CarSorted Verdict:
- Hybrid: Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, $57,650 RRP, five stars (2024), third-row ISOFIX. The Sorento HEV ($56,630) uses less fuel but its rating expires 31 December 2026.
- Cheapest overall: Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid plug-in, $45,990 drive-away, five stars (2025).
- Plug-in: BYD Sealion 8 from $56,990, or the five-star Mazda CX-80 P50e at $68,100 if you tow.
- Electric: Kia EV9 Air from $97,000, the cheapest seven-seat EV SUV on a published RRP and the cheapest to charge on our sums. The GLB 250+ is cheaper at $81,423 drive-away.
- People mover: Kia Carnival S HEV, $56,310, eight seats.
- Wait for: Ford's Tourneo plug-in and Kia's PV5 Passenger (both reported), and Volvo's longer-range XC90 plug-in (Q2 2027, reported).
A 7-seater used to mean a thirsty petrol V6 or a diesel. Not any more. Heading into 2027 you can buy a three-row family car as a regular hybrid that never needs plugging in, as a plug-in hybrid that does the school run on electricity, or as a full EV. We count 77 of them on sale in our directory on 12 November 2026, across 30 nameplates and 19 makes: 33 hybrid rows, 23 plug-in and 21 electric. Some people call them 7-passenger SUVs; in Australia it's 7-seaters, and we include the eight-seat people movers too.
If you need a car this month, our 2026 seven-seater guide is the quick list and stays current. This edition goes further: one pick per question, the running costs of the three powertrains side by side, who each car suits, and a “buy now or wait” call where something is changing in 2027. The facts, side by side. Your decision.
The picks at a glance
One row per question, with the figure from our row for that car on 12 November 2026 and its price basis. RRP is before on-road costs; drive-away includes them (Victoria). Detail and runners-up follow.
| Question | Pick | Winning figure | ANCAP on record | Buy now or wait? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest hybrid, plug-in or EV 7-seater | Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Urban | $45,990 drive-away | 5 stars (2025) | Now |
| Hybrid SUV for most families | Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid FWD | $57,650, 5.6 L/100km | 5 stars (2024) | Now |
| Lowest fuel use, five-star hybrid | Kia Sorento S HEV FWD | 5.4 L/100km, $56,630 | 5 stars (2020), expires 31 Dec 2026 | Check the rating |
| Cheapest hybrid (RRP), 8 seats | Kia Carnival S HEV | $56,310 RRP | 5 stars (2021) | Now |
| Cheapest plug-in (RRP) | BYD Sealion 8 Dynamic FWD | $56,990 RRP | Hasn't been rated | Now |
| Cheapest five-star plug-in (RRP) | Mazda CX-80 P50e Touring | $68,100, 2,500 kg towing | 5 stars (2024) | Now |
| Longest WLTP plug-in range | BYD M9 Premium (people mover) | 145 km, $72,990 | 5 stars (2026) | Now |
| Cheapest electric SUV (RRP), cheapest to charge | Kia EV9 Air RWD | $97,000, about $18 a week | 5 stars (2023) | Now |
| Cheapest electric people mover (RRP) | XPeng X9 Standard Range | $89,900, 535 km WLTP | 5 stars (2026) | Now |
| Longest range, electric SUV | Hyundai IONIQ 9 | 600 km WLTP | 5 stars (2025) | Now |
| Cheapest with third-row ISOFIX (RRP) | Kia Carnival S HEV | $56,310 RRP | 5 stars (2021) | Now |
Compare these picks side by side
6 of them on 200+ specs, price, safety and running cost in one view.
Each price is that car's stored figure with its basis and check date. Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Hybrid, plug-in or electric: which suits your family?
This is the first decision, and it's mostly about where you park at night. A regular hybrid (Santa Fe, Sorento, Kluger, Carnival) charges its own small battery as you drive. Nothing to plug in, no range question on a holiday drive, and about 5.4 to 5.8 L/100km on the label. A plug-in hybrid (Tiggo 8, Sealion 8, CX-80, Outlander) carries a much bigger battery you charge at home, so the weekday driving can be electric, with a petrol engine for long trips. An electric seven-seater (EV9, IONIQ 9, EX90, X9) has no engine at all and costs the least to run, but costs the most to buy.
Our rule of thumb: no off-street charging, buy a hybrid. Off-street charging and mostly short trips, a plug-in pays. Off-street charging, a bigger budget and a household that does long highway runs only now and then, look at electric. The running-cost table further down puts numbers on each of the three.
Buying now or waiting: how to use this guide
Most of the hybrid seven-seaters aren't changing in 2027: we haven't seen a replacement announced for the Santa Fe, Sorento, Kluger or Carnival. The change is at the plug-in and electric end. Ford Australia is reported to be swapping the diesel Tourneo for a plug-in hybrid in 2027. Kia's electric PV5 Passenger has been reported as approved for sale here. Volvo's longer-range XC90 plug-in is reported for the second quarter. And Zeekr Australia's managing director has confirmed the six-seat 9X plug-in, without a price.
