The multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) has long been the ultimate exercise in automotive packaging. While sales charts are now dominated by high-riding SUVs, the MPV is still the unassailable leader for interior space, boot capacity and everyday practicality.
It’s not necessarily about the amount of space an MPV offers: their main draw card is how efficiently they use their footprint to maximise their people-moving capabilities.
In an era where cars are only growing in size, the best MPVs still offer more seats and greater interior flexibility than other types of car.
Right now you can have an MPV with five, six or seven seats. Some of the largest ones can even be had with up to nine.
Of course, the uptick in sales of SUVs has watered down the level of choice. Traditional MPVs are less common, so van-derived haulers now dominate. Still, they can be had with either a combustion engine or an electric powertrain.
Right now we think the Dacia Jogger is the best MPV on sale: it’s cheaper than a host of rivals and supremely practical inside. But are there any other models you should consider?
Best for: Value for money
Amid a flood of more premium options that have superior badge appeal, the Jogger stands at the top of the pile as the best MPV on sale today.
At just over 4.5 metres in length, the Jogger is a little shorter at the kerb than a typical C-segment MPV, but that doesn’t prevent it from offering usable passenger accommodation for up to seven.Matt Saunders, Road test editor
It’s a genuine seven-seat family car that you can buy new for less than £19,000 – and there’s much more to this versatile Dacia than its bargain-basement price.
It offers five decent-sized seats and a couple of more kiddy-sized ones in the boot, but the latter can easily be lifted out entirely when carrying bigger loads.
Performance, ride and handling are all as capable as you would expect, although you will encounter comical levels of body roll if you push too hard.
Regardless, there hasn't been a new MPV with the potential to rejuvenate interest in this class for a decade or more, but the Jogger's value alone could do that.
MPV and SUV tropes fuse with a compact seven-seater of likeably humble aspect
Best for: Daily driving
While many van-based cars can look a bit derivative, the PV5 Passenger is a much more striking option in the MPV class. Indeed, its futuristic styling will catch your eye, but you will buy it for its endlessly practical and versatile interior.
It's impressive just how normal the PV5 feels on the road, considering it's anything but.Charlie Martin, Staff Writer
Being an electric MPV, Kia has been able to maximise interior space, which means there’s generous amounts of head and leg room throughout. Adults will have no trouble getting comfortable in the second row and with the seats fixed there’s still a staggering 1330 liters to play with.
Prices start from a very reasonable £32,995, which makes the PV5 much cheaper than the Volkswagen ID Buzz.
Real-world range for the larger 71.2kWh battery (51.5kWh is also available) is around 200 miles, which is better than many other electric vans.
Best for: Interior versatility
The Transporter-based Multivan is arguably the most stylish and car-like version to appear in ‘T’ history, which you can trace back nearly 80 years.
For vans, it’s usually what’s inside that counts, but the T7’s car-derived platform and electrified powertrain make it surprisingly composed and comfortable on the move.Illya Verpraet, Road Tester
Underpinned by the Volkswagen Group's MQB car platform rather than a commercial vehicle one, the Multivan drives with all the assurance, comfort and refinement of a very large Golf.
You can have it with either a 2.0-litre diesel or as a petrol plug-in hybrid, which has a claimed electric-only range of up to 55 miles.
Inside, the Multivan is simply vast and offers the sort of flexibility that other MPVs can only dream of. There are seven individual seats (you can have fewer if you wish) and the ones in the back slide, swivel and fold.
Remove the seats and you could run a removal service on the weekend. Just be prepared to pay more than £50,000 after options.
Best for: Character
The Volkswagen ID Buzz was one of the industry’s most hotly anticipated vehicles before it arrived.
The ID Buzz is a surprisingly wieldy, manoeuvrable and composed drive when nipping around urban environments, and it maintains respectable body control out of town.Matt Saunders, Road test editor
It sits on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, which means this big bus shares the same underpinnings as the ID 3, ID 4 and ID 5 electric cars.
A seven-seat, long-wheelbase version with a larger, 86kWh battery has been available since mid-2024 too, improving its versatility further.
