7 value-packed 7-seaters in the Philippines under P1-million

Practicality is one of our primary concerns, as Filipinos, in almost everything we do or plan to do, especially when it comes to car ownership. Like the idea of ‘all-in-one,’ we like squeezing in different perks and advantages as much as we can to maximize the benefits we get at low costs. However, the idea of squeezing seven people in a sedan during a weekend road trip is obviously dangerous and not ideal, not to mention, illegal as well.

What you need is a seven-seater that’s priced as the average sedan – a price range that does not go beyond P1 million. Don’t think they exist? They do and we’ve rounded them all up for you, fresh from AutoDeal’s car guide.

Here are the 7-seaters under the P1-million price point.

Not only does its price range compare to the average five-seater sedan in the market today, the BAIC MZ40 also offers enough room for seven people. Isn’t that a sweet deal to begin with? It has dual air-conditioning with manual control to protect you from the heat of the sun, now that summer’s just around the corner. It features a tall body with its wheelbase almost extending to its length.

You don’t need a car enthusiast’s eye to pinpoint the design difference of the BAIC M50S from the MZ40. The MZ40 is clearly more of a commercial use, considering that it comes with the Cargo variant. The M50S has more to show off, especially the front-end design composed of the sharp hawk-eye-like headlamps, fancy grille with vertical slats, and a sportier bumper compared to the M40Z. We also do have to mention that the most expensive variant is an eight-seater. So, if you’re needing that one extra passenger space in a below-P1 million car, you now know what to buy.

The most appealing to the three BAIC cars on this list, the M60 takes the Chinese brand’s MPV category to a whole new level. The dynamic grille that dominates a third of the fascia strikes eyes instantly, so as the floating D-pillar that gives the impression of a big-spender car – when in fact, it is not an expensive car. You could get the Standard variant at P2,000-off the P1-million mark. That price tag already grants you with four airbags and tons of other stuff you won’t find on the two other models like cruise control and rear parking sensors.

Now looking better than ever, the Suzuki Ertiga has been transformed from being a quirky-looking MPV to a handsome Japanese 7-seater. Beyond the aesthetic update is the fact that all variants of the Ertiga settle below the seven-digit price tag. Despite its low sticker price, the cabin’s got either an 8-inch or a 10-inch multimedia touchscreen, all equipped with an offline GPS navigation system, and if you're comfortable with spending a little over P1,000,000, Suzuki also has something special for you in the form of the Suzuki XL7. 

This may be the most athletic-looking entry you’ll come across on the list. The Honda Mobilio boasts the current design of Honda cars in the market today, which is composed of the wing grille, slim headlights, and sporty bumpers. It’s also a member of the low-roof MPVs, which makes this car more planted to the ground and more agile. If you want to look good aside from having a vehicle to fit seven members of your pack, then here’s the Mobilio.

Coming from the top car brand in the country, the Toyota Avanza has been around longer than most, if not all, of the cars on this list. It has been celebrating positive sales performance since its launch and is still around despite the introduction of the much-updated Toyota Rush MPV. Toyota simply can’t let go of what’s good like the Avanza, not until for who knows how long.

This vehicle isn’t just a 7-seater. It can come in several different forms and goes to show that its versatile platform is more than capable of handling passengers. You can seat up to 7 people inside the Foton Gratour, and it comes with a price tag that is well-below budget. Even the snazziest of the bunch the Foton Gratour iM6, is still well below P1,000,000.