Suggestions for a 6+ Seater Car for The Family? (Budget $100k - $150k)

Hi All!

I need a new car for the family and wanted the OzB community advice on cars I should be considering. I don't have much knowledge in this area so would be interested in your thoughts so I can go off and do more research on my own

Our requirements:

1) Most important requirement is it must have a minimum 6 seats. 2 kids + myself + wifey + in laws.
2) Budget of up to $150k. Can pay more but would really appreciate suggestions that can snag me something under $100k. Anything under the $100k really helps me out because I don't lock up my capital and allows me to continue to pursue other investments
3) We don't drive much, maybe around 5000km / year or less? Almost all of it is city driving.
4) Delivery date no later than mid October (I hope this is possible given the delays I have been reading!) I realise I need to put in my order soon to make this date.
5) Second hand is fine, but must be 2019+. Even better if I don't wear the first year of depreciation on a new car.

An SUV seems like my most likely option and I really have contemplated the idea of getting a Tesla Model X.
I just can't justify the price I would pay for a Tesla Model X ($160k+) even with the current high petrol prices.
Our mileage is just too low to have any significant fuel savings each year relative to an electric car. So the idea really is just novelty and just entertaining my mid-life crisis at the most!

These are the cars that I'm thinking of which would be sensible and prudent:

(By far the most economical and spacious)
* 2021 Toyota Kluger $60-80k
* 2022 Mazda CX-8 $50k+
* 2022 Mazda CX-9 $60-75k
* 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe $75k

  • 2021 Toyota Landcruiser Prado $80-110k

(Ones that would make the wifey happy)
* 2020 Lexus RX350L RX450 $105k
* 2021 Land Rover $95K+
* 2021 Mercedes GLB $95k

(pipedream)
* 2018 Tesla model X $170k+

What are your thoughts on the selection above?
Are there any important considerations that I should be keeping in mind whilst I look for a car?
I've read this post which was very helpful

Also should I be looking at Hybrid cars?

Thanks guys!

20220321 edit
Added in kia carnival to the poll given the many people recommending it. This currently seems like the one that is ideal for us. Cheap too!

Poll Options expired

  • 38
    * 2018 Tesla model X $170k+
  • 9
    * 2021 Toyota Kluger $60-80k
  • 7
    * 2022 Mazda CX-8 $50k+
  • 5
    * 2022 Mazda CX-9 $60-75k
  • 4
    * 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe $75k
  • 4
    * 2020 Lexus RX350L RX450 $105k
  • 2
    * 2021 Land Rover $95K+
  • 1
    * 2021 Toyota Landcruiser Prado $80-110k
  • 1
    * 2021 Mercedes GLB $95k

Comments

  • +1

    No Volvo XC90? I would rate XC90 higher than the CX9. I personally don't like Lexus. Unless you get the LC, all other models seems way overprice for what you get. And the interior has a dated feel.

    • The Volvo did come up in my search but I didn't know the car well enough so passed it off thinking that some of the above cars listed would have been comparable. I'll look into the Volvo xc a bit more though after your comments.

      • -1

        Volvo = Geely

  • What age are the kids?

    How far will you be travelling with the in laws? Will they be sitting in the 3rd row or 2nd?

    Going off road?

    • Kids are 1 and 3yo. In laws /parents would be sitting wherever permits. So most likely 3rd rkw given I want to reach the kids easily in the 2nd row and don't want to keep reaching over and moving the baby seat

      No, not going off road or very rarely

      • +3

        With car seats in the 2nd row (most SUVs), older people will struggle to climb through the 3rd row, plus in many SUVs you'll struggle for pram/luggage space behind the 3rd row when up

        • Didn't think of that, I have to go to the dealer to have a look. I do rmb many years ago that there wasn't much leg space in the third row.

          I agree with your point on the pram/luggage space.

          What's the way you guys get around this?
          roof racks?

          • +1

            @SillySorjai:

            What's the way you guys get around this?
            roof racks?

            Or a more suitable vehicle

          • +6

            @SillySorjai: A people mover… Expecting older people to literally climb and bend into the 3rd row is asking a lot of them

      • +1

        In laws /parents would be sitting wherever permits. So most likely 3rd rkw

        That's one way to tell the in-laws you don't like them

        As spackbace said, grandma climbing into 3rd row seats when 2nd row is fixed due to car seats…well, it would be fun to watch

        • Pardon my ignorance but does it make any sense to put the kids into the third row?

