Toyota highlander is best 7 passenger vehicle for your needs. It is shorter than an accord and about same width. We were researching cars to fit in small parking spade so did this whole analysis. More than 5 is great so kids can carpool.

Mazda 5 is nice too but I don't think you can put car seats in 3rd row; and not clear how access third row without removing a car seat to move seat forward? Seems less ideal until kids are in small boosters.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small cars are not safe , get at least a mid size suv

I'm guessing that parking is not an issue for you.

OP, it is possible to put 3 car seats in the back of a Corolla. Google "three car seats Corolla", and lots will pop up.

Sounds dangerous. Did the manufacturer design the car to allow it or is this merely Jerry rigging.

Huh?? No, it is not dangerous to put three seats in a car, provided they are all installed properly. The only car you can't do this in is the RAV4, because the seatbelts overlap so Toyota forbids using the middle seatbelt (for a car seat or for a person) if there is a car seat installed on the driver's side.

Most modern sedans, including the Corolla, have three standard shoulder seatbelts in the back, and thus can have three car seats installed as long as the seats fit (or three adults sitting back there). Choose compact narrow seats (like the highly rated Diono Radian) and you're good to go. The days of no middle seat belt, or a lap belt only there, are long gone.

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for the Mazda 5. Perfect for me with 2 kids. There's a 3rd row for 2 additional passengers if you need them. I love that it is smaller and zippier than a traditional minivan. I've never been comfortable driving anything bigger than a sedan, but the Mazda 5 is only a tiny bit bigger than my husband's Camry.

Ditto. We live in the city and love our Mazda 5. Now that our kids are getting a little bigger it's great to have space for their friends in addition to our younger one's car seat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small cars are not safe , get at least a mid size suv

I'm guessing that parking is not an issue for you.

OP, it is possible to put 3 car seats in the back of a Corolla. Google "three car seats Corolla", and lots will pop up.

Sounds dangerous. Did the manufacturer design the car to allow it or is this merely Jerry rigging.

we have a crv and could not fit three regular car seats (britax) in the back. but we didn't try the radians, which have a slimmer profile.
it's really crowded back there. we feel we really should have gone up to a regular-sized suv or a regular 4 door like an accord.