Buy now when the car isn't changing, the price is on the manufacturer's list or a dated offer you can use, and the ANCAP rating will stay current. Wait when a replacement or a new powertrain you'd rather have is confirmed and close. Negotiate when a model is about to lose a current rating or be replaced. Confirmed means the manufacturer said it on its Australian site or in an Australian release; reported means Australian motoring media have it but the manufacturer hasn't put it on its own page.
CarSorted Manufacturer offer
Hyundai Australia has an offer on the Santa Fe until 31 December 2026
Offer from Hyundai Australia, checked 13 Nov 2026
How we picked
What counts. Any new car on sale with six or more seats that's a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric car on our rows: 77 rows. We include people movers and six-seat versions, and we leave out mild hybrids, which can't drive the car on electricity alone. That rules out the Mazda CX-80 G40e and D50e and the CX-90 G50e and D50e grades (the CX-80 D50e diesel is $56,100 RRP and uses 5.2 L/100km if you want one anyway). Petrol and diesel seven-seaters are in our 2027 family car guide.
Prices. RRP is before on-road costs, drive-away includes them, and we never rank one against the other. RRP picks only use prices whose source on our row is the manufacturer's own configurator, price feed, list or release: 45 of the 77 rows. That leaves the Toyota Kluger, GWM Tank 500 Hybrid and Peugeot 5008 Hybrid in the tables but out of the price picks until their sources are recorded. Drive-away figures are Victorian.
Running costs. The same sum as our car pages: 15,600 km a year (300 km a week), the official combined figure, and $1.95 a litre for regular unleaded, $2.10 for premium, $1.90 for diesel and 30 cents a kWh at home. Plug-ins are costed with the battery flat, from the manufacturer's charge-sustaining figure, because that's the honest worst case; where a row doesn't hold it, we show no estimate.
Safety and child seats. We show the ANCAP result our row holds and its year: 54 of the 77 rows hold one, 52 of them five stars. Where we hold none, we say ANCAP hasn't rated it. We show which seats have ISOFIX anchors, and we don't rank boot space across makes, because some measure behind the third row and some with it folded.
CarSorted
Shortlisting already?
Compare any two side by side or see this month's manufacturer deals. Figures come from manufacturers' own published documents.
Hybrid 7-seaters: no plug, no homework
Thirty-three rows across ten nameplates: the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Palisade, Peugeot 5008, GWM Tank 500 and Lexus LX SUVs, and the Kia Carnival, Hyundai Staria and Lexus LM people movers. If you can't charge at home, or don't want to think about it, this is the group to start with.
For most families: Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, $57,650
Why. The Santa Fe Hybrid FWD is $57,650 before on-road costs on Hyundai's list. Of the two five-star hybrid SUV nameplates with a version under $60,000 on a published RRP (Santa Fe and Sorento), it holds the newer ANCAP result (2024), and it has ISOFIX on both outer third-row seats, top tethers on all five rear seats, a 1,650 kg braked towing rating and 5.6 L/100km on regular unleaded, about $1,704 a year or $33 a week on our sums. Hyundai quotes a 628-litre boot on our row. The AWD is $60,650 with the same fuel figure.
Who it suits. A family with three kids in seats, or two kids and grandparents, that tows a box trailer or a small camper and wants a current five-star rating. What to watch. Hyundai's warranty is five years with no kilometre limit, two years shorter than Kia's. The boxy styling isn't for everyone, so see one in person.
Lowest fuel use: Kia Sorento HEV, $56,630, 5.4 L/100km
The Sorento S HEV FWD is $56,630 on Kia's price feed and uses 5.4 L/100km, the lowest of the five-star hybrid seven-seaters, about $1,643 a year or $32 a week. It also has third-row ISOFIX, 1,650 kg towing and Kia's seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The catch is the rating: the Sorento's five stars date from 2020, and our record shows them expiring on 31 December 2026. The car doesn't change on 1 January, but it'll show as unrated unless ANCAP tests it again.
Our take: the Sorento is $1,020 cheaper and about $60 a year cheaper to fuel; the Santa Fe has the rating that stays current. Both have ISOFIX on the outer third-row seats. If a current rating matters to you or your employer's car policy, it's the Santa Fe. Santa Fe vs Sorento.
The established one: Toyota Kluger Hybrid
The Kluger GX Hybrid AWD is on our row at $62,410, a price we haven't yet re-verified against Toyota's list, so it doesn't win a price pick here. It uses 5.6 L/100km and our row lists 95 RON as its minimum fuel, which costs it at about $1,835 a year ($35 a week). It's all-wheel drive on every hybrid grade we list, rated to tow 2,000 kg, and holds five stars from 2021, running to 31 December 2027. Our rows show ISOFIX on the second row only. Toyota's warranty is five years with no kilometre limit, and Toyota's capped price servicing is $1,675 over five years on our row.
