Vehicles

EmbracingChange · February 2014

What do you drive?

What do you like about it?

What do you dislike about it?

How many kids do you have?

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)?

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)?

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given.

There may be a thread like this, but I couldn't find one on our page.

deepoceanmama · February 2014

What do you drive? 2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring

What do you like about it? It's big without being hard to drive, gets great gas mileage, has a sizeable hatchback and good backseat leg room, and was super affordable. It handles really well in the snow. Honestly, I REALLY love my car.

What do you dislike about it? It may still be a little small when LO gets here. It's tight travelling with our two dogs as it is.

How many kids do you have? 0 until June.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? DH and I are thinking we may need a third row, but really only because the idea of travelling with two dogs and an infant is daunting. For just us an one LO, it would be plenty of room.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? Nope.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Price was huge for us. We were going to get a used car, but we found a great deal on this one brand new (we paid about 16k for it new in 2012, including tax/tags). We were also looking for a roomier car because dogs. DH and I wanted to find a car that had lots of space but that wouldn't be a gas hog (like an SUV), or too huge (like a minivan), or too expensive (like a hybrid SUV).

bebemac · February 2014

What do you drive?
2014 Subaru Forester

What do you like about it?
The panoramic moonroof, back up camera, comfy seats, room for storage in back

What do you dislike about it?
Nothing!

How many kids do you have?
0

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)?
N/A

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)?
I kind of miss my Smart!

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given.
The panoramic moonroof won me over, not gonna lie!

ncbelle · February 2014

What do you drive? 2010 Subaru Outback (although I have a 2000 Honda Civic that's the "whoever doesn't have the kids" car).

What do you like about it? Everything

What do you dislike about it? Nothing in particular - I suppose the back will be a bit tight when newbie arrives and it may not work for us once the kids are older.

How many kids do you have? This will be #3

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Nope! Again, that may change when the kids are older. We also have two 50 pound dogs so I like having the open cargo space for them.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)?

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Um...having a 5 speed transmission and not a mini-van

Although I may have to give those both up one day!

EmbracingChange · February 2014

Right now I have a 2003 Chevy S10 crew cab. I like having the bed because I can move small things on my own.

Once I fit the two kids and Gambit in there we have no room for a bag or groceries, not even under their feet.. I keep a truck box in the back for groceries, but I have a hard time reaching all the way into the box.

I'm going car shopping today and I found a Volvo xc90 for a good price that I like, but it doesn't have third row. I'm wondering if I should hold out for one with third row seating, assuming that I like it that much after the test drive, or if we can function fine with a 5 seater.

Sometimes I really miss our 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe sport. Sure, the two doors would suck with 3 kids, but I loved that Tahoe!

Our other vehicles are a 1990 Chevy 3500 with a 454 engine- terrible gas mileage, won't fit family. And a 2012 Ford Fiesta that DH drives back and forth to college. 42 mpg, but won't fit the family.

pinkchloe · February 2014

What do you drive? Ford Edge

What do you like about it? Love everything about it: AWD but rides like a car, super comfortable seats, back seats recline, nice interior, Sync system, lots of cargo room, back seats fold flat, V6 power with good gas mileage, etc, etc!

What do you dislike about it? Nothing!

How many kids do you have? Still cooking the first one, but have 2 fur babies and there will be plenty of room for all 5 of us

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Don't have one but don't feel the need for one

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? Nope

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given.
Quality for price, comfort, AWD

ricecakes1216 · February 2014

What do you drive? 2011 Chevy Equinox

What do you like about it? I love my car. It has every option that I wanted but leather seats. It is really comfortable and easy to drive. I feel like am big enough I won't be demolished in a crash but not huge that I feel like I take up the whole road.

What do you dislike about it? I wish it had a bit more space in the back and had a bit better gas mileage.

How many kids do you have? Just the one on the way.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)?

