If you have one child, do you need an SUV?

[Anonymous]

DH and I currently share a small hatchback (technically “my car”). In preparation for baby we are car shopping and DH is extremely SUV-averse. Will we regret not getting an SUV with one child (don’t plan to have more) and a 20 lb dog?

[Anonymous]

I have 2 kids and no SUV. No one “needs” an SUV. There are other options with more cargo space or more seating.

I no longer have a dog, but a station wagon worked well for us when I did have a have and a dog. Having a space for the dog that wasn’t the back seat was key for us. But our dog was 70 pounds-a 20 lb dog is a bit different.

[Anonymous]

Sorry-two errors in my post. Fixed below.

Anonymous wrote:I have 2 kids and no SUV. No one “needs” an SUV. There are other options with more cargo space or more seating than a sedan.

I no longer have a dog, but a station wagon worked well for us when I did have a baby and a dog. Having a space for the dog that wasn’t the back seat was key for us. But our dog was 70 pounds-a 20 lb dog is a bit different.

[Anonymous]

I had 2 kids and no SUV or minivan.

[Anonymous]

Yes and no. The challenge is that your kid will be sitting in some kind of seat in the back seat that takes up room for many years. Add the dog, then you have to figure out where you want to put stuff - like stroller, shopping, suitcases, etc, especially if you plan to road trip for either vacation or family visits. So if you can find some other car that fits “stuff” or is the local runaround car, then get what you like.

[Anonymous]

Nobody needs an SUV. If you'd like one, great. We liked our Toyota Rav4 so we could haul around our 100lb large breed dog in the back.

One thing we didn't consider is the occasions when we are driving friends and family around. The Rav 4 could not accommodate 3 kids in the back seat if 2 of them are in car seats or boosters. Do some research if that's a concern for you.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you need an SUV, but trunk space should be a priority then. Dh has an older Jetta with a really roomy trunk that was helpful in our stroller days. Something to keep in mind when you’re car shopping.

[Anonymous]

With one child you can have any car that has a back seat.

[Anonymous]

No one needs an SUV. I have an only and a mini suv (Rav 4). I use it to movr bikes and kayaks. It depends on your life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I currently share a small hatchback (technically “my car”). In preparation for baby we are car shopping and DH is extremely SUV-averse. Will we regret not getting an SUV with one child (don’t plan to have more) and a 20 lb dog?

If you don't have any reason to need one now, you won't with one child, at least not for a long time.

What you will need now are 4 doors, a dog seatbelt to keep your dog from jumping on your child and a trunk large enough for a folded stroller and a load of groceries. Something the size of a Honda Civic would be fine.

With 2 kids, I did find that a larger vehicle became useful when my older kid was about 8, and we wanted to do things like take a couple of his friends and drive to the ski hill, or carpool to hockey practice, or chaperone a scout camping trip, but those things are all pretty far away, and even then there are other solutions than an SUV (I drive a Mazda5 which is like a mini-minivan). But I wouldn't pay 8 years of increased gas. I'd wait and get that for your next car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I currently share a small hatchback (technically “my car”). In preparation for baby we are car shopping and DH is extremely SUV-averse. Will we regret not getting an SUV with one child (don’t plan to have more) and a 20 lb dog?

If you don't have any reason to need one now, you won't with one child, at least not for a long time.

What you will need now are 4 doors, a dog seatbelt to keep your dog from jumping on your child and a trunk large enough for a folded stroller and a load of groceries. Something the size of a Honda Civic would be fine.

With 2 kids, I did find that a larger vehicle became useful when my older kid was about 8, and we wanted to do things like take a couple of his friends and drive to the ski hill, or carpool to hockey practice, or chaperone a scout camping trip, but those things are all pretty far away, and even then there are other solutions than an SUV (I drive a Mazda5 which is like a mini-minivan). But I wouldn't pay 8 years of increased gas. I'd wait and get that for your next car.

Thanks, this is really helpful. In 8 years it will be about time to replace my car anyway, just don’t want to need to replace it before then.

[Anonymous]

100% NO! I am not anti-SUV/minivan, but I have a 4 yo (booster seat) and 1 yo (rear facing convertible) in a HONDA CIVIC and it is completely fine. I have never once wished for a bigger car in our daily lives. Two things that make this work for us with TWO kids are that we both have short legs and we rent a minivan on the rare occasion we go on a road trip. But when we only had one kid, the leg room and road trip stuff was 100% not an issue. You will be fine with one kid in a small car.

[Anonymous]

We only had a 4 door sedan with our first and it wasn’t a problem all.

[Anonymous]

No, you don't need to have an SUV. It's just so convenient to transport big stuff (furniture, kid toys, etc.).

[Anonymous]

My only child is now 14, the 80lb dog is now 10, and the Ford Focus that has hauled us to school, practice, and vacations all that time is still going strong. We do have a roof rack on it for kayaks and vacation luggage, though.