I have a '12 VW Beetle right now and holy crap I wasn't thinking about kids when I bought it! DH has a Tacoma and both cars' back seats will only sit a car seat front facing so we are looking as well. I'm leaning toward the Ford Edge... Love how it looks and better gas mileage than the Explorer, which I like for the third row. Both my parents have the new Explorer and my sister has an '03 and it's still going strong! That right there says a lot to me. Plus DH's aunt has an employee code for Ford so we could get an amazing deal!!!
We rented the edge to drive from New York to Boston one time. It was a great car!
We have the Infiniti QX70 hybrid and love it this is our third and still have lots of room plus we get good gas mileage and have all the bells and whistles.
I love, love, LOVE my GMC Acadia. I bought it before I was engaged but loved the room for home improvement supplies (fits a full sheet of plywood flat) but it's gonna be awesome for toting the small ones around. Plenty of cargo room and it's got a ton of features. Heated/cooled seats, Lane departure and heads up display as well as blind spot alert are standard on the Denali trim. Lol, I went all out and don't regret it one bit!
I love, love, LOVE my GMC Acadia. I bought it before I was engaged but loved the room for home improvement supplies (fits a full sheet of plywood flat) but it's gonna be awesome for toting the small ones around. Plenty of cargo room and it's got a ton of features. Heated/cooled seats, Lane departure and heads up display as well as blind spot alert are standard on the Denali trim. Lol, I went all out and don't regret it one bit!
We have the one that is one step down from Denali
Lately, I've been packing everything for car trips without putting the 3rd seat down because I've been neurotic about everything becoming a missile in case of an accident. We put a pack n play, and two suitcases, her stroller, her pack n play foam mattress, all her junk, and sometimes a cooler in the far back behind the 3rd row and in the floor behind the 2nd row without putting the 3rd seat down. I'll put soft things like the foam mattress or pillows on the 3rd row seat.
I have a Mercedes ML and I am in love with it. It drives like a powerful sedan with the added benefit of the safety and room of an SUV. Mercedes drive the best IMO - they feel like you are gliding across the road on pillows.
Question along the same line: If I were "planning" on having a second child by the time this lil bean is 2 would it be smart to just go ahead and get an SUV with 3rd row seating or wait? Don't want to high jack the thread but I didn't feel like the questing needed its own thread. Thanks!
Question along the same line:
If I were "planning" on having a second child by the time this lil bean is 2 would it be smart to just go ahead and get an SUV with 3rd row seating or wait?
Don't want to high jack the thread but I didn't feel like the questing needed its own thread. Thanks!
If you are already in the works for getting a new car, then yes. If not, then you can probably wait until you're closer to having another baby. We had my car (VW Jetta) until right after DD turned 1.
I have a Audi Q5 and I absolutely love it!!! Has all the bells and whistles and it's one of the safest SUVs on the road. I purchased it after researching the top suv for its class size of luxury vehicles. And now that I'm preggers. It's gonna be great still with trunk size. I have two girls already 16 and 11. And we will still have room for baby!
We bought an Acura MDX from my mother. She has been toting around grandkids for years so I know how well car seats and strollers fit in it. Since it's an Acura/Honda I know it will last a long time.
Question along the same line: If I were "planning" on having a second child by the time this lil bean is 2 would it be smart to just go ahead and get an SUV with 3rd row seating or wait? Don't want to high jack the thread but I didn't feel like the questing needed its own thread. Thanks!
If you are already in the works for getting a new car, then yes. If not, then you can probably wait until you're closer to having another baby. We had my car (VW Jetta) until right after DD turned 1.
@redfallon thanks! Yeah we need a new one. We are currently driving a truck that has fold down seats for the back so not very baby friendly.
I'm a big fan of Jeeps but you have to watch out every now and then they have a model that's has a lot of issues. That being said my husband and I drive A Ford Explorer and a Nisson Armada. The Explorer is a little bit smaller than the Armada and great for day to day travel but the Armada is best for long trips. Both hold 2 RFing car seats. We have the Graco 4evers which are a little on the large side but totally worth it.
Any suggestions for something a bit lower in the budget arena? I have a Kia soul and love it for the cabin room, but the trunk space is going to be too small. Any good mid-range snow-worthy gas efficient suggestions?
Question along the same line: If I were "planning" on having a second child by the time this lil bean is 2 would it be smart to just go ahead and get an SUV with 3rd row seating or wait? Don't want to high jack the thread but I didn't feel like the questing needed its own thread. Thanks!