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? I had a Honda Accord that I loved. I thought that I would have gotten a new one when we bought my car but I decided I wanted something a little bigger.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. It's our family car. I wanted to make sure that if we had kids we had a place for our dog and the baby. We also do a lot of traveling over the mountains so we wanted an all wheel drive car for that.

Neuron79 · February 2014

I have a 2011 Mercedes ML 350. It's an SUV in black.

I love the heated steering wheel and how quickly the seats heat up. I also like the sleek look and back up camera. Very safe and reliable too.

What I dislike is the car payment. The navigation system is clunky. It's also slow.

This is our first baby.

I think we will need to third row as we have three dogs but dw doesn't think so.

No vehicles I wish I still had.

It was an impulsive selection before we thought we would have kids. I thought it was sexy. Luckily, the safety is a huge kiddo perk!!

robbinrl · February 2014

EmbracingChange said:
What do you drive? 2012 Toyota Prius V

What do you like about it? Gas mileage and size. We were looking for a wagon that could have both our dogs in the back and this is the only one that fit the bill.

What do you dislike about it? It has a 'smart' climate control but it is actually super annoying. On nice days I can't just let the air in from outside, I have to set a temperature.

How many kids do you have? 1 #2 on the way (plus 2 60lb dogs)

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? The European version has an optional 3rd row that comes out and we kind of wish we had that option for certain times.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it) I miss driving a manual.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Space, mpg, and quality are big for us.

There may be a thread like this, but I couldn't find one on our page.

@hampire my husband and I both had 2008 4dr Toyota Yaris. Mine got totaled but DH's is still going strong. The Yaris doesn't get enough love! Car seats haven't been that easy to fit as a heads up. We used a convertible from the start and had to get one made for smaller cars (combi corroco) b/c with other ones the front seat needed to be pushed way too far up.

temursgirl · February 2014

What do you drive? Metallic green 2006 Acura RSX. It's been dry, and hence dusty, here, so it's hard to tell it's metallic green right now.

What do you like about it? It's small, so I don't get stressed parking in the city, going around double parked vehicles, or navigating our street, which is a narrow loop. At the same time, it's a hatch so the interior space is relatively large. It's both cute and gets good mileage. I'm totally planning to put car seats in both our cars. DH drives a sports car (smaller than mine).

What do you dislike about it? Nothing right now, except when I do need to move furniture or something I have to borrow a friend's SUV. I have a feeling that when LO reaches school age getting her in and out of a 2-door car will be a hassle. And it comfortably seats 4, so when my ILs visit we'll have to take both cars.

How many kids do you have? This is our first.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Doubt I'll ever feel I need one. I don't enjoy driving big cars.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? No, but I'm really attached to this one. My granddad had a pale blue 1962 Beetle I was very sad my parents wouldn't let me have.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. I love small hatchbacks!

lest12 · February 2014

Drive a 2011 corolla... I like that it is cheap (a lease), small but still fits a ton of crap and easily maintained with great gas mileage... Don't dislike anything, per se, but with baby on the way, I'll go bigger when this lease is up in November... This is kid #1... NA on 3rd row.lie I did like the Santa Fe I had before, as a small SUV... I plan on leasing a rav4 when this lease is up. I like leasing. I hardly out any miles on the car, and only lease if I can get a deal where my monthly payment is less than the depreciation of the car over the period, so I'm not actually losing money on the deal, but saving. And my favorite part is that I really like having a new car that I never have to worry about it, even of it isn't that fancy. I guess that's the biggest thing for me in choosing a car.

EmbracingChange · February 2014

My best friend leases a Nissan Altima and only pays like $180 a month so she's tried talking me into leasing, but I drive a lot so it doesn't work well for me.

katekat8721 · February 2014

What do you drive? 2013 Hyundai Tucson

What do you like about it? It's zippy! It's a small SUV so it drives/parks like a car but is still roomy.

