Seats for five tall adults

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 00:05
Seats for five tall adults - Benet

I need an economical car for a 40 mile daily commute that will on occasion accommodate my wife and three tall teenagers - Possibly even for European holidays? Currently we use a Fiat Panda, mainly for my commute, and a Honda Shuttle (old but good) for the family. I am thinking of a Honda Civic or perhaps an Accord estate, or maybe a Corolla Verso or a Ford C-Max, of conceivably a Skoda. Ideally the budget is under £6,000. Any thoughts??

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 00:46
Seats for five tall adults - Avant

I hesitate to recommend a used diesel, but your commute probably justifies one.

There have been problems with some Ford 1.6 TDCIs, so go for the 2.0 - the C-Max or Mondeo should suit your needs. I agree that the Verso is worth a look, and you could also think of the Skoda Superb 1.9 TDI.

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 11:50
Seats for five tall adults - Happy Blue!

Five tall adults is a hard task for any car, but I thnk you are best looking at medium sized 7 seat MPVs and keep the thrird row folded down.

Grand C-Max, Mazda5, Kia Carens, Grande Scenic, Zafira (ugh), Touran. For a petrol car, I would go Mazda anyime; diesel either the Ford or the Renault.

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 12:04
Seats for five tall adults - skidpan

Five tall adults is a hard task for any car, but I thnk you are best looking at medium sized 7 seat MPVs and keep the thrird row folded down.

Grand C-Max, Mazda5, Kia Carens, Grande Scenic, Zafira (ugh), Touran. For a petrol car, I would go Mazda anyime; diesel either the Ford or the Renault.

From experience C-Max would be tight, leg room is OK (ish) but not wide enough for 3 adults to sit in comfort. S-Max would be probably be perfect.

Carens is OK for legroom but not certain about width. Good diesels, rubbish petrol.

The OP needs to go and look at all the suggested cars and make a decision from how they are in real life.

What about Seat Alambra. Looks good value and is big but diesel only.

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 12:05
Seats for five tall adults - Chris M

How long do you propose keeping the car? Whilst these cars may fit the bill as far as head and legroom are concerned, if your three teenagers are budding rugby players, you may soon run out of shoulder room.

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 13:10
Seats for five tall adults - Benet

I prefer petrol to Diesel. Re the width, I have read that the Verso has individually reclinable back seats so as to help provide shoulder room? Does anyone think the Nissan Note would have enough space??

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 13:17
Seats for five tall adults - skidpan

Actually we have just bought a new Note. With the sliding rear seat you can tailor to legroom to suit but you don't get the extra for free, obviously more legroom means less boot.

But the width is no better than a C-Max thus I would not wish to be one of 3 adults in the rear.

Its good for its size but its no full size 5 seat MPV with luggag space for a continental trip.

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 15:42
Seats for five tall adults - Manatee

That's a "tall" order. One problem with nearly all cars is that even if the back seat is wide enough and the headroom and legroom OK, the middle passenger ends up either with knees under chin or one foot in each footwell.

The CRV is quite civilised in the back. The "theatre" seating means a decent view and the floor is flat IIRC - it certainly was in the Mk2.

Edited by Manatee on 15/07/2015 at 15:42

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 16:57
Seats for five tall adults - Happy Blue!

" I have read that the Verso has individually reclinable back seats so as to help provide shoulder room?"

All MPVs with individual rear seats have reclineable rear seats - certainly those in my S-Max did and that was extremely comfortable and spacious. If the budget was large enough I would buy an S-Max over any other car if I had to transport five people.

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Wed 5 Aug 2015 14:30
Seats for five tall adults - Benet

The upshot in the end was that I bought a 2010 Toyota Auris. I tried a couple of Civics (lovely but not enough rear headroom) Nissan Notes (ample space but not so nice to drive) and an Astra which had the headroom, to my surprise, but not much else in its favour. The Auris is extremely well built, sufficiently nippy while comfortable both for me and the passengers (with its dual heating controls and reclining rear seats). Thanks a lot for all your advice!

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Wed 5 Aug 2015 21:31
Seats for five tall adults - Avant

Sounds like a good choice - is it petrol or diesel?

In view of your other thread, I wonder what will happen to the Shuttle!

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 11:52
Seats for five tall adults - Benet

petrol - with a chain cam engine! Oh, the Shuttle is like Mrs Thatcher. she'll go on and on...

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 13:04
Seats for five tall adults - Chris M

When the Shuttle's ECU fails and it loses it's memory, will you tow it through London to St. Paul's Cathedral and then on to Chelsea where you'll stick a match to it?

Edited by Chris M on 07/08/2015 at 13:06

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 19:20
Seats for five tall adults - daveyK_UK

Nissan Note

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Fri 7 Aug 2015 22:42
Seats for five tall adults - Benet

I don't know why Mrs Thatcher came to mind. Must be something to do with it being the wife's car...

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Sun 9 Aug 2015 07:41
Seats for five tall adults - daveyK_UK

Had 5 tall adults in a skoda rapid yesterday, plenty of space and a huge boot yet the cars dimensions are not to big.

The skids rapid is a great car for the money

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