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Mrs CFH has opined* that a seven seat car may be required to replace the current V70. The extra seats would only be for very occasional use and should be able to take a human being with legs longer than a dachshund's, but a nice to have thing. Also, should make a good bike lugging car, I'd imagine.
So, is there any reason NOT to get a Volvo XC90?
* As in decreed!
You can get v70s converted to 7 seats you know although the back row are facing backwards
Mercedes E Class estate with the optional seats in the boot.
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New version or original?
We had an XC90 for 12 years (I was a very early adopter and had a V70 for a while at the same time) - great car for large families.
Loads of space, decent drive and feels very solid (as you'll already know if you've got a V70).
Not the sportiest thing out there but you can't have everything!
Thanks, momo and pop, was in the middle of editing the original post! The problem with those boot-seats (Used to have a 9 series Volvo with them) is that they're only good enough for a very small range of sizes, and certainly not for adults. Ideally, would like to be able to use the extra bank for adults, if only occasionally, as the children will be in car seats for a while!
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^^WIN!^^
😀
Depending on where you live ie in a town or not the turning circle was appalling, presumably because of the silly wide wheels. Thirsty beast as well, or at least a 2012 plate 2.4 was anyway. Other than that very nice.
No worries, S-Max is nice, brother in law has one as does my boss, only problem being that the boot is tiny with the rear row of seats up. Seats all fold flat into the floor, which means that bikes will wheel in and you can sleep in there with the bike if that takes your fancy.
If you go for an XC90 then how are you intending to carry the bikes? If via a roof rack then, unless you're tall, stretching up to get the bikes on the roof is a bit of a PITA - not too bad for the bikes on the outside, but if more than 2 bikes then getting the inboard bikes on is tricky. I've got an SMax and ditched my inboard roof bike racks in favour of a tow bar and tow bar carrier. I only use the roof racks when i'm out on my own.
Regarding 7 seats, an aspect that is at least as important as leg room is the height of the seat off the floor. In my SMax the 6th and 7th seats are quite low to the floor. Fine for kids, not too comfy for adults with long legs (or even average length legs) as the knee's tend to be up high. The Galaxy is effectively the same car but has more headroom in the rear thanks to a boxier rear end, so the 6th & 7th seats are higher off the floor and better for adults. Not sure what the XC90 would be like, I suspect like the SMax as I assume the floor will be quite high due to the 4wd? Worth checking out in any case.
But the extra 2 seats are definitely worth it. I don't use them a huge amount but they are great on the few occasions I do use them. They often avoid the need for 2 cars if we're out and about with other people.
CFH - the only negatives against the XC90 (I drive one and love it) are fuel economy (30-38mpg) and tyre wear (15k for fronts, max 20k)
As a long distance cruiser they are lovely - the seats are very comfy.
As a bike carrier, we got 9 full sussers inside it for a trip to the Alps! I tend to use a towbar rack these days, but it does swallow my 29er whole for a quick solo trip somewhere.
As the Dacia Lodgy isn't sold in the UK AFAIK it has to be a [url= https://www.renault.co.uk/vehicles/new-vehicles/grand-scenic.html ]a Renault Grand Scenic.[/url] I'm not saying they are huge in the back but at 1m74 I found the last row of seats fine.
Edit: TCE petrol obviously.
Another XC90 owner here until 3 moths ago when it went in for an XC60. Had it for 26mths.
Most XC90's are/have been second cars, kids seats in the back and normally serviced on time. Stretch to £15k and you'll get a decent SE (I got £16k PX on mine) and if I were you steer clear of the R Design as it runs on lower profile tyres/bigger wheels and the ride is chalk and cheese away from the SE.
As for interiors, well mine was only used by us two most of the time, great for swallowing bikes/boards and occasional towing. The rear folding seats were ace and easy, 30 second job. The baby seats in the back fold out easy, I did mine a couple of times a year or so ago and I recall it being easy too.
Great for ride height, hop In/On rather than hunker down and in, if you get my drift. Easy to park despite the size of the thing as they are slim and overhangs not a problem if you've been used to a V70. Mine had the rear camera and side warning thingy camera in the mirror which was great for parking alongside kerbs. Its an option so try to seek one out. Sat Nav, mine didn't have it as Std so I used a Garmin stuck to the dash in the middle, fine no problems at all.