          They are with me 6 days of the week and the in laws /parents 1 day off the week. I couldn't fathom the idea of constantly climbing in and out of the third row to get them in and out of the car. To childcare, parks and etc. I agree the leg space is horrible in the third row. I guess I will have to be the one that sits in the back there and ask my in laws to drive.

          • @SillySorjai: not all 7 seaters have anchor points for the 3rd row..

            depends on how large your in laws are…

            my MIL has a small frame. and can fit in the middle between 2 car seats on the second row… FIL sits in the passenger seat and wife in the 3rd row.,

            that was in a santa fe, which the second row can slide forward to allow access to the 3rd row. for the limited amounts of times they were in the car and distance drove this was the most comfortable for everyone.

            once my daughter was old enough MIL and FIL sat in the second row with 1x child seat in the middle. older kid in the 3rd row, and wife back in the passenger seat.

            thats what happenned in the 5 years i owned the car

        • +2

          I used a bit more tact than last time 😂😂

  • +2

    What are your thoughts on the selection above?

    all over priced and probably not available

    Mid life crisis - a Kluger ? CX anything? Struth.

    Go the Nissan Elgrand used and bank the 100k+

    • My mid life crisis meaning I am really tempted to just go in and buy the Tesla with the yolo mindset!

      I'm not going in with yolo to buy a cx9 / kluger!

      Lol

      • Can you even get the 2018 Tesla Model X now? That is very expense.

        • I could buy it but there is significant opportunity cost in my investments to get this car.

          My hope is to consult OzB and get some sensibility around what I should buy now.

          I can bite the bullet and get it now or I can get a reasonably priced car and in 5 years when I'm more established buy the tesla when my earning capacity is higher and hopefully Tesla's will be cheaper as they become more mainstream

          What are your thoughts?

          • +3

            @SillySorjai: Not only will Tesla likely be ‘better value’ in 5years, there will be competitors in the 7 seat range that will be cheaper.

            For 5000km per year do you really need a car? You certainly shouldn’t be spending north of $50k.

            • @Euphemistic: This is my thinking as well. Hopefully prices will come down as electric cars become more mainstream

              Is it me or do Tesla cars hold value quite well?

              I'm surprised how even a 2017 model can be $165k+?

              I'm a fan of the standard 5 year warranty for newly manufactured cars and not sure if that applies to an older Tesla

  • +6

    Kia Carnival Platinum $70k
    5,000kms per annum @ 10l/100km means 500 litres of petrol.
    At $2 per litre, that's $1,000 fuel cost.

    • This looked like a really big car and it was damn cheap. The reason I didn't want to get it, is I park in the city alot and find having a car that is a tad smaller allows me to find spaces alot easier

      • You won't get one by October even if you consider a Carnival. Wait times average 10-12 months right now. A few 2021 have popped up for sale but are selling above RRP (for the usual reasons).

        • Thanks for that Zapped! I'll keep that in mind. While everyone seems to know what the RRP is, I don't know what they were before so can't tell how much of a premium I'm being charged.

          If necessary I can do a car swap with my parents to buy me some time until the car arrives

          • @SillySorjai: RRP 73k ish for the top spec Platinum diesel (Petrol is I think about 2k less?)
            Plenty of people in the "early days" before all this crazy world events happened paid 65-68k.

            Typing you another response RE: other cars down the bottom. Watch out for it in a moment!

      • Carnival isn't much bigger than the usual kluger/santa fe and with sliding door you actually don't have much of an issue with parking.

      • Totally agree that Carnival is a huge car! You have to seriously look at the Honda Odyssey. It’s easy to get into the 3rd row and very roomy. The shortfall is the boot space when 3rd row seats are up. But still can fit 2 small prams….with the thousands saved, I guess getting 2 new prams which can fit is a smaller headache….
        It drives well and pretty gd on fuel. We drive mainly in city and park in tight parking lots thus we love this car! Hope this helps.

        • If the OP wants an Odyssey, they'll need to be quick though. Honda stops manufacturing these this month (if they haven't already), and Honda Australia only ordered enough to fulfil what they THINK demand will be until the end of Q2 2022.

          Having driven the current shape, it isn't a bad option if the OP wants to cut their budget by a substantial amount.

    • +2

      I agree. Kia Carnival. Also suits when the kids grow bigger.

  • I'd rate the Kia Sorento or Hyundai palisade/Santa Fe

    Both share a similar platform and quality for fit and finish are right up there with the europeans now, plus you get a 7 year warranty.

