Space race - 8-1 seaters tested
How many people do you need to transport? Here, our road test team looks at the cleverest solutions – for large families through to singles!
Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin our search for the perfect number of seats in a modern car. Most MPVs offer space for seven, yet Hyundai has just launched its huge eight-seater i800. Even people who passed their test after 1 January 1997 (and so are subject to strict licence regulations) can drive one without taking a minibus test, but does it really make sense? To find out, we’ve lined up the Korean model against seven other options, each offering a different number of seats.
Our seven-seater is Ford’s capable S-MAX, while the Honda FR-V accommodates six in two rows of three. Next up is a five-person hatch in the shape of Mazda’s 6, and the four-seat MINI Cooper. Three-seaters are more rare, so we’ve opted for the top-value Nissan NP300 Pick up. Smart’s ForTwo joins the line-up, while our wild card has one seat and two wheels: Suzuki’s Hayabusa motorbike.
We measure 0-60mph times and 70-0mph braking distances with different numbers of people on board. Then, our special scoring system on Page 59 provides an overall ranking – and reveals the ultimate seating configuration.
Verdict
So there you have it: the ultimate number of seats for a passenger car is seven – especially when they come in the shape of Ford’s superb S-MAX. The blue oval model takes a deserved victory here with its great dynamics, keen pricing, low CO2 output and versatile interior.
Second place goes to a machine that has very little in common with the Ford. Suzuki’s Hayabusa has gained a significant advantage in our scoring system by avoiding any penalties for performance when fully laden, as it carries only one person.
However, that in itself tells a story. Our ratings count only if you intend to carry a full complement of occupants regularly – which, of course, is inevitable on a one-seater.
MINI’s Cooper is third. It has room for only four while some rivals take five, but its superb dynamics and low CO2 emissions will be enough compensation for most.
The Hyundai i800 has put in a fine performance. It’s very practical for large families, did reasonably well on test and its price is low enough to shame many similarly sized rivals. But those seats don’t fold, and that’s a big oversight.
In fifth place, Mazda’s five-seat 6 is a great all-rounder. No matter how well the interior is redesigned, though, the restrictions of the body’s shape prevent it from being as practical as class-leading MPVs.
In sixth, the Smart ForTwo cabrio is highly space efficient, but the price per person holds it back. Honda’s six-seat FR-V is nudged into seventh place. Space is tight if you’re fitting three in the front – and that’s why Nissan’s NP300 comes last. Next time you see a tradesman with two passengers in his pick-up, spare a thought for the one in the middle...
