Question about SUVs/minivans for family of 4

[Anonymous]

We have a Toyota Camry and are expecting a second baby. I really like the Subaru Forester, but am wondering if there's enough added space for it to make sense to buy that or similar size SUV. I like the idea of the kids' seats elevated to help with back strain from putting them in and out of car seats. I think we may outgrow the smaller SUV though since it does not seem that much bigger than the Accord. Would love to hear from families of 4 on what vehicle you drive and how you find it with handling little kids, stuff, and general things like ease of parking, etc. for larger SUVs or minivans. Also would like something we can grow with as kids accumulate sports gear, etc. Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

We have two children 3.5 and 7 months. We have a Tahoe and probably will not get a smaller car for another 15 years. We feel like we need all that room on a daily basis. Depends on your family needs.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids and a small SUV. I really, really regret not buying something with a 3rd row. My older son is invited home from school for playdates all the time and I can't return the invite (at least not having kids over right after school) b/c I can't fit 3 carseats/boosters in my backseat. I also had to opt out of the carpooling for camp this summer for the same reason. All my other friends have minivans or SUVs w/ 3rd rows, so they got to carpool. I imagine as the kids get older, not being able to drive any of their friends will become more and more of a problem. DH is due for a new car in the next year or two and I'm begging him to get something with 3 rows and he's not too psyched about it.

[Anonymous]

We had a Subaru Outback and I ended up trading it in for the new Explorer. Having a bigger trunk and more space really helps us a lot. We like to take road trips and the outback was not cutting it.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP about the need for a third row, or at least the ability to fit three across. We have two and an Outback (which I'm grateful, btw, is low enough to the ground that the kids can climb in themselves vs. being lifted) and wedging in a third seat is a PITA. Doable, but a PITA.

[Anonymous]

We have a RAV4 and find it more than large enough. Even packing it full off all our baby gear and driving to Florida, we had plenty of room.

[Anonymous]

Consider a Mazda 5.

[Anonymous]

SO, SO, SO into the Sienna. Sorry to say. Sienna, Sienna, Sienna. BTW, the Odessey is the same thing, but different ergonomics and no 4WD. Depends on your priorities. IF YOU FIGHT THE MV, YOU HAVE OTHER ISSUES.....

[Anonymous]

with two kids, especially if you encourage playdates/carpooling, you've got to have a car with a 3rd row.

[Anonymous]

We have 2 kids and a Honda Odyssey. I have really appreciated the ability to take other kids places and it allows my parents to go with us if we're all going somewhere. I'm a scout leader, so I'm often ferrying other kids around. It is also a breeze to pack for long trips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with PP about the need for a third row, or at least the ability to fit three across. We have two and an Outback (which I'm grateful, btw, is low enough to the ground that the kids can climb in themselves vs. being lifted) and wedging in a third seat is a PITA. Doable, but a PITA.

my 2 yr old climbs into our odyssey on her own. it ain't pretty, but she does it. she's on the small side too. i had to teach her after i got prego w/#2.

[Anonymous]

GMC Acadia Plenty of room for 7-8 depending on the configuration

[Anonymous]

We loved loved loved our Forester. But, I found the back seat pretty cramped and I'm a petite person. We were okay when we had just two kids but when I knew I was having a third, there was no way we could have made it work. We traded it in for a Honda Odyssey and are very happy with it. If it were just me and DH, we would have kept that Forester (I loved it) but there just wasn't enough room. Now that our kids are in elementary school, we really appreciate the room we have with the Odyssey and being able to bring along a couple of their friends and still have room for bags in the trunk.

[Anonymous]

We really needed a minivan with our two kids up until they turned 10 and 12. It was impossible to carpool without one, due to booster seats, etc., and I found that when I helped my friends out and picked up their kids, I picked up ALL of them, so I was often transporting up to five kids.

Interestingly, now I don't think I need one -- I just drive our Prius, which is a pretty small car. My son who's 12 is 5'5" and weighs 140 lbs, so he's fine in the front seat. And I can get three girls in the back, so I can transport four kids easily. And they aren't all going places in packs these days, so it's more trips with fewer kids.

All this to say -- get the minivan. You may only need this one and by the time it's time for your next car, you can get something with only two rows.

[Anonymous]

If you're thinking about a bigger vehicle, get a minivan, not an SUV. Minivans are substantially safer and get better gas mileage than SUVs, whereas SUVs really have no advantages other than image. I know people who get SUVs because they think they're cool -- young, childless people drive SUVs, but only people with kids drive minivans -- but as far as I'm concerned, if you're embarrassed to be a parent, you probably shouldn't have kid.