![]() ![]() Limited payload – seven or eight people is a lot of weight, and that means you almost certainly can’t modify the vehicle and then fill it with seven people without exceeding its payload (exceeding the weight design limit), or towing at its maximum capacity.Eight seaters – one or two, like the petrol LC200s, are actually eight seaters.What you may not know about seven-seat SUVs This is particularly useful for families with children who aren’t small enough to set seats up by themselves. Electrically operated tailgates and seats – once you have them, you’ll love them.Cargo net – handy to secure things, although it’s not a full cargo barrier.Reversing guidelines and a zoom function is useful. Reversing camera – you need one of these, and it should be high quality.Looking out of the window is one of the best ways to combat carsickness. Visibility – all-round, but particularly for the second and third row.Sound system – can you easily bias the sound from front to rear? Not all seven-seaters have speakers right at the back.Lights – lots and lots of lights! A good lighting system is at least three in the roof, one in the top of the tailgate, and a couple in the sides of the boot.Third-row airbags – pretty much all seven-seaters have side (curtain) airbags that extend into the third row, but do check this.Ideally, you want the second row to have their own controls for heating or cooling. Ventilation in the back – the third row absolutely must have some form of effective ventilation.The first row will always have an adjustable seatback angle, but not always the second or third row. You can do that to some extent by adjusting the seatback angles. Adjustable seatbacks and fore/aft adjustment – it’s important to be able to trade space between first, second and third rows.Lesser models will have a slight uphill gradient so you don’t get that flat floor space. Split and fold-flat second-row – a good seven-seat SUV will offer a completely flat load space when the floor folds down, and the second row will latch down.You don’t want the kid’s devices running flat while you drive past all of that nice scenery to look at. Not all SUVs offer the second or third-row options. USB/12v – these days, you need at least two upfront, at least one in the second row, and one in the third row.There are drinks holders for both third-row occupants. The Toyota Kluger has good loadspace, but not quite level and lacks tie-downs. Storage/drinks holders – should be a drinks holder and small storage compartment for every occupant, including in the third row.Cargo tie-downs – unfortunately, several SUVs come with only two or even no tie-down points for cargo in the rear.Also, small children should be able to operate the seats. I’m kind of running out of friends, but at least the car gets tested and that’s more important. I regularly do this test and refuse to give any hints as to how to operate the seat. The litmus test is a friend who hasn’t ever seen the car on a wet, cold night trying to get into the back. Easily operable seats – minimal effort required, and obvious to operate.If you run out of space, consider a roof pod, roof basket, or a smaller trailer. The XC90 has a healthy 600mm depth of loadspace, more than some small cars. The smaller sevens – those less than about 4700mm long – tend to struggle here. Space behind the third row – it’s rare that you’ll take seven people with no luggage at all, so some space behind the third row is essential, even if only for a couple of day bags.ISOFIX – these days, there should be two of these fixtures on the outboard seats.It is a pain to put a child into a seat in the third row, though. Third-row child restraint points – rarely seen, but having these is a flexibility bonus.Anywhere else – in the roof, at the base of the seat – is a pain. Child restraint points readily accessible – the best place for child restraint points is on the back of the seat, near the top, so you easily can get to them.Tumble-forward is an option, but not as good as fold-flat. ![]() Some offroaders will argue that they could use the space in the floor for storing things like water, and that is true, so this point holds for the average SUV owner and not someone who bought a seven-seater but really wanted a five-seater. This is because side-fold seats reduce visibility and cargo space. Fold-down third row – the seats should fold into the floor, not up to the sides.Split third row – you should be able to choose between a six and seven-seater, not between five and seven as per the Mitsubishi Pajero, which cannot split its third row.Once you get above the 1500kg braked towing mark, people movers struggle to offer a candidate, and none of them are suited for anything other than brief excursions down dirt roads. ![]()
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