Hi, I'm the OP.
I started looking at this conundrum because I fancied moving away from pure "MPV" functionality to a Crossover, really from a styling point of view. Crossovers, which only really only existed in their pure "SUV" guise 5 years ago have improved greatly in recent years, partly to cater for customers like myself who want a half-way house.
I agree that the S-Max is a class leader, and is probably as good to drive as any Crossover. Getting 7 seats wasn't really a criteria for me, getting 5 good seats was, but I can see how utilising the 7 seat layout for 5 persons can give extra space, provided you don't need all the boot space. The issue I would have with a seven seater is that the 5th member of our family is a baby, so we need the boot for the pram. That would add an attraction to a 6 seater option like the FR-V into play, so you can separate the kids when you want to, and keep the boot.
As for the Eos, we need two cars, and as noted not every journey needs 5 seats. I use it for commuting and for the pure joy of convertible driving. It's not a selfish keep, there is no need to replace it. Life's too short not to enjoy a convertible, and having it as the second car is ideal.
Anyway, for now we're sticking with the Picasso for another year. It may not be a S-Max to drive, nor as funky as a crossover but it has the 5 seat layout we like and is paid for.
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