What’s Your Ride?

laurad75

Let’s talk about cars. What are some car seat friendly rides you love? Or what are you shopping for?

(I’ll add a cute gif when I’m at my laptop)

angelz429

Kia Sedona. Dubbed the Van-o-rail. We love it 🥰 

Maggie1202

I worked in automotive (rental cars, body shop estimator, service advisor for a dealership) for many years so I have a lot of opinions

We just bought a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. I am obsessed with it, It's fully loaded, has a great amount of cargo space with the third row down, still has decent space in the third row if necessary, and has plenty of room for a car seat (or 2, if that time comes) and our dog can still have her own space.

I actually love mini vans, but I haven't been able to get my husband on board quite yet. That's okay, though. Maybe next car! (Huge fan of Kia Sedonas, Honda Odysseys and Toyota Siennas)

akoros

Going to assume it's kid-friendly as we're not getting a new one anytime soon, but we have a Ford Escape (I think it's a 2017 model?). It's pretty comfortable, and we like that it has a lot of storage space while still being a relatively small car. Since we live in the city and are frequently either parallel parking or navigating tight parking garages we needed something on the smaller side. 

In case it's helpful, here's the rundown of our research/selection process:

• Picked our budget and decided that we wanted to aim for a used car vs. new (felt there's more value per dollar in a pre-owned vehicle and my husband has had good experiences with used cars in the past)
• Decided our "needs" and "wants". Our old car was a Dodge Caliber hatchback. We liked the size (despite technically being a hatchback it looked more like an SUV), but overall wanted something with a bit more storage space and that was "peppier" (i.e. better pickup, as it was a bit sluggish). Heavy preference for something reliable and easy to maintain.
• After that I scoured rankings and reviews for the best compact or sub-compact SUVs, ultimately narrowing it down to a Honda HR-V, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson (Kona was too new, so excluded since my husband wanted a used car). I didn't like the Nissan Juke and I can't remember what the Toyota one was and why I got turned off there. My husband excluded Subaru because "we're not crunchy enough" (I didn't say that all our reasons were totally rational). 
• Went to cars.com and some other similar sites (autotrader.com, maybe?) to look up what dealers nearby had these cars and what they cost. 
• Dragged my husband to dealerships for a test drive. The HR-V was nixed because the sloping roof made it not high enough for him (his head was literally less than an inch from the top, but I think later models fixed this) and he felt the CR-V was too big (NB: two friends in the area have the CR-V and absolutely love it). The Hyundai Tucson we really liked, but my husband was iffy on getting a Hyundai (I love Hyundais and have had a great experience with them, but for some reason he started thinking he wanted an "American" car...and the horn is a little dopey). The cars they had in inventory we also weren't that into (the more premium model was more than we wanted to spend and had weird bleach stains on the front seat, the regular model was a color we didn't like). Initially my husband didn't want to bother with the Escape, but after he got all weird about Hyundai I dragged him to a Ford dealership and we decided on an Escape. I also knew of another Hyundai Tucson at a dealership nearby that was the color and price we wanted as a backup. Haggling and actually finishing the paperwork took a lot longer than I anticipated, so we were exhausted and almost walked out. I was so tired I screwed up writing the check twice. 
• Congratulated ourselves with dinner and a drink at a craft brewery on the way home.

wendy838

We have the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe and I *think* it’s big enough for 1-2 kids so not looking to purchase anything else at the moment. Other contenders were the Tucson (too small for us), Honda CRV, Subaru Forester. I’ve heard great things about Subaru, but their look didn’t match our personality (maybe we’re also not “crunchy” enough @akoros haha)

My father has had several Toyota Siennas for as long as I can remember and I can attest they are great for 3 children. The fold down seats, the space to maneuver, huge cargo space, sliding doors etc. He’s driven each one to the ground. 

sgrn18

I bought a new Subaru Forester almost 2 years ago with no plans to trade it in ever.  I absolutely love that SUV.   I test drove the Toyota rav 4 and hated it.  It was so loud during the test drive, everything inside of the car felt like cheap plastic, and the back seat was too small for our car seat.   Then we test drove the Honda CR-V and I really liked that one.  It was a quiet and smooth ride, had lots of space, but the price tag on a new one on had me anxious.  

