Choosing a new car

tara4910 · January 2016

My husband and I are both fairly tall (6' and 5' 7"), and we are looking for a medium sized car (sedan or small SUV) with a spacious back seat. We are trading in a 2-door civic. We already have a Prius and it's a tight fit in the front passenger seat with the infant car seat behind it. The car seat fits okay in the middle seat, but my husband has to move his seat forward and would prefer not to. I will probably drive the Prius since I can fit with the car seat, so the new car would be for him. What other options should we consider? Does anyone love or hate their current car/car seat situation? We are definitely planning on bringing our car seat with us when we go to the dealer. We live in Los Angeles so a large car is not ideal.

thaisac1 · January 2016

I like small SUVs (like to drive up high) so I've always had one, and test drove a few. Depends on your budget…

My first car when I lived in Minnesota was a Toyota Rav 4. I thought it was fairly spacious in the back, and my impression of the newer models compared to the one I owned then is that the newer ones appear even more spacious. It was a great car which I had for 8 years and never gave me one little bit of trouble.

When I was looking for a second car, I test drove a Nissan Rogue and a Hyundai Tucson. The Tucson wins by far, IMO. It was a great car, excellent safety ratings, spacious, and almost everything in the car comes standard from the manufacturer (there are very few things you can actually add on such as a panoramic roof and parking assist). If you need even more space, the next step up is the Hyundai Santa Fe which is also a great car.

I ended up not buying either of the above, I bought a BMW X3 instead which I still have (2011 model) and I love it, also. The safety ratings on BMWs are some of the highest in the market (so is Hyundai's). And I find the back seat nicely spacious.

Edit to add that my husband and I are similar in height to you guys… He's 6'2'' and I am 5'7''.

wildtot · January 2016

We just traded in my Kia Rio for a 2015 Toyota Rav 4 to make things easier with the baby. The basic model was good enough for us and very spacious. Great on gas milage (almost the same as my Kia). Its a nice size SUV and we drive it all over SoCal. We love it!

jonesl12 · January 2016

Traded in one of our two doors for an Audi Q7. It has a third row and is a small SUV. DH is 6'2 and I'm 5'9 and it's perfect.

momofmanyinthemitten · January 2016

I love our Ford 500. It's now the Ford Taurus. It would've fit our 3 diono car seats in the back if we needed it to, but we ended up getting a mini van for our family car.

dayj11 · January 2016

I had a Nissan Murano and LOVED my car. Had to get rid of it with baby 4 on the way but if I could have made it work I would have. Drives like a compact car and did great on gas. Tons of trunk space

Muggle lover · January 2016

We just got a new Honda hrv (just came out this year). It's a small suv, like a cross between the crv and fit. We love it!

AEG84 · January 2016

Just a note on the RAV4, for anyone considering. You cannot seat more than 4 people or kids safely, due to overlapping seat belts in the backseat. If you only need 4 spots, no worries, but don't buy it thinking it will fit 5. I believe some model years of the Rogue have the same issue (my 2008 did not but I believe the newer body style does).

kalanieileen · January 2016

I live in Inland Empire but make the trek to LA very often. DH works in Compton so we are very familiar with LA streets. I am getting the new Honda HRV. It is a subcompact crossover. It's smaller than a CRV but bigger than a regular sedan. It sort of resembles the spaciousness of a Honda Fit without looking like a minivan. I test drove it and fell in love.
One thing I will say about the HRV is that the back seat is very spacious for children car seats etc. but DH is 5'9 and his head was gently touching the roof when he sat in the backseat. Not uncomfortable but he did point it out. I am an itty bitty 5'3 so it doesn't bother me seeing as how it will be my car. It also has the 60/40 backseat which is ideal for lots of cargo space.

Another subcompact crossover is the Mazda Cx3 or its bigger brother the SUV Mazda CX-5.

There are tons of companies that have come out with their own versions of crossovers/suv. Most suggestions will depend on your budget.