    Personally stay away from the euros, they'll spend time in the shops for issues and be the bane of your existence.

    Went from a Kia to an Audi and it's been painful mentally and for my hip pocket.

    Else if i had the money a model x would be on my shopping list.

    • I share your mindset. I am very fond of Japanese cars due to the reliability. I have a belief (and stand to be corrected) that any euro car will cost me alot in maintenance.

      I have a very old euro car now and the only reason why it hasn't broken down on me yet is the low mileage. 35000kms over 13 years!

      I will tell my wife you're comment about the Audi. She likes the Q7. I've told her there are better options for that price

      • I can tell you know, i have the Q7, yes the 3.0L diesel motor is fairly reliable, it's used in the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg. It's relatively frugal and powerful at the same time.

        The expenses come from the endless engine codes it throws (they have a fault code for everything including lights which are the bane of my existence). And then when you somehow (i'm not sure) fill up with bad diesel, it'll write off your entire fuel system, which is some $~6k to fix (all new injectors and a fuel flush) each injector is roughly $850 and you need 6 of them.

        • Awesome thanks for the info Drakesy. You've thoroughly convinced my wife to not buy it

          You got her as soon as you started talking about "injectors" and "fuel flush"

        • Time to get a vagcom, see the codes yourself and clear them

          • @viTRifY13: Don't worry did that (got an obd11) and helped a heap in diagnosing them and doing some long coding

            Can't remove canbus errors though unfortunately

  • BIL has a Kluger. Definitely fit 2+2+parentals comfortably. Easier to get in/out of than a Landcruiser Consider the hybrid.

  • +2

    You guys are honestly not helping by upvoting the tesla X!!!

    The doors are so good to get kids in and out
    I really like the 6 seat model x, so roomy and comfortable!

  • +1

    I sold my 2018 Q7 (specced to 140k back then at RRP price) but sold it for a 2021 Carnival. I was one of the first that got it when it came out in Sydney.
    For context, I've got 2 kids, now aged 4 and 5 so back in 2018 they were 1 and 2 years old.

    Q7 was great with 2 kids but difficult getting into the third row as the baby seats we have are full sized. Whilst middle/entry row can move forward/backwards, you honestly don't have "too much space" to play with since the baby seats are there. Realistically you can fit full sized grown adult in the back third row but they won't be comfortable on long trip AND you'll have difficulty getting into the third row. Also forget about boot space if you need it with all 7-8 seats usable.

    For what it's worth, Q7 in terms of reliability was great. I never had any issues with it. Diesel tank when full saw 1050km on the petrol gauge and realistic city driving for me, we did about 750-800km before the light went on to fill up again. It's a pretty big car and I guess the main reason why we decided to sell it was that my wife started getting a sore back lifting kids in/out of the car. This really didn't help as the car itself is big and you need to open the doors wide to get toddlers in the car. I have zero issues in my 2.5 years of ownership.

    This is the exact reason why I went and bought the new Carnival. Sliding doors make it all a breeze and middle removable seat means you can walk straight through.
    Pretty sure you can do this in the Hyundai Palisade if you want to retain the SUV image and have the ability to walk through the middle.

    You can 100% forget about the GLB. Third row is really for small kids only. You'll struggle big time to get adults comfortably in there.

    My vote is for the Model X as it will cost significantly less in terms of running costs down the line.
    My next replacement (our second car is a 2017 Golf R) will be a Tesla Model Y (whenever it gets here).
    For what it's worth - New Model X (yet to be delivered. We will probably get it here end of 2022 or sometime during 2023) is about 200K for the base model and the Plaid/performance was about 240/250k so a used one that you can actually get now around $170/180k sounds reasonable (although it's still not pocket change for the car!)

    We also test drove a cx9/Santa fe back then when we were tossing up selling the Q7.
    CX9 walks all over Santa fe in terms of room inside the car and the Santa Fe diesel can be heard a street away (it's really loud!)

    Land rover 95k - 95k with 0 options? (serious question). The thing that put us off land rover was the overwhelming list of options. Very hard to compare between used/new and then you get presented with a literal shopping list of options.

    Whilst your driving isn't much - it's good to compare maintenance costs i.e
    100k lexus vs 170k Model x
    Summary of what I meant by comparison
    Lexus is service one a year I presume - how much is that? Capped price? Give/take $500 as an example and Model X will be in most cases $0 service.
    The only consumables as far as I'm aware for Model x is tyres, windscreen wipers/fluid, brake/brake fluids (rare as it has regen braking and will stop for you most of the time) and cabin filter(s). There is no annual service or big service like the conventional vehicles.

