My Prius has a hatchback and I always thought that it was pretty easy to load the stroller in and out of.

Anonymous wrote:Another recommendation for the CX9. If you want something smaller, try one of the other Mazda SUV models. The Honda CRV and Passport are also good choices to consider.

I might recommend the CX-9 as well. We got a CX-5 days before our first was born and love it...except for one thing. My larger sized husband can barely fit behind the wheel because of the car seat behind him. I have less of a problem but it’s still not ideal. It doesn’t have the latch system for the middle seat and if we put it behind the passenger, that seat would never be able to recline. Just something to consider that we had not!

Anonymous wrote:Looking for a new mom car. Which suv is best for families without breaking the bank?

We live in DC. We picked up a 2013 Outback when we had our second kid (Ford Focus before that); we've had one 60lb/70lb dog through both cars. While its firmly a station wagon, its a good balance of cargo capacity and driver height with lateral compactness and gas milage for our pre-covid mileage.

Kids dont complaint about the back seat when the parents max out the front passanger space (they are both in forward facing car seats and there was never an issue when rear facing). We have room to set up a Kindle between the headrests for long drives. Our dog gets the way-back if she joins us. The car can handle the roof bag with no problem if the trip requires extra luggage and I (6 foot) can easily load/unload without need of a step ladder.

No to highlander. i think ours has had a dozen recalls for this or that.

If i had it to do over I think I would go minivan We rented one once and it is truly made for hauling kids, pets, gear, etc. My husband said no way would he want to drive a minivan and I should have overrode that.

Anonymous wrote:why are so many commenters punctuating statements with question marks?

Ummm, they write how they talk?

Welcome to the internet.

why are so many commenters punctuating statements with question marks?

I grew up in a family of 4 with a Suburban. We actually had 3 different ones over the course of my childhood and got a ton of use out of them. Daily carpool with three families, home improvement projects, hauling stuff for scouts or 4-H events, taking grandma and my aunts out for an event.

I'm not saying OP needs an 8-person truck, but there are a lot of use cases for large cars besides driving your immediate family.

Subaru Outback (wider back seat than the Forester)
Toyota RAV-4
Mazda CX-5

You don’t need a minivan unless you’re aiming for more than 2 kids or 2 kids+dog.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its nice to have an SUV. What is your budget? Don't go to small especially with stroller.

It's also nice, and considerate, to care about the planet your kids will have to live on.

Almost no one needs an SUV. Our 15 year old car gets better mileage than even the Hybrid SUVs that are on the market and has more than enough room for everything we do.

And hauling a stroller or changing diapers or getting the kids in and out of car seats was never an issue.

I mean...good for you? My Outback gets as good if not better gas mileage than my Jetta did, and with 2 large dogs + 1 kid we needed a bigger vehicle. Not everyone has an SUV for show

We got a minivan after we had the second kid. One kid was fine with a sedan and a hatchback (no issues with the stroller on either one, easy diaper changes on he backseat). The sliding doors of the minivan made carseats infinitely easier to deal with. You don't have to worry about slamming your car doors into the person next to you in the parking lot to navigate the baby seat (or your kids doing it when they are old enough to open the door). It's also harder to slam fingers in the doors.

We'll get rid of it next time we buy a vehicle now that the kids are out of carseats, but it was great while they were small.

Another recommendation for the CX9. If you want something smaller, try one of the other Mazda SUV models. The Honda CRV and Passport are also good choices to consider.

What? We have two kids and don't need a third row.

Anonymous wrote:If you plan to have more kids and or have a pet get something three rowed, whether SUV or minivan

Any pet? You need a third row for a dachshund? A cat?

Unless you are planning to have more than 2 kids, you don't need something 3 rowed. And even if you have a large dog, there are lots of station wagons and. smaller cross-overs with plenty of room for a do (or even those rear-facing fold down seats if needed in a pinch).

It's a car. It gets you from one place to another. It doesn't have to provide each person with an individualized climate experience.

Jeep Wrangler. Soft top. No doors. Easier to load the stroller.

Are you a troll? What makes you think having a baby requires an SUV?