I like to read up on Edmunds.com and caranddriver.com for reviews and overall comparisons of cars.

cmjenkies · January 2016

I have driven a Ford Edge since 2011 and really love it. I was looking at crossovers and test drove a Murano, Equinox, and Edge at the time and the Edge won in comfort, maneuverability, practicality, and features. Plus, I really like the body style. Gas mileage is great and it also has the 60/40 back seat.

miramirror · January 2016

kielpinskim said:

I love our Ford 500. It's now the Ford Taurus. It would've fit our 3 diono car seats in the back if we needed it to, but we ended up getting a mini van for our family car.

I just want to shout out the Diono Radian car seats. I'm also an L.A. Prius driver and will be adding a third Diono Radian to the backseat when this LO gets out of the infant car seat. We had initially purchased a tank of a Britax seat on a friend's recommendation...the Diono seems just as comfortable (no complaints from my toddlers), is a reasonably easy install, and is SO MUCH narrower. (But, again, not in a way that impacts the child's comfort at all.) Anyway, if you're looking for a car seat rec, that's mine. I'm in love with that seat.

SarahJean1014 · January 2016

Lurking from March. We just traded in our A5 for an Acura MDX as I finally convinced H that my A5 was not practical with twins. I highly recommend the MDX it's very spacious on the inside without being huge. H has a RAV4 and its awesome as well. Both cars fit infant seats and a double stroller easily.

Also included is a picture of the A5 for your amusement

UnbreakableKimmySchmidt · January 2016

First of all, I'll forgive you for having a Prius...:)

We bought a Suburu Outback and love it! Since you already have a smaller vehicle you may want to consider a small SUV for family trips/hauling all the baby stuff.

We also considered the Honda CRV but found the Outback to be an overall better fit for us. It is easy to maneuver on tight streets, with the back up camera parallel parking is a breeze and it's nice to be up a little higher when driving. Also gets good gas mileage. My husband is 6'6" and he is comfortable driving it and whoever is sitting behind him still has plenty of leg room. Backseat is very spacious and cargo area holds a lot and the seats fold down if you need to haul a larger load.

amaniupendo · January 2016

We love our Ford Taurus and can fit two car seats and an adult comfortably in the back seat. It is large though. I would definitely consider the Ford Fusion as a good smaller option.

tara4910 · January 2016

Thanks everyone! This is so helpful! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but once the baby is out of the infant seat, do the convertible car seats take up more or less depth in the backseat?

Monicagail1 · January 2016

@tara4910 it depends on the car seat. There are many great options that can be more compact than the average infant seat. And there are many that require a large recline. I would suggest joining the Car Seats for the Littles Facebook group, or checking out the recommended seat list on their website. Those resources can be super helpful when selecting the right seat for your baby and car

https://csftl.org/recommended-seats/

adifrog · January 2016

I drive an F150 (because, Texas) and there is a crazy amount of room in the backseat. That's where I sat on test drives because we, along with pretty much all of our family and friends, are 5'9"+.

kimey1 · January 2016

We went from an Acura ILX to Hyundai Santafe. The debate was between the Hyundai Tucson and the Santafe but we went with the slightly larger Santafe with all the bells and whistles instead of a basic Tucson.
I still prefer the new Tucson since I'm petite and it felt like a better drive personally, but the Santafe has been a wonder compared to our small sportscar. Even with the double stroller and bassinet we can fit our dog in the trunk, and its a super smooth 'n quiet ride!

kimey1 · January 2016

tara4910 said:
Thanks everyone! This is so helpful! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but once the baby is out of the infant seat, do the convertible car seats take up more or less depth in the backseat?

