The idea of diving into the 7-seater market sounds a little intimidating at first — not just because of the large size of the vehicles, but also because of the vast amount of options out there from just about every mainstream manufacturer.
To simplify matters, Driven created this comprehensive buyer's guide of every 7-seat SUV option currently available for sale in New Zealand.
To get the ball rolling, here are the 7-seat options (in order of price) for those shopping at the more accessible end of the market. Each of these vehicles has a starting price of under $50,000 — offering incredible space and practicality, but for a starting price of less than most premium hatchbacks.
Driven 7-seater SUV Special Edition buyer's guide: Click to read part one / part two / part three
Mahindra XUV500
Photo / Matthew Hansen
The least expensive seven-seat SUV in NZ is a way better way of saying ‘the cheapest’, but whichever way it’s coated it still buys seven seats and a 2.2-litre petrol turbo engine mated to a six-speed auto with FWD or AWD. Updated for 2019, inside are lots of features such as a 7in touchscreen, cool box/centre console, reversing camera featuring a distance readout in cm. Topped off with a 2.5 tonne towing capacity, the XUV500 proves even the cheapest seven-seat SUV isn’t short of features and thrills.
Read more: More seats for less? Finding a verdict on India's Mahindra XUV500
Engine: 2.2l turbo petrol four
Power/torque: 103kW/320Nm
Economy: 8.4l/100km
Price: $29,990-$39,990
Mitsubishi Outlander
Photo / Matthew Hansen
The Outlander is the second best-selling seven seat SUV in New Zealand for good reason, just behind Toyota’s Highlander. Just a very good all-rounder, it’s well equipped, safe, swift and practical, with forward collision mitigation, radar cruise, rear cross-traffic alert amongst its many attractions.
Photo / Dean Evans
With plenty of drivetrain and engine choices, and (special) priced from $33,000. There's also the range-topping Outlander Sport [pictured, and profiled by Sam Wallace earlier this month], with its 18in alloys, black-accented body kit, fully electric tailgate, leather and heated front seats, on-demand 4WD, and a sharp price under $40,000.
Engine: 2.4 petrol four, 2.3 turbo diesel
Power/torque: 126kW/500Nm
Economy: 6.8-7.2l/100km
Price: $32,990-$56,990
Contact: Simon Lucas North Shore Mitsubishi, 0800 001 105
Honda CR-V
Photo / Ted Baghurst
The Honda CR-V is sold in two versions of seven-seat model. While a front-drive 1.5-litre VTEC turbo four-cylinder might sound like a small engine in a big seven-seat SUV, it manages quite alright, with 140kW and 240Nm, and all the usual mod-cons such as Apple/Android and all-wheel drive, plus a host of safety tech like Adaptive Cruise, Low-Speed Follow, Lane Departure Warning, and a number of crash mitigations. Its latest update, as road tested by Driven earlier this year, features a bolstered Honda Sensing safety tech suite.
Engine: 1.5 turbo petrol four
Power/torque: 140kW/240Nm
Economy: 7.3-7.4l/100km
Price: $37,990-$44,990
Foton Sauvana
Photo / supplied
This Chinese 7-seat SUV is a unicorn of sorts in places like Auckland thanks to a limited number of Foton dealerships. Still, it’s a spacious bus built on simple proven body-on-frame underpinnings shared with its ute namesake — the Tunland. And, like the Tunland, it also comes equipped with a reputable Cummins 2.8-litre turbo diesel. Retail pricing sits just under $40,000, but generous discounting means you can nab one for closer to $30,000.
Engine: 2.8 turbo diesel four
Power/torque: 130kW/365Nm
Economy: 8.9l/100km
Price: $39,990
LDV D90
Photo / supplied
Joining the market last year, the D90 is LDV’s entry as the most cost-easy way into a new seven seater, and priced under $40,000, that’s a solid starting point. Its colour palette is limited to just black or white, but there’s lots of mod-cons inside such as Bluetooth and CarPlay/Auto. It’s capably quick enough and reasonably economical given its near five-metre length, about the size of a CX-9. Plus it has a five-star safety rating.