The others: Palisade, 5008 and Tank 500
The Hyundai Palisade Elite Hybrid is the big one: eight seats, $76,500 on Hyundai's list, five stars (2025), ISOFIX in the third row, 2,000 kg towing and 6.8 L/100km (about $40 a week). The Peugeot 5008 Hybrid has the lowest fuel figure of any hybrid seven-seater on our rows at 5.1 L/100km, but it holds four stars (2025), tows 750 kg and our $55,990 for it doesn't name its source. The GWM Tank 500 Hybrid is a body-on-frame four-wheel drive rated to tow 3,000 kg with five stars (2024), at 8.5 L/100km (about $50 a week); our $59,990 for it doesn't name its source either.
Buy now or wait? Buy now. Nothing announced replaces the Santa Fe, Sorento or Kluger, and none of them is about to gain a plug. The one date that matters is the Sorento's ANCAP expiry on 31 December 2026: if a current rating matters to you, buy the Santa Fe, or use the expiry to negotiate on a Sorento. If you were waiting for a hybrid Pajero, Mitsubishi's all-new Pajero due in December 2026 is a diesel (Pajero story).
Hybrid people movers: when the third row gets daily use
If you have three or more kids, or you do the school run for other families, a people mover beats a seven-seat SUV on space. The Carnival S HEV is $56,310 on Kia's price feed, the cheapest hybrid seven-seater on a published RRP, with eight seats, a 627-litre boot behind the third row on our row, ISOFIX on both outer third-row seats, five stars (2021) and 5.8 L/100km (about $34 a week). The catch is towing: our row rates the HEV at 1,000 kg braked. The Hyundai Staria Lounge Hybrid is $73,740 with seven seats, an 831-litre boot on our row, 2,500 kg towing and 6.5 L/100km (about $38 a week).
Our take: for a family that tows a box trailer at most, the Carnival HEV is the obvious grade. For a camper over a tonne, look at the Staria Hybrid or a hybrid SUV. Both people movers hold 2021 ratings that run to 31 December 2027 on our record. Staria vs Carnival | Santa Fe vs Carnival.
Ways to buy
For the 4 cars on this page.
Compare 6Finance
From ≈$170/wk(≈$737/mo)
Estimate on the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid at $41,800 estimated RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Work the numbers on your own salary and term. We state the rules and the sums; what it saves you depends on your package.
Lease the Hyundai Santa FePlug-in hybrid 7-seaters: electric on the school run
Twenty-three rows across eleven nameplates. Compare them on two numbers: the electric range (on the same test) and the battery-flat fuel figure, because the label figure assumes a full battery every trip. Only eight of the 23 plug-in rows hold a battery-flat figure on our records.
Cheapest: Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, $45,990 drive-away
Why. The Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Urban is $45,990 drive-away in Victoria, the cheapest hybrid, plug-in or electric seven-seater we list on any basis. It holds five stars (2025), 95 km of electric range on the older NEDC test, an 18.4 kWh battery, seven years of warranty with no kilometre limit and a $1,595 five-year capped servicing total. Who it suits. A family on a budget with off-street charging, whose third row is for the kids. What to watch. Our row shows 117 litres of boot with all seven seats up, ISOFIX on the second row only, and no towing figure. We don't hold a battery-flat fuel figure, so we can't cost long trips. The Ultimate is $49,990 drive-away.
Cheapest on a published RRP: BYD Sealion 8, $56,990
The Sealion 8 Dynamic FWD is $56,990 on BYD's configurator, with 103 km of electric range on our row (the test isn't named), a 5.3 L/100km battery-flat figure (about $31 a week if never charged), ISOFIX in the third row, 1,800 kg towing and vehicle-to-load. The Dynamic AWD ($63,990) and Premium AWD ($70,990) hold 152 km and tow 2,000 kg. ANCAP hasn't rated the Sealion 8 on our record. BYD's warranty is six years or 150,000 km.
Cheapest five-star plug-in on a published RRP: Mazda CX-80 P50e, $68,100
The CX-80 P50e Touring is $68,100 on Mazda's list, with five stars (2024), all-wheel drive, a 2,500 kg towing rating and 65 km of electric range on our row. It's the plug-in for a family that tows. The trade-offs: our row lists 95 RON fuel, holds no battery-flat figure and shows ISOFIX on the second row only.
