7 seater

Kia's Carnival has been refreshed for the 2025 model year, and with the updated model comes new tech, new safety, new driving dynamics... and new and more expensive pricing. So is this still the pick of the family haulers? We put it to the test to find out.

Volkswagen is giving families more room for free.The German brand has slashed the price of its seven-seat Tiguan Allspace by between $2000 and $2500 depending on the variant.This price cut brings it in line with the five seat Tiguan SUV, effectively giving buyers seven seats for the price of five.Australia’s new car market is shifting towards buyers with many car makers starting to offer sharp discounts as years of supply issues untangle and cost of living pressures clampdown on demand. The Tiguan Allspace now starts at $43,990 (before on-road costs) for the base Life variant powered by a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes 110kW and 250Nm.If you want a punchier 132kW/320 2.0-litre turbo petrol motor it’ll set you back $47,990.Buyers wanting more oomph can choose the Allspace Elegance ($57,090) or the fully-loaded Allspace R-Line ($60,590) that use a 162kW/350Nm turbo petrol engine.The Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace are nearing the end of their lives with replacement models arriving next year.VW will be swapping out the Tiguan Allspace for the seven-seat Tayron at the end of 2025 and an all-new Tiguan is likely to land in showrooms this time next year.The new Tayron is expected to be bigger than the current Allspace and more aligned with the Skoda Kodiaq.There are no details yet on the family-hauler but expect it to use a variety of petrol engines and there is the possibility for a plug-in hybrid set-up to match the next-generation Tiguan five-seater. 

Toyota and Subaru will co-develop three more electric cars in the next few years.The two Japanese companies are fresh off the launch of the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X electric SUV twins and have confirmed more models are on the way.Subaru boss Atsushi Osaki said the company wanted to reduce its risks on EV investment by partnering on future models according to Automotive News.“At the moment, it is quite difficult to predict how things will go from here with EVs. There is a huge risk for us to go it alone in this field. We have held talks with Toyota and have agreed that it is better to reduce risks through joint development,” said Osaki.Subaru Australia’s then Managing Director Blair Read told CarsGuide earlier this year there will be more co-developed electric cars before the company goes it alone.“Within the first wave of EV products there will still be some co-development. That partnership has provided some really great results for both brands and meant advancements in technology and engineering but also respecting brand differences,” said Read.“As part of the investment out to 2028 there will be a number of those new models that will be Subaru unique and with Subaru unique engineering.”Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley has previously said the company is aiming to launch three electric models by 2026, which matches the timeline for co-developed models. It is believed one of the future models could be an electric version of the seven-seat Toyota Kluger SUV.Subaru has been missing a large family SUV in its local line-up since the short-lived Tribeca was cut from its local range.The model could be an electrified version of the Subaru Ascent, which is sold in America in seven- and eight-seat layouts.That model is expected to be built in the US, where large SUVs are more popular. The electric Kluger is slated to be produced in the company’s Kentucky factory.Another model could be a compact SUV dubbed the bZ3X, which is a similar size to the Toyota Corolla Cross and Subaru Crosstrek.The bZ3X was shown at the 2024 Beijing auto show and would be a good fit for the Australian market.A third SUV could be slightly smaller and cheaper replacement for the Solterra and bZ4X to better match the Forester and RAV4 SUVs.Subaru is also borrowing Toyota hybrid technology for its range of cars.The Japanese brand is expected to install Toyota’s popular petrol-electric tech into the Forester and Crosstrek SUVs next year.

Hyundai has confirmed the range and prices for its all-new Santa Fe family SUV.The Toyota Kluger-rivaling seven-seat SUV will be available in three grades: starting with the simply named Santa Fe and moving up to the Elite and then to the fully-loaded Calligraphy.Prices start at $55,500 (before on-road costs) for the front-wheel-drive base version, which is an almost $10,000 jump compared to the outgoing model. Adding all-wheel drive costs an extra $3000.The Elite variant starts at $65,000 and comes standard with all-wheel drive.Ranger-topping Calligraphy AWD versions start at $75,000 and comes in seven- and six-seat layouts.Every model uses hybrid power, combining a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor to make 172kW and 367Nm. Hyundai claims the big SUV drinks 5.6 litres per 100km.The Santa Fe is targeting its main rival the Toyota Kluger, which for comparison ekes out 184kW from its hybrid set-up and matches the Hyundai’s fuel use.The Santa Fe is a bold looking SUV with dynamic H-shaped headlights and a light bar across the front grill. It has a boxy silhouette similar to older Land Rovers.Buyers of the cheapest Santa Fe can expect 20-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting front and back and rear privacy glass.Inside there are dual 12.3-inch digital displays - one for the multimedia and one for the driver’s instruments - and cloth seats.Safety is comprehensive with 10 airbags and a mass of active driver aids.There is plenty of in-car tech including the brand’s connected Bluelink app, over-the-air update capabilities and smartphone mirroring paired with a wireless device charger.All-wheel-drive versions get multiple driving modes including Snow, Mud and Sand.Elite versions up the level of standard kit with synthetic leather-wrapped seats, a heated steering wheel, a power-adjustable driver’s seat and a second wireless device charger.It ditches the base versions’ six-speaker stereo for a premium Bose sound system.Full fruit Calligraphy variants up the luxe factor with plush Nappa leather upholstery, sunroof and power adjustment for the front-seat passenger.There are some tech advancements with a head-up display that projects vital information such as travelling speed and safety warnings onto the windscreen in front of the driver.For the germ conscious there is a UV-C sterilisation tray in the dashboard above the glove box that takes 10-minutes to zap an item.

GWM says its Euro-focused luxury hybrid sub-brand isn't yet destined for an Australian debut.

Mazda is continuing its push into the large premium SUV space with the release of the six- or seven-seat CX-80, scheduled for local launch before the end of this year and effectively replacing the CX-8.

The Ford Ranger Wildtrak has found favour with Australia's ute-loving public over recent years. Now Ford has launched the Everest Wildtrak.But beyond a few styling changes, the Wildtrak is really no different to the Everest Sport.We know the Everest is refined on-road and capable off-road, but is the Wildtrak, priced at more than $74,000, worth the extra money over its stablemates? 

GWM's Tank 500 is the biggest and most expensive model to arrive in Australia for the Chinese brand and could be cut-price alternative to the Toyota LandCruiser.

The Sorento GT-Line sits at the top of the seven-seat SUV line-up and the standard gear and interior appointments are like that of a premium European car.

The Sorento Sport+ is one down from the flagship GT-Line and gets a lot more kit than the base S.