Thirsty buggers though. 25-35 was about all I got. Occasionally I'd hit 40 but that was just the optimistic nature of the on board computer. As was it wasn't an issue for me and I'd get roughly 500 miles out of a tank if I took it easy, 350-430 more often than not.
Nothing went wrong, trouble free, Volvo serviced and a blinking great car.
Sold for an XC60 SE as I wanted a smaller car and decided 7 seats were too much for me and not required. I could add more about the 60' but it's only got 5 seats, so no point.
In the longstanding proud tradition of recommend what you own,
... a Peugeot 5008
IT'S GOT A FRICKEN' HEAD-UP DISPLAY, BABY !!!!!!
(- and hasn't had a catastrophic electrical failure in over 3 years of ownership 😳 )
dantsw13 - Member
CFH - the only negatives against the XC90 (I drive one and love it) are fuel economy (30-38mpg) and tyre wear (15k for fronts, max 20k)
Mpg and tyre wear sound fine to me. (A dream, in fact...)
Just get the chauffeur to take it easy occasionally!
Averaged 30mpg in ours.... the 185 engine may be better.
Not sure what the XC90 would be like, I suspect like the SMax as I assume the floor will be quite high due to the 4wd?
Nope they're a proper height.
Only 7 seater we've had is a Kia Carens, which I really like driving.
A new Sharan is out which looks huge inside, and soon the identical Alhambra.
Tesla Model S ?
Citroen DS23 estate.
Thanks (most of you!)
To answer a few..
dantsw13 - Thanks. Those numbers don't worry me at all! Current V70 is a 4WD, manual gearbox turbo-vagen! Bit of a q-car! MPG and tyre wear are well within the acceptable range. Also, re bike carrying, that's good to know. I tend to carry my bike(s) inside the car for weekends away. Usually three of us per car, and from what I can see, the XC90 boot will be a little bigger that way than the V70, so that's good.
Edukator-
As the Dacia Lodgy isn't sold in the UK AFAIK it [b]has to be[/b] a a Renault Grand Scenic.
Has to be? Really? No. It doesn't. At all. On either count! Volvo to a Renault? Not even worth the comparison. That said, I saw a new Espace the other day which looked really good. But it's a French car, so will be shit. So that's out.
Scaredy - See above! 🙂
Harry The Spider - While I have no doubt that's a great car (Fords usually are, especially in terms of value for money), I showed it to Mrs CFH and it's a firm "no". She's a lady of discerning taste, and pointed out that it looked like it belonged on http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/portal.php 😉
Gotama, am in the country, so turning circle not a problem.
As before, some great feedback and opinion here folks. Thank you.
2 Series 7 seater?
Brand new out, but probably too small for you if you're considering an XC90
If you're in the country, then to maintain stereotypes, don't you have to have a Discovery?
Another happy XC90 owner here
Would agree with all the above comments - car is very comfortable and quite understated compared to Q7/X5 etc.
Only problem I have is that with 4 teenage kids (we usually travel 6 up plus dog) the rearmost seats will soon be a bit too small for two tall teenagers - but not sure what I would replace it with?
Rearmost passengers are a little bit short changed in that the stereo and aircon don't seem very effective back there
As above fuel economy and tyre wear is quite high but probably not out of the ordinary for a car of this type
Turning circle is an issue (even in the country!) with reversing and parallel parking until you get used to it
I've had a Smax for 4 years now, I think they are pretty good at what they do. I test drove a XC90 before we bought it, and I thought they were really nice, but it did feel like a big car to drive (I had to take it to fill up at a petrol station and it felt massive trying to negotiate the pumps).
The XC90 was much cleverer inside than X5 / Tourreg / Q7, and to my mind, doesn't suffer from the obnoxious image of other 4x4's.
The seats were really nice, and the car had an air of quality which a lot of modern cars don't seem to have.
I can't think there is going to be a better 7 seat match for CFH than an XC90?
oldbloke, am surprised it took so long for someone to mention that! Although I'd love one, am struggling to see the extra value that the extra cost would deliver.
