1. 2015 AUDI Q7

Starting price: $49,225 ( £32,816 )

The Audi Q7 is one of the best 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. In addition to being able to seat a large family comfortably, the Q7 is also one of the best large SUVs for driving off-road when compared to other high-end autos of the same class. Audi produces the vehicle with three different powertrain options for consumers to choose from to include the 3.0 liter V6 engine rated at 280 horsepower, a premium V-6 that brings a 53 horsepower boost, and a 3.0 liter V-6 turbo diesel. All models of the SUV come with the Quattro all-wheel drive system, and consumers can also choose to add a variety of safety upgrades to the auto. The Q7 gets above average fuel efficiency for a SUV with a 17 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway) overall rating, and the stock engine can go from zero to 60 MPH in 8.9 seconds. The top overall speed of the auto is 126 MPH.

2. 2015 INFINITI QX80

Starting price: $64,245 ( £42,830 )

The Infiniti QX80 is one of the best seven passenger SUVs on the road today. Infiniti upgraded the SUV features and styling for the current model year, and consumers have the option to purchase the vehicle with either rear-wheel or four-wheel driver. The stock engine in the car is a 5.6 liter V-8 rated at 400 horsepower, 413 lb-ft of torque, and it has a towing capacity of 8,500 pounds. The auto was formerly branded as the QX56, and has above average acceleration. The QX80 is built with a seven-speed automatic transmission that offers a manual shifting mode, and the SUV can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.5 seconds. The vehicle’s fuel economy is rated at 14 MPG (city) and 20 MPG (highway) with a governor limited top speed of 133 MPH.

3. 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL

Starting price:  $65,475 ( £43,650 )

The Mercedes-Benz GL is one of the most luxurious 7 passenger SUVs on the market today. As the largest SUV sold by Mercedes, the auto delivers three rows of seat to include high-end electronics and one of the highest-quality interiors on the market today. The manufacturer offers a number of engines that power the GL line. They include a twin-turbo 3.0 liter V-6 rated at 362 horsepower (standard engine), a twin-turbo 4.8 liter V-8 that is rated at 429 horsepower, and a 3.0 liter turbo-diesel V-6 rated at 240 horsepower. The brakes and steering of the SUV are rated as average, and it gets slightly-below average fuel efficiency with a 17 MPG (city) and 21 MPG (highway) overall rating. The SUV can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 5.9 seconds, and its top overall speed is 130 MPH.

4. 2015 ACURA MDX

Starting price: $43,785

The Acura MDX is one of the best seven passenger SUVs on the road today. The auto looks and feels like a true alternative to a minivan, and it is powered by a 3.5 liter V-6 engine rated ate 290 horsepower. Acura sells the car standard with front-wheel drive, and consumers also have the choice to upgrade the vehicle to all-wheel drive if they have a need for greater control of the automobile while driving. The standard transmission is a nine-speed automatic, and the overall handling and brake response of the SUV are rated as above average. The MDX gets above average fuel efficiency with a 19 MPG (city) and 26 MPG (highway) rating, and it can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 5.9 seconds. The SUV also has a top overall speed of 113 MPH.

5. 2015 LAND ROVER LR4

Starting price: $51,395 ( £34,263 )

The Land Rover LR4 is one of the best high-end luxury SUVs on the market today that seats 7 passengers. The LR4 is also one of the top autos for driving off road, and it comes standard with four-wheel drive in addition to the Land Rover Terrain Response system that helps match the engine, transmission, and traction control to the variety of surfaces that the vehicle will encounter while traveling off-road. The standard engine on the auto is a 3.0 liter V-6 rated at 340 horsepower, and it is coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission that is suitable for road or off-road driving. The LR4 does get below-average fuel efficiency with a 15 MPG (city) and 19 MPG (highway) overall rating. The SUV can go from zero to 60 MPH in 6.7 seconds, and it has a top speed of 123 MPH.

6. 2015 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR L

Starting price: $63,315 ( £42,210 )

The Lincoln Navigator L is a luxury-class SUV and is one of the best 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. The auto features 128 cubic feet of cargo space, and its air suspension makes for one of the best SUV rides on the market. The auto is powered by a twin-turbo 3.5 liter V-6 EcoBoost engine that outperforms the legacy V-8 for the model and is rated at 370 horsepower. The Navigator L is sold with a six-speed automatic transmission, and its fuel economy is rated at 15 MPG (city) and 20 MPG (highway) putting it below average when compared to other autos of the same class. The SUV can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.2 seconds, and it has a top overall speed of 113 MPH.

7. 2015 MAZDA CX-9

Starting price: $30,865 ( £20,576 )

The Mazda CX-7 is one of the top 7 passenger SUVs on the market today. The auto is also well-known for featuring above average handling capabilities and hauling capacity. The CX-9 has up to 101 cubic feet of interior storage space when optimized for hauling cargo, and the stock engine is a 3.7 liter V-6 rated at 273 horsepower. Consumers can also choose to manually shift gears on the six-speed automatic transmission, and the steering response is rated as excellent for the automobile. The overall fuel economy of the SUV is rated at 16 MPG (city) and 22 MPG (highway) with a zero to 60 MPH time of 7.6 seconds. For those who have a need to go fast in their SUV, the CX-9’s top speed is 118 MPH.