That being said when we go anywhere that we need to take our 2 dogs with us it will definitely be super cramped with 2 car seats.  We are talking about upgrading to the Subaru Ascent for the added space but we likely won’t do that right away since we won’t really be traveling for a while.  

legallykate

I am currently leasing a Lexus RX350. I got it when DD was just about to turn 1, and it has been okay for just her and will hopefully be fine for her plus a newborn for a little bit, although I really don't want to drive it as my primary car until the lease is up in July 2022. I really really want a minivan! One of my biggest annoyances right now is DD wanting to try to get herself into and out of the car/her carseat (a convertible one that we turned forward recently because she is a giant 2.5 year old). The car is a little too tall for her to be able to easily get up and down into/out of, and opening the door out sideways for her to get in and out is also a pain, so the sliding doors seem like a lifesaver. The built in entertainment system in some of the pimped out minivans also seems like a huge perk, right now we all have to listen to her music or she gets mad, so I would much rather her (and her brother someday) just have their own entertainment so we could do our own thing in the front (I am not an anti-screen time mom, lol). I drove a Honda Civic for a long time so am leaning towards the Odyssey but am super interested in hearing why anyone picked one minivan over others. 

rvamom90

We currently have a Nissan Rogue and a Subaru Outback. This fall, we may get a Subaru Ascent. We're drooling over the Hyundai Palisade but many are still going over MSRP and I'm not about that life.

akoros

@sgrn18 *That's* why we nixed the Toyota Rav4, I read reviews that was loud and the interior wasn't as nice (compared to comparable models). Now I remember...

@wendy838 I was really interested in a Subaru Forester, or maybe Crosstrek, but he killed the idea outright. I told him he was being stupid, and he didn't disagree, but I figured we had enough to look into. Had the Escape been a strikeout maybe I would have convinced him of it (like I said, he had zero interest in an Escape at the outset for unknown reasons).

MelissaMay82

I have a 2013 Nissan Murano. I absolutely love it. I wanted a mid-sized suv, not too big but not too small. It will fit 2 car seats just fine. DH does have to get a new truck though, he has a 2008 Chevy and I don’t think that it will fit 2 car seats. We will probably start truck shopping in a few months.

disgruntled_pelican

We are currently in a 2010 Chrysler T&C that I loathe. We will be upgrading to a brand new Ascent before the baby comes. DH works for Subaru so we get a pretty good lease deal. We were looking at getting an Outback before we found out about this baby, but we've officially outgrown 5 seater vehicles!

akoros

@wendy838 Forgot to mention, good friends of ours have a Santa Fe with two little boys and are very happy with it. It's the first car they've had since moving to the US about 10 years ago, but seems to suit them just fine. 

wanderlustsoul

This is my bike. It’s great! 😆😆 My husband has a bike seat for my son and I’ll get a bike seat for when the baby is old enough. 

kristah2

We have a Mazda3 sport and a Ford F-150 (which I refuse to drive) so I’m likely going to need a new vehicle for 3 car seats. 

Anyone have recommendations for fitting 3 car seats (2 forward facing and an infant seat) that is not a mini van? 

marebear15

We upgraded from a Toyota Rav4 to a Sienna with my last baby, and I'm so glad we did! I love the Sienna because of the sliding doors (easier to park), the back up cameras, and the ease of getting in the back bench. We took out the 8th seat to make two captain chairs. I love being able t o just hop in the back seat to chill with the kids if we are waiting for something, or to nurse on the go. My oldest is going to be sitting in the back, and there's plenty of room for a rear facing seat back there too. We even have trunk space for a double stroller. 

mc0303

Does anyone have experience with the VW Atlas? I've been looking at car-seat friendly reviews and that seems to always come up. I want to go test drive. 

laurad75

We have an Audi Q5 and I love it but we need more space and the cargo space is not impressive.  We want to upgrade to a SUV with a 3rd row and the Q7 would be the obvious choice but the MPG is so low that we want to entertain other options.  I'm reading/ watching online reviews of just about everything.  We lease our cars so after this one I might be ready for a mini-van but not quite yet.  

@legallykate we want to see the Lexus RX 450 - I thought it was too big when we were car shopping a few years ago but I'm probably ready for that size now.  I just think there might be other comparable options with a lower price tag.  