What do you dislike about it? It's going to be tight with two newborns, two adults and 2 dogs. It makes me itchy to think about. I used to have an older Chevy Tahoe and I loved that, but it was a beast and filling it was over $100/fill

How many kids do you have? Currently just two furchildren. In May/June it'll be 2 newborns, 2 small furchildren.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? I had a third row to my Tahoe and never used it, in fact, I took out the seat so I'd have more room in the back. Even that with 2 kids + 2 dogs would have been fine since the dogs could be in the back or on the floor of the 2nd row. In the Tucson it's too tight.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? As roomy as the Tahoe was, it was also a PITA to park and pay for.
ETA: I really wish I still had my Camaro or Mustang convertible... those were fun!

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Price, warranty, roominess.

I really want a minivan. Like, bad.

momof5sept18 · February 2014

What do you drive? 2000 Dodge Durango

What do you like about it? Its a great car, plenty of room, and a third row seat.

What do you dislike about it? Its upholstery and not leather so its a more pita to clean with kids so I'm buying seat covers for the two back seats.

How many kids do you have?
As of June, 3.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Yes, because my car is the main family car, Myself, DH, all three (as of June) kids can all fit comfortably plus we still have room for my BIL who's always with us, and still have room for my two dogs. Plus the hatch has space for groceries still. Its much more roomy and the 3rd row accommodates my family perfectly.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? No, I've always wanted a third row seat and I'm happy to have my Durango.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given.
3rd row seat to accommodate our family because there will be 5 of us as of June plus we always have extra family with us, and I love SUVs. It was either an SUV or a truck, and I've always wanted a durango and now I have one. Also, no car payments. We bought it cash because payments aren't what we like to do, we'd rather pay cash then worry about payments.

We also have a '76 Corvette Stingray, a Trans Am (forgot the year), an S10 (single cab), and a 95 Chevy Cheyanne ext cab and ext bed, but its two door so putting a newborn in it would be a pita, also its mainly a work truck, but my Durango is the family car because everyone fits comfortably and its mine and I love it lol.

izzetoot · February 2014

What do you drive? Mercedes ML350

What do you like about it? Great gas mileage, lots of trunk space, auto hatch door with remote, spacious back seat.

What do you dislike about it? It VERY bouncy, little worried it going to bother the LO while he's sleeping.

How many kids do you have? FTM

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? If I had one, id take it out bc the back seat is soooo big.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? Yes, Audi TT. It was tiny and totally impracticable, but i do miss the Audi brand. I wish I had gotten the Q5 or Q7 over my ML350 bc they drive more like cars and less like SUVs, meaning they're easier to maneuver, quieter and less bumpy on the roads.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. gas mileage, trunk space, roomy and comfortable

Kristalyn85 · February 2014

What do you drive? 2008 Toyota Highlander Sport Edition

What do you like about it? I love almost everything about it. It is big enough to haul most big loads, can carry a lot of people, has a backup camera, has the ability to load our kayaks on, and is big enough to trailer a big boat behind it. This list can go on and on.

What do you dislike about it? The only thing I can think of is that it doesn't have a compass on it to tell you which direction you are going. That being said, I don't really need it, just wish I had it.

How many kids do you have? Um....only 2 furbabies and another foster dog.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? When carpooling at work for lunch, I really appreciate it. We got an SUV with the third row planning for the future. We plan on having up to 3 kids, and want to be able to fit all the seats in.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? I loved my Pontiac Grand Am Coop, but only for sentimental reasons. I drove it for almost 11 years, and it would not have been very practical with only two doors.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. I would probably say the size was biggest factor. We do almost everything in my SUV, so it had to be big enough for all the things we normally do. Also, I am not made out of money, so price was also a big factor.

MrsCase1 · February 2014

EmbracingChange said:

What do you drive? 2008 Hyundai Veracruz

What do you like about it? Nice and large, good gas mileage.

What do you dislike about it? I wish I would've gotten leather seat and maybe a moonroof.

