Sedans and hatchbacks are the most common type of vehicles available out there not only in our market but in most parts of the world. While sedan gives an added benefit of trunk which is useful if you need to carry some sort of luggage items with you, they both (hatchbacks & sedans) however can seat up to 5 passengers whereas if you want to travel along with 6 or more people, you will have to either squeeze the additional passengers in the car or will have to take two vehicles instead of 1 wherever you travel.
Related: Classification of Cars on the basis of Body Type
If you go for a bigger sedan you will certainly get better headroom & legroom, and spacious and comfy seats but even the bigger sedans are designed to accommodate up to 5 passengers although they will travel in a more comfortable manner compared to a smaller sedan or hatchback.
But as the time passes, the need to upgrade to a family car comes up & you may be compelled to dispose your small car to upgrade to a bigger one which can accommodate your growing family. Thankfully nowadays you can go for vehicles that offer more seats in form of MPVs (Multi-Purpose Vehicles), the 7-seat SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) or 7-seat CUVs (Crossover Utility Vehicles) in addition to known minivans which are more suitable to bigger families. With a third row seating and a bigger cabin space, these vehicles offer a generous headroom and legroom for passengers & are convenient for larger families because of their significant seating capacity of up to 8 or more passengers, depending on the make & model.
Related: Will You Ditch Your Sedan in Favor of MPV?
In recent years the global trend of owning such vehicles has been on a rise. In the days of old, minivans looked more like commercial vehicles so most people remained reluctant to use them as family cars. But now the recent lot of such vehicles are not only stylish in terms of looks & no longer look like commercial vehicles, but they also have fuel efficient engines under their hood allowing people to opt for them in good numbers than before. Plus the price difference between sedans & 6/7-seaters is almost negligible now and in fact some of these options (mentioned below) are available against a cheaper price tag than that of sedans.
If you have a family of 6, but don’t want them to be squeezed in a car while brushing every speed breaker on your way, then go through the available options listed below. These vehicles, in different price segments will sure give you an option to go for something that will act as a practical replacement to conventional sedans & hatchbacks.
Suzuki Bolan
Suzuki Bolan is the oldest in terms of everything. However it used to have multiple variants in the past including standard, GL, AC etc however today it’s just single a stripped version that is deprived of everything including AC, fan & even the third row seating. So technically this should not make into the list of 6+seaters but since many people still use the car for the very purpose by installing the additional seats themselves, we have included Bolan in this list.
Related: Pak Suzuki Continues to Excite us with Disappointment
However for a 40+ years old 796cc vehicle with a 4-speed manual transmission, a price tag of PKR 11.34 lac isn’t justified at all since other than cheaper maintenance you get absolutely nothing in return– no quality, no comfort, no safety, no features! To know more about what Suzuki Bolan doesn’t offer, click here.
FAW X-PV
The other option among minivans is the FAW X-PV. This has been around for quite a few years now and is trusted by good number of people. The X-PV comes in three variants– Standard, Dual AC and Power Edition which are priced at PKR 12.44 lac, PKR 13.04 lac and PKR 13.44 lac respectively.
Related: 29 Reasons to Buy FAW X-PV
The X-PV is powered by 1.0L engine and comes paired to a 5-speed manual transmission while offering a lot more than Suzuki Bolan, the details of which can be found here. But in terms of looks this isn’t the most ideal option especially in presence of the below mentioned one– the Karvaan. Click here if you want to know more about the FAW X-PV.
Changan Karvaan
Changan Karvaan is the latest addition to the list of locally assembled minivans which is rapidly gaining popularity in the segment due to its quality, features and especially the looks which are certainly more refined than aforementioned two.
There are two versions available with Karvaan– Standard and newly introduced Plus version which boasts a number of additional features over the regular model. Powered by a 1.0L engine coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission, the Karvaan is priced at PKR 14.45 lac for standard and PKR 15.55 lac or Plus variant. Read more about Changan Karvaan & Karvaan Plus here.
DFSK K07
Regal Automobiles have the DFSK K07 among their offering which is an alternative to the likes of FAW X-PV & Changan Karvaan. Powered with a 1.0L engine and a 5-speed manual transmission the K07 is priced at PKR 12.99 lac and comes equipped with features such as electric power steering (EPS), dual AC, power windows and optional equipment including ABS, dual airbags and electronic anti-theft system. Find out more about the DFSK K07 here.
DFSK C37
Another van in Regal’s product portfolio is the bigger C37 van. Powered by a 1.5 liter engine and 5-speed manual transmission the C37 is a genuine 11-seater and is priced at PKR 23.99 lac. Like its K07 sibling, the C37 offers electric power steering (EPS), dual AC, power windows and optional equipment including ABS, dual airbags and electronic anti-theft system. Click here to know more about the DFSK C37 van.
