# Family Cars- 7 seaters



## eusweetheart

Hello again (I thought this deserved it's own thread)

We are looking for a family sized vehicle (3 kids) and will likely need a 7 seater. 

Can anyone suggest the best vehicle to drive and where we could find one? Dubizzle is really quite limited in terms of what there is to offer. 

Any suggestions on the type of vehicle most used and found by large families?

My husband says that he sees loads of VW Toureg and Range Rovers (we just had a landrover Freelander for the past 6 years and I was so happy to get rid of it!)....any comments on this?

Thank you!
::help:


----------



## Free_Spirit

try Pajero, the latest one of 2010 full options is nice, in general Pajero has bigger space than most of other 4WD
Nissan Pathinder is good either, but I heard it consumes too much fuel in the city


----------



## SBP

Ella_and_Yousef said:


> try Pajero, the latest one of 2010 full options is nice, in general Pajero has bigger space than most of other 4WD
> Nissan Pathinder is good either, but I heard it consumes too much fuel in the city


Pajero....one of the greatest marketing rebrand cock-ups...........but only if you speak Spanish  (means someone who sexually satisfies themselves on their own!!!!!) rhymes with tanker!


----------



## Helios

In this country best to go for a japanese because of resell value.
You might consider Nissan Pathfinder or Armada (bigger), or Toyota Prado or Land Cruiser (bigger)


----------



## rsinner

Audi Q7
Not the biggest 7 seater, but a 7 seater nonetheless


----------



## Dannysigma

SBP said:


> Pajero....one of the greatest marketing rebrand cock-ups...........but only if you speak Spanish  (means someone who sexually satisfies themselves on their own!!!!!) rhymes with tanker!


A bit like when GM tried to sell the Nova in Spain/Mexico - Nova means "doesn't go" in Spanish.

Generally Japanese cars have better resale value here but it also means that they cost more if you are buying used. Also, the received wisdom is that Toyota are the best as they are the most reliable (80% of all 4x4s in Dubai are Toyotas), but recent events have shown this to be manifestly untrue: it remains to be seen whether or not this will affect resale value, but I would personally steer clear.


----------



## Madam Mim

Love the Ford Explorer which is a 7 seater


----------



## Jynxgirl

I LOVE the GMC Acadia.


----------



## oh!

*Beware a rather long reply...Slow night...I had time to kill!!!*

well a lot will depend on what your budget is... Beware!!! I am a big petrol head so this is a pretty long reply...

You can divide your main search category into two: a). SUV or b). Minivan cum crossover types (Mini Vans trying to look like SUVs)

Let's tackle SUVs first:

Well when you are looking at a 7 seater, you are looking for space, so I would cut the german's out...only the Audi Q7 offers seven seats but is not generous with space, especially the center seat in the middle row is a nightmare on the back. I think the Merc GL class offers 7 seats, but then the price you pay for it, can get you a lot of more options.

Then you turn towards the americans...I recently concluded with a friend of mine who hates american cars (but I don't) that when it comes to big 7 seaters, they are the best.

Well the entry level is the Ford Explorer but then it is quite boring or if I put it simply...plain jane (I hope I am not offending any Janes out there)...the elder brother of Explorer is quite interesting though and that is the Ford Expedition. Shares a lot with it's more luxurious cousin the Lincoln Navigator at almost half the price, it can be had at quite a bargain if you get it used (check dubizzle). Lot of space for 7 and for that shopping trip to ikea. Heavy on the fuel though.

Then you have the Chevrolet Tahoe, my personal favorite, a quite balanced 7 seater, good looks, lots of space and perhaps the best fuel economy in the line of these big and mammoth gas guzzlers. Also it is claimed on a lot of review sites that Tahoe has the best handling as well...again a great deal in second hands can be found.

Then come the two luxury 7 seaters...the GMC Yukon and the Caddy Escallade. The Escallade being the most expensive of the American line up, where even for a price of two to three year old SUV you can get a top of the line brand new Tahoe straight from the dealership. If you want that bling and want to be noticed around then the Caddy is the order of the day...an expensive one though.

The GMC yukon on the other hand I find it to be the same as Tahoe with almost the same interior (slightly more luxurious and thus more expensive too). Priced between the Tahoe and Escallade, Yukon seems quite popular as you can see a lot of them zipping around on Sheikh Zayed road and the Denali version looks quite good too. 

