What constitutes a seat in a car? Does it merely need to display the essential parts like a base and a back to qualify or does it need to be large enough for someone to actually sit in it? If the later is true, how big does that someone have to be? Are we talking toddler or adult? If it's an adult, are they more Jimmy Cranky or Peter Crouch? Can just cramming passengers in be enough or do they have to be comfortable and for how long? Are we talking about a trip to the supermarket or motorway marathon?

There are cars out there that make all kinds of spurious claims on the subject of seating capacity but Mitsubishi's seven-seat Grandis appears to be on the level on this subject. It's compact enough for everyday urban use yet, unlike some mini-MPVs, properly big enough to really seat seven. A prime candidate then, we decided, for one of our long term tests.

There are plenty of coupes and convertibles on the market with rear seats that are completely inaccessible to anybody with a full set of limbs. Likewise, many large 4x4s are available with seven seating positions but any adult trying to ride out a long journey in the back row will soon gain a new appreciation of the term 'cramped'. Mitsubishi's Grandis, however, is an MPV with large pretensions, though in size and price, it sits somewhere between the mini-MPV (eg Renault Scenic) and large MPV (eg Ford Galaxy) sectors. It's certainly a vehicle that lives up to its carrying capacity claims. The design employs a two-three-two formation, with the middle and back rows offering acceptable amounts of space for averagely tall adults to reside in comfort.

Over the course of our lengthy stint with the Grandis, it's proved itself to be a willing companion, able to cope with a variety of combinations of personnel and luggage. The third row tends to be where seven or eight-seater vehicles are found out but although access could be easier, both leg and head room are adequate for two adults once you're inside. The third row of seats isn't just a crude bench as in most vehicles of this ilk. Both seats can be reversed to provide a rear facing vantage point - ideal when viewing an outdoor event as the rear tailgate provides an excellent rain shelter. What's more, both these seats can be individually reclined for additional comfort.

"A robust and practical family vehicle, the Grandis has space and style on its side"

Another plus point with the Grandis is its luggage space. Too often, smaller MPVs sacrifice carrying capacity to fit in that third row of seating but the Grandis is spacious enough to accommodate a pushchair or a couple of large suitcases, even with the back seats in use. The boot is fairly deep so you find yourself having to lift heavy items out but at least this means that the space is maximised.

The Grandis manages to offer all this roominess inside without looking like an amorphous blob to passers' by. The frontal styling is particularly racy for an MPV, with a clean and curvy treatment incorporating elongated light clusters in the shape of arrowheads, twin mesh grilles and fog lights cut into the valance. The rear end looks rather distended in profile but it's a neat job and the bulkiness is a price that most buyers will be happy to pay for the user-friendly interior.

From the driver's seat, the Grandis doesn't feel like a big vehicle until you look in the rear-view mirror and see all those passengers grinning back at you. The driving position is reasonably car-like but raised-up enough for you to get a slightly enhanced view out the front and down the flanks. The dash-mounted gear lever is pleasant enough to use but it's positioned on a section of the centre console that protrudes out and downward, hindering the cross-cabin access that should be a key advantage of a gear lever in this position. The plastics used are generally tough but not quite up with the standards set by the leading large MPVs and the mock carbon-fibre trim dotted around our high-spec 'Warrior' model feels particularly cheap. Storage space is generous with cup holders for occupants of all three rows and good-size door pockets, as well as a large glovebox in the front.

The 2.0-litre DI-D engine in our Grandis is a turbocharged DOHC 16-valve unit of the direct injection configuration. Its 134bhp output is generated at 4,000rpm and there's a sizable 310Nm of torque available at 1,750rpm. This isn't the most advanced diesel engine you'll encounter in today's marketplace, a fact that's betrayed by the gruff engine note on start-up that's quelled only slightly as the Grandis reaches operating temperature. There's also a distinct sweet spot in the rev range below which there's not much happening and above which the Grandis seems to just pile on the noise without much benefit in terms of forward progress. Still, learn to plug into the power band where the turbocharger is doing its thing and there's strong acceleration to be utilised.

Full size 7-seat MPVs that can hit 60mph from a standing start in 10.8s are rare indeed and the 121mph top speed will be more than adequate for most. Of course, it's economy rather than performance that drives buyers in this sector and returning an average of 43mpg, Grandis DI-D is well capable of wrestling sales from rivals. This is especially true when you consider the £23,500 price-point occupied by our test vehicle. It seems conspicuously good value for a seven-seat MPV with good looks and a strong diesel engine.

It would be easy to overlook the Mitsubishi Grandis in favour of the more recognisable names in the medium large MPV sectors but our long term test has demonstrated just how much it has to offer. A robust and practical family vehicle, the Grandis has space and style on its side. At this price, these are rare commodities, as is the genuine seven-seat capacity and the respectable boot area tucked away in the back.

TOP 1 GRANDIS DEALS

The results below show the top GRANDIS deals on buyacar

	Mitsubishi Grandis 2.0 D-ID Equippe 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £332	Saving £2,579	Price £17,340

typical 11.80% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000