    Fuel - assume $1.80/litre petrol and a decent car does 10L/100km.
    5000km/ year = 500 litres of petrol x $1.80 = $900
    Assume electricity is 0.28c/KWH and the Model x 75d has 75kWh battery, that means a full charge will cost $21.
    Take as assumption that Model x per tank/charge gets you 350km (city driving) then to get 5000km, you're charging approx 14.29 times = $300
    Possible $600 difference there based on charging 100% at home and paying for it.
    Don't forget that there are free chargers around shopping centres etc… or if you have Solar at home, you can time it to make the most of it too.

    Also don't forget to compare insurance costs as they can be significantly different!

    Hope this helps :)

    • +1

      Thanks for the insight zapped! Particularly the breakdown of costs and the GLB. Didn't know GLB was so tiny

      Why would the servicing cost for a tesla be $0? I didn't quite understand why "There is no annual service or big service like the conventional vehicles." Surely they'd charge an arm and a leg if they've got an outright monopoly? It's not like I'd be able to take it to my local mechanic? Wouldn't general wear and tear from driving still be a factor to the tesla

      Can any tesla owners share any insight into this
      Also aren't vehicle parts very specific to to the make of the tesla?

      • Hey SillySorjai, all good! happy to help. Yep - I've seen a few GLB around in my area and they are definitely tiny!
        I'd say a good comparison is the VW Tiguan 7 seater in terms of size.

        There is no annual service on a Tesla.
        More info here: https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/support/car-maintenance
        Generally speaking; theyonly need to replace the consumables but will have other things mentioned in the link above such as tyre rotation, filter, brake fluid/braks, air con etc… If you have issues, you can take to a local mechanic but first bet would probably be to lodge a service request via the app to get more info.

        Some parts are specific to the make of Tesla and can only be offered via either Tesla direct or a workshop that is accredited to fix Tesla's but the consumables like air filter can be bought direct.

        There's a few Facebook groups on Tesla but overall since you need 6 seats, your only option is Model X unless they bring 7 seater model Y here.
        Having said that though - even if they bring in 7 seat model Y, it looks probably only a tad bigger (if even) than a GLB. It's pretty much a 5 seater in my eyes!

        P.s. Whilst I love Tesla and it'll be my next car to replace our second vehicle, I stand by saying a Kia carnival will suit your needs for sure. Wait times are crazy though!

  • +2

    How often do you need to transport parents? Having kid seats in second row limits your access to third row. When we had mid seats in, the third row was often loaded through the tailgate (kids mostly)

    Don’t buy a Prado. It’s a 4wd and not suited to city driving.

    Buy a petrol, you don’t do enough kms.

    You might find a carnival isn’t much bigger than a 7seat suv with decent luggage space.

    • Thanks! Parents join us about 2x a week. One day for each side when we go out for family events. Not significant because the trips are quite short but it's a hassle nonetheless when we have to take 2 cars and park in the city. End up paying for parking for 2 cars. It's not the cost which is a problem but the inconvenience.

      Alright will look into the Kia carnival!

  • odessey and invest the rest

    or land cruiser, they hold their value

  • +4

    Kia Carnival or one of those cool Japan exclusive people movers - why make your passengers sit in a squashed third row without dignity or need to move seats forward/backwards?

    • Korean.

    • You're right, my dignity isn't worth much (far less than a $170k tesla) so I guess I'll be the one sitting in the third row and the parents can sit in the front and drive.

  • We're shopping for the same at the moment although our budget is lower.
    Have a look at the Kia Sorento.
    We've looked at Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and Hyundai and that's the car we're going for.

  • +1

    I have a platinum carnival and it's the best. So much room, even in the 3rd row. I sat back there last weekend. You can take out the middle seat from the 2nd row so you can walk into the 3rd row and not have to climb over anything. There's also still a lot of boot space with the 3rd row seats up. It is big to park, but with 360 degree and front/rear camera its quite easy once you get the hang of it. The only issue is the wait time for them, but if you can hold out for one theyre definitely worth it

  • Hyundai Staria. 52k-77k, came out 6 months ago.

  • +4

    Kia Carnival, Hyundai's new spacewagon thing. Does Honda still sell the Oddesey?

    SUVs are a shit solution to this problem.

