Compare the best MPVs and people carriers

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Last updated June 06, 2024 by Tom Wiltshire

Compare the best MPVs and people carriers 2024

Some people just want three things from their new cars: practicality, practicality and practicality. If that sounds like you, then you're going to want to breeze past hatchbacks and SUVs and look for one of the best MPVs you can buy today. Luckily, we've done the legwork for you below and ranked the best on sale.

MPVs are something of a dying breed - though in the 90s and early 2000s, they were ten a penny, nowadays there aren't even ten to make a list like this from. Blame the rise of the family SUV for that.

While there's no denying that the best SUVs are more desirable, they're often no better to drive and far less practical than an MPV of a similar size. It's not just outright interior volume either - the best MPVs have flexible interiors which can go from school bus to moving van in the blink of an eye.

Read on for our expert review team's pick of the best MPVs on sale today.

Volkswagen Multivan

1. Volkswagen Multivan

8/10
Volkswagen Multivan review

What's good

  • Great to drive
  • Useful engine line-up with plug-in hybrid option
  • Superbly practical interior

What’s not so good

  • Only seats seven
  • Jiggly over bumps when lightly loaded
  • Seats have to be removed rather than folding flat
It’s a shame that the Multivan lives in the shadow of the more eye-catching Buzz, because it’s a brilliant MPV in its own right. There’s a choice of six- or seven-seat layouts, and every passenger has space to spare – the interior is absolutely massive.

VW has been very clever in the cabin, with seats that slide, fold and can be removed completely, and a brilliant storage unit that moves up and down the cabin to where it’s needed. Choose from petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid versions, and opt for a longer body if you need extra luggage space.

What's good

  • Great to drive
  • Useful engine line-up with plug-in hybrid option
  • Superbly practical interior

What’s not so good

  • Only seats seven
  • Jiggly over bumps when lightly loaded
  • Seats have to be removed rather than folding flat
Dacia Jogger

2. Dacia Jogger

Black Friday deal
9/10
Dacia Jogger review

What's good

  • Excellent space and practicality
  • Comfortable ride and cabin
  • Easy to drive and park

What’s not so good

  • Material quality isn’t the best
  • No flat floor when removing seats
  • Petrol is slow with seven on-board
The Dacia Jogger blurs the lines of MPV, SUV, estate car and small hatchback in a way nothing else can. Awkward looks aside, this qualifies as an MPV because while it's quite compact, you'll find three rows of seats and space for a full-sized adult in every one, which is hugely impressive. The third row lifts out in a jiffy, leaving a huge boot.

Choose from a turbocharged petrol and a manual gearbox or a hybrid with an auto, but try as you might you can't spend more than £25,000 on a Jogger. In other words, that's a seven-seat family car for the price of a small hatchback. What's not to like?

What's good

  • Excellent space and practicality
  • Comfortable ride and cabin
  • Easy to drive and park

What’s not so good

  • Material quality isn’t the best
  • No flat floor when removing seats
  • Petrol is slow with seven on-board
Volkswagen ID. Buzz

3. Volkswagen ID Buzz

Black Friday deal
9/10
Volkswagen ID. Buzz review
Battery range up to 291 miles

What's good

  • Loads of space for people and luggage
  • Stand-out styling
  • Nice to drive

What’s not so good

  • Range isn’t the best
  • Infotainment is still annoying
  • Very expensive
The ID Buzz proves there’s life in the MPV yet. This brilliant electric homage to the original VW bus backs up its retro looks with real substance. The short-wheelbase version has space for five, but there will soon be a long wheelbase seven-seater for larger families.

For such a big car, the turning circle is tiny, meaning you can squeeze into the tightest of parking spaces on the school run. Sliding doors make it easy to get the kids in and out of the back, and there’s enough head and legroom for grown-ups to be comfortable too. It does all the sensible things an MPV has to, but it’s the looks you fall in love with.

What's good

  • Loads of space for people and luggage
  • Stand-out styling
  • Nice to drive

What’s not so good

  • Range isn’t the best
  • Infotainment is still annoying
  • Very expensive

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Ford Tourneo Connect

4. Ford Tourneo Connect

Black Friday deal
7/10
Ford Tourneo Connect review

What's good

  • Good storage space, especially in the back
  • Comfortable on long drives
  • Solidly built

What’s not so good

  • Uninvolving to drive
  • Not exciting to look at
  • Noises echo around the huge cabin
If you want an MPV that’s a thrill-a-minute to drive, the Ford Tourneo Connect isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you want maximum practicality at a minimal price, the Tourneo Connect could be exactly what you are looking for. There’s lots of space inside, especially in the Grand Tourneo Connect which has seven seats rather than the five of the regular Tourneo Connect. And unlike some alternatives, the third row of seats in the Ford is roomy enough for adults.

Sliding doors make it easy to shepherd kids in and out, especially in a narrow car park space.

What's good

  • Good storage space, especially in the back
  • Comfortable on long drives
  • Solidly built

What’s not so good

  • Uninvolving to drive
  • Not exciting to look at
  • Noises echo around the huge cabin
Citroen Berlingo

5. Citroen Berlingo

Black Friday deal
6/10
Citroen Berlingo review

What's good

  • Enormous boot
  • Easy to drive in town
  • Frugal diesel engines

What’s not so good

  • Not very refined on the motorway
  • Surprisingly tight rear seats
  • Low-rent interior
The Citroen Berlingo majors on space and practicality, but it’s comfortable too. The updated model is still available - just - with a diesel engine, though Citroen has made its all-electric e-Berlingo more appealing with a 20% improvement in range.