The rest: J8, Tiggo 9, Outlander, Sorento PHEV and the BYD M9
The Jaecoo J8 SHS Summit AWD is $59,990 before on-roads with 169 km of NEDC electric range, a 34.4 kWh battery and eight years of warranty with no kilometre limit; ANCAP hasn't rated it (J8 story). The Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is $58,268 drive-away, also without a rating. Mitsubishi lists the updated Outlander PHEV Aspire seven-seater at $66,709 before on-roads and rates it at 86 km WLTP (Outlander story); our row doesn't hold that price yet, so it isn't ranked. It holds five stars from ANCAP and a 6.2 L/100km battery-flat figure. The Kia Sorento PHEV is $71,130 with the smallest battery in this group (13.8 kWh). For eight seats, the BYD M9 Dynamic people mover is $61,990 with 80 km WLTP and no rating yet, and the M9 Premium ($72,990, seven seats) holds 145 km WLTP, the longest WLTP-stated plug-in range in the set, and five stars (2026).
Buy now or wait? Mostly buy now, but people-mover buyers should watch Ford. Ford Australia is reported to be dropping the diesel Tourneo for a plug-in hybrid in 2027, at a reported $73,340 and $76,840 before on-road costs with 51 km of WLTP range reported; Ford hasn't published it or confirmed a towing figure (Tourneo story). Volvo's longer-range XC90 plug-in is reported for the second quarter of 2027, with 160 km of WLTP range quoted overseas and no Australian figure yet (Volvo story).
Electric 7-seaters: the cheapest to run
Twenty-one rows across ten nameplates: the Kia EV9, Hyundai IONIQ 9, Volvo EX90, Mercedes-Benz GLB and Cadillac Vistiq SUVs, and the XPeng X9, Zeekr 009, Denza D9, Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Mercedes-Benz eVito people movers. None is cheap, but all of them cost less to run than any hybrid here if you charge at home.
Cheapest electric SUV, and cheapest to charge: Kia EV9 Air, $97,000
Why. The EV9 Air RWD is $97,000 on Kia's price feed, the cheapest seven-seat electric SUV on a published RRP. It uses 19.5 kWh/100km, about $913 a year or $18 a week to charge at home on our sums, the lowest of the electric seven-seaters we can cost (we hold no energy figure for the GLB, eVito or some Zeekr 009 grades). It holds five stars (2023), 443 km of WLTP range, ISOFIX in the third row, vehicle-to-load and Kia's seven-year warranty. What to watch. The Air is rated to tow 900 kg; the Earth AWD ($106,500, 512 km) tows 2,500.
Longest range: Hyundai IONIQ 9, 600 km
The IONIQ 9 Calligraphy AWD holds 600 km of WLTP range on our row, the longest of the electric seven-seat SUVs, with five stars (2025), third-row ISOFIX, 2,500 kg towing and 350 kW DC charging. Our rows hold only the Calligraphy, at $113,205 on Hyundai's calculator. The Zeekr 009 people mover holds 604 km on our row at $124,824 drive-away, without a rating. The Volvo EX90 Single Motor is $106,990 with 479 km, five stars (2025) and third-row ISOFIX (EX90 story).
Cheapest electric people mover: XPeng X9, $89,900
The XPeng X9 Standard Range is $89,900 on XPeng's configurator, the cheapest seven-seat EV on a published RRP, with five stars (2026), 535 km of WLTP range and a 721-litre boot on our row (X9 ANCAP story). Our row shows no towing capacity for it (0 kg). On drive-away, the Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ electric SUV is $81,423 on our row, the cheapest electric seven-seater on that basis, but ANCAP hasn't rated it on our record (GLB story). The Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB is $84,990 drive-away with 452 km.
Our take: WLTP range is a lab figure. Seven people, luggage and highway speeds will cut it noticeably, and our running-cost sums assume home charging; public fast charging costs several times more per kWh. IONIQ 9 vs EV9 | EV charging guide.
What about a Tesla 7-seater?
A lot of people search for one, so to be clear: Tesla doesn't sell a seven-seater in Australia. The three-row Model Y L is a six-seater, on sale from $74,900 before on-road costs with 681 km of WLTP range according to our Model Y L launch story. It isn't in our directory yet, so it isn't ranked here. Every Model Y we list is a five-seater (Tesla in Australia).
Buy now or wait? Kia's electric PV5 Passenger seven-seat people mover has been reported as approved for Australia with a late-2026 launch reported; Kia Australia hasn't published a price, a range or a page for it (PV5 Passenger story). If it lands well under the X9, it changes the electric people-mover picture, so it's worth waiting a few months for if that's your shortlist.
