MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) might not be the height of fashion but if you’re after a car with lots of space for people and luggage they're hard to beat. MPVs (also known as people carriers) have large door openings and deep windows that make getting in and out easy and create a light, airy feel on board. And with rear seats that can be folded away – or sometimes removed – the best MPVs give you versatility that many SUVs and crossovers simply can’t match.
All of which helps to make them excellent family cars. Here, we’ve selected our top 10 best used MPVs for less than £10,000, with each one offering lots of interior space and great value for money.
Best Used MPVs Under £10,000 in 2025
- BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (2014-2022)
- Volkswagen Touran (2015-)
- Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer (2018-2022)
- Ford Galaxy (2015-2023)
- Seat Alhambra (2012-2020)
- Vauxhall Zafira Tourer (2011-2018)
- Toyota Verso (2011-2018)
- Ford S-Max (2015-2023)
- Volkswagen Sharan (2010-2022)
- Citroen Berlingo Multispace (2010-2018)
BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (2014-2022)
BMW is best known for its sporty saloons and luxurious SUVs but, yes, it also makes MPVs. Good ones, too. In 2014 it introduced the five-seat BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and a longer, seven-seat version called the 2 Series Gran Tourer. Both give you the kind of premium image and features you’d expect of the brand, as well as a driving experience that’s a bit more enjoyable than you get with most MPVs. The Gran Tourer is the one to go for if you want maximum seats and functionality, and it won’t cost much more to buy or run.
The petrol and diesel engines on offer give strong performance, even with seven-people on board, and you can get versions with a manual or automatic gearbox. For those who want the assurance of all-wheel drive the 2 Series is one of the few MPVs to offer it in the form of BMW's xDrive system. Inside, you get BMW’s excellent iDrive infotainment system, and build quality to match anything from Audi, Mercedes or Lexus. There are roomier seven-seat MPVs, in terms of both passenger space and luggage space, but the Gran Tourer doesn’t disgrace itself, so it’s an excellent family car.
BMW 2 Series Review
Volkswagen Touran (2015-)
Imagine a Volkswagen Golf that’s a bit longer, a bit taller and has seven seats and you’ve got a fairly accurate idea of the Touran. And, in our book, that’s a good thing. While some MPVs feel rather bulky from behind the wheel, the Touran drives much like a hatchback, with nimble handling and a smooth ride. You get the raised driving position and large glass area of an MPV, though, so all-round visibility is excellent, making the Touran is a doddle to park.
The interior is classic Volkswagen – solid and sensible, with a more premium feel than you get with many rival cars. The second-generation Touran we’re recommending here is based on the seventh-generation Golf, so although it’s available with lots of high-tech convenience and safety features and has a smart touchscreen it uses a slightly older infotainment system that’s arguably a lot more user-friendly than the latest (mk8) Golf’s. Five adults have plenty of space, while the third-row seats are best reserved for occasional use. Fold them away and the boot is huge and well-shaped. While it costs more than you might think to buy, the Touran’s comparatively compact size and fuel-efficient engines mean running costs shouldn’t be much higher than a Golf’s.
Volkswagen Touran Review
Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer (2018-2022)
French car brands have produced some of the best MPV cars, with Renault leading the way with its Espace and Grand Scenic models in the 80s and 90s. Citroen hit its stride a bit later, and its five-seat C4 SpaceTourer and 7-seater Grand C4 SpaceTourer (previously known as the C4 Picasso and Grand C4 Picasso) have proved very popular with British buyers thanks to their stylish looks, bargain prices and spacious and versatile interiors. While the C4 SpaceTourer gives you lots of space for five within a car that’s about the same size as a Ford Focus, the Grand C4 SpaceTourer is a proper seven-seater but is about 16cm longer overall, so still very carpark-friendly.
The interior has the kind of quirky design that Citroen fans love, and it’s flooded with light thanks to large windows that include a windscreen that stretches back into the car’s roof. Petrol engines in either version of the car are very rare indeed, and most used examples will be powered by one of the 1.6-litre HDi diesel units. These are available with a number of different power outputs but, whatever the power available, fuel economy from this engine is very impressive, so the Grand C4 SpaceTourer has the potential to give low running costs.
Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer review
Ford Galaxy (2015-2023)
The Ford Galaxy is a traditional large MPV that majors on interior space and a smooth ride. Little wonder it’s a popular choice with taxi drivers. The fact is, the Galaxy is brilliant at transporting lots of people in considerable comfort. And if you’re in the market for an MPV that’s probably important to you.
Of course, you get all the clever seat-folding functionality you’d expect, so you can carry various combinations of people and luggage as needed. Or you can fold all five rear seats away for van-rivalling load capacity. While it’s not as agile as the closely related Ford S-Max, the Galaxy is good to drive, with responsive steering and a nicely controlled feel through corners. Ford’s current new MPV models – the Tourneo Courier, Tourneo Connect and Tourneo Custom – are good cars but they’re van-based vehicles that can’t match a bespoke MPV such as the Galaxy for all-round ability.
Ford Galaxy Review
Seat Alhambra (2012-2020)
It’s usually the Skoda brand that gets the most practical models that the Volkswagen Group has to offer, but not in this case. Apart from a few cosmetic details the Alhambra shares its parts with the Volkswagen Sharan, and both cars combine people-carrier practicality with high-quality interior and fine driving experience to make them two of the best seven-seat MPVs on the market.