How many kids do you have? 1+ 1 on the way

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? I came from a 5-seater compact. We plan to have three kids (God willing) so there was no way in hell I'd have bought another 5-seater. Trying to get three kids into car seats in a row sounds like some kind of personal hell. Plus, in the amount of time it takes to pay off a car on a traditional plan, they might be old enough to want to bring a friend, I needed room for groceries AND a stroller, etc. I have already used my third row.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? All my other cars were fun so I miss them all for one reason or another.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given.

Plenty of space to grow! I wouldn't have minded a van but my DH was adamant against it for the vanity reasons, but also because as a mechanic, he has issues with the chassis in relation to needing to replace brakes due to weight. We are cheap, LOL!

arekeweg · February 2014

What do you drive? 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Overland) V8

What do you like about it? In winter it's wonderful in snow, heated steering wheel, and heated seats. In summer, the cooled seats and panoramic moon roof. Love the automatic headlights and windshield wipers too. Its back seats fold down and can fit a lot of stuff. Remote tailgate and keyless entry.

What do you dislike about it? Since it's Black Forest Green, it looks dirty easily.

How many kids do you have? FTM

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? N/A

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? I'm a truck gal so I miss my 2006 F-150. It was beautiful and powerful!

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Convienance features, comfort, and power.

dragonfly711 · February 2014

What do you drive? 2013 Chevy Spark

What do you like about it? Great on gas milage!!! Commuter car for my hour commute

What do you dislike about it? Small but had a 2004 Dodge Durango before but with my hour commute I was spending $75./ 3 days for gas. Could not afford it. Now $ 30/ 3 days

How many kids do you have? 7 furry ones until June!!

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Was nice in the Durango but really dont need it We always had the back row down so the dogs could be in the back.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? Loved my Jeep Liberty

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Right now it is price. would love a different car but can't afford one.

tbmadeamistake · February 2014

We both have Subaru's, I have a brand new Impreza wagon, he has a Legacy GT. We love the awd especially given the hill we live on and NE winters! The all weather package they come with is awesome:heated seats, windshield, and side mirrors. I got an auto starter added and the only downside to it is that it kills my mpg. Plenty of room in the back for two babies (we have one already, one to come). Don't need a third row for two babies, might want one if we have a third.
I had a Honda fit that I loved and would have kept, but it met up with an unfortunate accident and couldn't be saved. I honestly liked the fits doors better for babies. They were a little more squared so there was less chance of honking C's head on the frame pulling her in and out.
I wanted awd, heated seats, and an auto start. I got all those things and in the same size car as my fut. I hate driving giant cars. Even DH's car feels like a boat to me.

lest12 · February 2014

EmbracingChange said:
My best friend leases a Nissan Altima and only pays like $180 a month so she's tried talking me into leasing, but I drive a lot so it doesn't work well for me.

@embracingchange - I drive like 6,000 miles a year. You have to drive low miles or it would cost way too much.

LoveOBX630 · February 2014

2014 ford escape. I love everything about it. It's completely loaded, except a sunroof. I hate sunroofs because I had one that leaked one time and it was a NIGHTMARE to get fixed. It's awd, leather heated seats, backup camera, navigation, remote start, power liftgate, etc. It has all the convenience I wanted with a decent payment. It has great gas mileage for an SUV too.

We will have our first child in June and it has plenty of room for rear facing baby seat. We have a 75 lb fur child (yellow lab) that takes up the cargo area, but with the roof top racks vacations will be fine. I don't have any other cars I wish I had--my first car was a camaro (loved it, will have another when kids are grown!) but it's not practical now. I traded in an 08 Chevy cobalt for the escape.

Also, my DH drives a 2013 ram 1500 that also has room for the baby seat in the extended cab. In addition, we have a silverado 3/4 ton with a full size bed and an extended cab--not baby friendly!

k2k2tog · February 2014

What do you drive? 2001 Ford Focus

What do you like about it? It was FREEEEEE. My parents gifted it to us when we got married. It was their car, but I had been driving it for 2 years or so while at university. They made the gift official on our wedding day.

