BEING able to transport more than five people in a car used to be something of a novelty.

Back in the seventies I recall a friend's father having a Peugeot 504 estate that did so but there weren't many cars then that could.

Now of course there's a plethora of ‘five plus' vehicles to choose from, ranging from compact MPVs through mid-sized and large SUVs to more cavernous MPVs.

All require some element of compromise when transporting seven people though, as utilising an additional row of seats involves giving up boot space.

Just how much varies considerably. The smallest seven-seaters feature two rear seats that are designed only for children and when they're in use you'll be lucky to get a couple of shopping bags into what's left of the boot.

Some of the bigger MPVs like Chrysler's Grand Voyager and the SEAT Alhambra can fit seven along with a modest amount of baggage.

But if you want to transport seven people in a considerable degree of comfort - and be able to cram in a lot more besides - then you need to be looking at something like a Hyundai i800.

While it isn't the only minibus-style MPV on the market it's one of the best selling and it's easy to see why.

Going back to the seventies again minibuses were very much more like commercial vehicles, with driving manners more closely resembling a small truck than a car.

While the i800 is never going to go around corners like a Mazda MX-5 it's actually way easier to drive than a minibus.

It doesn't sit too high, has a well-positioned gear lever that you don't feel you have to stretch to reach - never mind change gear - and as an everyday family car is actually remarkably easy to live with.

Perhaps it's down to the fact we've learned to live with large vehicles like SUVs that it doesn't feel overtly cumbersome or unwieldy.

Drive it enthusiastically and you'll notice a fair bit of pitch and roll through the bends but ultimately that's to be expected.

Under the bonnet is a smooth and relatively refined 2.5-litre four-cylinder diesel, mated to a smooth five-speed gearbox.

Given the vehicle's bulk it performs admirably, with plenty of pulling power.

With its van underpinnings one might expect the i800 to be somewhat lacking when it comes to ride quality but it isn't and while a little bouncy when empty offers a noticeably comfortable ride.

In terms of practicality it's difficult to fault. It can actually fit eight people rather than seven and even with a full passenger load still has a cavernous boot area (841 litres) that could probably bit a few bicycles, never mind eight people's luggage.

It also has two sliding doors which make entering and exiting the rear six seats and absolute breeze.

The centre row of three seats can be moved forward and back to offer the kind of legroom one might encounter in a limousine. Moved forward it enables legroom for those passengers in the third row to be increased.

The interior does have something of a spartan and rugged feel, ultimately there's no escaping the fact this is based on Hyundai's iLoad van.

Equipment is generous though and it comes with extras such as leather seats, alloys, air-conditioning, privacy glass, a trip computer and parking sensors - plus plenty more besides.