[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by rajwheelz

Adding my own perspective to how I view the "7" seater. I own an Ertiga.

The most frequent companions to the car, are myself ( driver ), my brother, and my parents. And I always pack light and whenever possible only in backpacks or duffels. No hard suitcases.

Here is why I love these "7" seaters.

Me and my brother in the front. Parents in the 2nd row. Luggage in the 3rd row. After a couple of 100kms of drive, it's invariable that my parents have to rest. I pull over, and stash all the luggage on the floor and my parents can use the complete 2nd and 3rd row to have a nice nap. The 2nd row AC vent helps us further :-)

This is interesting, and is my exact use case after another year or so, when we will *finally* upgrade our swift.

I would ideally like to have a rolldown flat bed like the Evalia but it is a dud. I find your feedback very interesting.

Our use case would be the wife and the kid sleeping in the middle bench or on different benches as I drive through the night, or the tired son sleeping in his mother's lap for a short while during the day. He currently uses the car seat, but given that I am keeping the swift for ~7 years, I would plan my next vehicle with this need in mind.

It would be awesome if they made the Ertiga / Enjoy with the AMT. Ideal city and highway vehicle.

[rajwheelz]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

This is interesting, and is my exact use case after another year or so, when we will *finally* upgrade our swift.

I would ideally like to have a rolldown flat bed like the Evalia but it is a dud. I find your feedback very interesting.

Yep. it was my utmost important reason to upgrade from a hatch to a MUV. My parents were finding it tough to manage long drives in a cramped hatch/sedan ( I owned a figo/vento. Vento is still around ).

But now my parents insist on entering the Ertiga *only*. I doubt they really know/bother/care about various manufacturers pluses minuses etc..

Superb ingress-egress. Comfy seats. Reasonable AC. Minimal body roll. Ability to relax the legs and back.

And I just love to see them smile after they wake up from these short naps. Worth my while and keeps me happy for the decision I took.

Not about an Ertiga per se. But I understand the value of a 7 seater & how it can be used in various ways to suit different travel needs.

If asked on an absolute personal note, my heart aches for a Xylo. But, hey that's a long story for another day and another thread :-)

[samm]

Originally Posted by sudeep.pandya

Agree with you, Innova is also an occasional 7 Seater. You simply cant travel all day in its 3rd row.

Originally Posted by RSR

I agree! All of them should be classified as 5 + 2 seaters, which is what they actually are. 5 adults and 2 kids in comfort for long journeys, or 7 adults for very short journeys.

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

with @pgsagar & @vid6639

Had almost similar experience in Innova's 3rd row, & realised best way to be confortable in 3rd row is not letting 3 person slip in & crossing legs in lotus position in parts of journey.

Originally Posted by pgsagar

You find Innova to be a proper 7-seater? Well, what can I say? I do not at all find Innova's last row aceptable and just see 3 posts after my post who agreed with me. May be you are very slightly built and can fit in there. I, at even a short height of 5'7" and slim-built, cannot. So, just as you are entitled to call Mobilio not a 7-seater, I am entitled to call Innova not a proper 7-seater. I hope that clears.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

I sat in an Innova 3rd row for 350kms from Jaipur to Salasar along with my sister. We got the captain seat version so only 2 in the middle and 2 of us in the 3rd row.

It wasn't bad and I was actually sleep in peace. Mind you I am 6 feet and not slim by a long shot. So it depends from person to person which is absolutely fine.

If I'm not driving, I prefer the last row of the Innova, rather than the middle row or co-driver seat. I found the last row to be very relaxing. I've been told this by some of my friends as well. Sure, only 2 can occupy the last row.

I've traveled over 300km at a stretch, on multiple journeys. I'm 5'10".

I agree, not everyone may like it, just as I don't like to sit on the co-driver seat!

I also found that if the middle rows are captain seats, it liberates quite some room for the last row. Then, the last rows are quite comfortable for most people.

[aniketi]

If we are talking about real 7-8 seater, it has to be only Mahindra Xylo. I have used Innova & Xylo on multiple occasions & i can guarantee that Xylo is better & more comfortable than Innova any day. Last row seat for Xylo is the best & has lots of cushioning like we have in second row. Its a proper seat for 3 people & 3 adults can be seated there. Innova is good til 50 Kms or 1-1.5 hrs max, after that it gets painful in the last row. Ertiga & Mobilio are 5+2 child only, no doubt on that.

[RSR]

Originally Posted by samm

I also found that if the middle rows are captain seats, it liberates quite some room for the last row. Then, the last rows are quite comfortable for most people.

The captain seat version is indeed better for the last row occupants, and understandably so. The captain seats have space in between them and some between the seat and door as well, which actually liberates legroom, as the last row occupants can stretch their legs. For seats with poor under thigh support (forcing one to sit in a "knees up" or "squatting" position), additional legroom is an absolute must and captain seats do provide this stretching room.

