Moms of 3+, let's talk vehicles...

Waiting4Fred

The Husband has a beloved 4-door Jeep Rubicon.  We can't fit 3 car seats across in the back of his Jeep, so we are in the market for another vehicle for him before this LO arrives (obviously, we've got some time).  My car is an Acura MDX, which is a fairly small SUV with a third row.  We are thinking we are going to bite the bullet and just get a large SUV for his car and for road trips, etc. Any suggestions on a big car you like that you can easily fit 3 car seats into? 

Elyse1384

OK so I only have 2 today, but I'm chiming in anyway because I LOVE my big SUV (we want 5 and planned way ahead years ago).  We have a Honda Pilot and we really like it.  I strongly recommend that if you elect to go with a bigger SUV.

Waiting4Fred

@Elyse1384 We actually had a Honda Pilot before the MDX!  We have talked about going back to that and doing the bucket seats (is that what they are called?) instead so that it's easy for my older kiddos to get in and out of the 3rd row.

emichelle86

This babe will only be our second, but we take our golden retriever everywhere and needed to factor her into which car we picked. We recently purchased a 2015 Dodge Durango and I LOVE it! You can easily fit 3 car seats in it. I plan to move DD to the 3rd row when we take our dog because the dog will just climb over the seats. We looked at the Honda Pilot and Toyota highlander when we were choosing, both were also good options, but the Durango had more room in the 3rd row seating wise. 

ChrisLipstick

I love Honda's and Toyota's; they are such great, dependable vehicles. I Honda Pilot of a Toyota 4Runner would be at the top of my list for a big SUV. I might also look at the size smaller (Highlander and CRV) as a bit more affordable alternatives. 

JAGinMI

I have a Traverse with the 2nd row having 2 captains chairs and then a third row bench. My DD can easily belt herself in now so I am thinking she will get moved to the third row since she can walk through the captain's chairs and get herself all set and then baby will get one of the captains chairs, DS the other. After my lease is up in 2018, I'm moving to a Tahoe or Yukon!

BelhurstBride

We currently have a Pilot and love it. And while it can fit 3 carseats across the 2nd row, the third row then becomes useless. 

We're moving into an Odyssey hopefully in the Spring. We've been saving for awhile now. 

DH drives a Civic. There's a booster seat in there in the event he needs to pick DD1 up from dance, otherwise we plan on not using his car for the kids. He drives a ton for work; anything larger would be a giant waste.

brij2006

I have a Ford Flex and can fit 3 car seats across in the middle row. What I love is that with that I still have a ton of space in the back to fit a double stroller, luggage, groceries, etc. 
Only have 1 now and this will be #2, but we planned knowing there's a good chance we'll have 3-4 kids, but we pay cash for our cars and I drive them till the wheels fall off.
Another option would be to buy the setup that has 2 bucket seats in the center and a bench in the back.

Wino0920

Minivan here! I can never do normal doors again!!

BelhurstBride

Wino0920 said:

Minivan here! I can never do normal doors again!!

OMG this is what I'm looking forward to the most. I either have to plan ahead where I park or risk having to move in order to get the kids in their carseats correctly. I can't wait for sliding doors.

Assiram42

We have a Pilot also, but plan to trade in for an Odyssey. I drive a sedan to work, DH will be the minivan driver.

thankfully

My husband drives a Pilot, I drive an Odyssey. I love his car but I'm short and until just recently all three of my LOs needed help buckling so honestly have found the Pilot to be a pain in the ass. I love my minivan, except when it snows, the convenience can not be beat. Now that we'll have 4 we have no plans to change vehicles any time soon and my preference for the minivan is even stronger.

JessyKV

We've been debating between a GMC Acadia or pulling the trigger on the minivan.  We both really prefer getting a large SUV but this will be my car and I do think a van would be easier.  But on weekends when we are all together my DH really doesn't want to drive a minivan lol.  

jesselayne8

I traded my Mercedes SUV for a Honda Odysessy when I found out I was pregnant with #3.   We currently have one of the 2nd row seats out to have easy access to the 3rd row because I still have to buckle all 3 kids in.  

halfthetree

Minivan!! We have two kiddos, with two on the way I am so excited to be able to crawl in the van and buckle everyone up! 