Pick two
Any two of the picks, side by side
Tap two to compare price, fuel or energy use, boot and safety.
| Spec | Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid | Kia Sorento S HEV |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $57,650RRP, before on-roads | $56,630RRP, before on-roads |
| Seats | 7 | 7 |
| Fuel use | 5.6 L/100km | 5.4 L/100km |
| Braked towing | 1,650 kg | 1,650 kg |
| ANCAP | 5 starstested 2024 | 5 starstested 2020 |
| Warranty | 5 yrunlimited km; up to 7yr if every scheduled service is done in the Hyundai dealer network (km limit: no data) | 7 yrunlimited km |
| Service interval | 15,000 km | 10,000 km |
Figures come from our car database, which is built from Australian manufacturer documents. A blank field reads “No data” rather than a zero or a dash.
Cars in this story
7 cars
Price shown is each car's stored figure with its basis and check date. Images: BYD Australia.
See all Kia modelsRunning costs: hybrid vs plug-in vs electric
Fuel or electricity only, on our arithmetic from each row on 12 November 2026: 15,600 km a year, the official figure and the prices above. Plug-ins are shown with the battery flat (the worst case); charge one every night and the fuel bill drops, replaced by a smaller electricity bill.
| 7-seater | Type | Price | Fuel or energy | A year (est.) | A week (est.) | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peugeot 5008 Allure Hybrid | Hybrid | $55,990 RRP | 5.1 L/100km | $1,551 | $30 | 5yr / 200,000 km |
| Kia Sorento S HEV FWD | Hybrid | $56,630 RRP | 5.4 L/100km | $1,643 | $32 | 7yr / unlimited km |
| Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid FWD | Hybrid | $57,650 RRP | 5.6 L/100km | $1,704 | $33 | 5yr / unlimited km |
| Kia Carnival S HEV | Hybrid | $56,310 RRP | 5.8 L/100km | $1,764 | $34 | 7yr / unlimited km |
| Toyota Kluger GX Hybrid AWD | Hybrid | $62,410 RRP | 5.6 L/100km | $1,835 (95 RON) | $35 | 5yr / unlimited km |
| Hyundai Staria Lounge Hybrid | Hybrid | $73,740 RRP | 6.5 L/100km | $1,977 | $38 | 5yr / unlimited km |
| Hyundai Palisade Elite Hybrid | Hybrid | $76,500 RRP | 6.8 L/100km | $2,069 | $40 | 5yr / unlimited km |
| GWM Tank 500 Lux Hybrid | Hybrid | $59,990 RRP | 8.5 L/100km | $2,586 | $50 | 7yr / unlimited km |
| BYD Sealion 8 Dynamic FWD | Plug-in | $56,990 RRP | 1.1 L/100km (5.3 L/100km as a hybrid) | $1,612 (battery flat) | $31 | 6yr / 150,000 km |
| BYD Sealion 8 Dynamic AWD | Plug-in | $63,990 RRP | 1 L/100km (6.3 L/100km as a hybrid) | $1,916 (battery flat) | $37 | 6yr / 150,000 km |
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Aspire | Plug-in | no price on record | 1.2 L/100km (6.2 L/100km as a hybrid) | $1,886 (battery flat) | $36 | no data |
| BYD M9 Dynamic | Plug-in | $61,990 RRP | 2.7 L/100km (7.1 L/100km as a hybrid) | $2,160 (battery flat) | $42 | 6yr / 150,000 km |
| BYD M9 Premium | Plug-in | $72,990 RRP | 0.4 L/100km (7.3 L/100km as a hybrid) | $2,221 (battery flat) | $43 | 6yr / 150,000 km |
| Kia EV9 Air RWD | Electric | $97,000 RRP | 19.5 kWh/100km | $913 | $18 | 7yr / unlimited km |
| Volvo EX90 Single Motor | Electric | $106,990 RRP | 19.6 kWh/100km | $917 | $18 | 5yr / unlimited km |
| XPeng X9 Standard Range | Electric | $89,900 RRP | 20.2 kWh/100km | $945 | $18 | 7yr / unlimited km |
| Hyundai IONIQ 9 Calligraphy | Electric | $113,205 RRP | 20.6 kWh/100km | $964 | $19 | 5yr / unlimited km |
| Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB | Electric | $84,990 drive-away (NSW) | 21.1 kWh/100km | $987 | $19 | 5yr / unlimited km |
The pattern is clear. The electric seven-seaters in the table cost about $18 to $19 a week to charge at home; the Sorento, Santa Fe, Carnival and Kluger hybrids cost about $32 to $35 a week in fuel; a plug-in charged nightly can approach the EV figure, but run with a flat battery it costs $31 to $43 a week, more than those hybrids in most cases. But the EV9 Air costs $39,350 more than a Santa Fe Hybrid on RRP, and at about $790 a year of difference in running costs, that gap doesn't close in any normal ownership period on fuel alone. Buy the EV for the drive and the household's plans, not the fuel bill.
On warranty, Jaecoo (J8) and GAC (M8) offer eight years, Kia, Chery, GWM and XPeng seven, BYD and Denza six years or 150,000 km, and Hyundai, Toyota, Mazda, Volvo, Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz five. Battery warranties on our rows mostly run seven or eight years (ten on Toyota and Lexus hybrids); check the kilometre limit and the state-of-health figure for the exact car.