Out of the two, I would recommend the Tahoe...and it's cheaper as well.

GMC Acadia...nice to look at but I don't like the interior...and found it to be a little over priced in terms of value for money on Dubbizzle...in the 100K range a lot of other great deals can be had.

Two other SUVs...the infinity Qx and the Navigator by Lincoln...but their price tag defeats me...I would rather go for their identical cousins at much lower costs...the Expedition or the Armada.

Would lexus count as American??? well whether it does or doesn't....it's super expensive and quite frankly I fail to see why one pays more for this badge over an SUV which is available at a much lower cost under the badge of toyota...

Then we have the Japanese

The grand daddy of them all...The Land cruiser by toyota...dependable, spacious and cheaper than the lexus...the GXR (basic...stripped down version) can be found at good prices on dubizzle...

Nissan Armada...now this is a family SUV...I don't know why but when I look at it, I can picture it as a complete family SUV...a three year old Armada can easily be found under a 100K AED. Ofcourse, the interior is hard and plasticy but the 2008 plus models have a pretty decent interior. Just watch out for the recent recalls of Armadas by Nissan for brake issues though.

A good middle of the road SUV could also be the Nissan Pathfinder...the new shape ofcourse...nice interior and cozy space and frequently people can confuse it for it's elder sister the Armada 

Then there is the price leader...the cheapest, large SUV you can get your hands on and that is the pajero...extremely popular and I guess because of it's low price tag ( a new 3.0 liter can be had as little as under AED 100K)...seats 7, good space but it ain't no status symbol...but for people with a low budget, it does the job. 

I on the other hand would recommend to get a nice used Tahoe or even an older Landcruiser over a new Pajero (old technology in a slightly modified new shell).

And if you can wait...I would seriously recommend you the SUV which will very soon have all other SUVs eating out of it's hands and that is the much awaited Nissan Safari/Patrol (new shape)...beautiful interior, new exterior and re-vamped performance specs. Load up the kids for a trip to the mall or strap up and hit the desert...this vehicle does it all...and nopes I am not a Nissan salesman.

To Sum it up...it will be your budget that will truly define the vehicle... For low end...I would recommend go for a used Tahoe or an Expedition if you want American. If you want something with more resale go for Japanese such as a Nissan Armada, Pathfinder or a Land cruiser.

Moving on to the Crossovers/Mini Vans

Well we do have a nice one in the German batch and that is the Merc R class...infact just saw an ad from Gargash as this month special for an R 350 2006 or was it 2007...it was I think for 109K...beautiful car and seats 7 perfectly and is a status badge...but i would check their servicing cost with the dealer first.

I sat in a Dodge Caravan the other day...very very spacious but frankly I found it a bit uncomfortable...but hang on it seats 6...or maybe you can squeeze 3 kids in the third row chairs.

I would also check Chrysler Grand Voyager...I remember seeing a couple standing at the dealership.

Honda Odyssey...I don't know if it is available here or not...one minivan I would definitely check with Honda...I drove one in the US and fell in love with it...absolutely a dream to drive and since it is a Honda, it should not be very expensive.

Now the minivan/crossover which everyone has been raving about and if you can live with driving a vehicle which doesn't look like a car and doesn't look like an SUV...then a very stylish vehicle is the Ford FLEX...I have heard brilliant reviews about it...

Another great but infact the I guess the best 7 seater crossover is the new lincoln MKT...all the gadgets and gizmos like self parking and stuff, lots of luggage space, 0-60mph in under 6 seconds and great comparative economy...based on the Ford Flex chassis...this is the vehicle to get...but check with Lincoln (al-tayyer), I don't know if they have launched it in the Emirates or not...but let me warn you...it has those either love it or really hate it looks.

So sum it up here...crossover/minivan...check out a Honda Odyssey or an MKT (Don't think you'll get a second hand one though) or go for a Ford Flex...and if you can afford to maintain a merc...get an R class...

If you search by name on dubbizzle, you'll find the vehicles you are looking for...or buy a copy of Auto Trader (just AED 10)...my advice would be stay away from the Al-Aweer showrooms...they can be hit or a miss. I personally know someone who got a great car from there ( a boxster) but his second one (a Range) turned out to be a sour lemon.

Or better yet, spend a little extra and get a pre-approved car from the dealer, you pay around 10% plus extra but know that you are getting something good and you can get extended warranties as well. Furthermore, I believe the pre-approved dealers in Abu-Dhabi are actually cheaper then the ones in Dubai...