LilLee11

I drive an Odyssey and bought it when we only had 2 because we knew we wanted 3 kids. Well, 4th babe is on it's way so we made a good choice haha! I can't imagine having real doors and not sliding w kids!!! I'll have my sexy SUV someday, but for now the minivan is practical.

mrt

I have a Honda Odyssey, and I love it! I can fit 3 carseats across the middle and like somebody else said, you can't really use the 3rd row then, but I have folded down the third row and had tons of room for vacation gear, or, I have had my son climb in and out through the trunk when I needed to cart 4 kids (mine + nieces).

keniialise

We have a Ford Expedition  we currently have our three littles all in a row (adding picture for cuteness factor) but with babe #4 on the way I'm dreading making my oldest climb over the seats to get to the third row, can't easily fold the second row down with car seats in the way  which I never really thought about up until now. I'd love love love to upgrade to the new chevy suburban with second row captain chairs. I'm obsessed with all the space in my big suvs, and I'm not exactly a mini van girl. 

thankfully

I'll also point out that you need to take a look at tethering options for forward facing seats. A lot of cars only come with tethers in a couple of the seats, and a forward facing car seat is only safe when secured, so definitely something to check out. (Another reason why I love my Odyssey).

heath313

I have a highlander and there are only tethers on two of the seats in the second row. None of the third row has tethers, nor does the middle seat in the second row. Trying to figure out what to do. Right now, my plan is to have the bucket seat in the middle and the two convertibles on the outside seats.

awillis13

JessyKV said:

We've been debating between a GMC Acadia or pulling the trigger on the minivan.  We both really prefer getting a large SUV but this will be my car and I do think a van would be easier.  But on weekends when we are all together my DH really doesn't want to drive a minivan lol.  

I have an Acadia and I hate it.  It could be the specific car I am driving (I did buy it used) but it has been nothing but headaches.  But I do have a friend who has either the same year or 1 year newer and has had a lot of the same problems (engine issues, suspension issues, leaking sunroof, radio issues, transmission issues).  Plus I believe if you are looking to buy new, they took out the 3rd row in the newest models.*  One thing that drives me absolutely insane, you cannot replace the headlights yourself.  You basically have to disassemble the front end to get to the bulb, and it's a full hour worth of labor - around $100 per side.

The Chevy Traverse is basically the same car, but less expensive and I hear it has fewer problems.

*edit, I looked at the website to double check this claim.  There is still a 3rd row, but it looks like they have shrunk the Acadia down from the size of my model year.  The space between the 2nd row captains chairs is much smaller, and you can only fit 2 people in the 3rd row (mine is 3 across, and you can easily walk between the 2nd row seats).

Regardless, I definitely wouldn't recommend unless you are getting new and trading in after a couple of years before you get to the point of breakdown (which is around 60-75k miles)

sjohns908

When we were pregnant with #3, we bit the bullet and got a minivan. I always swore against them, but I don't think I could give mine up now. We want to get a Suburban to pull a camping trailer, but I really don't want to trade off my van! The ability to push a button when it's raining out and have the doors open so the kids can jump in is amazing. And ALL THE CUPHOLDERS!! We spent so much time looking at larger SUVs but none of them offered as much as a minivan

JessyKV

awillis13 said:

JessyKV said:

We've been debating between a GMC Acadia or pulling the trigger on the minivan.  We both really prefer getting a large SUV but this will be my car and I do think a van would be easier.  But on weekends when we are all together my DH really doesn't want to drive a minivan lol.  

I have an Acadia and I hate it.  It could be the specific car I am driving (I did buy it used) but it has been nothing but headaches.  But I do have a friend who has either the same year or 1 year newer and has had a lot of the same problems (engine issues, suspension issues, leaking sunroof, radio issues, transmission issues).  Plus I believe if you are looking to buy new, they took out the 3rd row in the newest models.*  One thing that drives me absolutely insane, you cannot replace the headlights yourself.  You basically have to disassemble the front end to get to the bulb, and it's a full hour worth of labor - around $100 per side.

The Chevy Traverse is basically the same car, but less expensive and I hear it has fewer problems.