Honda BR-V
Honda BR-V remains the only locally assembled 7-seater in the segment after the departure of FAW Sirius and enjoys decent sales in absence of similar vehicles available in the market. It is powered by 1.5 liter engine that comes mated to either 6-speed manual or CVT gearbox options. Available in three variants the BR-V is priced at PKR 33.25 lac for CVT, PKR 34.85 lac for up-spec CVT-S and PKR 31.65 lac for manual version. For more details about the Honda BR-V, click here.
Suzuki APV
Suzuki APV is the oldest option among the 7-seaters in our market. Offered as a CBU import in Pak Suzuki’s lineup the APV has been around since 2005 and remains available on company’s menu even with unimpressive sales.
Related: Suzuki XL7- The Honda BR-V Rival
Despite the dated looks (although facelift), which are more reminiscent to a typical van than a modern day CUV, the APV is generously spacious and can accommodate up to 8 passengers with ease & being an Indonesian-assembled vehicle offers built quality that is far better than locally available lot. Powered by a 1.5 liter engine and 5-speed manual transmission the APV is available for PKR 34.6 lac. Click here to know more about the Suzuki APV.
DFSK Glory 580
The Glory 580 also offered by Regal Automobiles is something that punches above its weight when it comes to price & features on offer. The 7-seat SUV is now being assembled locally and comes available with two engine options distributed across 3 variants.
Related: First DFSK Glory 580 Rolls Off the Assembly Lines
The Glory 580 with 1.5L turbo petrol engine is priced at PKR 37.5 lac & PKR 40.0 lac for the 6-speed manual & CVT variants respectively, whereas the flagship variant with 1.8L naturally aspirated engine coupled to CVT gearbox is priced at PKR 41.5 lac.
DFSK Glory 580 Pro
Regal Automobiles has recently introduced the Glory 580 Pro which is marketed as the only intelligent SUV with 7 seats. Equipped with i-Talk intelligent voice command function, the Glory 580 Pro can perform various vehicle operations such as opening and closing windows, operating the air-conditioner & sunroof, and adjusting the volume of your music. The DFSK Glory 580 Pro is priced at PKR 45.49 lac.
Toyota Rush
Toyota Rush is a 7-seat MPV offered as CBU import in Indus Motor Company’s lineup. With a 1.5 liter engine under its hood, the Rush is priced at PKR 56.30 lac for manual and PKR 58.4 lac for automatic variant. Besides superior quality being an imported vehicle, the higher price tag gives you a rich list of features & equipment.
Hyundai Grand Starex
The Hyundai Grand Starex luxury van which is also marketed as commercial vehicle in other markets is available here with a 2.4 liter engine & comes equipped with either 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission options. Available in 3 variants, the Grand Starex is capable to seat up to 12 passengers. It is priced at PKR 45.49 lac for GL, PKR 50.99 lac for GLS and PKR 58.99 lac for top-spec GLX variant. The Garnd Starex comes with a good number of safety & convenience features the details of which can be found here.
Kia Grand Carnival
Going further up the list, there is Kia Grand Carnival luxury MPV which is now available in a single EX trim priced at PKR 69.99 lac. With a 3.3L V6 engine under its hood and 6-speed automatic transmission, the Grand Carnival is a genuine 8-seater but has 3-hidden seats behind the last row so as per requirements it can efficiently be converted into an 11-seater. Click here to know about what the Kia Grand Carnival has to offer.
Toyota Fortuner
Toyota Fortuner is the priciest local assembled 7-seater available and is a proper off-roading SUV that rides on ladder frame chassis. The Fortuner is basically available in 4 variants with 2-engine & drive train options. There is a standard variant for PKR 83.99 lac and base G variant that is priced at PKR 76.99 lac– both these versions come with 2.7L petrol engine and have 4×2 drive system.
Related: Toyota Fortuner: Old vs New
Then there is the Sigma4 variant that has a more powerful 2.8L diesel engine under its hood and is priced at PKR 91.49 lac, and finally the flagship TRD Sportivo variant with sportier styling while having the same 2.8L diesel unit under its hood cost as much as PKR 93.99 lac. Click here to know about features & equipment offered with the Toyota Fortuner and its flagship TRD Sportivo variant.
Hyundai SantaFe
The last in this list is also the most expensive of all, the Hyundai SantaFe. Powered by a 2.4L engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters & AWD the SantaFe comes as an import against a whopping price tag of PKR 185.0 lac. There is a long list of features & equipment offered with Hyundai’s 3-row 7-seat flagship SUV, the details of which can be found here.
Related: Why MPVs are More Practical for Bigger Families than Sedans?
Plus more such options are expected to be introduced in our market as Changan has been displaying the A800 MPV as well as is in works to introduce a 7-seat SUV by next year whereas Proton has also been testing the Ertiga MPV in Pakistan. So there you are, we have listed from the cheapest to the most expensive 7-seat vehicles available in the market which will help you in making a decision if you are willing to upgrade from a 5-seater. If given a chance, which one of these will you opt for? Let us know with your comments.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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