@mc0303 I'm also interested in the Atlas.  I think the_car_mom turned me on to that.  

mc0303

@laurad75 same! I liked her review of it and it seemed like the most reasonable priced for storage space and car seat set-up. We're also trying to get my ILs to let us "borrow" their escalade for the forseeable future but that's a long shot. I had been considering the Subaru Ascent but based on her review I didn't really like it for our needs. I think we're going to end up with a van just not right now. 

rvamom90

@laurad75 and @mc0303 So glad you've found The Car Mom helpful!

mc0303

@rvamom90 she’s awesome! I discovered her a few weeks ago on another account that follow.... safeintheseat...all about car seat safety 

mindyb2019

Well my car is definitely NOT kid/baby friendly 🤣😆 I drive a black Mazda MX5 2 seater softtop convertible lol This kid will be riding on the roof haha. JK.. Me and DH have talked about it and I know that I need to get a new baby friendly vehicle. He said no rush right now as we have his truck which is a Land Rover and has soo much space and seats in it and room for a car seat, stroller etc so anywhere we go will just be together in his vehicle with the baby. Its tough cause I'm not ready to sell or trade in my car just yet. My car has been my dream car since I was like 12 and its literally my baby. I LOVE little sports car convertibles. Not gonna lie, I will prob cry when I let it go. 😥 Mom life is so tough 😆

When I do get something new ill prob look into a smaller SUV of some sort but nothing too big for me as im tiny and don't like big vehicles. 

klj0228

I have a Ford Explorer. I feel in love when I traveled a lot for work and waited until I found one at a price I was willing to pay with the trim package I wanted. I like that it has a third row for the few times we need it, but when that’s down there is tons of cargo space. My only semi gripe is that DH and I both have long legs so the front seats will likely be a little further forward than we like when we have two rear facing seats. 

_orchid_

@legallykate we choose the sienna over the odyssey bc of the AWD- we need it in the snow bc we live at the bottom of a hill. I don't think that's going to be an issue for you though 😂 we also both drive our cars into the ground and have found previous Toyotas to be reliable. I love the minivan life with kids- getting everyone/everything in and out is so easy, and having the flat floor has come in handy so many times- from diaper changes on road trips in the pouring rain, potty training on the go with ds2 (the little potty came with us EVERYWHERE lol). 

ramzlau

@mc0303 A friend just got the VW Atlas and she loves it! Her last two cars were Q5 and Lexus SUV, so she is used to luxury and said the Atlas is living up to the car mom reviews. I have been eyeing it too...

@laurad75 I have the X5 right now, and I agree there is just not enough space. As much as I would love the X7, I don’t think the price point or the mpg is worth it with as much as I drive. 

I really don’t want a minivan lol. 

hollyk224

We bought a 2018 Honda Odyssey after our last baby was born. We love it!

mc0303

@ramzlau that makes me feel good!! I’m used to the luxury cars too 😭😭😭 It’s hard to make a switch 

mamakate2011

@angelz429 I’ve got a Kia Sedona also, I love my mom mobile! In my opinion, it’s the least “minivanish” of minivans. Lol. 

I’m a Jeep girl and have been all my life. Got the minivan when I had my third baby. And I must admit, automatic sliding doors are very convenient when you have a baby. Lol. I’ll be minivanning it for quite some time - but I WILL have me a Jeep again one day. 

mc0303

I was just googling Kia Sedona and the Kia Carnival Limousine came up...only available in Korea but d$nm! I’d totally get that!

DoubleUp8

I drive a 2018 Subaru Impreza hatchback. I love it because it fits way more than your think it should. I have the longer commute, so the had mileage and 4-wheel drive were a must for me living in a top 10 snowiest city in the US. 

DH has a 2016 Subaru Forester that he loves. My were use it for the family road trips. I am working on him to upgrade to the Subaru Accent in 2 years once the boys are both bigger and more active. We'll need a 3rd row of seats, but having 4-wheel drive is a must where we live.

ruemcclanahan

I drive a Chevy equinox and I love it!
I want a mini van so bad!!!
This car is almost paid off so I'm going to run it into the ground and then get a mini van next

ashaislurking

I highly recommend the Honda Odyssey Touring to anyone looking at a minivan.

tilournextadventure

@ruemcclanahan that's funny as I hated my equinox!! I'm driving a Toyota Highlander now and I love it! I had one in college too and am so glad to be back to the Toyota family. 

