3. Ford Galaxy

The Ford Galaxy is a seven-seater that really does seat seven. While the rearmost seats in rival MPVs are only really for children, in this car adults will be comfortable right at the back, and access to these seats isn’t too tricky, either.

The Galaxy is a more practical and slightly more luxurious car than the Ford S-MAX, and even with seven people on board the boot is a decent size, at 308 litres. Fold the two rear seats, and it increases considerably, while with the sliding middle row seats folded, there’s a massive 2,325-litre capacity – more than in any rival.

The interior is as well equipped as it is flexible, with even entry-level Zetec models getting dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth and electric windows. Parking sensors are a welcome feature given the car’s huge dimensions, too. ESP is also standard across the range, as are an army of airbags. Just steer clear of the underpowered 113bhp diesel model. The 138bhp version provides the best balance of performance and fuel consumption. Petrol models will be expensive to run.