Lodious, thanks. Especially this - "to my mind, doesn't suffer from the obnoxious image of other 4x4's.". I think you're right. It's understated, and somehow less of a vankervagen.
As you can see, apart from the Disco, I'm struggling to see why it shouldn't be an XC90. The Disco is lovely, but is it really worth that much more than the Volvo? Really not sure.
Galaxy here - pretty much the best balance between cost (to buy and to run) and space you can get. Not very exciting though. Considered an XC90 but running costs and purchase prices put us off
Depends. If you really want 7 seats for bigger people lots of the time, possibly. For occasional small people, probably not. New Disco out soon may see the residuals of older ones decline a little.As you can see, apart from the Disco, I'm struggling to see why it shouldn't be an XC90. The Disco is lovely, but is it really worth that much more than the Volvo? Really not sure.
T5 Caravelle
Are you talking new or used? I got a great deal in my new xc90 last year (£12k off list) as the new ones were coming out. I guess that has pushed down the value of used ones too. The new one is lovely, but pricey.
T5 Caravelle
The title says cars, not vans.
😉
Re new v used, will be used. New cars are a silly con! New XC90 out now, so prices on used should go down. New Disco, too, which looks very good! (BiL works on developing them, but can't get a discount. FFS...!)
If you've enjoyed your V70, and the third row seat use is occasional, I'd have thought the XC90 is your best choice.
-happy owner of D3 for last ten years.
The title says cars, not vans.
Is an XC90 not an SUV? Not exactly a regular car.
At least with a T5 you can throw all the stuff in the back and wheel your bikes straight in without removing wheels..
somehow less of a vankervagen.
Well, it [i]used[/i] to be.
Heated wing mirrors as standard, DD! 😉
More subtle colour schemes are available.
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If you try it you'll end up getting one, drove a new one in Sweden absolutely excellent
Ford Transit Tourneo Grand Connect (some combination of those words)
Not quite at the same snazziness level but incredibly practical (still has a boot with 7 seats in) work has one and its a surprisingly good drive
Face if flashy - it is either a practical Truck or a less practical 'glamour' 4x4, nothing else comes close.
Stuff 7 seats, what you need is a [url= http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/mondeo-vignale-2015/ ]Vignale[/url]
Only had the galaxy for 2 months but absolutely love it.
Hugely practical. Lovely to drive. Plenty of toys in Titanium spec. Swallows kids, bikes , luggage. Plenty Of space in the rear rear seats for adults. I even love the look of it (I may be on my own in that respect,) 🙂
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The Later Hyundai Santa Fe's are 7 seaters from 2006, they're brilliant cars, if I could afford one I'd have it tomorrow!
We have a galaxy like above for kids and related stuff. It does the job. When 4x4 is required I have a defender at work!
Back in the day when we needed 7 seaters we had 2 Shoguns for many years and 150,000 miles. Both where petrol and the V6 certainly drank fuel. Had friends with an XC90 which they spoke highly of. I have to say as fun as the Shoguns where I was glad to switch to an A6 Quattro, better car, more economical and cheaper to buy. We had 3 kids and used to drive to Alps etc so the 7 seater was pretty much essential.
Hyundai Santa fe premium seven seater owner. Quite happy. Rear two seats work for women folk and kids very well. won't be as refined as a Volvo xc90 probably. I've got the 2010 model so not the newest
5 year warranty . very few niggles. Leather seats all round and 35ish mpg on 20 minute commute on mainly 40 mph roads to work with some queuing.
Borrowed a mates XC90 a few years ago and couldn't get over the lag between putting your foot on the accelerator and it pausing, having a think about and then actually moving off at a glacial pace. Was bloody comfy though. Boot space was a bit compromised by the lights and wheel arches though
Have a 7 seat X5. Back 2 are ok for normal people for short journeys but like any it does eat into boot space when they're up. Much more pleasant to drive than the XC90 too.