What do you dislike about it? How long do you have? It's a fine car, still running great. But, the rust holes are getting bigger and we chose to have the A/C decommissioned when we got the ownership, since no one expected it to still be running 4 years later. No A/C in the humidity of southern Ontario is brutal.

How many kids do you have? 2 furbabies, with our first real baby on the way.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? It would probably be nice to have a third row for the dogs, but that won't be happening, even if we bought a new car. Our driveway won't accommodate a car larger than our Focus.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? In high school, I drove a little gray 1991 Mazda pick-up. It was a farm truck, a standard, and I loved it. When I met my husband, he was driving a little gray Toyota truck from the same era. They don't make little trucks like either of them anymore, so I kind of wish we still had one or the other. Obviously, neither of those options would work with baby.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Well, we didn't choose, really. But we're kind of in the process of looking for a new car since I don't love the idea of going through a summer with no A/C, and a new baby in the car. Price is going to be a big deciding factor, along with what's available. We're not new car people... I kind of think new cars are a waste of money - maybe that's a UO? So, we'll be hounding AutoTrader until we find a used car we like for a price that works for us.

whoberry · February 2014

@snuff9861 I apologize in advance if this is a sensitive question, but why don't you drive? I am curious.

Honda Pilot

Like: Roomy and very comfortable. I like sitting up high after having a tiny 2 door. We also got an amazing deal on it.

Dislike: It's BIG so sometimes it's hard to find a parking spot in the city. Gas mileage is not great and sometimes I feel silly having such a big car for myself.

Kids: FTM

Third Row: It's awesome and very roomy for a 3rd row (way bigger than the volvo) but rarely used since we don't have kids. We let friends with kids borrow it when they had family in town and they really liked that they could fit 4 adults and 2 kids in car seats in it. I'm sure it will get more use when baby arrives.

Vehicles you wish you still had: Nope. DH may miss his ancient sports car but I don't. It was just sitting in the driveway rusting for years. Real classy.

What was most important when you chose your vehicle: Well, I never test drove or saw the vehicle in person before we got it. I saw pics online and pointed it out to DH although there was another vehicle where he got it from that I thought was better looking. We picked it because it was in great shape, low mileage, amazing deal (it was a repo) and large enough to accommodate a family. Unfortunately getting the family to put in the car was not as easy as getting the car.

allrightmeow · February 2014

What do you drive? A Rav4

What do you like about it? Gets good mileage and is comfortable for right now. Lots of cargo room.

What do you dislike about it? The Navi system is crappy. It doesn't look like we will be able to get three car seats in the back. Middle seat belt comes from ceiling.

How many kids do you have? 2

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Yes. This is the main family car and we drive to and from FL at least twice a year so we need the kids to be comfortable in the back.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? I loved my Jetta. I took really good care of it.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. Price and milage. With kids leather seats are very very helpful. Needs to be comfortable.

chloephoebecali · February 2014

What do you drive? I drive a Toyota Sienna and Dh has a Toyota Highlander What do you dislike about it? I'm not the minivan type, but it is convenient and very nice (ride, comfortable, etc). With the Highlander, I'm disappointed in the third row. I would never consider it a "real" seat for anyone over 10 years old. Plus, it would be a pita/not ideal to put three car seats in it no matter how it is configured. It would be a pita to have third row person to have to squeeze to get back (if there are car seats in the second row and I don't know how I would be able to ensure my back seat kid was strapped well in any five point booster or convertible. I don't think there are two latch systems or anchors in the third row either. Note: my 4 year old is not quite 30 lbs and is still in her convertible car seat and needs to be strapped in. Otherwise I love the Highlander, I just think I didn't really think the third row scenario out, with a third kid in mind. Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? My opinions on such are above. I believe some other SUVs may have a better setup for their third row (removable seat in second row so you can access the back row/more latch systems/anchors). Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? Not really. I'm a Toyota lover and have loved them all. (Used to have a Corolla. Liked my Nissan, too.) What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. I like foreign.