*edit, I looked at the website to double check this claim.  There is still a 3rd row, but it looks like they have shrunk the Acadia down from the size of my model year.  The space between the 2nd row captains chairs is much smaller, and you can only fit 2 people in the 3rd row (mine is 3 across, and you can easily walk between the 2nd row seats).

Regardless, I definitely wouldn't recommend unless you are getting new and trading in after a couple of years before you get to the point of breakdown (which is around 60-75k miles)

Interesting.  We have 2 friends that have them and love them! We aren't buying new as the new model is smaller but probably a 2014 or 2015.  But I'll definitely do more research on consumer reports! Thank you!

Xath

Also consider that fitting 3 across has a lot to do with your seat types.  We have Diono Radians and can fit 3 across (or 2 + a bucket seat) in our Ford Fusion.  I had a Mazda 5 before we went overseas and I really liked it.  I'd consider getting another.

I've also been eyeing the Multimac seat here in the U.K.  It lets you fit 4 kids across a standard sedan bench.  The British system is compatible with LATCH in most vehicles.   

bubblybeks

This is a great thread idea! We have been discussing getting a vehicle with a 3rd row because we are running out of room. 3 rear facing kids (2 already + new baby). I drive a Chevy Cruze so my vehicle for sure and maybe even our other vehicle (Jeep grand Cherokee). Also looking for something good in snow, like all 4 wheel drive. 

Waiting4Fred

We have the Diono Radians and still can't fit three across in his Jeep.   

I love all of these suggestions! Maybe we'll have to just test drive a minivan, even though we swore it wasn't an option.

michaela0704

I test drove almost every 3rd row fold down SUV option when my twins were born... and the Honda Odyssey. 

I went in wanting the XC90 but LOVE my Enclave.  We did bucket or captains chairs for the 2nd row and have the 3rd row typically folded down, but having it up will be no big deal.

As much as I knew I should've gotten the Odyssey... I literally couldn't leave the dealership parking lot, the sales guy was even like 'you NEED this car with twins'.  Something about driving a van at that age... couldn't do it.

I suggest you go test drive all that are in your price range/you would consider buying and have an adult climb in/out of the back before deciding.  For me, I thought the Highlander was too tall (like it would roll easier), Acadia was live driving a boat!, XC90 too small, Odyssey... couldn't do the van, I mean... more than I can name.

Also, like others have said, I wouldn't change out a car when you potentially could swap out the seat for a lot less investment.  I had twins and it was just so tight in my Camry, between 2 carseats, stroller, their bag, my stuff... it was busting at the seams.  We had the Peg Perego SIP infant carriers and now the Diono Radian convertible seats so should be able to make whatever configuration we choose work for us going forward. 

BelhurstBride

I can't remember who mentioned the Acadia, but we had friends who couldn't dump theirs fast enough. It ended up with a ton of issues that cost a fortune to repair, in addition to being expensive to maintain. They're usually the type to drive a car until it absolutely needs to be replaced, but they were so disappointed in that one. 

Something to consider if going for a SUV with a third row- DD1 is now at the age where we often have her friends in the car with us. So we don't just need space for our children, but little friends as well. They don't always have a seat that fits between DD1 and DD2's, requiring me to climb in and out of the back of the Pilot in order to buckle them in. And then if we're going someplace where I might need a stroller or wagon I'm screwed, because there is zero storage once the third row is up. 

I let my vanity get the best of me 7 years ago when I decided against the mini van and have spent the last three and a half years seriously regretting that call. That's when we started saving to get the mini van... and in the meantime I curse myself every time I have to climb through the damn trunk. 

JessyKV

Darn it! I've never heard these negative things about the Acadia! I'll definitely be doing more research.  Boo.  I really like how they look and the size.  

@BelhurstBride I do worry about having to climb back to buckle the kid in the third row.  My DD will definitely still need help.  I've seen people with vans take out one captain seat and put 2 in back and the baby in the other captain seat.  So it's easier to climb in and buckle.  But then no one else can ride with you. 

BelhurstBride

@JessyKV, with the Pilot, because it's a bench seat, you have to go through the trunk.

With a minivan or SUV with captains seating in the 2nd row you can climb between the seats to get to the third row.