The big appeal is the interior, which is as practical as they come - you can have five seats and a ginormous boot, or space for seven in comfortable, flexible surroundings. Every passenger gets a great view out, and despite all that space the Berlingo doesn't feel any more intimidating to drive than a medium-sized SUV.

What's good

  • Enormous boot
  • Easy to drive in town
  • Frugal diesel engines

What’s not so good

  • Not very refined on the motorway
  • Surprisingly tight rear seats
  • Low-rent interior
Lexus LM

6. Lexus LM

Black Friday deal
8/10
Lexus LM review

What's good

  • Posh and spacious in the back
  • Comfortable over bumps
  • Very practical

What’s not so good

  • Incredibly expensive
  • Engine is noisy when accelerating
  • Alternatives are better to drive
The Lexus LM is hugely expensive and on the top model you only get four seats. So why is it here? Well, opt for the entry-level LM and you do get a full seven seats - and it's about the most luxurious thing this side of a private jet when it comes to getting from point A to point B.

A hybrid engine makes it very easy to drive as well as surprisingly efficient, and passengers in the rear get full leather, a big screen that folds down from the roof and suspension that's set up to make them - not the driver - as comfortable as possible. Those in the middle row even get heated, cooled and massaging seats with their own tablet controllers. How posh is that?

What's good

  • Posh and spacious in the back
  • Comfortable over bumps
  • Very practical

What’s not so good

  • Incredibly expensive
  • Engine is noisy when accelerating
  • Alternatives are better to drive
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

7. BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

Black Friday deal
7/10
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer review

What's good

  • Decent interior space
  • Fun to drive for an MPV
  • Well-made interior

What’s not so good

  • Ride is a bit harsh
  • Styling is challenging
  • Slightly expensive compared to alternatives
Think of the 2 Series Active Tourer as the BMW X1 SUV's more sensible cousin and you won't be far wrong. The 2 Series Active Tourer shares its underpinnings, engines and most of its interior with the X1, but has far more space and practicality on a virtually identical footprint.

It's only a five-seater, so you're stuck if you've too many children. But it does fantastic duty as a family car, with a huge boot, comfortable and flexible rear seating and the best driving manners of any car on this list.

What's good

  • Decent interior space
  • Fun to drive for an MPV
  • Well-made interior

What’s not so good

  • Ride is a bit harsh
  • Styling is challenging
  • Slightly expensive compared to alternatives
Volkswagen Touran

8. Volkswagen Touran

7/10
Volkswagen Touran review
Yes, the Touran has been around for a while. But the VW deserves its place on this list, thanks to the spacious, smart and flexible interior. The rearmost pair of seats is best suited for children, but when they’re not needed, they can be folded away to create a five-seat MPV with a big boot.

While the Touran - like most practical MPVs - isn't the most exciting looking car on the planet, it's the epitome of logic and sense inside, and feels very well made. Despite being a seven-seater the Touran is based on the VW Golf, so it's pretty car-like to drive.

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Advice about MPVs

MPVs FAQs

MPV stands for Multi-Purpose Vehicle, which is not particularly helpful because loads of cars have multiple purposes or at least can do many things. So what is an MPV in a more practical sense? Well essentially, it is ideal for carrying multiple people – that’s why they are sometimes called people carriers – and so are popular with growing families and cab drivers.

They tend to have a tall, boxy, upright shape, with lots of space and either five or seven seats. Those seven-seat MPVs usually have a middle row of three seats and then a further two seats in a third row. Seats in the third row usually fold into the boot floor, giving you the flexibility of being able to carry lots of luggage or lots of people.

Obviously, the best ones have loads of storage space all around the interior.

As with conventional cars, MPVs are put through rigorous crash tests by Euro NCAP, so it's easy to find out the specific safety rating an individual people carrier has - and they tend to perform pretty well for passenger protection. Just search online for the make and model of a car you're interested in followed by the words "NCAP results" to find official ratings.

The vast majority of MPVs are front-wheel-drive, though some could be had as a 4x4 - these days, you'll probably have to look to the used market for that. The old BMW 2 Series Active and 2 Series Gran Tourer are four-wheel-drive when specified in BMW xDrive guise, while the Ford Galaxy and S-Max could also be had as 4x4 models - though these are rare.

Insurance companies use myriad factors when calculating premiums, but there is nothing inherent in MPVs that makes them pricier to get cover for. A car's value, power and what safety systems it has will be among factors that affect premiums, rather than whether or not it is a people carrier.

A number of the models above have sliding rear doors, including the recently discontinued SEAT Alhambra, Volkswagen Sharan and Ford Galaxy. Among MPVs you can buy new, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, Volkswagen Multivan, Citroen e-Berlingo and Ford Tourneo Connect have this feature. Sliding rear doors are great for access, but if you have small children you'll need to keep a close eye out for little hands when sliding the doors closed, as they can require a fair amount of force to latch.

We're into predicting the future territory here, but as far as we can discern through our crystal ball, it looks unlikely that MPVs will make much of a comeback in the foreseeable. New cars cost billions of pounds to develop, and with SUVs and hatchbacks so much more popular than MPVs, it makes commercial sense for car makers to design models that will sell in large quantities.

On the face of its that’s bad news for MPV buyers, but many SUVs have MPV-style features and flexible interior layouts, so should make decent alternatives.