LindsayDesigner · February 2014

What do you drive?
2000 VW Beetle

What do you like about it?
It's small and easy to maneuver. It also has sentimental value because it was my first car. I love the manual transmission as well, it is so fun to drive!

What do you dislike about it?
It only has two doors so we have to sit in the back in order to load our 18 month old into her car seat. It is only going to get harder to load her in the bigger I get.

How many kids do you have?
One here and one on the way.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)?
Maybe eventually.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)?
Nope

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given.
Efficiency and price.

Neuron79 · February 2014

I agree-wish I had gone with Audi over the ML but planning on trading it in next year.

jenn72178 · February 2014

What do you drive? 2013 Honda Pilot

What do you like about it? Its my first brand new car ever! Heated, leather seats, 3rd row, super comfy and it looks hot!

What do you dislike about it? Its really big and doesn't fit in our indoor garage parking spot...plus gas $ is a biotch

How many kids do you have? DH has 4 from his previous marriage. Baby girl makes 5!

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? Absolutely. Its one of the main reasons for our purchase - before we got it we took 2 cars everywhere what a P.I.T.A!!

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? This is my favorite :-)

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. 3rd row!

fsumom · February 2014

2011 Kia Forte

I mostly like that it gets me from point A to B and has features like Bluetooth, steering wheel controls.

There's not much I dislike about it. The only thing I can think of is that it is small and will be a tight fit with 2 kids.

I have a 7 year old daughter and a baby boy on the way.

No, we don't need a 3rd row.

There aren't any vehicles I've had that I liked better than the one I have now.

The most important factor to us besides safety was price. We don't need luxury. I never thought I'd purchase a Kia just because they used to have a bad reputation. They have greatly improved, and I have had zero trouble with mine.

EmbracingChange · February 2014

I bought myself a 2007 Volvo xc90 today. For it's year, it's loaded. Leather, moon roof, built in DVD players with wireless headphones... I'm loving it so far. DH- (220# 6'2") sat back there with both kids during the test drive so I know a car seat will fit

LindsayDesigner · February 2014

@embracingchange are you sure a rear facing car seat will fit? We've been car shopping lately and it is shocking how much space those convertible seats eat up.

EmbracingChange · February 2014

LindsayDesigner said:

@embracingchange are you sure a rear facing car seat will fit? We've been car shopping lately and it is shocking how much space those convertible seats eat up.

I am. The front has tons of room to move up if we need to also.

jtaylor199 · February 2014

I drive my husbands car enough to have an opinion on it, so I'll provide both.

What do you drive? Mercedes C300 (sport)

What do you like about it? All wheel drive (important with NH roads), heated seats, great and compact navigation system, the car is a good weight, I have had lighter cars and hated them, it’s a good size fits adults in the back seat comfortably, plenty of trunk space.

What do you dislike about it? Not a lot of interior storage, you have to be picky about what you keep in the car…unless you’re ok with a mess. It also takes premium gas, which is expensive.

How many kids do you have? 1 four leg baby

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? N/A

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? None, this is my favorite yet (I have had 4 other cars.)

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. All wheel drive, navigation and size.

What do you drive? Subaru Legacy (husbands car)

What do you like about it? All wheel drive, heated cloth seats (I actually don’t really like leather, although it’s easier to clean), great size, CVT transmission.

What do you dislike about it? Not much.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. My husband really wanted something sleek looking that was reasonably priced.

To be honest, the husbands car is probably the better pick for a dog and kids simply because it has a lot of interior room. Once we have more than one child he will probably take my car and I’ll get a new bigger one. He intends to drive his car into the ground and mine should still be in good shape then.

rcbuko · February 2014

What do you drive? We have two cars. 2011 Honda Odyssey and 2013 Subaru Cross Trek

What do you like about it? Odyssey - sliding doors, push button open of doors and trunk, space, cooler, comfort, gas mileage, back-up camera. Subaru - AWD, back-up camera, fits three car seats across even though it is a smallish car, gas mileage, visibility, sporty drive

What do you dislike about it? I don't dislike anything about either car. Love them both and would buy both again.