We rented a minivan in FL a couple of years ago and had to go that route- it didn't phase me at all. It's considerably easier climbing in and out of a mini van door than through the trunk of the Pilot. At least for me- I'm short. I look like an idiot trying to climb in the back of the thing. 

Wino0920

+1 for the Acadia sucks ass!! I bought a fully loaded one and it was the biggest waste of money! I had so many problems with it. I traded it In for my mini van and have never been happier!! 

michaela0704

I'm starting to wonder if I should trade in my Enclave for an Oydessy now... you all confirmed what I've known all along but the talk of climbing in to buckle one of the twins every.single.time. ugh...

Xath

I've never known anyone to regret buying an Oddyssey or Sienna once they had one.  I'm avoiding it not because I hate vans, but because I prefer a smaller footprint.  But once we decide to go big, the minivan is my top choice.  They're like luxury cars for parents; I think one of the Oddyssey models even had a central vacuum and mini fridge.

awillis13

BelhurstBride said:

I can't remember who mentioned the Acadia, but we had friends who couldn't dump theirs fast enough. It ended up with a ton of issues that cost a fortune to repair, in addition to being expensive to maintain. They're usually the type to drive a car until it absolutely needs to be replaced, but they were so disappointed in that one.

I wish I could get rid mine.  I am only a year and a half into the loan, and too far upside down to roll it in to another car (which I know is a bad practice, but I would gladly make that bad decision to get rid of this bad car.

i had to put $3000 into it within the first year I had it, between suspension issues and an engine problem.  I also had an issue with a fuel line sensor or something.  And that's just what I know
about.

silliegirlie143

We have just 2 seats to worry about but we also have two large dogs (the smaller one is 65#). Cargo space is always a consideration. 

We have really struggled with vehicle choices because I'm tall (I wear a 34" inseam for my pants). Putting a RF car seat behind me is super uncomfortable in the majority of cars. 

I wish the old school station wagons were still in style. I'd get one in a heartbeat!

JAGinMI

silliegirlie143 said:

I wish the old school station wagons were still in style. I'd get one in a heartbeat!

I think the Ford Flex looks like a new station wagon. I personally think they are ugly as hell, but they are wide and long so if you like the look of them maybe that would be good for you?

shmarpler

I drive a Nissan pathfinder and love it.  We are just now brewing baby #2, but according to Google, we can fit 3 car seats across, plus there is a third row. I also love the cargo space for my dog. 

Other cars we considered were a Ford explorer, and Toyota highlander, but we found a killer deal on our pathfinder

silliegirlie143

We both currently drive Toyotas and I found this info about a Prius V. A great option for reliability and a small-ish footprint if those are criteria on your wish list (KILLER gas mileage to boot!!).

silliegirlie143

JAGinMI said:

silliegirlie143 said:

I wish the old school station wagons were still in style. I'd get one in a heartbeat!

I think the Ford Flex looks like a new station wagon. I personally think they are ugly as hell, but they are wide and long so if you like the look of them maybe that would be good for you?

Yeah, it's ugly and it's a Ford (have not had good luck with reliability on Fords)

brij2006

JAGinMI said:

silliegirlie143 said:

I wish the old school station wagons were still in style. I'd get one in a heartbeat!

I think the Ford Flex looks like a new station wagon. I personally think they are ugly as hell, but they are wide and long so if you like the look of them maybe that would be good for you?

Hey now, I love my shoebox on wheels.

Seriously though, I was skeptical about the Flex at first.  It's kind of ugly.  But the minute we drove it, we fell in love. Sooooo comfortable and has a ton of room.  My 6'5" husband drives with his seat all the way back and we still have DD rear facing behind him.  Worth it!

BelhurstBride

shmarpler said:

I drive a Nissan pathfinder and love it.  We are just now brewing baby #2, but according to Google, we can fit 3 car seats across, plus there is a third row. I also love the cargo space for my dog. 

Other cars we considered were a Ford explorer, and Toyota highlander, but we found a killer deal on our pathfinder

@shmarpler, you might want to test that theory. My girlfriend has one; once we had the two Keyfits installed we could barely squeeze DD1 in, even if we put her in a backless booster. We ended up swapping everything into the Pilot.