Is there a Vehicle for Larger Families with great MPG potential?

[crasster]

I am basically a quasi hypermiler in my Toyota Yaris and often get 45-47mpg.

I'm in kind of a quagmire of sorts, as my children age and we are finding the need to not only haul them, but their friends around. We still want to get great fuel efficiency while doing this.

I would be THRILLED to get into something that would get 36+ MPG, along with having the capability of seating for 7 people. I've looked around at corolla wagons (don't know if they seat 7).

So I'm here looking for suggestions and recommendations on what type of vehicle I can get. I'm finding this to be a HUGE challenge.

Most people think "mini van", but that's out of the question as the MPG's will never make it.

We will be doing a TON of highway miles carrying 5 children (7 people total).
4 cylinder would be perfect (I wish 3 cylinder vehicles were wagons).

I'm pretty desperate to find something that will work out. I understand my options are probably limited.

Thanks!

[radiantthought]

Looks like there might be a few options out there.

[Fat Charlie]

Just calculate in man-miles per gallon. 25 mpg in a minivan x7 people is 175 mpg a head.

Back when I was looking, it was between the Mazda 5 and a Dodge. The Mazda was rated a bit higher, but cost a bunch more and was a lot smaller. Purchase price and utility made the Grand Caravan a much better move despite getting worse mileage.

One of these might do the trick, if you can find one:

[crasster]

LOL on the car.

Yes, looking for something that can pass inspection and be reasonable. I was considering a Toyota Corolla wagon, but I don't know if they made those for 7 passengers or if anbody knows of a 3rd row (even reverse facing) set of seats (aftermarket, mod, or whatever). It's at least got to look legit and legal.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by radiantthought

Looks like there might be a few options out there.

Those don't come close and they are silly expensive. At those rates a $10,000 used minivan will destroy them in total cost per mile. You can get high 20's in the right minivans and they are so much better travellers then a wagon. Go back a few years on a Toyota around 2005 when they started using the 3.5. The early 2001-2004 Grand caravans with a 3.3 or 3.8 had solid reliability and cost even less yet could get 22-24mpg without even trying. 2007 up Kia and Hyundai with their redesign did similar and are low prices. Honda s are good but the best mpg models up until 2014 were only the loaded ones and to me never seemed worth their price tags so much higher then everybody else.

[crasster]

This has been a DAUNTING task for a long time for me. Mini-van's are really out of the question because anybody can "settle" for that. They are not incredibly aerodynamic. We already have a Toyota Sienna anyway, and it gets about 24 MPG if I drive it "specially".

We are looking to "improve that" and try to get something much better. I wish there was a 3 cylinder Geo Metro wagon. But a 4 cylinder with 7 passenger seating MAY be good.... but I'm having a ton of trouble finding stuff like that.

[jcp123]

Mazda5 comes to mind, but to say its a true 7 passenger is a stretch. The 3rd row is tiny!

There's not much else out there. I know of no Corolla wagon which would seat 7, heck, move a class up to mid size wagons and I can't think of any 7 seaters.

We are a family of four and our subcompacts work...sorta. But wife's family comes in now and then, really stretching what we have. Add to that my need to haul appliances, etc. several more times per year, and we decided a minivan is in order. A previous generation Honda Odyssey or a current generation Pentastar V6 powered Chrysler T+C are on the list. Neither are 30+ contenders but both are incredibly practical.

Ford Flex might also be a possibility.

[PaleMelanesian]

Mazda5 in only a 6-seater. 2+2+2

I have an Odyssey. The new model is rated 19/28 mpg. Which is almost as good as the pint-sized Mazda5 (22/28).

I had high hopes for the Prius v when it came out, but the 3-row option isn't offered here, only overseas. 45 mpg and 7 seats? Yes Please!

[roosterk0031]

Compare 1999 - 2014 Cars, Trucks and Vehicles

2014 Mitsubishi Outlander tops at 31 hwy,

Kia Rondo is probably the best balance of initial used cost vs mpg.

If you let in 6 cylinders 2006 Highlander hybrid is right behind the Outlander.

[radiantthought]

Originally Posted by crasster

This has been a DAUNTING task for a long time for me. Mini-van's are really out of the question because anybody can "settle" for that. They are not incredibly aerodynamic. We already have a Toyota Sienna anyway, and it gets about 24 MPG if I drive it "specially".

It sounds like you want to make things difficult to find something that isn't a minivan, has a 3rd row, and gets over 30mpg. The wagon with third row seating doesn't really exist anymore unless you're looking at a mercedes e-class wagon (expensive and only mid-20's), or the mazda5 (still kinda small, but great mpg). Most people who are shopping for such a thing nowadays will either get a minivan or an SUV. Hell, even volvo doesn't make a wagon with a third seat anymore, and they're what I think of when I think wagons. If money isn't an issue a highlander hybrid is probably your best bet while staying as close as possible to your requirements. At the end of the day though you are going to be hard pressed to find anything more aerodynamic than a minivan that has a third row.