Do 7 seat versions use more fuel?

[Poppin]

Looking for an X5, M57 or E70, not sure yet. Seems I have the chance to get 7 seats depending on which one I buy. Hardly ever will use but nice to have for those rare occasions when it's useful. But I read that they add a lot of weight. Just wondered if anyone can comment on whether the 7 seat version suffer from significantly lower MPG figures?

[Leslie]

Don't think you will notice any difference but the rear seats really are hard to access and only for small kids plus you loose the underfloor storage in the boot .They don't actually weigh much maybe 100kg but the total weight has to allow for 2 extra people at say 80kg each so reducing towing capacity.

[Poppin]

Ah, didn't know there was under floor storage, I would definitely appreciate that as I like to keep some tools and jump leads, dog bowl etc in my boot and i hate it rolling around in back of my Discovery boot! Underfloor storage is a huge bonus for me!
You'd think the towing capacity would only apply WHEN passengers are in those seats! I could easily put more than the weight of my two fattest kids in the boot of a 5 seater

[Leslie]

It's not that big but I got a space saver in mine and a few bits and bobs , these never came with one as they had run flat tyres but most fit ordinary tyres now as they are far cheaper and comfort is generally better too ..As long as the 4 tyres are the same brand and replace all 4 at once it should be fine. I think I put a range rover spec tyre on the new bmw space saver wheel I got as the bmw one was an oddball size and about twice the money but rolling radius is almost exactly the same and used x5 space savers are like unicorns .

[Poppin]

Excellent thanks. I never thought about spare wheel. Would it be an MOT failure to not carry a spare do you know?

[Leslie]

No it's fine to run without .