Omie_Wise

We have a Mercedes Wagon and I love it so much but it doesn’t fit 3 car seats so we are going to have to replace it 😭😭😭 We are going to look at Volvo but I can’t find conclusive proof that 3 RF car seats will fit in the back of their V90. We will also look at Subaru. DH low key wants to try and get a Mercedes S class, which I am not interested in. I can’t imagine lifting our double in that trunk.  But it’s likely we will go with an Odyssey. We rented a van awhile back when my car was having work done and I hated it so much. I think the sliding seats in the Odyssey would make it work, though. Without them I don’t understand what’s the point of the 3rd row with 3 RFing car seats? 

mc0303

@Omie_Wise I’m in the Mercedes club too and so sad to give it up. I was also looking at the Volvo V90 and I saw it on YouTube and you would not be able to fit 3 rear facing seats. Also it was way more cramped than I had anticipated. I may move to that when the kids are older but right now the car seat situation is a deal breaker. 

ramzlau

@Omie_Wise Not sure how they compare because I have until Aug or so to figure it out, but the Volvo XC90 is on my shortlist and might have more space than the V90. 

Omie_Wise

@mc0303 Ughhh, that doesn’t surprise me but it’s still such a bummer. I just want to keep using a wagon. 

@ramzlau The x90 does fit 3 across but it seems the v90 is slightly more narrow. I just don’t want an SUV 😕 I really like that my kids can crawl in the car on their own and I don’t want to lift up an infant car seat so high. I’m doomed to a van 😆. The x90 is very pretty looking, though. 

toesinthesand-2

Current car is a 2012 Toyota Highlander Limited, I bought brand new and have driven ever since. It was perfect for me solo, and even with our first. I actually really do love this car - 9 years and 150,000 miles and it's never needed anything other than routine maintenance (oil changes, new tires, and one set of brakes) and still has a tight suspension and drives like the day I got it. I keep my second row captains chairs and the third row folded most of the time. Unfortunately, for us we just feel like it's time for a bigger car. If Toyota made a better large SUV option than the Sequoia I would totally get another but unfortunately I'm just not a fan of it....and I just can't bring myself to go the minivan route.

I currently have a 2021 GMC Yukon on order, just waiting on it to come in. I held out for the '21 because I really didn't want to up to the XL, and the new model has added trunk space behind the third row. 

Before committing to have a second kid I actually was going to get the Lexus GX460, but it definitely isn't big enough for me with two kids. 

toesinthesand-2

@mc0303 - Not the Atlas, but I know someone with a brand new Tiguan. She was just in an accident and it crunched up like a tin can...and it wasn't even a "bad" accident. 😬I honestly was pretty surprised because I know a lot of people who have been looking at both the Atlas & Tiguan and assumed they had good safety ratings. She was stopped in traffic, hit from behind, and in turn hit the car in front of her - so it's not like she was going fast and rear-ended someone. Needless to say, even though the car is off being repaired she won't be driving it again. Instead, they just got her a Toyota Highlander to replace it. 

angelz429

for anyone with anxiety, I can’t stress the sliding doors enough. My son (adhd, now 10) dinged up to many cars in parking lots (sorry if you parked by me 🙈) and my husband would get so angry and irritable Bc he has anxiety. Now it’s awesome. Don’t have to worry about it at all. 

We set up our Sedona where we took out the middle seat so it’s like faux captains chairs. And it’s perfection. 

Also. Before covid, we took people places. Like my sons friends with us to the beach or my mom or friends when in town to Disney/Orlando and we could all ride together. We’re getting an au pair in august and all 6 of us (3 kids, au pair, 2 adults) can fit in the van. 

we had a suv with third row and it was quite frankly a waste. It was a pain to get into the third row and when the third row was up there was no trunk space. It was a waste of money and we traded it in for the van fairly quickly. 

akoros

@toesinthesand-2 This might be a stupid question, but was it designed to do that? I remember a while ago being told that some cars are designed to crumple easily in the hood/trunk area to absorb the impact, while having a stronger frame in the passenger area. (I say this knowing next to nothing about VW)

_orchid_

Adding to @angelz429, we also frequently have other people in the van with us (pre-covid). We went on a 14 hour car trip with my brother and it was nice that we had plenty of room. 

We have the captains chairs in the second row and the best thing about them is the kids aren't touching LOL. They can reach each other but also have their own space. We have a box that fits perfectly on the floor between their seats, so when we do car trips we fill it with their stuff and put it between them. 

Can't remember if it's been mentioned- dual heating zones too. My kids are always hot, even more so bc car seats, so being able to keep it cooler for them in the back without feeling like an ice cube myself is awesome.