If you are already in the works for getting a new car, then yes. If not, then you can probably wait until you're closer to having another baby. We had my car (VW Jetta) until right after DD turned 1.
@redfallon thanks! Yeah we need a new one. We are currently driving a truck that has fold down seats for the back so not very baby friendly.
@amw2133 DH's truck is like that, too. He can't put the carseat in it so she doesn't ride with him ever. Only in mine.
I just sold a 10 yr old Honda CR-V that is worth the same thing as my 5 yr old Mazda 3. Hondas really hold their value and are such reliable cars that now I'm thinking maybe a new Honda CR-V? I was also thinking Jeep but the bumpy ride you all are talking about has put me off of that. Thanks for your input! @redfallon I can't imagine a car seat fitting in my Mazda seats... I need to borrow one and try it out to convince DH I need a new car.
I just sold a 10 yr old Honda CR-V that is worth the same thing as my 5 yr old Mazda 3. Hondas really hold their value and are such reliable cars that now I'm thinking maybe a new Honda CR-V? I was also thinking Jeep but the bumpy ride you all are talking about has put me off of that.
Thanks for your input!
@redfallon I can't imagine a car seat fitting in my Mazda seats... I need to borrow one and try it out to convince DH I need a new car.
You can go to Babies R Us or a place like that and they will let you try out their floor models in your car to see how they fit.
We have the Volvo XC90 and I absolutely love it! Not only does it get awesome safety ratings but it is spacious without feeling huge. we had a rough winter in New England last year but I always felt super safe and comfortable driving in my car. It does have a third row, although I will admit its not a full sized row. I am 5 ft and I can sit back there fairly comfortably, my husband can't even get his legs back there!
The trunk space is awesome, I have tested it out for how strollers will fit (if you live in or near Boston Magic Beans actually lets you take different strollers to your car to test getting them in and out) and I have not had any issues with space.
I know the 2016 model is a little different we have a 2014 so I am not totally sure how they match up but we love ours!
I just wanted to jump back on this thread because I was so active on it before. Our family sedan came in and it is great. DH has had it every day. We did end up ordering an SUV but not any of the ones that I mentioned above.
Anyone any experience with the Infinity FX 35 and or Audi Q3? We are planning on having two max. My DH will have a Ford Raptor before our little girl arrives and that's essentially a "work truck" (google it and you'll laugh that he thinks this is practical.
Thank you @Bebechica for info on the Audi Q 5--why the Q5 over Q3? just curious!
I think it's time to get rid of my beloved MINI Cooper S :-S
When my husband's ancient pickup truck died we test drove some of those--but we decided on a Toyota Highlander instead. It has the 3rd row of seats that we can fold down for our dog or for extra cargo room. We thought it gave us a really comfortable ride and gave us the best options/value for the money. Ours is a 2013 model and it still gets 22-25 MPG highway.
Anyone any experience with the Infinity FX 35 and or Audi Q3? We are planning on having two max. My DH will have a Ford Raptor before our little girl arrives and that's essentially a "work truck" (google it and you'll laugh that he thinks this is practical.
Thank you @Bebechica for info on the Audi Q 5--why the Q5 over Q3? just curious!
I think it's time to get rid of my beloved MINI Cooper S :-S
I have had an FX 35 before. I only had it for two years, but I really liked it a lot. The only thing that I found frustrating/annoying with the vehicle was that the lane departure warning system beeps instead of having the steering wheel vibrate. It's actually super annoying. Also, when you wash it, water gets stuck in the side view mirrors and will drip down the side of the car making it almost never look clean. Still, it drove so well and was nice and throaty. They don't make them anymore though. I think they are now Q 70s but if I'm not mistaken, the price is significantly higher than when it was an FX35 (Think more like the pricing of the FX 50.)
We looked at both the Q3 and the Q5. The Q3 is very small! We live in the city, so we started off looking at it and the GLA thinking that they might be good for us… But it just turned out to be too small. It's a nice car though. I would say that it depends upon how you are going to pay for it. If you are purchasing it out right, you will see a price difference between the Q3 and the Q5. You may be able to find a Q3 in the color that you want with all of the equipment that you like, but there is a much larger inventory of Q5s (at least five times as many, we were told that they had one Q3 on the lot and over a dozen Q5s at one of our local dealers.) You will also find that this will lead to further discounts on the Q5s then what you may be able to get on a Q3. If you're going to lease it, the lease on a Q5 is barely more than a Q3.
