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I MAKE regular trips into London and don’t want to pay the increased Congestion Charge levy for diesels.

A petrol seven-seat MPV is at the top of my list. What can I get for £8,000? First on the radar is a 2013 Peugeot 5008 in 1.6-litre VTi Active guise.

It’s got the requisite seven-seat arrangement and comes with a flexible, spacious cabin. The petrol engine puts out a respectable 120bhp and hauls the 5008 up to 60mph in 12.3 seconds, returning a claimed average fuel economy figure of 40.9mpg.

There’s also a good spread of equipment on this model too, boasting cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth and air con.

With a full service history and 34,580 miles on the clock it’s yours for £7,950.

Our second option is a 2012 Ford Grand C-Max in premium Titanium spec.

That means useful gadgets such as dual-zone climate control, cruise control and all-round parking sensors are standard, along with the sought-after heated front windscreen.

Under the bonnet is a 125bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, which returns a claimed 40.9mpg.

You don’t get the same impressive levels of space as the Peugeot, but what you do get is a superior ride quality and a slightly more manoeuvrable car overall.

Priced at £7,950, it comes with a full service history and 42,000 miles under its belt.

Last but not least is the ever popular Vauxhall Zafira. We’ve found a 2014 model with a full service history and 31,762 miles on the clock, yours for £8,000.

Finished in Design Nav trim and powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine, it’s slightly punchier than our other two cars with 138bhp.

Average fuel economy doesn’t take too much of a hit, either, claiming a combined 39.2mpg. Goodies such as climate control and satnav are also standard.