I don't understand the apparent criticisms being voiced about the 6th and 7th seats eating into boot space. Of course they will, if they didn't you've got a van. Though in my SMax with there 3rd row of seats deployed I still managed to get a family of 4 week's worth of supermarket shop squeezed in - though opening the tailgate at home was more of a case of catching shopping bags as they fell out as they were stacked on top of eachother - but volume wise it's probably as much as a small hatchback boot, but just not a very usable/convenient shape.
Obvious:
The Scenic 115 TCE petrol produces 140 gm/100 CO2 and does 46mpg on petrol so you won't be producing poisonous soot (because even if new diesels are cleaner they still give people cancer). It weighs much less so requires less energy and resources to build.
The XC 90 [u]2630kg[/u]!!!, produces 149gmCO2/100 and does 49mpg on diesel, yuk.
So if you are even a little bit worried about the future in which the junior Flashes will live the choice is obvious.
I was looking for a similar car a couple of years ago. Madame wanted the Lodgy but I looked at alternative before going along with her choice. My objective shortlist read:
Lodgy: very little to go wrong (wind up rear windows 🙂 ), Renault's 115TCE petrol engine, simple comfortable interior, can be slept in with an air matress with all the seats down, price.
VW Touran: TSI petrol engine, good volumes but not quite enough to sleep fully stretched. Lots of things I'd never use to go wrong even on the basis versions. 5000e more than the Lodgy.
Renault Trafic Generation: A proper bed like a T5 Multivan, loads of space but only available with a diesel engine. CO2 170 but it weighs less than the Volvo. Still tempted.
Swallows kids!
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Citroen C4 grand Picasso
Caddy Maxi Life - back row are full size seats that come out in one so not folded into the floor.
Even with them in there's a massive boot.
Out leaving 5 seats it'll swallow 5 bikes and kit with just the front wheel off.
DSG with cruise is fantastic around town and motorways will see 45mpg happily.
Oh and with the seats out will take a full double mattress to sleep on
The new Nissan X-trail comes in a 7 seat option. I test drove a 5 seat 4wd version a couple of weeks ago and it was very nice. Only comes with a 1.6 engine though.
The Nissans have gone all Renault.... with their shonky engines thankfully the interiors are not as poor as the Renault Tupperware.
Scenic 115 TCE petrol [b]is claimed, somewhat over enthisiastically,[/b] to produce 140 gm/100 CO2 and does 46mpg on petrol. [b]This is not the case in the real world.[/b]
FTFY
If you are considering a big 4X4 a VW Caravelle/Shuttle will have the same running costs, are way more practical, and will hold its value when you come to sell it. Saying that my wife has a VW Touran which has 7 seven seats that we rarely use, but they are there if you need them. Its as dull as dishwater but if the preferred car for long family trips. My car is a V70!
We looked at a caddy maxi, my wife thought it looked like a hearse!
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http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a177/midlifecrashes/322834655_photobucket_54973_.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
A German TV report on the reality of CO2 emission results found that small cars got pretty close to the official figure s but it's the bigger and more powerful cars that consume far more than the official figures in real use.
The reason is that all cars go through the same test protocol with the same acceleration. That really flatters the big powerful cars that would never be driven so gently in normal use. However for the least powerful cars the test is more representative and careful drivers will do better than the test.
I leave the trip computer running all year in the TCE petrol Lodgy. In the first year I got 5.8l/100 km and in the second year 5.8l/100. The fuel consumed is the same as in brim to brim tests but the speedo is a few percent fast and I suspect the distance is too. Say 6l/100km. Which in an holiday/urban mix is at least as good as the manufacturer's claims. However, Volvo users on this thread are getting nothing like the manufacturer's claims.
PePPeR - Member
The Later Hyundai Santa Fe's are 7 seaters from 2006, they're brilliant cars, if I could afford one I'd have it tomorrow!
Boss has got one, if your not inept at basic car stuff you'll be fine. He takes his back to the dealer when the low tyre pressure light comes on...
Edukator - Troll
Renault
to anyone reading - [b]Just dont[/b]- Renault Grand Espace owner
Citroen C4 grand Picasso
CFH in a French car? He'd rather blow a goat.
