Do you really need a bigger vehicle for small children?

[Anonymous]

Our beloved 2001 Honda Accord was totaled when the wheel flew off so we had to buy a new car this weekend. We bought another mid-size sedan. But, while car shopping I got to thinking about when you really need the bigger vehicle for the kids. I have a 2010 mdx, a three year old, and a baby on the way. The third row is a joke, and with the seats up you lose a great deal of trunk space. But, really- do I need a minivan for two toddlers? Yes it will be easier for them to get in and out but other than that the stroller and groceries fit well in the Honda as well as the mdx. Or, is it when they get to middle school and start extracurricular that you really “need” the bigger vehicle?

[Anonymous]

You don’t need a minivan. I drove my Accord all through my kids’ childhood, and then bought a smaller car.

The only things smaller cats can’t do IMO is if you carpool (including driving for school field trips) or carry large equipment like tubas and soccer goals.

[Anonymous]

You won't need a third row until you have a third child so your MDX should be fine. At some point you will be hauling more kids around and a mini van is so much better than a big SUV. Sliding doors, lower entry heights, easier rear set access etc, etc. Mini vans are designed for young families, many SUV's are not.

[Anonymous]

my friends have two under six and drive a honda fit. They are both over 5'10"

[Anonymous]

Fitting 3 car seats into a sedan is difficult. Two is no big deal.

[Anonymous]

OP here. A third child is 1000% not in the mix. My hyperemesis is so severe my doctors have recommended this be my last pregnancy and I will happily oblige!

I grew up with a Honda Accord and miraculously we too survived!

[Anonymous]

Our issue was the three seats. 2 convertible seats + infant seat wouldn’t fit across. We even tried to try out booster + convert + infant (which would be early), and they needed a couple more inches to fit in our suv.

I told dh I was ok with an suv with third row. But he pointed out how nice it is to fit our dog better. Or fit family when they come to visit. Fit gear better. Or be able to carpool kids better. We’ve had our van for 2 years with many more years to come.

[Anonymous]

A sedan is fine for the most part. For us, a minivan has been great when extended family come visit or we're carpooling with friends. Car seats usually mean you can't put anyone else in the backseat, so when grandma visits, we'd have to use two cars to go someplace if we didn't have the minivan. If you don't have those needs, a regular car is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our issue was the three seats. 2 convertible seats + infant seat wouldn’t fit across. We even tried to try out booster + convert + infant (which would be early), and they needed a couple more inches to fit in our suv.

I told dh I was ok with an suv with third row. But he pointed out how nice it is to fit our dog better. Or fit family when they come to visit. Fit gear better. Or be able to carpool kids better. We’ve had our van for 2 years with many more years to come.

Meant to say that I know you have two, and I have three. Yes it’s a difference. But that you may also have similar factors. - visitors, pets, tall future kids etc.

[Anonymous]

It’s funny when people find out they’re having a second child and run out to buy a surburban or Yukon, etc. Three or more kids I get but you certainly don’t need that much space for 2 kids. By the time you need room for sports equipment, etc. it will be time for a new car anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A sedan is fine for the most part. For us, a minivan has been great when extended family come visit or we're carpooling with friends. Car seats usually mean you can't put anyone else in the backseat, so when grandma visits, we'd have to use two cars to go someplace if we didn't have the minivan. If you don't have those needs, a regular car is fine.

We always take the MDX when we have family visit and make my brother sit in the third row. Small children could be comfortable there. My brother is 5’ 11” and small to average build. He has to sit sideways back there! It’s fine to take the MDX with adults in the back row around town, but I wouldn’t be making that drive to the Disney back there!

[Anonymous]

I have a station wagon with 2 kids in car seats (well, one is in a high back booster now) and I love it. Tons of space and I can haul around my older kids bike. In a pinch, I move my younger kid to the high back booster and my older to a small booster and can fit a (small) adult or another child in a small booster in the back seat. In another year or so that will stop being an issue.

[Anonymous]

I have 2 boys and don't think you need a giant car when they're little. The sliding doors on a minivan are nice w/car seats though. We bought a Mazda5 when our second was born and it was perfect. My oldest is a freshman in HS and we did just buy a bigger car (Honda Pilot), simply because our kids are huge and it's nice to have one car that can handle driving a group of teenagers to the movies or a game.

[Anonymous]

My friend had 3 kids in a gulf. With carseats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s funny when people find out they’re having a second child and run out to buy a surburban or Yukon, etc. Three or more kids I get but you certainly don’t need that much space for 2 kids. By the time you need room for sports equipment, etc. it will be time for a new car anyway.

Not everyone gets a new car every few years. My car was totaled in an accident when I was pregnant with my first. I still drive the car I bought then and my kids are 8 and 6. We considered a third and that child would be 3 or 4 now if we had gone for it.