Engine: 2.0 turbo petrol four
Power/torque: 165kW/360Nm
Economy: 10.9l/100km
Price: $39,990
Nissan X-Trail
Photo / supplied
Optional and available in two of the five-model range, and only coupled with 2WD, the ST and ST-L, seven-seat X-Trails starts at $39,990, with a host of tech and features, like heated and cooled front cup-holders and hill-start assist. At $44,990, the ST-L adds keyless entry/starting, fog lights, roof rails, privacy glass, heated exterior mirrors, electric heated black leather seats and leather steering wheel, Around-View monitor on a larger screen (7in v 5in), navigation, dual-zone climate control and a rearview camera. The 2.5-litre petrol engine offers good performance through a CVT gearbox.
Engine: 2.5l petrol four
Power/torque: 126kW/226Nm
Economy: 8.1l/100km
Price: $39,990-$44,490
Contact: Apply for a test drive with Giltrap Nissan by clicking here, 82 Great South Rd, Newmarket, 09 884 8320
Skoda Kodiaq
Photo / supplied
The award-winning Kodiaq is offered in either petrol or diesel, with either a 1.5 or 2.0-litre turbo engine. The Kodiaq offers an abundance of smart and practical features inside and out. Third row accommodation is good, though entering adults should plan to stretch before a long trip: it’s agile, good looking and economical and at $41,990, offers a sharp entry price. While at the other end of the scale, the $71,990 Kodiaq RS we road tested in May is capable of eating sports cars for breakfast.
Engine: 1.5l-2.0l turbo petrol/turbo diesel
Power/torque: 110-176kW/250/500Nm
Economy: 5.7-7.4l/100km
Price: $41,990-$71,990
Contact: Apply for a test drive at Giltrap Skoda by clicking here
Giltrap Skoda, 58 Great South Rd, Newmarket, 09 884 4619
Haval H9
Photo / Dean Evans
A lot of SUV for not a lot of money, we were pleasantly impressed by the H9, and with a strong 2.0-litre petrol turbo, there’s plenty of equipment on board to justify the Chinese badge. With an eight-speed auto and 9.7-second dash to 100km/h, it’s quick and reasonably economical. Fully loaded at $50,000, it sits at almost the same price as the cheapest Holden Acadia.
Read more: Haval H9 seven-seat SUV — the best Chinese car NZ has seen?
Engine: 2.0 turbo petrol four
Power/torque: 180kW/350Nm
Economy: 10.9l/100km
Price: $47,990
SEAT Tarraco
Photo / supplied
As the flamboyant Spanish cousin to the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan, the Tarraco takes emerging brand SEAT to new heights in terms of luxury and practicality. A 370mm growth spurt over its SEAT Ateca sibling helps it more convincingly accommodate its third-row passengers, while classy materials and minimalist cabin design give it a firmly premium feel. Opt for the 2.0-litre over the 1.4 for the extra punch, or the $47,900 entry level model if budget dictates.
Engine: 1.4l turbo petrol, 2.0l turbo petrol
Power/torque: 110kW/250Nm, 140kW/320Nm
Economy: 7.3l/100km
Price: $47,900-$59,900
Contact: Click here or visit SEAT Store at 48 Great South Rd, Newmarket
Mention Driven for a free three-year/45,000km Service Plan
Holden Acadia
Photo / Dean Evans
We do like the Acadia quite a lot, as evidenced by its selection as an AA Driven New Zealand Car of the Year 2019 finalist. Starting under $50,000, the seven-seat rebadged GMC has a real presence, looks great in person, it’s well equipped, drives extremely well and offers a lot of modern technology such as a nine-speed auto, traffic sign recognition, kick-to-open auto tailgate and a seat vibrator alert.
Photo / Dean Evans
And it’s fast, with a petrol V6 that dishes up 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds. And best of all, there’s a special feature in the second row, where a booster seat that's ISOFIX mounted can remain fixed while the seat flips/moves forward to offer access to the third row. The cherry on top is Holden's three years/100,000km of free scheduled servicing.
Engine: 3.6 petrol V6
Power/torque: 231kW/367Nm
Economy: 9.3l/100km
Price: $49,990-$71,990
Contact: Apply for a Schofield Holden test drive by clicking here, Schofield Holden, 50 Great South Rd, Auckland, 09 884 4622
Driven 7-seater SUV Special Edition buyer's guide: Click to read part one / part two / part three