How many kids do you have? We have three and will have four soon.

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? We don't need a third row in either car right now. It is helpful in the Odyssey for when we want to take my mother in law places (she doesn't have a car) but other than that, we usually have the third row folded down. We will absolutely need the third row once baby number 4 comes and will move the oldest two to the third row and have the two babies in the second row with one chair taken out so we can move around easier. The Subaru will have only three seats in it. As of right now, I think we will have the two oldest seats in the Subaru and the infant seat for the newborn for the summer since we already have the base. In the fall, kid #3 will go to school 3 times a week, so we will buy a convertible seat for him for the Subaru and have all the school aged kids able to ride in that vehicle. I don't know if we will eventually trade the Subaru in for another larger vehicle with a third row. I guess we'll see how we manage having only one car that can fit all four kids.

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? I loved our 2004 Subaru Outback and also loved our 2007 Honda Civic. They don't fit our needs right now but I did love both of them.

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. I wanted cars that would fit our lifestyle of having kids. If we were single, there is no way we would have a minivan but it totally makes sense since we have kids. The minivan makes daily and vacation travel so much more pleasant. I think we would have the Subaru no matter what. Safety is huge with me so that is a big factor. I am also big on gas mileage so we got cars that are the best/near the best in their class for gas mileage while they still perform the functions we need. We also get enough snow so having at least one AWD car is important. We will always have at least one AWD car. I also like some bells and whistles - heated seats, auto dimming mirror, heated mirrors, leather seats, and back-up cameras. I could care less about navigation or blind spot indicators, deer whistles, etc. Basically, we paid for what luxuries are important but didn't get the fully loaded package on either vehicle.

kibean · February 2014

What do you drive? 2008 Ford Focus Coupe and a 2002 Ford Escape (DH mainly drives this one)

What do you like about it? I love how little my Focus is. It is easy to maneuver, parks anywhere, is reliable, and gets good gas mileage. We love the roominess of the Escape, the leather interior, heated seats, 4WD, and back up alarm.

What do you dislike about it? As far at the Focus, rarely has the 2 door thing been an issue-but I am sure it will be once the baby comes. The Escape can be a little loud.

How many kids do you have? 0 til June

Do you feel like you need the third row(if you have one)? No

Have you had any vehicles that you wish you still had (what was it)? No

What was most important to you when you chose your vehicle? Besides safety, that one is a given. I would say price/value, reliability, comfort, and gas mileage.

flerlgirl · February 2014

2012 dodge caravan.

It's roomy, automatic sliding doors, lots of cup holders, good space, safe, I look awesome in it, lots of trunk space.

I don't really dislike anything about it.

This will be kid #2.

I don't use the third row yet but we plan for this car to last us for a few years so I see a lot of soccer game transportation in my future. Right now I have the third row down to use for stroller space.

I used to drive an Acura integra, so, no.

I looked for convenience and ease of use. My hands are always full between the diaper bag and DS and the car seat and the keys and the blee and the blah so the automatic doors are a lifesaver. I also looked at space, gas mileage, and durability.

Danischn · February 2014

We have a 2012 Volvo XC 90 as our family car and I love it. I wanted something with an optional 3rd that wasn't a big SUV. (I personally hate driving big cars). This makes 3 kids but my oldest just turned 16 and drives herself around for the most part.
I do like have a third row when we have family visiting or kids have extra friends over.
I don't like the gas mileage too much but I was accustomed to getting more in my previous 4 door sedan, but knew that going into the purchase.
This is my favorite vehicle I've owned so far.
Most important features were safety, optional 3rd row, price

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Married DH 7/30/11

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IF, 5 losses, 1 son, 1 on the way.

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