Want an MPV that feels like a compact executive car to drive? You'll want the latest BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. The challenging design won't be to all tastes, but the quality, tech and driving experience are class-leading. 

The latest version, while far from the cheapest car on this list, offers so much to like for the driver and passengers alike. For starters, there's that family-friendly cabin, with sliding and reclining rear seats that suit even six-footers, a big boot and useful storage solutions. But, being a BMW, you also get a high level of fit-and-finish, a smart design and the very latest infotainment: you'll think you're in a taller BMW 3 Series.

There's a decent variety of engines to choose from, including a powerful-yet-efficient plug-in hybrid version. You also get smoothness and refinement in abundance, while the keen, almost hot hatch-like handling means even the most exhausted parent can enjoy themselves. Sure, the ride is a smidge on the firm side for an MPV, but it's never uncomfortable. 

Can't quite stomach the cost of the new one? The previous-generation BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is still a good value all-round choice, and can be also had as the seven-seat BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer.

Never heard of the Volkswagen Multivan? Well it's the brand's replacement for the Volkswagen Caravelle, a car that was recognised as one of the finest van-based people carriers money can buy.

The Multivan is rather different, though, because it's based on VW's car platform underneath. While it still looks like a van on the outside, this means that it's much less utilitarian to drive, with better refinement, handling and comfort. It also means you get the option of a plug-in hybrid version, giving you 31 miles of pure electric range, and then a 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine for longer trips. 

With a lower roof than the old Caravelle, it'll fit into most multi-storey car parks, but you still get plenty of space inside, with up to seven seats that can be configured in a wide variety of ways. Still not enough space? There's a 20cm longer version with a truly massive boot. 

You also get the latest gadgets and safety assistance features you'll find in VW's cars, too. But, you pay a hefty old whack for a Multivan, with new prices starting at around £50,000. Don't expect many used bargains for a while, either.

Like the bigger Volkswagen Sharan, the Volkswagen Touran comes with seven seats as standard and the extra two at the back fold flat into the floor when not in use, leaving you with a usable boot. The Touran is a smaller model, though, and has less space overall for your seven passengers and luggage.

There are plenty of upsides to the Touran's more compact size, though. For starters, it's basically a last generation VW Golf underneath, which makes it not only easy, comfortable and surefooted to drive, but also much easier to park and thread through traffic than a full-size MPV.  

Most Volkswagen Tourans for sale on the used market (although you can still buy it new despite its advanced years) come with either the 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre TDI diesel engines. They're not the most refined units by today's standards, but offer punchy performance and very strong fuel economy. However, if you want something smoother, then the 1.2- or 1.4-litre TSI petrol models are worth a look. The later 1.5 TSI petrol, which replaced the 1.4, is even better. 

Good used examples of Tourans without high mileage start at just over £15,000, with nearly-new models likely to set you back over £25,000.

No, we can't pretend that the van-based Vauxhall Vivaro Life is remotely sexy or likely to turn the heads of other parents on the school run. But ask any parent of more than three children what matters most in a car, and it's rarely desirability. 

Getting the maximum amount of space and seating flexibility for the money is what matters for multi-child families, and you don't get much more of either than you do in the Vivaro Life. You can choose five- (don't bother), eight- or even nine seats, with medium and long wheelbases available. Going for the full nine seats does cut back on boot space, however, which is (obviously) van-like in other versions. There's even the option of luxury captain's chairs on the Elite model. 

Van-based people carriers are far from sparse these days, and features such as adaptive cruise control, massaging seats and a head-up display are available on the Vauxhall Vivaro Life. Plus, it's better than you might think on the road, although the ride only really settles with five or more passengers. 

The Vivaro's engine line-up is diesel-heavy, and either the 150PS or 180PS models offer plenty of pulling power. However, what adds to the appeal is the fully electric Vivaro-e Life, offering smooth, silent and local emissions-free transport, although a maximum range of just 143 miles isn't great for long family holidays. And, if you want a brand new Vivaro Life, then the electric one is your only choice.

If you're after a seven-seater that won't break the bank, then stop scrolling now. The Dacia Jogger is it, and it's a bargain, even when bought brand new. 

There's a raised ride height giving you a better view of the road, and the two third-row seats can be easily removed when not required to expand the boot space to a suitcase-gobbling 699 litres.

It's not a huge car, either, meaning the Jogger is still easy to navigate through town and down tight country roads, while parking sensors are standard across the range. If you want better efficiency (and an automatic gearbox), there's a full hybrid option available with a claimed combined mpg of 57.7.

We'd recommend going for the Comfort (or Extreme SE) trim, as you’ll get a number of handy extras such as a reversing camera and infotainment display, which will make driving and owning the Jogger far more pleasant.

