The festive season is upon us which means a spike in family road trips. For larger families, there are plenty of seven-seaters to choose from, but finding the right one at the right price is not easy.

If the budget is tight, the pre-owned market is the best bet. By digging into AutoTrader’s latest listing data, we’ve identified the best used seven-seaters for under R250 000. These range from nearly-new people movers to rugged SUVs, all delivering space, comfort, and solid value in time for the festive season.

As demand for SUVs remains strong, affordable seven-seater multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) like the Suzuki Ertiga and Renault Triber are often ignored. These offer lower running costs and newer model years.

Suzuki Ertiga enticing option

Shopping in this category, you’re likely to find something reliable, with low mileage and plenty of modern convenience features. MPVs like the Renault Triber, Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Rumion may not offer the comfort, plush materials or performance of high-end SUVs, but they do deliver peace of mind.

With an average price of R194 305, the Renault Triber sits well below the R250 000 budget. It also has the lowest average mileage (39 558km) and registration age (two years).

The Triber is exceptionally frugal, with its 1.0-litre engine averaging 5.5L/100 km. The compromise is that its three-cylinder engine isn’t particularly powerful and when carrying seven passengers the 52kW of power and 96Nm of torque can feel strained.

The Suzuki Ertiga is more spacious than its French rival and comes with a livelier 77kW/138Nm 1.5-litre petrol engine. The maximum cargo capacity is bigger too – 803 litres vs 625. It always offers claimed fuel consumption of 6.2L/100km. With an average used price of R214 950, it is also more expensive than the Triber. It also has a higher average registration age of five years and average mileage of 100 806km.

Nissan X-Trail a solid buy

Stepping up a notch, there are several crossover SUVs that fit the bill quite nicely like the Nissan X-Trail. The first-generation Nissan X-Trail was offered in both petrol and diesel, with the latter the more sought-after engine. Nissan claimed fuel economy of 5.3L/100km.

Boasting a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, the Nissan X-Trail offers excellent safety with features like six airbags and brake assist. At an average price of R187 792, the X-Trail comes in cheaper than the Triber. But its average age is 10 years and average mileage 145 814km.

Toyota Fortuner vs Disco

Higher up the scale there are bigger, more comfortable and more powerful options. But the compromise is potentially bigger repair bills and higher fuel costs.

For under R250 000, you’re most likely to net a first or second facelift from the first-generation Toyota Fortuner. While they have higher average mileages (237 595km) and a high registration age (15 years), but they are renowned for reliability and build quality.

A variety of engines are available, ranging from 2.5-litre turbodiesel to a 4.0-litre petrol V6. Offering a mix of economy and reasonable performance, the D-4D 3.0-litre turbodiesel is the most desirable of the lot.

If the Toyota Fortuner is a bit agricultural, the Land Rover Discovery 4 delivers considerably more sophisticated driving manners, a truly luxurious interior and plenty of features. You do need to shop with caution, as the Disco 4 has a poor reputation for realiability. The big Landy retails for an average of R212 710. These have average mileage of 228 512km with an average age of 14 years.

This article was first published by The Citizen.

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