Weekly fuel cost at a glance
Put in your own week: school run, commute, weekend sport. The calculator prices the same driving in the Sorento, Santa Fe, Carnival and Kluger hybrids. Cars without the figure it needs sit out rather than run on a made-up one.
- Kia Sorento S HEV FWD
$1,094 a year, rated 4.7 L/100km urban, 5.8 extra-urban, 5.4 combined (ADR 81/02)
$21 a week
Lowest - Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid FWD
$1,142 a year, rated 6.2 L/100km urban, 5.3 extra-urban, 5.6 combined (ADR 81/02)
$22 a week
- Kia Carnival S HEV
$1,171 a year, rated 4.2 L/100km urban, 6.7 extra-urban, 5.8 combined (ADR 81/02)
$23 a week
- Toyota Kluger GX Hybrid AWD
$1,255 a year, rated 6 L/100km urban, 5.6 extra-urban, 5.6 combined (ADR 81/02)
$24 a week
Assumes 20 km each way, 10 trips a week, mild weather and the official combined road mix; unleaded at $1.95/L, premium unleaded at $2.10/L. Plug-in hybrids are costed with the battery not charged. Fuel only.
Repayments at a glance
What three of the picks cost a week on finance. The rate and term are assumptions you can change, not a quote or advice.
- Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Urban
$45,990 drive-away (advertised), ≈$189 a week
≈$821/mo
Lowest - Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid FWD
$57,650 RRP, ≈$243 a week
≈$1,055/mo
- BYD Sealion 8 Dynamic FWD
$56,990 RRP, ≈$240 a week
≈$1,042/mo
Assumes $5,000 deposit over 5 years at an assumed 7.5% p.a. Estimate only, not an offer of credit or a quote; your rate and repayments will differ.
Estimates only. Based on standard assumptions. Not financial advice. Individual results vary.
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
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Third-row space, child seats and boots
This is the question families with three young children actually need answered. In this set, nine nameplates hold ISOFIX in the third row on our rows: the Santa Fe, Sorento, Carnival, Sealion 8, Palisade, EV9, IONIQ 9, EX90 and the Volvo XC90 plug-in. The cheapest of those on a published RRP is the Carnival S HEV at $56,310, then the Sorento S HEV ($56,630), Sealion 8 ($56,990) and Santa Fe Hybrid ($57,650). The Tiggo 8, Kluger, CX-80 and Peugeot 5008 put ISOFIX on the two outer second-row seats only on our rows.
On boots, take the figures as a rough guide only. Our rows hold 721 litres for the X9, 831 for the Staria Hybrid, 628 for the Santa Fe, 627 for the Carnival, 470 for the M9, 333 for the EV9, 338 for the IONIQ 9, 270 for the Sealion 8, 241 for the Kluger, 179 for the Sorento and 117 for the Tiggo 8. Some manufacturers measure behind the third row and some with it folded, which is why we don't rank them. The practical test: put the pram and the school bags in with all seats up, at the dealer.
Our take: if the third row is in use daily, a people mover (Carnival, Staria, X9, M9) usually gives you more room in row three and easier access through sliding doors. If it's weekends and sleepovers, an SUV is easier to live with and to park.
Towing with a hybrid or electric 7-seater
Towing is where the powertrains split. The Denza B8 plug-in (3,500 kg, $91,000 on our row without a named source), the Lexus LX700h hybrid (3,500 kg) and the Tank 500 Hybrid (3,000 kg) are body-on-frame four-wheel drives. Among family SUVs, the EV9 AWD, IONIQ 9 and CX-80 P50e are rated to 2,500 kg, as is the Staria Hybrid; the Kluger, Palisade and Sealion 8 AWD to 2,000. The Santa Fe and Sorento hybrids are 1,650 kg, the Carnival HEV 1,000 and the EV9 Air 900. Remember that towing cuts an EV's range sharply, and a plug-in's battery runs flat sooner with a van behind it. See our towing guide and TowingSorted planner.
Budget bands: what your money buys
Examples in each band, not a full list. We place each car on its named-source RRP where it has one, otherwise its Victorian drive-away figure, otherwise the price our row holds, so bands mix bases. Use the edges loosely.
| Budget | Hybrid | Plug-in | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $60,000 | Carnival HEV, Sorento HEV, Santa Fe Hybrid, Peugeot 5008 GT | Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, Sealion 8, J8, Tiggo 9 | None |
| $60,000 to $80,000 | Staria Hybrid, Palisade, upper Santa Fe and Sorento grades | CX-80 P50e, Sorento PHEV, M9 | None |
| $80,000 to $100,000 | Palisade Calligraphy | CX-80 P50e Azami, Sorento GT-Line PHEV, Denza B8 | GLB 250+, ID. Buzz LWB, X9, EV9 Air |
| Over $100,000 | Lexus LM and LX | Volvo XC90 T8 | EX90, IONIQ 9, Cadillac Vistiq, Zeekr 009 |
The short version: under $80,000 it's hybrids and plug-ins. The cheapest electric seven-seaters on our rows sit just over $80,000 on drive-away, and the electric SUVs with ISOFIX in the third row start at $97,000.