As a PP mentioned though, you should try to see if you can fit the stroller that you intend to use in the back. Even the Q5 does not have a ton of space in the rear.... I would imagine that it has enough though.
Due to this, we were negotiating for the Mercedes ML (but the MSRP is significantly higher than the Q5 if you want the bells and whistles,) but ended up going in a different direction instead.
@bostonbaby1 I am in LOVE with Magic Beans! They are so nice, helpful, and not at all pushy. I love their laid back approach and they are full of endless knowledge. We ended up registering there even those most of the things we could have gotten at Buy Buy because they are so nice! I highly recommend a trip there when the time comes
PS hope you're doing well! I read about the Lovenox injections you're starting on another post! Thinking positive thoughts!! XO
@bostonbaby1 I am in LOVE with Magic Beans! They are so nice, helpful, and not at all pushy. I love their laid back approach and they are full of endless knowledge. We ended up registering there even those most of the things we could have gotten at Buy Buy because they are so nice! I highly recommend a trip there when the time comes
PS hope you're doing well! I read about the Lovenox injections you're starting on another post! Thinking positive thoughts!! XO
Thank you! I didn't end up starting it yet but I appreciate the support! That was once good thing that came from all that was that I probably need it.
I'm definitely going to check out magic beans when the time comes! I'm in Brookline all the time so it's super convenient and good to know that I don't have to drive all the way to Braintree to BBB
@bostonbaby1 I am in LOVE with Magic Beans! They are so nice, helpful, and not at all pushy. I love their laid back approach and they are full of endless knowledge. We ended up registering there even those most of the things we could have gotten at Buy Buy because they are so nice! I highly recommend a trip there when the time comes
PS hope you're doing well! I read about the Lovenox injections you're starting on another post! Thinking positive thoughts!! XO
Thank you! I didn't end up starting it yet but I appreciate the support! That was once good thing that came from all that was that I probably need it.
I'm definitely going to check out magic beans when the time comes! I'm in Brookline all the time so it's super convenient and good to know that I don't have to drive all the way to Braintree to BBB
@BostonBaby1 they also have a Wellesley location which is a little bigger/ larger selection.
Glad to hear you got some answers & hoping this will be it for you
My husband is convinced we need an SUV because apparently my brand new sedan won't be big enough or safe enough for our baby lol I suppose this is the protective father stuff that my dad told me would happen haha
@bostonbaby1 I am in LOVE with Magic Beans! They are so nice, helpful, and not at all pushy. I love their laid back approach and they are full of endless knowledge. We ended up registering there even those most of the things we could have gotten at Buy Buy because they are so nice! I highly recommend a trip there when the time comes
PS hope you're doing well! I read about the Lovenox injections you're starting on another post! Thinking positive thoughts!! XO
Thank you! I didn't end up starting it yet but I appreciate the support! That was once good thing that came from all that was that I probably need it.
I'm definitely going to check out magic beans when the time comes! I'm in Brookline all the time so it's super convenient and good to know that I don't have to drive all the way to Braintree to BBB
@BostonBaby1 they also have a Wellesley location which is a little bigger/ larger selection.
Glad to hear you got some answers & hoping this will be it for you
Fantastic! I'm completely ready to go to Wellesley. I'm not sure if that's the answer but, we're going to keep trying. Thank you so much for your support :-) are you in the western suburbs?
We bought a 2014 Subaru Outback when we started thinking about having our second baby. I haven't looked at the Crosstrek but I'm sure it's just as great! We love this car!
We came close to buying a BMW X1 but our car seat wouldn't work with the back middle seatbelt. If we put any weight on the car seat it would become very loose. Also, there were no anchors in the back middle seat (the safest spot in the car), which has also been the case for all 4 cars we've had since my son was born. I'm confident that it was just our car seat that wasn't compatible with this car, but it was a deal breaker for us. I would recommend that you check your car seat in whatever car you like before buying it just to be sure.
My husband and I just bought a 2015 Honda Accord. It's not an SUV but its a sedan. It's VERY roomy! There's plenty of room for a good sized car seat and the trunk space is huge as well. It drives very smooth with rear back up camera and gets pretty good gas mileage as well. We love it!
I was going to post the same thing! We love our Pilot, and so do both of our dogs! Hopefully our son loves it, too!