    • Hyundai Staria is what the new spacewagon thingy is.
      Note to OP - Staria is still based on the iLoad i.e. Hyundai has taken a commercial moving vehicle and thrown extra seats in it and made it fancy so it may still feel a little "commercial" when looking at the interior. Same with Mercedes V-class too.

      Odyssey is still sold. New one came out last year. A few improvements from what I've seen but nothing that makes you go WOW (purely my opinion).

      Your comment re: SUVs are a shit solution definitely speaks the truth but I think what people want vs what people need is always 2 different things. People that worry about the "people mover image" need to all own one for 1-2 weeks to understand that the image does not matter when your lifestyle gets easier.

      • I thought the Staria was built on the same platform as the Santa Fe.

  • Odyssey or Carnival

    then, if you need, buy a small second car for around town. Or even an old Camry or whatever.

    Or just buy a good 2 row car and shove the oldies into an uber to follow along behind you

  • +1

    We're a family of 5 (2A +3K). We're onto our second Kia Carnival. WE quite often also cart around one or two in laws. When you've got kids in car seats and you still want to carry other people and things like a stroller the Carnival is the only way to go. Most those SUV's have little to none boot space with the third row up, so think where is the stroller going for the youngest? The Carnival has heaps of boot space with the third row up, easily get a stroller in there plus other stuff. The third row seats in the Carnival are full height off the floor seats so any one sitting back there doesn't have their knees around their ears. Take the middle seat in the 2nd row out and it's very easy to get into the back, even my MIL in her late 70's can get back there easily, bad hip and all. Sure it's a large car but no more than a bigger SUV or 4WD. It's certainly not exciting to look at but it drives really well, has plenty of grunt for over taking a road train and immensely practical. Our two have been super reliable, just having them serviced regularly. Older models are hard wearing on the tyres so need make sure they are rotated and balanced a bit more than any other car. You've got young kids they will trash that back seat with food etc, so I wouldn't be buying a expensive car.

  • +2

    There is no SUV where you can easily access the 3rd row when there are 2 child seats in the second row

    In the off chance you get rear ended do you want the kids or the in laws in the 3rd row :)

    So that leaves you with only the vans,

    If you want to save some money you can go for either an elgrand or Odyssey.

    I find the other vans just not exciting.

    If you are considering cars upto 100k, my money will be on an alphard. Like this one https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2019-toyota-alphard…

  • Just go a 300 series with a budget like that. You’ll likely make money on it too given the currently absurd market.

    • Pardon my ignorance
      300 series?
      is that the Landcruiser 300 series?
      I had to google to be sure

  • Maybe worth waiting for the Tesla mod Y. Singapore got their lot and the UK is also taking deliveries.

    • I think it's only a 5 seater, I need minimum 6 seats

      • Australia was suposed to get only the 7 seater but I want the 5 seater Y!

        • Top of the range gx-r is 5 seater. Sahara and below is 7

  • 2 kids + myself + wifey + in laws.

    Plenty of discussions on this profile

  • If you’re considering kluger get the hybrid.

  • +1

    Why not a Kia Carnival? True 7 to 8 seats, with actual comfort.

    https://www.kia.com/au/cars/carnival/features.html

  • Does anyone how to update the poll to include kia carnival? I've tried a couple times

  • Genesis GV80 6 seater.

    Im looking to trade in for this car once the wait times get lower.

    https://performancedrive.com.au/2022-genesis-gv80-on-sale-in…

  • Too bad you need it by mid oct otherwise wait till next year for CX90. Anyway not recommend cx9 for now as it's phasing out next year. I personally just pickup my new cx9 Azami and I waited 3 months since last year Dec. Brand new build and ship from Japan. I also have exact same requirement too, needed a car that fit my wife + 2 kids (new born and 2.5 year) + my parents. For your budget, I would pick something like BMW x5 or Audi Q7 or even Volvo XC90. If you want something drive beyond 5-7 year, then best recommend Japanese brands like Lexus or new Kluger hybrid.

  • Kia Carnival

  • I'll throw a few slightly different options - VW Multivan, MB Vito Tourer or V-Class, Toyota Granvia. These will probably have a shorter wait time than the Carnival (I'm sure @spackbace can chime in the wait for a Granvia) but are also slightly more expensive.

    • So, commercial vans with extra seats?

      • Short wait times would be one of the main reasons for choosing these if the OP can't wait the 6-12 months for a Carnival (or which other option/s they want).

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