The safety calendar
ANCAP ratings run for six years, then lapse unless the car is retested. In this set, our records show the Kia Sorento (2020) expiring on 31 December 2026, and the Carnival, Kluger and Staria (all 2021) running to 31 December 2027. The newest five-star results are on the XPeng X9 and BYD M9 Premium (both 2026). ANCAP hasn't rated, or we hold no result for, the Sealion 8, Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid, Jaecoo J8, M9 Dynamic, GAC M8, Denza D9, Zeekr 009, ID. Buzz, the electric GLB, the Lexus LM and LX, the Cadillac Vistiq, the Mercedes-Benz eVito and the Volvo XC90 plug-in. The Peugeot 5008 holds four stars (2025).
Our take: between two otherwise equal cars, the one rated in 2024 or later has passed a tougher test than one rated in 2020 or 2021. For a car carrying seven people, that's a fair tiebreaker.
What's coming for hybrid and electric 7-seaters through 2027
Confirmed means the manufacturer has said it on its own Australian site or in an Australian release. Reported means it's in Australian motoring media but not on the manufacturer's own pages. None of these is in the picks above.
| Coming | Type | Timing, as stated | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Tourneo PHEV | People mover, plug-in | 2027 (2027.25 model year, as reported) | Reported, $73,340 and $76,840 before on-roads |
| Kia PV5 Passenger | 7-seat electric people mover | Late 2026 reported | Reported; no Kia Australia page |
| Volvo XC90 long-range plug-in | 7-seat SUV, plug-in | Second quarter of 2027 | Reported |
| Zeekr 9X | 6-seat SUV, plug-in | Late 2026 or early 2027 | Confirmed by Zeekr Australia's managing director at a motor show; no price |
| Wey G9 | People mover, plug-in and hybrid | Before the end of 2026, reported | Reported approved; nothing from GWM Australia |
| Forthing people mover | Electric and plug-in | Not stated | Reported, quoting Forthing Australia |
Our stories on each: Tourneo PHEV | PV5 Passenger | Volvo XC90 plug-in | Zeekr 9X | Wey G9 | Forthing people mover. Already here since the 2026 guide: the Jaecoo J8, BYD M9 Dynamic, EX90 Single Motor, electric Mercedes-Benz GLB and Tesla Model Y L. For every body type, see 2027 electric cars and 2027 hybrids and plug-ins.
What could change these picks
The Sorento's ANCAP rating expires on 31 December 2026 on our record. An ANCAP result for the Sealion 8 or Jaecoo J8 would change how we show them, and could put the Sealion 8 into a five-star pick. A recorded Toyota source for the Kluger's price would let it compete for a price pick. Ford's and Kia's people movers get prices when they launch. We'll update this guide when any of these happen, or when a price we quote changes.
The picks and their rivals, live from our rows
| 7-seater | RRP | Drive-away | Seats | Fuel or energy | Range | Towing | ANCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Urban (PHEV) | $41,800 est. RRP | $45,990 drive-away (VIC) | 7 | 1.3 L/100km | 95km electric | no data | 5 stars (2025) |
| Kia Carnival S HEV | $56,310 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 8 | 5.8 L/100km | no data | 1,000kg | 5 stars (2021) |
| Kia Sorento S HEV FWD | $56,630 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 5.4 L/100km | no data | 1,650kg | 5 stars (2020) |
| BYD Sealion 8 Dynamic FWD (PHEV) | $56,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 1.1 L/100km (5.3 L/100km as a hybrid) | 103km electric | 1,800kg | no data |
| Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid FWD | $57,650 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 5.6 L/100km | no data | 1,650kg | 5 stars (2024) |
| Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid Elite (PHEV) | $52,950 est. RRP | $58,268 drive-away (VIC) | 7 | 1.5 L/100km | 90km electric | 1,500kg | no data |
| Jaecoo J8 SHS Summit AWD (PHEV) | $59,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 1.2 L/100km | 169km electric | 1,600kg | no data |
| BYD M9 Dynamic (PHEV) | $61,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 8 | 2.7 L/100km (7.1 L/100km as a hybrid) | 80km electric | 1,500kg | no data |
| Toyota Kluger GX Hybrid AWD | $62,410 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 5.6 L/100km | no data | 2,000kg | 5 stars (2021) |
| Mazda CX-80 P50e Touring (PHEV) | $68,100 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 2.7 L/100km | 65km electric | 2,500kg | 5 stars (2024) |
