What are the best seven-seat SUVs for families?

We know that seven-seat SUVs are bought by families of various sizes – not just those with four or five children who use all the seats on a daily basis.

There are families with three kids that will squabble if seated next to each other and those for which three child seats across the back row of a five-seat SUV can feel cramped.

Moving to a seven-seat SUV allows you to move a child to the third row, giving more space and the flexibility of being able to give friends and family a ride too.

Other families have two children and find their five-seater cramped because it’s full of all their kids’ equipment like prams, scooters and bikes. They need a bit more room to spread out.

Some are not sure if their family is complete and want to future-proof by upsizing the car.

Even if you have one or two kids and a family dog, or often give friends or cousins a lift to school or for playdates, it’s helpful to have the extra seats. Especially when the grandparents come up to visit, too!

If you don’t want to go as large as a people-mover but are looking at seven-seat SUVs, do you need a full-size model or will a more compact 5+2 model do?

Over the past seven years as a mum of two, family car journalist and founder of BabyDrive.com.au, I have tested a lot of full-size seven-seat SUVs and 5+2 SUVs, so here’s my pick of the best for families…

Full-size seven-seater SUVs are often the best for larger families that want to use all three rows of seats on a daily basis.

Some can fit five child seats in the back with great access to the third row without you having to uninstall child seats in the second row for passengers to climb in and out.

In some, interior space is good for a tall driver even with two rows of child seats behind them while still leaving room in the boot to fit a single or double pram, making them a great choice for larger or blended families.

There are so many great seven-seat SUVs, and these are my pick of the best:

One of my favourite seven-seat SUVs for families, the Mazda CX-9 does so many things right. It has the best third-row access with child seats installed in all three second-row seats, and you don’t have to uninstall any!

The CX-9 has top tether anchorages in all five rear seats and ISOFIX in the two outer rear seats. Boot space is practical in the Mazda CX-9 when using seven seats, fitting a family’s weekly shopping or a single pram.

A great choice for families, the eight-seater Nissan Pathfinder can fit four child seats in the back. With top tether anchors for all three second-row seats and ISOFIX in both the outer seats plus a shared central ISOFIX attachment, the Pathfinder gives families flexibility of where they position their child seats.

The third-row offside seat also has ISOFIX and top tether anchors. I could install one Infasecure child seat back there. Access to the third-row seats is easy with child seats installed. Legroom and boot space are generous; the boot fits a family food shop or a double pram, even with all eight seat in use.

A fantastic luxury seven-seat SUV for families, the BMW X7 has top tether anchors in all five rear seats and ISOFIX in the two outer second-row and both third-row seats. This means all families have flexibility of where they position their child seats. There is also great access to the third row without having to remove child seats installed in the second row.

Interior space is particularly good in the X7; a tall driver can sit in front of a rear-facing child seat in the second row, and a forward-facing child seat in the third row. A double pram fits in the boot even when using all seven seats.

The Kia Sorento, which was again rated carsales’ Best Family SUV in 2023, has large families covered! With five top tether anchors in the rear seats and ISOFIX in both the third-row seats and the second-row outer seats, you can install child seats in all five rear seats.

However, it is not as easy as the CX-9 and Pathfinder to access the Sorento’s third row with child seats installed in the second-row seats. Boot space allows families to fit a single pram in or the weekly shop.

Large families can install five child seats in the back of the long-wheelbase Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which has top tether anchorages in all five rear seats, ISOFIX in the outer second-row seats and also ISOFIX in the two third-row seats. Child seats will fit in all five rear seats, with excellent legroom in all three rows even with rear-facing child seats.

Boot space is excellent too, fitting twin or double prams when using all seven seats.

More affordable than the slightly bigger CX-9, the Mazda CX-8 has just as many child seat anchorages and third-row access is almost as easy without having to remove child seats from the second row.

Its boot has slightly less capacity for shopping but it will still carry a single pram with all seven seats in use.

Families that don’t need seven seats on a daily basis can look at smaller SUVs that are primarily five-seat models with two extra seats in the third row.

These tend to have a smaller footprint, so if parking is a consideration for you then these are a good solution. They have generous boots with five seats in use but this is compromised when using all three rows and access to the third-row seats usually means removing a child seat in the second row first.

Here's my pick of the best:

An enjoyable family SUV, the Hyundai Santa Fe can fit three child seats across the second row with ease. It has three top tether anchorages and two sets of ISOFIX in the second row but none in the third row and you can’t access the third-row seats without removing a child seat from the second row.

Legroom is great in the Santa Fe and I can sit in the third row with a rear-facing child seat in the second row and a 180cm-tall driver in front. However, only a compact stroller will fit in the boot if you are using all seven seats.

The Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-TRAIL are built on the same platform architecture and we’ve ranked both of them highly.

Both have top tether anchorages in all three second-row seats and ISOFIX in the two outer second-row seats. The third-row seats have none so you cannot install any child seats back there, although an Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat would be suitable for older children as its low weight means it doesn’t require a top tether anchorage.

The boot is surprisingly large in both the Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-TRAIL when using five seats and will still fit a twin pram or a weekly shop when all seven seats are in use. The X-TRAIL’s wider-opening rear doors give it a slight advantage for family-friendliness.

A very affordable seven-seat SUV, the Mahindra XUV700 can fit three Infasecure child seats across the second row comfortably. The third-row seats are compact and a 170cm-tall passenger can sit there but you have to remove a second-row child seat in order to gain access.

Boot space is minimal when using all seven seats, so only a compact stroller will fit.

Boot space in the Skoda Kodiaq is excellent – when using all seven seats, a twin side-by-side pram will fit in, which is great news for families with two infants. There are top tether anchorages in all three second-row seats and ISOFIX in the outer two. Space is tight but a combination of three child seats will fit across the second row.

Third-row seats have no top tether anchorages so only an Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat could go back there for older kids. You have to uninstall a second-row child seat to get through to the third-row seats.

The Honda CR-V is very spacious as a five-seater, with great legroom and boot space and it easily fits three child seats across the second-row seats. For families that want the flexibility of 5+2, it is the only one in this list that has top tether anchors for all five rear seats. It also has ISOFIX in the outer second-row seats.

There are some considerations: the second-row top tether anchors are in the ceiling above the third-row passengers’ heads, affecting their comfort, and the position of the third-row top tether anchors means the straps cross the boot space. With difficulty, a compact stroller fits with a couple of bags behind seven in-use seats. Legroom is minimal in the third row.