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Other sevens to consider

Honda Mobilio: S$121,999 with COE

Honda Mobilio: S$121,999 with COE

Honda’s Jazz is a triumph of space packaging, and manages to somehow offer a large amount of cabin room in spite of its small size. Take its basic form and stretch it slightly, and you have the Mobilio, a compact seven-seater.

The cabin plastics betray the Mobilio’s origins as a low-cost, made-for-ASEAN car, but it does offer other Honda virtues: It’s thrifty with fuel and easy to operate, and should offer years of reliable service. Take note: It’s best used as a seven-seater only if your family members aren’t fully grown, or very slender.

Mitsubishi Outlander: S$131,999 with COE

It may not be an MPV, but the Mitsubishi Outlander is a credible seven-seater, at least for short journeys (alas, the rear lacks an air-conditioning vent). It’s also a mighty decent car, with a long list of worthwhile equipment for the money. It has an electric tailgate, a navigation system and keyless access and ignition.

Its main trump card is that it is available for 60-per-cent financing, and is very likely the largest car in Singapore you can buy without requiring a 50-per-cent down payment. It also has a “made in Japan” sticker, and judging by the way the Outlander has single-handedly revived Mitsubishi sales in Singapore, that is still a coveted label.

Toyota Alphard/Vellfire: S$202,888 with COE

These enormous MPVs are more like living rooms with wheels than cars. The Toyota Vellfire is mechanically identical to the Alphard, so it’s built to the same recipe: The boxy shape creates plenty of room inside, and the emphasis is on plenty of comfort for middle-row occupants.

In fact, the Row Two chairs recline nearly flat, and there are nifty features like an ioniser to freshen the cabin air, and a drop-down screen for watching DVDs. The rear air-con is powerful, and in spite of their size, the Alphard and Vellfire are surprisingly easy to drive and park. They actually have a tighter turning circle than an Audi A6.

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