Best 7-seater SUVs | 2025 7-Passenger Cars Rated
The minivan was once the vehicle of choice when it was necessary to transport more than five occupants. However, three-row SUVs significantly changed this picture, eating into minivan sales in the early 2000s. That trend has continued to this day, evidenced by the fact that there are multiple 7-seater SUVs for sale in 2025 but only a handful of minivans. If you need to seat seven, these are the best SUVs for the job. Our list includes models from Audi, Lincoln, Kia, and others.
Vehicles are assigned a BuzzScore in relation to their direct segment competitors, and as such, vehicles in this list, while similarly scored, do not necessarily compete directly against one another. Find out more about how the BuzzScore ratings work here. These lists are continuously updated with the latest BuzzScores and vehicles as they become available; models without BuzzScores have not yet been fully tested by our team.
2025 Lincoln Aviator
- Base MSRP
-
$57,095
- Fuel Economy
-
18/26 MPG
- Engine
-
3.0L Twin-Turbo V6 Gas
- Horsepower
-
400 hp
2025 Acura MDX
- Engine
-
3.5-liter V6
- Horsepower
-
290 hp
- Drivetrain
-
FWD or AWD
2025 Audi SQ7
- Base MSRP
-
$90,800
- Engine
-
4.0L Twin-Turbo V8
- Horsepower
-
500 hp
- 0-60 MPH
-
4 seconds
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
- Base MSRP
-
$37,700
- Base Trim Engine
-
1.6L I4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
231 HP @5500 RPM
- Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
-
36/35/36 MPG
2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid
- Base MSRP
-
$38,690
- Fuel Economy
-
36/36/36 mpg (FWD) | 34/34/34 mpg (AWD)
- Engine
-
1.6L Turbo Inline-4 Hybrid
- Horsepower
-
227 hp
- Drivetrain
-
FWD, AWD
2025 Audi Q7
- Base MSRP
-
$60,500
- Fuel Economy
-
20/26/22 mpg (2.0L) | 18/23/20 mpg (3.0L)
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.0L Inline 4 Turbo Gas
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
261 HP
2025 Cadillac XT6
- Base MSRP
-
$49,195
- Base Trim Engine
-
2L I4 ICE
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
235 HP @5000 RPM
2025 Dodge Durango
- Base MSRP
-
$41,995
- Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
-
19/26/21 MPG
- Engine
-
3.6L PENTASTAR V6 ICE, 5.7 L V8 Gas, 6.2 L V8 Gas
- Horsepower
-
295-710 hp
2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ
- Base MSRP
-
$127,700
- Engine
-
Electric
- Horsepower
-
680 hp (Normal mode) | 750 hp (Velocity Max mode)
- Drivetrain
-
AWD
2025 Cadillac Escalade-V
- Base MSRP
-
$159,995
- Base Trim Engine
-
6.2l supercharged V8
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
682 hp
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Characteristics Of 7-Seater Cars
Most buyers looking at a 7-passenger SUV want more than just a spacious hauler for their family. Luckily, there are a number of relatively affordable options for shoppers on a budget, too. The majority of these larger crossover SUVs are marketed towards those who want the best for their loved ones. Here are some of the key qualities of SUVs with 7 seats:
- Size: While not every seven-seater needs to be a full-size SUV, the top contenders are usually on the larger side. This gives them the space they need to give everyone enough room to get comfortable over long trips. The midsize or compact crossovers that can squeeze in seven are usually only sufficient for a quick trip or moving a gaggle of toddlers.
- Accommodations: Naturally, you need to ensure there is enough room for all your passengers. But space alone does not make for luxury. These cars are designed for long drives, so comfortable seat cushions and upholstery are essential.
- Safety: If you’re going to be hauling the kids around, you will need to ensure their well-being is always placed first. Most of these family-oriented SUVs have impressive safety ratings, but it’s the available driver-assistance technology that appeals most. Systems such as blind-spot monitoring and forward collision avoidance are becoming the norm, and crossovers that lack them just won’t cut the mustard. AWD is also usually standard, making these vehicles ideal for dealing with rain or snow.
- Entertainment: Unless you enjoy threatening to turn the car around every fifteen minutes, you’ll probably want a distraction for the kids. Even the most affordable of these cars usually have an optional rear-seat entertainment system. Even if you don’t spring for this, many receive pretty comprehensive infotainment suites, with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and often Wi-Fi as standard.
Why Choose An SUV With 7 Seats?
There are loads of SUVs on sale in the US, but new 7-seat SUVs don’t usually come cheap. This means you need to carefully consider the pros and cons of such a large purchase:
Pros
- Most can fit up to seven in relative comfort
- Seats are generally very comfortable
- Plenty of standard features
- Comprehensive infotainment suites
- Multiple high-luxury brands
- Excellent cargo space
Cons
- Very few have truly spacious third rows
- Limited cargo space behind third row
- Many three-row SUVs are thirsty
- Very few are truly cheap
What is the best seven-seater car?
The best 7-seat SUV for you boils down to your specific needs. In our rankings, the Volvo XC90 Recharge scores the highest marks, but it’s not cheap and doesn’t have the biggest third row. In terms of pure value for the money, the Kia Telluride is hard to beat. There are plenty of other honorable mentions, though, such as the BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, or the Lincoln Navigator.
Are there any seven-seater electric variants?
Now that EVs are starting to really take off, automakers are scrambling to make sure they have something in every segment and category. This means you no longer have to settle for a hybrid when trying to save on fuel and moving seven people at the same time. Still, there are only a few electric SUVs with 7 seats in the USA at the moment. These include the Mercedes-Benz EQB and Tesla Model X. Apart from excellent mpg returns, they are both packed with modern features. However, they do compound the already present issue of a high price tag with the extra cost of an electric powertrain.
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