Planning for passengers and bags
Seven seats are great for people, but the honest catch is that luggage space shrinks the moment every seat is full. In most 7-seaters the third row folds into the boot floor, so you are effectively choosing between two extra passengers and a proper boot, not both at once. It is worth counting heads and cases together before you book: seven adults each with a large suitcase is a genuine squeeze in almost any 7-seater.
If your group is that size, a 9-seat minivan keeps a usable boot behind the last row and is usually the more comfortable answer. For a family of five or six with luggage, a 7-seater with the back row down gives you both room to sit and room to pack. If you are weighing the two sizes, our 9-seater vs 7-seater comparison sets out the seat and bag counts vehicle by vehicle. Tell our Malta team your group size and rough luggage when you book and we will point you to the vehicle that actually fits, rather than the one that fits on paper.
What does 7-seater hire cost in Malta?
A 7-seater or 9-seat minivan from Nova Drive is priced the same all-in way as every class: VAT, the Malta International Airport fee, collision damage waiver, third-party cover and unlimited mileage are all in the daily figure. Shared across a full vehicle, that daily price usually beats running two small cars, one driver adapts to the left instead of two, and nobody splits up at the airport. The table below shows every class with seven seats or more and its current from-price per day. A refundable deposit is held on a credit card in the main driver's name at pickup, and every booking cancels free up to 48 hours before pickup if the group's plans move.
| Class | Seats | Bags | Transmission | From (per day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Seater | 7 | 3 | Auto/Man | €26 |
| Minibus (9-seat) | 9 | 5 | Manual | €40 |
7-Seater
Minibus (9-seat)Great for groups and families
The biggest reason groups choose one larger vehicle is simple: everyone stays together. No convoy of two cars getting split at a roundabout, no second driver navigating an unfamiliar island, and one set of directions instead of two.
- Keep everyone together on airport transfers and day trips, with no risk of losing the second car in traffic.
- One vehicle to park and fuel instead of two, which usually works out simpler and cheaper.
- Comfortable for longer drives around the islands, so the group can chat rather than shout between cars.
- Only one driver needs to get used to driving on the left.
Airport runs and big group luggage
The airport collection is where a 7-seater or minivan earns its keep. A group landing together with a full set of hold bags is exactly the load a taxi or a small car struggles with, and splitting into two vehicles at the end of a travel day is the last thing anyone wants. You collect one vehicle at Malta International Airport, Park East, with meet-and-greet, load everyone and everything in one go, and drive straight to the accommodation.
For the outbound and return legs, when bags are at their fullest, plan the load with the back row folded if you can spare the seats, or step up to a 9-seat minivan so the boot stays clear behind a full complement of passengers. If you would rather split a large family between two cars, pairing this with an SUV is a common combination, and our family car hire guide covers child seats for the younger members of the group.