Just wanted to say we don't HAVE to get an infant seat. DH and I've decided to get a convertible seat. We'll bring the big carseat to the hospital (with an infant insert) so we don't have to buy 2 carseats in a span of 2yrs. The convertible ones last years. Don't see the point of buying 2 car seats or carrying around a chunk of a travel system!

cmjenkies · January 2016

kimey1 said:

tara4910 said:
Thanks everyone! This is so helpful! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but once the baby is out of the infant seat, do the convertible car seats take up more or less depth in the backseat?
Just wanted to say we don't HAVE to get an infant seat. DH and I've decided to get a convertible seat. We'll bring the big carseat to the hospital (with an infant insert) so we don't have to buy 2 carseats in a span of 2yrs. The convertible ones last years. Don't see the point of buying 2 car seats or carrying around a chunk of a travel system!

It's just a matter of preference, because I found the infant seat *essential.* DS had to easily transition between several different cars as an infant and this was so much easier. Plus, I think itty bitties in big convertible seats is kind of terrifying (although I know it's perfectly safe, but yikes!)

fourtsixand2 · January 2016

SarahJean1014 said:

Lurking from March. We just traded in our A5 for an Acura MDX as I finally convinced H that my A5 was not practical with twins. I highly recommend the MDX it's very spacious on the inside without being huge. H has a RAV4 and its awesome as well. Both cars fit infant seats and a double stroller easily. Also included is a picture of the A5 for your amusement

I find it hilarious, after looking at this picture, that you had to convince your husband that your A5 wasn't 'practical'.....

fourtsixand2 · January 2016

I just recently traded my R/T Challenger for a 2016 Nissan Rogue. I don't really go 'gaga' over cars anymore these days, but the Rogue works for me. DH is 6'2" and has no issue driving comfortably. Aside from that, it's a smaller SUV, yet will fit a car seat and his 2 kids with ease.

brit&nate2010 · January 2016

We have a Chevy impala. We can fit three carseats in the back plus has a huge trunk.

I noticed with my jeep grand Cherokee I had prior, the stroller took up the whole trunk space.

I do miss sitting up higher in an suv. But hubby just got a new job with a longer commute so he will be taking the car to work and I will drive our full size truck

geminioftwo · January 2016

We just traded my car for an Infiniti JX35. We love it so far. We like that it has a 3rd row option.

thaisac1 · January 2016

Does anyone here drive hybrid or electric cars?
We only have (and need) one car right now, but when LO is born and I go back to work I anticipate needing a second car as it won't be as easy for my husband to just drive me to and from work anymore, with LO at home (husband works from home). I would like either a hybrid or an electric though, but have no idea where to start...

spicedice · January 2016

cmjenkies said:

kimey1 said:

tara4910 said:
Thanks everyone! This is so helpful! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but once the baby is out of the infant seat, do the convertible car seats take up more or less depth in the backseat?
Just wanted to say we don't HAVE to get an infant seat. DH and I've decided to get a convertible seat. We'll bring the big carseat to the hospital (with an infant insert) so we don't have to buy 2 carseats in a span of 2yrs. The convertible ones last years. Don't see the point of buying 2 car seats or carrying around a chunk of a travel system!
It's just a matter of preference, because I found the infant seat *essential.* DS had to easily transition between several different cars as an infant and this was so much easier. Plus, I think itty bitties in big convertible seats is kind of terrifying (although I know it's perfectly safe, but yikes!)

I loved having the infant car seat and then transitioning DS into a convertible car seat. I didn't do any baby wearing, so the car seat was great for the grocery store. Plus, they're amazing to have if you go to a restaurant that has a car seat sling... Then baby can take a nap and you can get a full meal in!

We'll buy LO a convertible car seat when he's to that point, since DS will probably still be using his when LO starts to need one. DS needed a larger car seat by 9 months, so I'm expecting about the same for his little brother.

geminioftwo · January 2016

thaisac1 said:
Does anyone here drive hybrid or electric cars?
We only have (and need) one car right now, but when LO is born and I go back to work I anticipate needing a second car as it won't be as easy for my husband to just drive me to and from work anymore, with LO at home (husband works from home). I would like either a hybrid or an electric though, but have no idea where to start...

I don't have direct experience, but a coworker got a leaf and she loves it. She said you can easily fit two car seats in the back too. She has twins.

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