The Alhrambra's spacious interior is incredibly flexible, with seats that slide and fold into various configurations, and its sliding rear side doors are a real bonus when it comes to getting passengers in or out in a crowded carpark. There are petrol-engined versions of the Alhambra but they’re rare – cars fitted with the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine were the popular choice among original buyers. The earlier models had 138bhp or 168bhp, while post-2015 facelifted cars increased power to 148bhp and 181bhp, respectively, but they all offer punchy performance and good fuel economy.
Seat Alhambra Review
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer (2011-2018)
Like most Vauxhalls, the Zafira Tourer is one of the best cars in its sector for value – so if you want maximum space for minimum outlay it’s well worth considering. While previous Zafira models were fairly compact, the Zafira Tourer introduced in 2011 moved up a size to become a ‘full-size’ seven seater capable of accommodating seven adults in decent comfort. Boot space is limited with all seven seats in place but when the third-row seats are stowed away you get a mammoth 710-litre space.
While the Zafira Tourer isn’t as enjoyable to drive as an equivalent Ford S-Max it provides the kind of ride comfort that a family car should and the engines are all usefully fuel-efficient, if not especially powerful. An update in 2016 gave the Zafira Tourer slightly sharper looks and a more modern infotainment system. One of these is well within reach with a budget of £10,000 and you can afford to be choosy when it comes to mileage and condition.
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Review
Toyota Verso (2011-2018)
Toyota is known for its ultra-reliable, ultra-sensible hatchbacks and the Toyota Verso builds on that by adding an extra pair of seats and a higher roofline to create a compact seven-seat SUV that has a lot of rational appeal. There’s little in the way the Verso looks or drives that will grab your attention, but if you simply want a practical car that’s effortless to drive and should be painless to own it ticks all the boxes.
Considering that the Verso is only 8cm or so longer than a Ford Focus it’s no surprise that there’s not a lot of space in the third-row seats, or that there’s not much of a boot behind them, but fold them away and the Verso is a very roomy and versatile five-seater. Build quality is as solid as you'd expect of a Toyota, and the brand’s excellent reputation for reliability means that the Verso is likely to be dependable. Incredibly, you could even get a Verso with some manufacturer warranty remaining despite the fact that it was discontinued in 2018. That’s because Toyota’s 10-year warranty cover doesn’t just apply to new cars – every time you have one of its cars serviced at a Toyota dealership you get another 12 months of cover – up until the car is ten years old or has covered 100,000 miles.
Toyota Verso Review
Ford S-Max (2015-2023)
There’s been a longstanding joke that buying an MPV meant an end to driving a fun car, but it lost its punchline when the first-generation Ford S-Max was launched in 2006. It demonstrated how Ford could make any kind of car a hoot from behind the wheel, whatever its size or shape. The second-generation S-Max (sold new between 2015 and 2023) picked up where the first one left off, blending excellent ride and handling with space for seven. As with the first S-Max, the second model shares many parts with the Ford Galaxy of the time but its sleeker shape, lower centre of gravity and reduced weight make it even more satisfying to drive.
While it’s not as spacious in the third row of seats as the Galaxy (especially in terms of headroom), the S-Max has space for seven adults and the five seats behind the driver and front passenger are easy to fold away when they’re not needed. The interior is really well designed, with a solid and attractive cabin featuring technology that was pretty cutting-edge at the time.
Ford S-Max Review
Volkswagen Sharan (2010-2022)
We’ve already established that the Volkswagen Sharan and Seat Alhambra are more or less the same car, with the only real differences being some minor exterior design features and the badges on the boot, bonnet and steering wheel. Choosing between the two could come down to what’s available on the used car market, the price you pay or simply which brand you prefer.
To recap, the Sharan has the same appealing qualities as the Alhambra. It’s impressively smooth and quiet to travel in, which is always good if you want to maximise the chance of a peaceful journey with the family. It’s also, despite its size, a very easy car to drive. Light steering, great visibility and a good driving position mean things are pretty effortless whether you’re threading through city streets, negotiating a winding country road or barrelling down the motorway. The interior is simple, classy and incredibly spacious and those sliding rear doors have the potential to be a game-changer.
Volkswagen Sharan Review
Citroen Berlingo Multispace (2010-2018)
MPVs based on commercial vehicles are not uncommon, and the Citroen Berlingo Multispace is a good example of how manufacturers adapt vans to become people carriers. The Berlingo Multispace is based on a van, but it also incorporates elements of Citroen and Peugeot passenger cars. The boxy shape affords it a great deal of boot space and it’s very practical; the high roofline creates a number of clever storage options, such as overhead shelves and a 50-litre locker above the boot.
The seats have a degree of flexibility – although not as much as some rival MPVs such as the Seat Alhambra – and they’re very comfortable. Don't expect anything too plush, because the hard-wearing materials reflect its commercial vehicle roots. A 2015 facelift updated much of the equipment, such as the infotainment system, so it’s worth looking at what’s fitted to the example you’re thinking of buying. Most used Berlingo Multispace models are powered by diesel engines, but they’re about as aerodynamic as a brick wall, which takes the edge off fuel efficiency. A £10,000 budget will get you a well-specced, well-cared-for version of the second-generation Berlingo – it’ll just about stretch to the mk3 model introduced in 2018 but you won’t have as many cars to choose from and they may be higher-mileage examples.