Another Smax vote here. I got one in April for the same reasons as CFH needs and we love it. Just been down to the pyrenees with 2 adults and 4 kids, 4 bikes on the back and roof box, and with the back seats up you can still get a couple of big holdalls and some bike helmets in there!
Excellent car.
I'd agree about not buying an Espace but most Renaults are fine. Check the reliability surveys and you find Renaults and Dacias well placed. Even in more general ownership experience surveys they do fine. The Which report you have to pay to view but here's one with the Volvo XC90 well below the Renaults.
[url= http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/driver-power/91218/best-cars-to-own-in-2015 ]Autoexpress best cars to own.[/url]
Another vote for the Ford Galaxy. All the advantages of the SMax, but even more space. Drives at least as well as my Mondeo Estate (soon to be replaced by a Galaxy) and still has a reasonable boot even with the back back seats up. enough room for adults in back back seats and incredibly flexible as all 5 back seats fold into the floor
JD Power scores the Renault below average and Dacia and being significantly poorer
Kia Sorento FTW, the new one that is...
Could you link something please, T1000, I can't find Dacia in the J D Power listings.
[url= http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/honda-tops-uk-reliability-survey ]Renault do better than Volvo here too.[/url] I'm still hunting to find a survey in which Volvo do better than Renault.
In the Autoplus one the Logan (or sandero) was 23/200 and the Volvo XC90 185/200 on reliability, the Scenic was 108/200.
CFH in a French car? He'd rather blow a goat.
<thinks>
Ladies and gentleman; announcing the Citroen Chupacabra!
Tinkering with replacing our ageing old-shape Galaxy.
We tow a caravan & the XC90 just looks the obvious choice.
Do you have a VAT registered business CFH?
My XC90 was towing the 'van up towards New Forest, glanced at the mpg display. 1. One MPG. Singular. Ok, its was a hill, and it was the v6 3l.
Mrs dday has a Grand Espace. Ok, all issues expressed on this forum notwithstanding, it's been designed by someone who actually had kids. Furthermore, if you remove the seats, there enough room to hold a 5-a-side tournament in there.
No, no, no. I drive one for work. It's gutless, thirsty and wallows at anything approaching a mild bend. Roundabouts are a whole voyage of discovery. Reliability has also been suspect.v9gss - Member
Ford Transit Tourneo Grand Connect (some combination of those words)
Not quite at the same snazziness level but incredibly practical (still has a boot with 7 seats in) work has one and its a surprisingly good drive
FWIW, I'm comparing it to my Renault Trafic, not a standard car.
Very nicely appointed inside though.
If so one of these (New model will be out early next year) with 5 seats and the new 190bhp engine (40mpg +). Put it through a business and you get 20% vat back plus 100% tax deductible against your business from the off. Registered as a van but with a set of mounts fitted in the rear by a coachbuilder and a set of seat in the garage for 'occasional use' you have a day to day 5seater in luxury with the ability to put a set of extra seats in the rear. If the tax man asks, the mounts can also be used for tying down business equipment you carry 🙂
The picture is an old model V6 which is only available second hand now.
More to the point, how often do you actually need it to have 7 seats, do you often have kids and kids friends on board, or is this for driving to the Alps for regular sojourns?
Grand Espace. Furthermore, if you remove the seats
Remove? Pull a [s]couple of[/s] five handles in a Galaxy. I just put a 7' 2" kayak straight in the back of ours yesterday...
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Ford Transit Tourneo Grand Connect - I drive one for work. It's gutless, thirsty and wallows at anything approaching a mild bend.
I did not buy one for similar reasons - I did a test drive with five of us and salesman on board - and kept having to change down up hills 😕 Roundabouts with two in the boot felt like I was hanging a concrete bag or two from the tow bar.
Thank you, T1000. The differences between the various surveys makes it hard to take any of them seriously.
Chevrolet are bottom of the J D Power ranking and yet seventh and the first non-Asian car in the Autocar survey. I seem to remember the J D Power thing being criticised because their "dependability" criteria had very little to do with reliability as most people understand it.
I've been tootling around in a New LR Discovery Sport, it's fantastic esp with new engine. Is a 5 + 2 very usable seats.
certainly don't take any notice of the ones you quoted