I am a new momma too, but I will never waiver from my devotion to the hatchback!!! I have a Ford Focus and I have been able to fit SOOOOOOOOO much in my hatch it is seriously unreal! We moved an entire apartment, bed, chairs, desk, and all, in two trips!!! Even with a baby seat taking up some space I will still have plenty of room to lug baby, the stroller, and 50 lb pup to the park!
Check out the VW Tiguan. I almost bought one last year but ended up buying a golf instead (Motor Trend's car of the year! Cheaper, smaller and since i had no idea we would be pregnant the following year, made sense)
I am thinking of trading in my Golf for a Tig - but my I bought my golf new, outright and don't really want to have to make car payments right now..
Here's the thing about Audis, Porsches and VWs. They wear the same parts. Now that being said, I like a nice Audi. And if you want to pay Audi prices, you're getting a good vehicle and you're getting a BEAUTIFUL vehicle. My first semi-lux purchase will likely be an audi. But the performance differences between that and a VW are fairly negligible.
Consider a diesel engine if you think you can remember which pump to go to. (I can't. I'd forget and eff it up. I drive a gasoline for now)
We have a Toyota 4 Runner, which I don't think has been mentioned...it is awesome and I would highly recommend it. The backseat is so spacious that a rear facing carseat is not an issue. My hubby is 6 feet and we have no problems. It also comes with all of the luxuries you could want!
I know you didn't mention it, but I absolutely love love love my Ford Escape! It has a lot of the room and we've been very pleased with it!
I just bought in last October and could not love it more!!! If I had the extra $$ I definitely would have gotten it with ecoboost, you can really feel the difference.
Re: Best SUV?
Jamie
Jamie
If I were "planning" on having a second child by the time this lil bean is 2 would it be smart to just go ahead and get an SUV with 3rd row seating or wait?
Don't want to high jack the thread but I didn't feel like the questing needed its own thread. Thanks!
Jamie
@redfallon thanks! Yeah we need a new one. We are currently driving a truck that has fold down seats for the back so not very baby friendly.
@amw2133 DH's truck is like that, too. He can't put the carseat in it so she doesn't ride with him ever. Only in mine.
Jamie
Thanks for your input!
@redfallon I can't imagine a car seat fitting in my Mazda seats... I need to borrow one and try it out to convince DH I need a new car.
Jamie
@krick43 thank you for the tip about magic beans!
Thank you @Bebechica for info on the Audi Q 5--why the Q5 over Q3? just curious!
I think it's time to get rid of my beloved
MINI Cooper S :-S
We looked at both the Q3 and the Q5. The Q3 is very small! We live in the city, so we started off looking at it and the GLA thinking that they might be good for us… But it just turned out to be too small. It's a nice car though. I would say that it depends upon how you are going to pay for it. If you are purchasing it out right, you will see a price difference between the Q3 and the Q5. You may be able to find a Q3 in the color that you want with all of the equipment that you like, but there is a much larger inventory of Q5s (at least five times as many, we were told that they had one Q3 on the lot and over a dozen Q5s at one of our local dealers.) You will also find that this will lead to further discounts on the Q5s then what you may be able to get on a Q3. If you're going to lease it, the lease on a Q5 is barely more than a Q3.
As a PP mentioned though, you should try to see if you can fit the stroller that you intend to use in the back. Even the Q5 does not have a ton of space in the rear.... I would imagine that it has enough though.
Due to this, we were negotiating for the Mercedes ML (but the MSRP is significantly higher than the Q5 if you want the bells and whistles,) but ended up going in a different direction instead.
Good luck!
* edited for typo
I'm definitely going to check out magic beans when the time comes! I'm in Brookline all the time so it's super convenient and good to know that I don't have to drive all the way to Braintree to BBB
Glad to hear you got some answers & hoping this will be it for you
Kylie M.
Baby #1 Born 12.16.2015
Baby #2 Due 7.13.2018
We came close to buying a BMW X1 but our car seat wouldn't work with the back middle seatbelt. If we put any weight on the car seat it would become very loose. Also, there were no anchors in the back middle seat (the safest spot in the car), which has also been the case for all 4 cars we've had since my son was born. I'm confident that it was just our car seat that wasn't compatible with this car, but it was a deal breaker for us. I would recommend that you check your car seat in whatever car you like before buying it just to be sure.
Check out the VW Tiguan. I almost bought one last year but ended up buying a golf instead (Motor Trend's car of the year! Cheaper, smaller and since i had no idea we would be pregnant the following year, made sense)