The middle-row comfort of the Innova is quite unparalleled (in both the captain and bench seat versions), in my opinion. It is one of the aspects that has made the Innova such a seller.

Originally Posted by aniketi

If we are talking about real 7-8 seater, it has to be only Mahindra Xylo. I have used Innova & Xylo on multiple occasions & i can guarantee that Xylo is better & more comfortable than Innova any day. Last row seat for Xylo is the best & has lots of cushioning like we have in second row.

I agree. The Xylo has got the best last row seat of the MPV/MUV lot. Again, the captain seat version of the Xylo is better than the bench version.

[itsashishsharma]

Originally Posted by rajwheelz

And I just love to see them smile after they wake up from these short naps. Worth my while and keeps me happy for the decision I took.

That should be enough for us me to get a closure/sum it up for this thread. I mean, what you said, it totally justified the mini MUV logic.

[drmohitg]

We all keep insisting that seat belts are a must whenever we sit in a car. Endlessly we discuss how lives could be saved whenever there is an update in the accident thread. And yet quite a few members have been talking about letting there parents and kids sleep on the back seats with the seats laid out flat. Why do we continue to ignore following these basic security measures?

[rajwheelz]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

We all keep insisting that seat belts are a must whenever we sit in a car. Endlessly we discuss how lives could be saved whenever there is an update in the accident thread. And yet quite a few members have been talking about letting there parents and kids sleep on the back seats with the seats laid out flat. Why do we continue to ignore following these basic security measures?

Cent per cent agree to this. But I am an extremely cautious driver of vehicles and I by principle adhere to the below.

1. Not do sudden over taking manoeuvrings
2. No sudden braking, which essentially means I rarely cross the 60-70Kmph line & I maintain respectable distance to the vehicle in front of me
3. Front passenger seat pushed back to support 2nd row. 3rd row pushed all the way front to minimize the gap.
4. No driving in heavy rain/fog
5. Reduce to 40kmph during cornering and hair-pins

Of course, Driver and navigator will wear seat belts.

[Buffetfan]

Originally Posted by anujmishra

How we left Aria here? IMHO Aria has best legroom and seats available among all MUVs mentioned here. The last row seats can use used by Adults as well.

There is no True/False case in 7 seater. If someone need True 7 seater then there are other options like Tata Winger and Tempo Traveller.

Well I have nothing much to add if you are comparing Tata winger and Tempo traveler comfort to Innova. Might as well throw in the 8 seater Omni and modified tata ace's if the discussion is to just count seats.

When people say true 7 seater they mean that the seats offer relatively similar and better than average amount of comfort.

Aria does not have a good third row IMHO. My head touches the roof when I sit in the third row. Also check another people's comments

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2131099

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2140596

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2102493

While I agree that Aria has a better second row, here we are talking of a 7 seater (or 8 seater in case of Innova!). Note that my head does not touch the roof in 3rd row of Ertiga, but it does in Aria...so I cannot sit more than a couple of kms as it is a "pain in the neck" trying to keep your head down all the while.

[audioholic]

IMHO, if it should be a true 7 seater, it must seat all seven passengers in equal comfort and space, and accommodate decent luggage if not a lot. I can safely say that having toured in Innova but not in Xylo, the Innova was comfortable to say the least. Not sure about the xylo but I hear it is better. In this criterion, the Ertiga or the Mobilio doesnt really fit in. Though you could travel with seven people in them, I dont think everyone will be equally happy once distances increase.

Yes I am a prospective Ertiga/Mobilio buyer but as people say, its for the occasional guest, grandparents, kids etc and most of the times it will be four people and luggage only. Since the Innova type seven seater isnt practical, we arent considering that segment. And yes I wouldnt be getting into the third row anytime

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Why do we continue to ignore following these basic security measures?

I do not want to deviate much or go OT, but after reading the reply below yours and in continuation can only point to one thing - Accidents cannot happen to me syndrome. Get rid of this, the faster, the better.

What if someone rams you from either side? What if you have to brake all of a sudden? It is an Indian road with uncertainties you can't think of. Because, I once couldn't apply brakes of my car despite a stone hurled at my 15 day old car as my parents were asleep w/o seat belts (Pre Team-BHP era) They were 4-5 year old street urchins.

I am unsure as to how safe it would be to sleep flatly with seats removed at the rear, but then you are not restrained with a belt so you can be hurled anywhere depending on impact or even braking force.

With multiple seating option or with good amount of leg room, you can at-least rest your legs with seat belts.

Sleeping in a moving car isolates from the environment and hence a sudden jolt (braking or impact) might leave you unnerved and or you may get hurt much more severely compared to when you are awake.