8. 2015 DODGE DURANGO

Starting price: $31,490 ( £20,993 )

The Dodge Durango is one of the most established 7 passenger SUV models on the market today. The Durango also features above average cargo space with a total of 84.5 cubic feet when compared to other models of the class. Consumers also have the choice to upgrade from the standard rear-wheel drive on the auto to four-wheel or all-wheel drive. The stock engine in the vehicle is the 3.6 liter V-6 rated at 290 horsepower. Dodge also makes a 5.7 liter HEMI V-8 rated at 360 horsepower available for those who need to purchase a SUV capable of towing loads up to 7,400 pounds. The Durango comes stock with an eight-speed automatic transmission that was developed on the Jeep line of automobiles, and the stock engine gets decent fuel economy for the auto’s size with a 16 MPG (city) and 23 MPG (highway) overall rating.  The vehicle can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds, and its top overall speed is 119 MPH.

9. 2015 NISSAN PATHFINDER

Starting price: $30,395 ( £20,263 )

The Nissan Pathfinder underwent a significant redesign over the past several years, and is one of the best 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. The Pathfinder features more than 80 cubic feet of cargo space if the rear row of seats is folded down, and the stock engine on the vehicle is the 3.5 liter V-6 engine rated at 260 horsepower. The stock transmission on the SUV is a continuously-variable automatic transmission that gets above average fuel economy with a 19 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway) overall rating. Front-wheel drive comes installed standard on the car, and consumers can choose to upgrade to all-wheel drive if desiring additional control over the vehicle. The Pathfinder can go from zero to 60 MPH in 7.2 seconds, and its top overall speed is 121 MPH.

10. 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Starting price: $31,295 ( £20,863 )

The Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the top seven passenger SUVs on the market today. Hyundai made significant updates to the auto for the 2015 model year, and it is powered by a 3.3 liter V-6 engine rated at 290 horsepower. The vehicle uses a six-speed automatic transmission, and is sold with the choice of all-wheel or front-wheel drive with front-wheel coming standard on the SUV. Hyundai also sells a trailer prep package for the vehicle that delivers a 5,000 pound towing capacity. The Santa Fe’s fuel economy is rated at 18 MPG (city) and 24 MPG (highway), and it can go from zero to 60 MPH in 7.1 seconds with a top overall speed of 128 MPH.

11. 2015 FORD FLEX

Starting price: $29,995 ( £ 19,996 )

The Ford Flex is one of the most affordable 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. The SUV features a box-like style differentiating it from other models of the same class, and it sports 83 cubic feet of cargo space. The Flex is rated as an above-average handler, and the base engine is a 3.5 liter V-6 rated at 287 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque. Consumers can also choose to upgrade to a turbocharged V-6 that is rated at 365 horsepower and comes standard with all-wheel drive. The Flex fuel economy is rated at 18 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway), and if consumers are buying the model with the stock engine must choose to upgrade to all-wheel drive.

12. 2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

Starting price: $30,665 ( £20,443 )

The Toyota Highlander is one of the larger SUVs on the market that can fit at least seven passengers (rated for eight). Toyota provides drivers with the ability to swap out the auto’s second row bench and install captain’s chairs as desired to go with a total of 83.7 cubic feet of overall cargo capacity. The base engine is a 2.7 liter V-4 engine rated at 185 horsepower, but many consumers prefer to upgrade to the 3.5 liter V-6 engine rated at 270 horsepower. The upgraded engine only gets one MPG less than the base engine with a 20 MPG (city) and 25 MPG (highway) overall rating. Toyota sells the SUV with an option to upgrade to all-wheel drive, and all models are sold with a six-speed automatic transmission.  The car can travel from zero to 60 MPH in 7.6 seconds, and it has a top overall speed of 115 MPH.

13. 2015 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

Starting price: $32,100 ( £21,400 )

The Chevrolet Travers is one of the largest and best 7 passenger SUVs on the road today. The auto features 117.5 cubic feet of cargo space, and it can be configured to seat up to eight passengers. The Traverse is sold with a 3.6 liter V-6 engine rated at 270 lb-ft of torque and 288 horsepower coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting mode available. Consumers have the choice between all-wheel (will cost an extra $2,000 USD) or front-wheel drive, with the fuel efficiency of the front-wheel drive model coming in at 17 MPG (city) and 24 MPG (highway). The car can go from zero to 60 MPH in 7.3 seconds, and it has a top overall speed of 112 MPH.

14. 2015 NISSAN ARMADA

Starting price: $39,405 ( £26,270 )

The Nissan Armada is a large SUV that is one of the best seven passenger SUVs on the market today. The SUV can be configured to fit up to eight passengers, and the auto features 97 cubic feet of storage space when folding down the second and third rows of the auto. The Armada is sold with a stock engine that is 5.6 liters in size, and the V-8 is rated at 317 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque. The SUV has one of the best tow ratings in the class with a 9,100 pound overall rating, and consumers can choose to upgrade from rear-wheel to all-wheel drive. The auto can go from zero to 60 MPH in 7.0 seconds, and its overall fuel economy is rated at 12 MPG (city) and 18 MPG (highway) with a top overall speed of 115 MPH.

(carophile.com)