Take care and safe driving


----------



## eusweetheart

*Wow- fantastic answer*



oh! said:


> well a lot will depend on what your budget is... Beware!!! I am a big petrol head so this is a pretty long reply...
> 
> 
> 
> THANK YOU!
> WHAT A WONDERFULLY DETAILED ANSWER! You certainly know your stuff and you really should be a car saleman! Thank you for all the effort. My husband and I were laughing at how much you know your vehicles and this will prove helpful. He's been looking all week now so this will help us narrow it down. How can we go wrong??
> 
> We really appreciate your help! :clap2:


----------



## mgb

If you are planning to take it offroad onto the sand dunes, I would suggest the Nissan Patrol - our friends run a 7 seater and it is very good. Also seen someone take a relatively new 7 seater Pathfinder out and it was good too.

It's always worth considering that if, sorry when, you are in an accident, if it's a rear shunt, you are safer in a car with the spare tyre mounted on the tailgate, this often absorbs a lot of energy in the crash.


----------



## Dannysigma

There is also the Jeep Commander and the Dodge Durango - both ugly but both relatively cheap and capable off road. If you are intending to go off road, choose carefully as a lot of what are rated as SUVs are actually crossovers and don't do anything when they hit the sand other than sink.


----------



## mgb

One of the main things in ascertaining whether a car can go offroad or not is if it has a "high 2, High 4, Low 4" ratio gearbox. Best thing to do is read all about it in advance on an offroaders website, such as www.uaeoffroaders.com.


----------



## oh!

Hey...glad to be of service


----------



## Riz1

oh! said:


> well a lot will depend on what your budget is... Beware!!! I am a big petrol head so this is a pretty long reply...
> 
> You can divide your main search category into two: a). SUV or b). Minivan cum crossover types (Mini Vans trying to look like SUVs)
> 
> Let's tackle SUVs first:
> 
> Well when you are looking at a 7 seater, you are looking for space, so I would cut the german's out...only the Audi Q7 offers seven seats but is not generous with space, especially the center seat in the middle row is a nightmare on the back. I think the Merc GL class offers 7 seats, but then the price you pay for it, can get you a lot of more options.
> 
> Then you turn towards the americans...I recently concluded with a friend of mine who hates american cars (but I don't) that when it comes to big 7 seaters, they are the best.
> 
> Well the entry level is the Ford Explorer but then it is quite boring or if I put it simply...plain jane (I hope I am not offending any Janes out there)...the elder brother of Explorer is quite interesting though and that is the Ford Expedition. Shares a lot with it's more luxurious cousin the Lincoln Navigator at almost half the price, it can be had at quite a bargain if you get it used (check dubizzle). Lot of space for 7 and for that shopping trip to ikea. Heavy on the fuel though.
> 
> Then you have the Chevrolet Tahoe, my personal favorite, a quite balanced 7 seater, good looks, lots of space and perhaps the best fuel economy in the line of these big and mammoth gas guzzlers. Also it is claimed on a lot of review sites that Tahoe has the best handling as well...again a great deal in second hands can be found.
> 
> Then come the two luxury 7 seaters...the GMC Yukon and the Caddy Escallade. The Escallade being the most expensive of the American line up, where even for a price of two to three year old SUV you can get a top of the line brand new Tahoe straight from the dealership. If you want that bling and want to be noticed around then the Caddy is the order of the day...an expensive one though.
> 
> The GMC yukon on the other hand I find it to be the same as Tahoe with almost the same interior (slightly more luxurious and thus more expensive too). Priced between the Tahoe and Escallade, Yukon seems quite popular as you can see a lot of them zipping around on Sheikh Zayed road and the Denali version looks quite good too.
> 
> Out of the two, I would recommend the Tahoe...and it's cheaper as well.
> 
> GMC Acadia...nice to look at but I don't like the interior...and found it to be a little over priced in terms of value for money on Dubbizzle...in the 100K range a lot of other great deals can be had.
> 
> Two other SUVs...the infinity Qx and the Navigator by Lincoln...but their price tag defeats me...I would rather go for their identical cousins at much lower costs...the Expedition or the Armada.
> 
> Would lexus count as American??? well whether it does or doesn't....it's super expensive and quite frankly I fail to see why one pays more for this badge over an SUV which is available at a much lower cost under the badge of toyota...
> 
> Then we have the Japanese
> 
> The grand daddy of them all...The Land cruiser by toyota...dependable, spacious and cheaper than the lexus...the GXR (basic...stripped down version) can be found at good prices on dubizzle...
> 
> Nissan Armada...now this is a family SUV...I don't know why but when I look at it, I can picture it as a complete family SUV...a three year old Armada can easily be found under a 100K AED. Ofcourse, the interior is hard and plasticy but the 2008 plus models have a pretty decent interior. Just watch out for the recent recalls of Armadas by Nissan for brake issues though.
> 
> A good middle of the road SUV could also be the Nissan Pathfinder...the new shape ofcourse...nice interior and cozy space and frequently people can confuse it for it's elder sister the Armada
> 
> Then there is the price leader...the cheapest, large SUV you can get your hands on and that is the pajero...extremely popular and I guess because of it's low price tag ( a new 3.0 liter can be had as little as under AED 100K)...seats 7, good space but it ain't no status symbol...but for people with a low budget, it does the job.
> 
> I on the other hand would recommend to get a nice used Tahoe or even an older Landcruiser over a new Pajero (old technology in a slightly modified new shell).
> 
> And if you can wait...I would seriously recommend you the SUV which will very soon have all other SUVs eating out of it's hands and that is the much awaited Nissan Safari/Patrol (new shape)...beautiful interior, new exterior and re-vamped performance specs. Load up the kids for a trip to the mall or strap up and hit the desert...this vehicle does it all...and nopes I am not a Nissan salesman.
> 
> To Sum it up...it will be your budget that will truly define the vehicle... For low end...I would recommend go for a used Tahoe or an Expedition if you want American. If you want something with more resale go for Japanese such as a Nissan Armada, Pathfinder or a Land cruiser.
> 
> Moving on to the Crossovers/Mini Vans
> 
> Well we do have a nice one in the German batch and that is the Merc R class...infact just saw an ad from Gargash as this month special for an R 350 2006 or was it 2007...it was I think for 109K...beautiful car and seats 7 perfectly and is a status badge...but i would check their servicing cost with the dealer first.
> 
> I sat in a Dodge Caravan the other day...very very spacious but frankly I found it a bit uncomfortable...but hang on it seats 6...or maybe you can squeeze 3 kids in the third row chairs.
> 
> I would also check Chrysler Grand Voyager...I remember seeing a couple standing at the dealership.
> 
> Honda Odyssey...I don't know if it is available here or not...one minivan I would definitely check with Honda...I drove one in the US and fell in love with it...absolutely a dream to drive and since it is a Honda, it should not be very expensive.
> 
> Now the minivan/crossover which everyone has been raving about and if you can live with driving a vehicle which doesn't look like a car and doesn't look like an SUV...then a very stylish vehicle is the Ford FLEX...I have heard brilliant reviews about it...
> 
> Another great but infact the I guess the best 7 seater crossover is the new lincoln MKT...all the gadgets and gizmos like self parking and stuff, lots of luggage space, 0-60mph in under 6 seconds and great comparative economy...based on the Ford Flex chassis...this is the vehicle to get...but check with Lincoln (al-tayyer), I don't know if they have launched it in the Emirates or not...but let me warn you...it has those either love it or really hate it looks.
> 
> So sum it up here...crossover/minivan...check out a Honda Odyssey or an MKT (Don't think you'll get a second hand one though) or go for a Ford Flex...and if you can afford to maintain a merc...get an R class...
> 
> If you search by name on dubbizzle, you'll find the vehicles you are looking for...or buy a copy of Auto Trader (just AED 10)...my advice would be stay away from the Al-Aweer showrooms...they can be hit or a miss. I personally know someone who got a great car from there ( a boxster) but his second one (a Range) turned out to be a sour lemon.
> 
> Or better yet, spend a little extra and get a pre-approved car from the dealer, you pay around 10% plus extra but know that you are getting something good and you can get extended warranties as well. Furthermore, I believe the pre-approved dealers in Abu-Dhabi are actually cheaper then the ones in Dubai...
> 
> Take care and safe driving


wow. what a peice of work. thanks. my budget is AED 80,000 and looks like a Pajero 3.8Ltr would be the only choice. haven't lost hope as yet so will check dealers and Abu-Dhabi.


----------

