the passengers won't feel bored while mired in Metro Manila's traffic snarls.

Unless you have an SUV the size of a GMC Acadia, most 3rd-row seats are for kids.

One row too many of the Carnival in this pic You can dump the 2nd row from the right and that would be the local Carnival.

[IMm29]

Nice review by niky Pretty comprehensive.

Goes back to the qualification on how big and tall the 7 people are going to be, for the comfortable part.

[Jun aka Pekto]

Must be an overseas Carnival. I wish US minivans have 4th-row seats. But, yeah. When it comes to moving people, minivans top my list.

[GTi]

I think the KDM Carnival has 4 rows, same goes for the KDM Grand Starex. Honestly though,if I'm gonna carry 7 people or more on a regular basis, I'm not gonna get a 7 seater. It'll have to be able to carry 7 people and their stuff. It's got to be a van. Carnival for me. If you live near a grey market dealer, you can probably find one with the 2.2L Santa Fe engine.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Jun aka Pekto]

I think the KDM Carnival has 4 rows, same goes for the KDM Grand Starex. Honestly though,if I'm gonna carry 7 people or more on a regular basis, I'm not gonna get a 7 seater. It'll have to be able to carry 7 people and their stuff. It's got to be a van. Carnival for me. If you live near a grey market dealer, you can probably find one with the 2.2L Santa Fe engine.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

I agree. Last year, I had the pleasure to experience Manila's traffic firsthand. It took us an hour and a half (in my brother in law's Fortuner) to get from the Mall of Asia to the high-rise in Taguig where my niece lives. I rode shotgun while my sister had the second row to herself. My sister lied down and took a nap while I reclined back and chilled out. My brother in law was the driver. He wasn't happy.

I can't imagine myself sitting in those tiny SUV 3rd-row seats for an hour and a half. With a minivan's captain's chairs, I can easily recline back and take a snooze or watch a movie with plenty of legroom.

[gundam]

What about chevrolet orlando.

[niky]

What about chevrolet orlando.

Orlando, a bit bigger than the Carens, but the third row isn't great. Stiffer ride. Drives well, though, and the automatic is smooth. Problem is the price. There's only one variant left for the Orlando. At 1.238m, that's just 50k less than the base Grand Starex... and the Orlando is just a 1.8 liter gasoline car. The Carens is similarly expensive, but at least you get a frugal and powerful 1.7 liter diesel.

At the 1.2m range, you're looking at vans and ladder-frame SUVs, already.

[dr. d]

At 1.238m, that's just 50k less than the base Grand Starex....

if TS is looking for an honestly comfortable seating for 7, this is probably what he has to consider... the rest just do not seem to have good enough space in the rearmost..
or have a go at the breadloaf vans..

[yebo]

preno lang sir, we're talking tci starex 10 seater here and the entry level starex 3rd row does not slide. so naka-fixed yung 3rd row and the 2nd row does not swivel. result is ang laki ng cargo space behind the 3rd row pero limited ang leg room ng 3rd row. ang spacing kasi ng seats e same as the 12 seater. think of that 12 seater with fixed 3rd and 4th row seats, remove the 4th row and what you get is the 10 seater tci.