SWB models have a 79kWh battery, with the range dependent on whether you go for a five-, six- or seven seater. Real-world range is around 200 miles, while a peak charging speed of 185kW makes top-ups quick.
Entry-level models are driven by a single 281bhp electric motor, but a sporty GTX variant adds a second motor for four-wheel drive and a combined 335bhp.
Whether you’re a devotee of Volkswagen’s traditional camper van or after a conventional people carrier, the ID Buzz offers a likeable package of versatility-first electric family motoring.
Best for: Handling
The latest Tourneo Connect picks up where its underrated predecessor left off. That car delivered Citroën Berlingo-style space and utility with genuine dynamic polish, and the latest version is no different.
The ride is generally comfortable, even if it is prone to thumping when it encounters a particularly difficult intrusion (hardly a surprise for a big, empty, 1.7-tonne metal box), and you can corner with confidence.Kris Culmer, Chief sub-editor
Based on the Volkswagen Group's MQB platform, it has been tuned by Ford’s engineers to give it a poised and plush feel that allows it to scythe through corners as effortlessly as it soaks up bumps.
There’s a choice of two bodystyles: a standard five-seater and a longer seven-seater. Both deliver acres of interior space and loads of handy storage, while the sliding rear side doors boost an already versatile package.
Go for the seven-seat Grand Tourneo Connect and, with both rear benches removed, there’s a cavernous 3100 litres of carrying capacity.
Best for: Interior space
More than two decades and almost two million sales ago, Citroën pioneered the van-based MPV with the Berlingo, and the third-generation model returns to the original's charm and oddball likeability.
A vast interior, which is used intelligently with an array of storage spaces and solutions, sliding rear doors that improve access in tight confines and robust furnishings make this a fine choice.Keith WR Jones, Contributor
A facelift for 2024 gave the Berlingo a new lease of life, with its styling brought into line with the rest of Citroën’s cars. The engine line-up comprises a 1.2-litre petrol and 101bhp and 129bhp 1.5-litre diesel. Then there's the ë-Berlingo EV, which gets a 134bhp front-mounted electric motor and a 52kWh battery for a 212-mile range.
Whatever the motive force, there are stout reasons to buy a Berlingo instead of a more conventional MPV. The interior is truly cavernous, particularly in XL form, which gets seven seats. Opt for the five-seater and you get a huge 1050-litre boot.
It’s also super cheap, with prices starting from a hair over £24,000.
Best for: Technology
It’s somewhat surprising that in such a declining sector, premium player BMW has stuck by the MPV.
It’s a more dynamic, better-equipped and versatile choice than its only real remaining rival, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class.Murray Scullion, Digital editor
You can now get this classy and composed hatchback only in five-seat form after BMW dropped the seven-seat Gran Tourer version, but still, it serves up plenty of space for most growing families, with generous room in the rear, where a sliding bench allows you to choose between extra space for luggage or legs.
The fit and finish is excellent, plus it gets BMW's latest slick infotainment and advanced driver aids. It feels like a BMW on the move too, with just enough agility and engagement to satisfy a keen driver.
There’s a pair of smooth and responsive 48V mild-hybrid petrols and a diesel, plus the option of four-wheel-drive plug-in hybrids.
Both PHEVs claim an impressive 54 miles of EV range and the 230e makes a hot-hatch-humbling 322bhp.
Best for: Load-lugging
If maximising the amount of space and passenger-carrying capacity is your top priority, you need to be looking at the passenger versions of medium-sized vans.
It feels above all like a van with no pervading sense that it shrinks around you, but it’s absolutely competent enough.Illya Verpraet, Road Tester
The best van to drive is the Transit Custom, and the Tourneo Custom is the same but made more habitable for carrying passengers.
You can have the Tourneo Custom with a variety of powertrains: there’s a choice of two 2.0-litre diesels which can be had with either a manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox. The plug-in hybrid pairs a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an 11.8kWh battery for an EV range of up to 32 miles. You can also have the electric E-Tourneo Custom, which can travel up to 202 miles on a charge.
Pleasingly there are different bodystyles to choose from, too, with the long-wheelbase version offering up to nine seats.
