How often do you buy new cars? The third row is helpful for mass carpooling (sports teams, take 3 friends to the pool, take neighborhood kids sledding, each child brings a friend to the park) and situations with a lot of gear (sports teams, road trips). That tends to start around 2nd/3rd grade, when kids are able to travel in just a low booster (and sometimes nothing at all, depending on height and seat fit). And it happens more with SAH/PT parents, simply because of timing and logistics.

If you get a new car every year or two, wait a bit. If you and your spouse both work FT, wait a bit. But if you buy and hold a car for 10 years, either get the bigger one now or see if you can drag your feet on the purchase for 6 months, until you settle in to your new neighborhood and see how things go.

I love my Honda Odyssey. Its great on long trips. It can haul stuff, nice and roomy. It was great for schlepping the kids and all their sports equipment plus friends and all their belongings. It was between the Odyssey and the Pilot. I'm glad we got the Odyssey. It's been a great, reliable vehicle.

No.

All my neighbors have smallish SUVs, except me (compact car) and one other (massive SUV he has trouble parking).

No one needs a 3-row SUV. Get a mini van instead, you are far less likely to kill a kid when you hit them.

They are not needed (and cost more to buy and fuel) but we continue to love our 3-row minivan that's closer to 20 years old than 10. We have exactly two children and one of them is out of high school. The 3rd seat was occupied again this weekend - so handy!

Like folks say, it's all about car pooling, nursery school, sports, scouting, family visits and long road trips.

My wife would tell you that I am vehemently opposed to "prospective purchases" where you buy something before the time you actually need it. Sounds like the 3rd-row is still prospective for you. I would wait.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving to the Maryland suburbs this summer and need to get another car since we mostly walk places in our current neighborhood downtown. All of my friends are telling me a 3 row SUV is a must have for the burbs for carpooling, bringing extra kids home for a play date, etc.

Our oldest was in K this year and there was certainly no need for this thanks to Covid, but now that he will be in 1st and things will be more back to normal wondering if the smart move is to get a bigger car with extra room. We only have 2 kids - a 6 year old and 2 year old and could probably fit one slim booster in our middle seat if needed, but it’s tight.

Wondering how much there is a need for this in normal times. Is carpooling still a big thing? And how often do kids have after school play dates where you pick up the friend from school and bring them home with you?

Thanks!

They're wrong.

In fact, they're so wrong that I'm inclined to tell you that what you need is new friends.

Yea, because having a friend like you is so healthy and non-judgy.

To the OP, I've been living in the burbs for 30+ years, raised two boys and engaged in more than our fair share of school/extracurricular activities, including shuttling other people's kids. We have always had a van because we are a multi-generational family, but my wife is the one who does most of the activity driving and she has always done it with sedans.

You'll be fine with a two-row vehicle.

If you plan on ever taking a kid’s friends anywhere, it is useful. Scouts, soccer, play dates, ballet practice, emergency, family visits. It isn’t a necessity but you won’t be able to do that if you don’t have space. I worked in an office so didn’t need the third row too often but the SAHMs seemed to get a ton of use from them.

My family and I survive in sedans. If is sad that I can't reciprocate car pooling and when my kids want to do stuff with friends the other parents have to help me out. Most of the other parents I know have mini vans and either Tahoe's or suburbans. I live on the burbs. My next car will bea 7 seater for this reason. Your friends aren't totally wrong. You can make up not being able to carpool by being helpful in other ways. For example, I babysit and watch the kids at the playground ocassionally so my other mom friends can run errands.

You definitely don’t need one but the convenience of three rows is so nice.

The help a lot for carpooling, but if you aren’t doing that, you don’t need one

Anonymous wrote:We are moving to the Maryland suburbs this summer and need to get another car since we mostly walk places in our current neighborhood downtown. All of my friends are telling me a 3 row SUV is a must have for the burbs for carpooling, bringing extra kids home for a play date, etc.

Our oldest was in K this year and there was certainly no need for this thanks to Covid, but now that he will be in 1st and things will be more back to normal wondering if the smart move is to get a bigger car with extra room. We only have 2 kids - a 6 year old and 2 year old and could probably fit one slim booster in our middle seat if needed, but it’s tight.

Wondering how much there is a need for this in normal times. Is carpooling still a big thing? And how often do kids have after school play dates where you pick up the friend from school and bring them home with you?

Thanks!

They're wrong.

In fact, they're so wrong that I'm inclined to tell you that what you need is new friends.

Need? No. I have three boys and we only have sedans.

But it would be useful. Carpooling starts more in second it seems when a booster is enough. How long do you keep cars?

If your K-er is taking the bus, in non-Covid times MCPS allows them to bring friends home on the bus with them (with notes from parents).
Carpooling will depend on activities/sports - if you sign them up for things that are close, it may be easier to just shuttle your kid. Or it may work out that they have a friend in the same activity who lives close by. But you have one extra seat, right?
We didn't get a minivan until kid #3, but YMMV.

You dont need one.

We are moving to the Maryland suburbs this summer and need to get another car since we mostly walk places in our current neighborhood downtown. All of my friends are telling me a 3 row SUV is a must have for the burbs for carpooling, bringing extra kids home for a play date, etc.

Our oldest was in K this year and there was certainly no need for this thanks to Covid, but now that he will be in 1st and things will be more back to normal wondering if the smart move is to get a bigger car with extra room. We only have 2 kids - a 6 year old and 2 year old and could probably fit one slim booster in our middle seat if needed, but it’s tight.

Wondering how much there is a need for this in normal times. Is carpooling still a big thing? And how often do kids have after school play dates where you pick up the friend from school and bring them home with you?

Thanks!