NBR: Recommend your car!

ALP514

We are in desperate need for a new vehicle! I've had my acura tsx for 8 years now and its just not reliable anymore. We are looking for possibly a crossover / suv. We need room!! Can anyone recommend their vehicle based on safety, gas miles and space!! Our passenger seat is currently unusable because of the convertible seat in the back. I'd love to sit up front every now and again when my DH is driving. 

Right now we are looking at the Ford Escape , Toyota Venza & Jeep Grand Cherokee but would love some suggestions from other moms.

TIA

huzzahuzza

I have the Ford Escape Hybrid and I LOVE it!!! Gets good MPGs for a crossover and carries all our stuff plus some. We're really going to put it to the test when we road trip with four adults and the baby next month.

Kashy

I just got a brand new Dodge Journey and I love it!  It has soooooo much room, which was what I really wanted. There is tons of room in the back seat so that the seat in front of the carseat is not pulled all the way up. 

Before we got the journey I was looking at the escape and the edge.  But the edge just didn't seem big enough and was a lot smaller then it actually looks. 

bumpuser3155624

Not a rec because I hate my car. 2008 toyota rav 4. Nothing but recalls and crap. As soon as DH's car is paid off next summer getting a gmc acadia.

ALP514

@kashy Is yours the 7 seater?? I was browsing and came across it and it is on my list! 

ALP514

@huzzahuzza How is with your convertible seat? Is there space for the front passenger to sit comfortably? 

@jacqueandadam Have you had any other experiences with toyota? I wonder if it is just that vehicle that has all that trouble or toyota in general. Wondering if I just x the venza off our list.

caden1206

I have an Odyssey and I love it. Gas isn't too bad and the room is amazing. Perfect for multiple kids.

Karicomo

I have a ford edge and like it. I have two convertible seats in there, one forward, one rear and there is room between them. The seats fold down well if u need to haul anything.

kmandrews

I love my Mazda cx9!!

motang

kmandrews said:

I love my Mazda cx9!!

I love mine too!

huzzahuzza

ALP514 said:

@huzzahuzza How is with your convertible seat? Is there space for the front passenger to sit comfortably? 

Absolutely! DH is 6 ft and fits comfortably. I don't know about anyone taller than that though.  

ETA: We got the Escape because my Dodge Caliber was too small for the carseat and knew that if we were going to have more kiddos, we would need more room AND I would need a more reliable 4 wheel drive vehicle for the winter times.  Funny how you're willing to take all the chances in the world when you're driving by yourself but when you've got precious cargo in the backseat, everything changes! 

Kashy

ALP514 said:

@kashy Is yours the 7 seater?? I was browsing and came across it and it is on my list! 

Yes it is. They fold down flat too so that when they are down there is so much room in the back. Our stroller barley takes up half of the room back there.

Kashy

I should also mention that the journey is great on gas too.

@linegirl313‌ love your car's name! Mine is Gloria and DH's is Betsy

huzzahuzza

Kashy said:

I should also mention that the journey is great on gas too. @linegirl313‌ love your car's name! Mine is Gloria and DH's is Betsy

Mine's "Blue Steel"  ">

Lolalipsy

I have a BMW 320d Sport Touring Auto and I love it. Great to drive and it's a diesel so good mileage to pennies.

jmevol

I looked at the escape, and venza back in October when I was shopping for my new car. I liked the escape better of the two and thought it had more room. My close friend has an escape and Looooves it. My other close friend has a rav4 and hates it...

I made the mistake of test driving a gmc Acadia and that's what I ended up getting because I fell in love with it. It's not gas friendly, but I don't drive much.

smg2302

Are you planning on having any more kids? In January I bought a new car trying to think of longevity (we want 3 kids) so I ended up with a minivan.  We picked Dodge Grand Caravan.  City I get maybe 21, highway about 28.  Seats 7.  Has under floor storage which is awesome and the back seat folds perfectly flat for cargo space.

FmrAFBrat

I actually love my Santa Fe! I have the Limited AWD if that makes a difference. It fits our car seats great , has top tethers in all 3 seating positions, has a cargo storage area, and very easy to use hooks to tie down your stroller or other big objects. I'm average height and it's pretty easy to get the kids in and the stroller tied in and out.

I'm been looking at minivans and all of them are going to be difficult to tie down my stroller in. I'm curious what people with huge City Select strollers do. Seriously a safety concern.

bumpuser3155624

I had a toyota solara before and loved that car. The rav doesnt seem to have a smooth ride compared to other suvs ive ridden in. And dh has a camry with no complains. Just not a fan of the rav 4.

TradeMama

We have a honda odyssey, a honda pilot and a honda accord and would recommend any of them.

snowgirl427

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and love it! I can sit in the front even with the convertible carseat, but it has to go behind the passenger seat because it won't fit when DH is driving. I'm 5'4" and end up with plenty of room in the front seat. I'll try to take a pic for you and show you the space.

HZ2012

I have a GMC Acadia and love it. Gas mileage isn't the best, but it has tons of room and 3rd row seating if you want it. I'm able to sit upfront with DH now in the Nissan Murano I wasn't able to.

FmrAFBrat

beaubecca said:

FmrAFBrat said:

I actually love my Santa Fe! I have the Limited AWD if that makes a difference. It fits our car seats great , has top tethers in all 3 seating positions, has a cargo storage area, and very easy to use hooks to tie down your stroller or other big objects. I'm average height and it's pretty easy to get the kids in and the stroller tied in and out.

I'm been looking at minivans and all of them are going to be difficult to tie down my stroller in. I'm curious what people with huge City Select strollers do. Seriously a safety concern.

All of that is true. It is serving us well as a family vehicle. We have the same edition. But I hate it from a car perspective. It doesn't drive well, it is cheap looking and feeling (IMO) on the inside, the windows don't seal properly (my entire family has hyundais and many friends and some of them complain of this same issue so I think it's a hyundai thing). Also the heater doesn't work as well as I'd like and again I just think the gas mileage is abysmal.


My DH has a BMW 328i and I think the leather and dash in the Santa Fe are just as nice. I haven't had any window or heat issues and I've put over 100k on mine since I've owned it. My only complaint is I average 19 miles per gallon, but a lot of it's city driving and it's a big vehicle.

telicious2

I test drove the Ford Escape and the Edge. I went with the 2013 Ford Edge because it was a little more roomy and the seats were SO comfortable. My average mpg right now is 20 mpg, it rides and handles very well, and I can sit in the front seat with a Chicco NextFit behind me (I am 5'8''). My lease is up in 2015 and I will probably go with the Explorer for the thought of more children . I also think the new Grand Cherokees are sexy!

kcwnc

linegirl313 said:

I love my Subaru Forester.  Her name is Sue Ellen.

I've got an Outback that I love, so comfy, room for a convertible car seat without having to pull the seat up and it does great in gas. When K was still in his infant seat I would have loved more head room in the back to lift the seat up and out but it's not an issue now.

People I know with a journey, say there is no cargo room when the seats are upright

kcwnc

....and mine is named Emma Jean.

D&S724

I love my Honda Pilot! My 3 kids (two boosters, 1 car seat) fit comfortably in the middle row.

smg2302

We're naming our cars? Mine is Darlene.

ALP514

Thank you everyone for all your recomendations!! I thought this would make my list smaller but I added a few more to the list and I am so very grateful!! Sorry I didn't respond sooner we had a crazy busy weekend but I appreciate all the advice!!

For the record my TSX's name is Lola  

snowgirl427

Sorry it took me so long but here are the pics