Best for: Style
Mercedes has got the electric seven-seater market pretty well served between the EQB crossover and the larger and more expensive EQV MPV.
The MPV is generous in size and tall, so a big battery (90kWh in this case) slips underneath it a treat, with little to no sacrifice in floor height or head room. Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor
Effectively an electric V-Class, the EQV is a big, tall, van-like vehicle with sliding side doors and captain's chairs in the second row that can spin to face either forwards or backwards.
It's powered by a 204bhp electric motor and has a usable range of just over 200 miles. And with air suspension and plenty of mass rolling along, it's quiet, comfortable and handles well for something so large and heavy.
You would be lucky to pick up an airport transfer in an EQV – and, allowing for the tax advantages, your chauffeur would be pretty happy to run one, assuming they have easy access to a charger.
The EQV will soon be replaced by the new VLE, which boasts a range of up to 435 miles thanks to its large 115kWh battery.
Best for: Luxury
The Lexus LM is exactly the sort of posh MPV that you would expect to see transporting the wealthy to a black-tie ball in central London.
Plush and expansive in the back and fitted out like nothing else, it would do short-hop luxury transportation exceptionally well.Matt Saunders, Road test editor
Starting from £89,995, it’s the most expensive MPV on this list by a considerable margin, but it’s easy to see why once you step inside. The LM’s interior has been designed for old-school luxury, and it certainly feels special.
The rear seats are airline-style recliners with heating and ventilation functions, and there are even seven massage functions, footrests and cushions. You can also lay the seats flat and use them as a sleeping area.
Not enough? You might be interested in the 48in television. Or if that's a bit old-school for you, you can use the LM’s phone-sized touchscreen to control all media functions and top up your phone's battery using the wireless phone charger hidden in the armrest. Other hotel room functions include a fridge and shoe storage.
However, the LM isn’t the best to drive – not anywhere near it. It’s powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with one or two electric motors.
Both specifications struggle with the weight of the LM, and it often feels slow, unresponsive and generally underpowered. It’s also surprisingly noisy and isn’t quite refined enough.
Choosing the right MPV depends entirely on how many people you will be transporting and how often you will be doing it.
Here is what you need to consider:
Seating
Why it matters: Extra seats often come at the expense of boot space.
Entry and access
Why it matters: MPVs are often wider and taller than standard hatchbacks.
Powertrain
Why it matters: This will determine how far your MPV will go and shape your running costs.
Storage
Why it matters: It’s the small things that make an MPV a home.
How to decide if you actually need an MPV
An MPV makes sense if:
An MPV doesn’t make sense if:
When reviewing MPVs, we look past the boxy silhouettes to find the vehicles that truly make life easier. An MPV needs to balance car-like refinement with van-like interior flexibility.
Here’s what we assessed:
1. Practicality and versatility
We didn't just look at boot capacity: we also looked out for quirky features that enhanced an MPV's practicality and flexibilty. This involved sliding, folding, and removing seats to see how an MPV can transition from school-run shuttle to tip-run hero. We measured the aperture of sliding doors and the height of the loading lip to see how easy it is to load heavy items.
2. Real-world performance
We tested these cars with full passenger loads to evaluate engine tractability and braking performance. We specifically looked for good body control, ensuring the higher centre of gravity doesn't lead to excessive leaning in corners.
3. Long-distance refinement
We subjected each car on this list to substantial motorway miles to measure cabin noise levels (NVH). We assessed whether the suspension remained composed over expansion joints and rough UK Tarmac, ensuring the ride isn't too bouncy for those in the third row.
4. Driver ergonomics and tech
While the focus is on the passengers, the driver shouldn't feel they’re driving a bus. We evaluated the driving position, visibility and the intuitiveness of the infotainment. We prioritised systems with physical climate controls and helpful tech like 360deg cameras, which are vital for manoeuvering larger vehicles.
5. Ownership costs
Whether it’s a frugal diesel for high-mileage users or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for city-dwelling families, we measured its real-world efficiency. We also took into account predicted residual values and the durability of interior materials, checking if the plastics and fabrics are durable and built to survive family life.
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