We’re gonna need a bigger car!
With new twins round the corner, CHRIS EVANS is just the right man to steer you towards your perfect family motor ...beginning with his own very urgent quest for a seven-seater
I’M currently in the middle of a major family transport dilemma. Our unborn twins – or Ping & Pong, as they have become affectionately known over the past few weeks – are now expected at any moment. Ergo, the hospital bag is permanently stowed in our Skoda Superb SportLine and we remain on a solid amber alert. The average twin pregnancy lasts a mere 35 weeks. Today, we are at 32 weeks and four days, hence the mild panic period has well and truly kicked in. To add to the fun, my wife Tash’s kid sister, Liv (a twin herself), is also due, with her first singleton expected on September 2. All bets are now off as to which sibling will be cradling their newborn/newborns first.
Liv’s husband Tom – ‘the Spy’ (honestly, he is an actual spy) – and I are in daily contact re our respective loved ones’ desires and general bonkersness.
Having yet to experience parenthood, Liv and Tom have many surprises about to light up their day-to-day existence, most of which will, of course, be wonderful and life-affirming. They also do not have a car dilemma. After borrowing ours for a weekend, they bought an identical Skoda Superb SportLine – in Meteor Grey... the lot.
Tash, myself and our boys, Noah and Eli, however, have been involuntarily thrust into the land of seven-seater giants in what is becoming an increasingly more urgent situation. Our seven-seater shortlist now commands more of our collective attention than proper human names for Ping & Pong. Here it is: First, the Peugeot 5008 (from £25,580). It has received amazing reviews across the board and benefits from an added continental flair that goes some way to mitigating that ‘your life is over, you are now merely a steering wheel attendant for the rest of your days’ feeling. Next on the list is the Tesla Model X (from £76,950), which is undeniably chic, polar-bear friendly and very tomorrow. The Land Rover Discovery HSE is also in there (from £62,505). This car, as I wrote a few weeks ago, can actually look quite cool – as long as you order it in Mrs Queen’s distinctive racing green. Our curveball is the Jeep Grand Cherokee (from £49,880), which actually scores quite low on all counts and is still quite expensive, but we thought it might be a novel alternative. The Mercedes GLS (from £73,090) is the most luxurious to make our shortlist. It’s undeniably gorgeous and reeks of quality, but is probably more for the ‘tooposh-to-push’ gang. We also briefly considered a van-based vehicle, such as the Citroen SpaceTourer (from £32,810), Mercedes Vito Tourer Pro (from £23,420), or the cavernous VW Transporter Kombi (from £30,125). Leading the charge, however, is the sporty new seven-seater from our family’s go-to car brand: the Skoda Kodiaq SportLine (from £33,120), which is odds-on favourite to be sitting on our drive some time this side of Christmas. But as the chances are you’re not about to have Pings & Pongs of your own in the near future, here are ten great family cars to suit all budgets and brood sizes – unless, of course, you’re the Waltons.