If we need to discuss this further, maybe we can take it up in another thread. Thanks :-)

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I do not want to deviate much or go OT, but after reading the reply below yours and in continuation can only point to one thing - Accidents cannot happen to me syndrome. Get rid of this, the faster, the better.

What if someone rams you from either side? What if you have to brake all of a sudden? It is an Indian road with uncertainties you can't think of. Because, I once couldn't apply brakes of my car despite a stone hurled at my 15 day old car as my parents were asleep w/o seat belts (Pre Team-BHP era) They were 4-5 year old street urchins.

I am unsure as to how safe it would be to sleep flatly with seats removed at the rear, but then you are not restrained with a belt so you can be hurled anywhere depending on impact or even braking force.

With multiple seating option or with good amount of leg room, you can at-least rest your legs with seat belts.

Sleeping in a moving car isolates from the environment and hence a sudden jolt (braking or impact) might leave you unnerved and or you may get hurt much more severely compared to when you are awake.

If we need to discuss this further, maybe we can take it up in another thread. Thanks :-)

Actually, let's talk here itself since I think that 7 seaters are safer to sleep in! Details below.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

We all keep insisting that seat belts are a must whenever we sit in a car. Endlessly we discuss how lives could be saved whenever there is an update in the accident thread. And yet quite a few members have been talking about letting there parents and kids sleep on the back seats with the seats laid out flat. Why do we continue to ignore following these basic security measures?

Uh - doctor saab. here is how it is.

Sleeping on the rear seat doesn't mean no seat belts. That is the exact purpose of the central seat belt - it keeps her safe. Almost 70% of my highway mileage would've come with my wife sleeping on the rear seat like that. FWIW, I've known of close friends who walked out scratchless out of a similar setup in a medium speed accident.

I'm not sure how it'll be on the third seat of Ertiga etc - that will need to be tried out - it doesn't seem as easy:


So sleeping un-belted on the rear seat won't be simple but it will be worked out. Thankfully my son LOVES his car seat for this - when he is sleepy, he comes to the front and himself sits in the car seat and says "Seatbelts ON" (thanks Dora and Diego!!). Once he gets too tall for a car seat (4-5 years to go), then hopefully he should be okay in sleeping on the third seat tied into the upper loop of the seat belts.

Else we can duly get a spare seat belt installed just like the middle row central seat belt. The ONLY reason I would even consider a 7 seater for a family of three is to ensure the wife and son can sleep comfortably.

Job done? We're all on the same page - safety isn't a matter of convenience

PS: If you remember my old thread, I had looked at the Evalia for the ability to have a lie flat bed. Unfortunately I got into a set of crazy projects and then so much travel that I didn't need a new car. The other reason it didn't really work out for the Evalia was the inability to work out how the wife/son would be able to sleep fully belted in the rear, with all seats folded - her worry was that in the event of an accident, the head would bear all the force of the hit, not just the full body. The wife has herself put rear seat belts as a non-negotiable item!

[anujmishra]

Originally Posted by Buffetfan

Well I have nothing much to add if you are comparing Tata winger and Tempo traveler comfort to Innova...

I still maintain that in Aria people with average height can sit comfortably. I have driven Aria extensively and in the same Aria thread there is small review about Aria by myself. My Friend has Aria and he has big family. Still he takes everyone of them to many trips comfortably.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Sleeping on the rear seat doesn't mean no seat belts. That is the exact purpose of the central seat belt - it keeps her safe. Almost 70% of my highway mileage would've come with my wife sleeping on the rear seat like that. FWIW, I've known of close friends who walked out scratchless out of a similar setup in a medium speed accident.

Thanks for elaborating on that.
I still have a small query. In the event of an accident or sudden jerk, wouldn't it cause a injury to the spine? The passenger would be lying flat and there would just be a single belt pinning the mid torso to the seats and allowing the upper body and legs to go into sudden flexion. Just a thought. Not sure if this is how it would happen in real life. Again the lap belt is only for the middle passenger. So it can secure one person in the scenario of sleeping flat on the rear. People here are talking about allowing kids and parents to sleep.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Thanks for elaborating on that.
I still have a small query. In the event of an accident or sudden jerk, wouldn't it cause a injury to the spine? The passenger would be lying flat and there would just be a single belt pinning the mid torso to the seats and allowing the upper body and legs to go into sudden flexion. Just a thought. Not sure if this is how it would happen in real life. Again the lap belt is only for the middle passenger. So it can secure one person in the scenario of sleeping flat on the rear. People here are talking about allowing kids and parents to sleep.

Ah yes - You as a doctor may know more technical details. I have a very limited set of data points - I know it was safe enough in those cases. I do acknowledge its not fully safe, but its a pretty decent compromise, no different from someone sitting on the middle seat.

Now for those who have multiple people sleeping like that - I genuinely have no idea. In my car, in such cases, people sleep while sitting, belted down.