How to choose between a people carrier and an SUV
Our handy guide to choosing the right large vehicle.
Since the 1980s, people carriers have been family bestsellers. With all the space and practicality anyone could ask for, they had the market cornered. Then came the dawn of the SUV. With their sporty good looks and off-roading ability, they offer a more stylish practicality. But before you commit to buying, it’s important to look beneath the surface and work out what you really need from a car.
The case for the people carrier
When they launched, people carriers provided a spacious alternative to the boxy mundanity of an estate car. With their greater size, they offered more practicality for storage and better comfort for passengers. But still, in some ways buying a people carrier was seen as an admission of defeat. You were no longer buying a car for its great engine, premium badge or stylish body, but because you needed something practical to transport all the people who expect lifts from you.
Thankfully, such unenlightened views have been cast into the scrapyard of history and today’s MPVs are far less utilitarian than their predecessors. Beneath the new dynamic bodies, you still have the same practicality, decent fuel economy and sliding doors meaning loading the little ones is never a problem. The big attraction of a people carrier has always been the ability to comfortably carry up to seven people. This remains one of the big selling points and if it comes to a choice between a people carrier and a second car, the people carrier always makes more financial sense.
Our pick of people carriers
SEAT Alhambra
Ford Galaxy
Citroën SpaceTourer
The case for the SUV
There’s no getting away from it, SUVs are just a little bit cooler. While the people carrier has a certain grounded charm, SUVs just exude more presence, giving the impression that they rule the road. That’s not to say that an SUV is all style and no substance. SUVs are solid, spacious, well-equipped vehicles and it’s easy to see why they’ve enjoyed such a meteoric rise.
Many SUVs come with four-wheel drive as standard. This is a big selling point if you’re driving in rural areas but most people don’t generally have to do the school run over tough terrain. The higher ride height also makes them appealing, providing a better view, perfect for navigating the city. While they may not offer quite the same efficient fuel economy as a people carrier, SUVs are likely to offer a bit more power, as well as the ability to take you the places other cars can’t.
Our pick of SUVs
Kia Sorento
Peugeot 3008
BMW X3
What’s the verdict?
Controversially, it all comes down to your personal requirements. In some ways, the lines have started to blur on these segments with each adding the best elements from the other to offer people the features expected for comfortable 21st century driving. With so many choices out there, it’s worth taking some time to consider your options, take a test drive, find out more about the features and discover the car that best suits your lifestyle.