| Kia Sorento S PHEV AWD | $71,130 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 1.6 L/100km | 57km electric | 1,010kg | 5 stars (2020) |
| BYD M9 Premium (PHEV) | $72,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 0.4 L/100km (7.3 L/100km as a hybrid) | 145km electric | 1,500kg | 5 stars (2026) |
| Hyundai Staria Lounge Hybrid | $73,740 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 6.5 L/100km | no data | 2,500kg | 5 stars (2021) |
| Hyundai Palisade Elite Hybrid | $76,500 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 8 | 6.8 L/100km | no data | 2,000kg | 5 stars (2025) |
| Mercedes-Benz GLB 250+ (electric) | no RRP on record | $81,423 drive-away (VIC) | 7 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB (electric) | no RRP on record | $84,990 drive-away (NSW) | 7 | 21.1 kWh/100km | 452km WLTP | 1,000kg | no data |
| XPeng X9 Standard Range (electric) | $89,900 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 20.2 kWh/100km | 535km WLTP | no data | 5 stars (2026) |
| Kia EV9 Air RWD (electric) | $97,000 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 19.5 kWh/100km | 443km WLTP | 900kg | 5 stars (2023) |
| Volvo EX90 Single Motor (electric) | $106,990 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 19.6 kWh/100km | 479km WLTP | 1,500kg | 5 stars (2025) |
| Hyundai IONIQ 9 Calligraphy (electric) | $113,205 RRP | no drive-away price on record | 7 | 20.6 kWh/100km | 600km WLTP | 2,500kg | 5 stars (2025) |
Plug-in hybrid fuel figures on the label are measured from a full battery. “No data” means our row doesn't hold the figure yet, not that the car lacks it.
How to choose a hybrid or electric 7-seater: six checks
- Decide on the plug before anything else. No off-street charging usually means a regular hybrid.
- Count the child seats, then the anchors. If a child seat goes in row three, check ISOFIX and top-tether positions for that exact grade.
- Put the third row up and look at the boot. Many seven-seaters have room for school bags and not much else.
- Check the tow rating for your exact grade. The EV9 goes from 900 kg (Air) to 2,500 kg (AWD).
- Check the ANCAP year. A 2020 or 2021 rating lapses while you own the car.
- Sit in row three and drive the shortlist. A “7-seat” badge means little until an adult or a tall teenager has tried the back row.
Keep reading
Head-to-heads: Santa Fe vs Sorento | Staria vs Carnival | Santa Fe vs Carnival | IONIQ 9 vs EV9 | Tiggo 9 vs Sorento vs Kluger
The brands: Hyundai | Kia | Toyota | BYD | Chery | Mazda | Mitsubishi | Jaecoo | XPeng | Volvo | Tesla
More guides: Best 7-Seater Electric and Hybrid Cars (2026) | Best Family Cars (2027) | Best Mid-Size SUVs (2027) | Best Plug-in Hybrid SUVs (2027) | Best 7-Seater Cars | Best Towing Vehicles
Compare what's on sale now
Head-to-heads with the cars this story is about and their closest rivals on sale now, plus the buying guides that cover them.
- Jaecoo J8 vs Toyota Kluger
- BYD Sealion 8 vs Mazda CX-80
- Mazda CX-80 vs Toyota Kluger
- Hyundai Santa Fe vs Kia Sorento
- Hyundai IONIQ 9 vs Volvo EX90
- Toyota Kluger vs GWM Tank 500
- Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid vs BYD Sealion 6
- Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid vs Leapmotor C10
Buying guides
- Best Plug-in Hybrid SUVs in Australia 2027: One Winner Per Question
- Best Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Utes in Australia 2026: Cannon Alpha vs Shark 6 vs Ranger
- Best 7 Seater Hybrid Cars Australia: Prices & Picks
- Best Hybrid Cars in Australia 2027: One Winner Per Question
Or pick any two cars on our compare page, or browse the full car directory.
MORE:BYD Ti7 Seven-Seat Plug-In Hybrid Type-Approved for Australia, No Launch Date or Price Yet
MORE:GWM's First Australian V8 Won't Be a Plug-in Hybrid, GWM Says, and a Tank Is the Likely Home
Shopping for a hybrid now?
The facts, side by side. Your decision.
Disclaimer: Figures are from the manufacturers' Australian documents as held in the CarSorted directory on 12 November 2026, with prices on the basis stated beside them. Fuel and electricity estimates are our arithmetic on official figures, not your real-world use. Timing for coming models is as the manufacturer or Australian media stated it, and can slip. ANCAP results are shown as our rows hold them, with their year. This is general information, not advice. Confirm price and specification with the dealer before you buy.