If you’re after practicality, durability and affordability, then previous version of the Tourneo Connect may be just what you’re looking for. Based on Ford’s Transit Connect van, the Tourneo has heaps of storage space, and with sliding doors on either side, access is easy for rear seat passengers, and parents wrestling little ones into car seats.

There’s plenty of cubby holes, too, and the rugged interior means it can handle the rough and tumble of family life without the worry of ruining fancy carpets or plush upholstery. 

Ford also refined the cabin compared with the van version, and there’s less external- and engine noise, making the Tourneo feel more civilised. If you need more seating, there’s the Grand Tourneo Connect, which adds a third row of seats to take the capacity up to seven.

In short ,the Tourneo Connect offers you the best of both worlds between a van and MPV, and it's really affordable as a used buy, too. If you need to move people or stuff on a budget, the Tourneo has you covered.

While the previous Mercedes B-Class was too flawed to recommend, this latest model is far superior in every respect. Based on the excellent Mercedes A-Class, Mercedes has designed a comfortable and high-quality MPV with one of the best interior designs around. While there’s little in the way of excitement, sure, but it is very comfortable and relaxing, making this ideal for longer journeys as well as the school and nursery run of a morning.

There’s plenty of room in the back, so it’s ideal if you have toddlers in car seats or younger children with rear facing car seats. Here, the flat seats are very helpful, with the base of the child seat able to sit flush with the seat cushion. 

The B-Class also gets Mercedes’ excellent MBUX infotainment system, which works like Amazon’s Alexa allowing you (and more likely your children) to shout commands at the car. “Mercedes, drown out the kids moaning with Radio 4” and so on...

The Citroen Grand C4 Spacetourer is the artist formerly known as the Grand C4 Picasso, but fundamentally its the same car that's been around since 2014 underneath bar a few tweaks. 

What hasn’t changed is the fact this is one of the best seven-seat MPVs on the market. It’s also one of the better looking ones, hiding its 4.5 metre length with a neat and modern design. This is no boxy people carrier.

But where the Citroen shines is when it comes to ride quality. Citroen has traditionally had a great reputation for comfort, and the Grand C4 SpaceTourer continues that. The soft suspension set-up smooths out rough roads and doesn’t crash over potholes.

There’s generous room inside, too, which is noticeable in the second row. There's lots of legroom in particular, helped by the fact you can slide the seats back and forward and tilt the backrests. There are three individual seats in the middle row, too, and it's not too much of a squeeze with three abreast, while the big windows and light and airy feel really appeal. You can also have an extended windscreen to bring even more light in, plus luxury features such as massaging seats.

Citroen no longer sells the Grand C4 SpaceTourer, so you'll have to look to the used market if you want one, but that just means more affordable prices.

If you're considering a Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer, then the Ford S-Max should also be on your shortlist. Both these brilliant seven-seater MPVs are of the same vintage, and both provide similarly tempting value-for-money on the used car market. However, the two cars go about the business of fulfilling the MPV brief in rather different ways.

The Citroen is arguably the more stylish car of the pair, it's marginally more spacious, and it has marginally more clever seat-folding mechanisms. When we say marginally, though, we really mean it: the Ford really isn't far behind in any of these areas, and its still great in all of them.

Where the Ford really shines, though, is on the road. While the Citroen is comfortable, it can sometimes feel rather clumsy when changing direction. The S-Max, meanwhile, turns with the urgency and crispness of a small hatchback, so not only is it a lot more fun to drive, it's also more controlled and more confidence-inspiring. There's a wide choice of engines and trim level to choose from, so finding a car to suit you shouldn't be too difficult.

Far from the newest design around, the SEAT Alhambra looks like the kind of car you’d find at a minicab rank late at night, but it actually has plenty to recommend it. For starters, there’s the fact it has sliding rear doors. No more worrying about the kids whacking the doors into that shiny new Porsche you’ve just parked next to.

The rearmost seats are just about roomy enough for adults - not a given, even i n this class of car - and children will be even happier back there. Folding and unfolding the rear seats is very easy, too, meaning it’s a straightforward undertaking to free up huge amounts of van-like space for those trips to your favourite Swedish furniture shop.

You can, of course, go for the Alhambra’s sister car - the Volkswagen Sharan - but the SEAT tends to be cheaper to buy on the used market (it was discontinued some time ago) and better equipped. Most examples have the strong and efficient 2.0 TDI diesel, and while SEAT sold a 1.4 TSI petrol, they are pretty rare. It's not as sharp to drive as the Ford S-MAX, but it's still sharper than you might think, and it offers good comfort and decent refinement.