Car Recommendations for Seating 3 Kids

I know you said minivans need not to apply. Hey, hear me out. I drive a honda odyssey van. Absolutely love it! I can fit a stroller and a walker for my special needs child (no folding up) behind the 3rd seat. The doors are automatic so I can push a button and the doors open automatically when I am carrying the carseat with my baby pushing my special needs child and watching my 4 year old walk besides me. Go test drive them. They are much better than you think. My Dad and my in-laws bought a Toyota Sienna van so they could drive his grandkids around and absolutely loves their van. Vans are not bad. I love mine much better than an SUV. My husband has an SUV and his gas mileage is worst than my van and we spend more money on gas with his 4-runner than my van. Consider looking at them. They are good vehicles. Consumers Report constantly raves about the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. Just had to say my part. Three kids are a handful but fun! Good luck!

I drive a Ford Expedition. Yes horrible gas mileage. I have 3 year old twins and a 9 month old nephew. They all fit in the middle row with my nephew in the middle. In fact the middle seat in the second row can slide forward so my twins cannot bug my nephew if he is sleeping. We liked the Expedition over the Tahoe because there was more room in the 3rd row and it went folded down automatically. I would not trade it for anything right now. I love it!!!

I had #3 when my twins were just 2 1/2 so we've had 3 car seats for quite a while now. We have a Honda Pilot and all 3 car seats fit perfectly on the second row of seats. The 3rd row of seats folds completely flat, leaving plenty of storage for the double stroller and lots of other cargo. In the event that we have other passengers, we put 2 of the car seats in the 3rd row of seats, one car seat in the second row, and that makes room for 2 more passengers and still leaves room for the double stroller behind the 3rd row. We've had the Pilot since 2003 and love it! Even on several road trips we've had plenty of space and good gas mileage for a car that size. Good luck preparing for #3!

I agree with people saying to rethink about getting a minivan. I have three kids in a Ford Explorer and we're so tight in there. I have two booster seats and one rear facing infant. With the third seat down (like most SUV's) you can even fit my big Chicco single stroller in there. I have to use my umbrella one. We're in the market for a minivan as soon as we can get this explorer paid off. My sister has the Honda and that's what we'll get. It has tons of room and when we ride with her (5 kids total) we have plenty of room for everyone and my big stroller!! Just don't rule it out. Take everything with you to try out the cars - I know it's a pain but it's a must! You don't want to buy a car and then end up not having as much room. Plus the kids only get bigger!!

First of all, congratulations!
I just read the posting right before mine and she said exactly what I wanted to. You can get 3 car seat in the back seat, but the best part is you can get 3 backless booster seats in the third row. You will appreciate this as your kids grow. The gas mileage is good, and I think the newer models get even better gas mileage. Plus it drives more like a car, then a truck.

Hi,

I'm a Honda fan myself and when we were expecting our third child, I had a CRV and knew there was no way I would be able to fit three kids in the backseat. I looked at minivans but I just really liked the maneuverability of the CRV. We bought a Honda Pilot. It actually seats 8 people (of course the back seat is not quite as comfortable for adults). I can get the three kiddos in the middle and keep the back seat down for groceries, strollers, etc...

I'm not sure if three car seats will fit across the back but I know that a car seat and 2 boosters will.

Hope that helps.

Hi, J. -

Congrats on the happy, expanding family. :-)

We spent the last 2 months researching new "cars" and last weekend finally bought one. We have 6 kids, the youngest is in a Britax Marathon so takes up lots of space.

We had a 1999 Suburban which I LOVED because it practically had recliners for seats (extremely comfy) and we could fit everyone's suitcases, toys, stroller, etc. while still using 3 rows of seats. You just can't beat the cargo and seating space of a Suburban.

The Tahoe does not have this cargo space using all 3 rows of seats. It's ridiculously narrow, our single stroller wouldn't fit. However, you could easily fit 3 cars seats across the 2nd row of seats and just remove the 3rd row of seats and have the huge cargo space that the Suburban offers. Gas mileage may rule this out!

I know you don't want to go there, but we ended up with a Honda Odyssey Mini Van. It has a huge cargo area behind the 3rd row of seats. The seating is very flexible and you could lower part of the 3rd row seating for even more cargo space. You can remove the middle of the 2nd row of seats and easily walk back to the third row.

One of my favorite features: POWER SLIDING DOORS on each side of the vehicle! After years of hauling kids in and out of regular doors it really, really does make life easier to access the car seat and climb out of the vehicle.

We had considered the Acadia, enjoyed the test drive but it just wasn't big enough for the 4 or 5 kids we still haul around, including all their stuff! Also, there is very little storage room for the kids to put their stuff (backpacks with toys, books, etc.) So I'm thinking it just won't be big enough for 3 large car seats for you. Plus, accessibility to the third row car seat will be awkward.

We also considered another Suburban but gas mileage practically ruled it out. The mid-line model with no accessories would have cost us as much as the top of the line (Touring model)Odyssey with all of the fun options that we ended up with. We got the best price from Honda of Frisco.

When you test drive, be sure to take all 3 car seats and the stroller to make sure they fit. Buckle them all in because sometimes the car seat looks like it will fit but once strapped in it may sit at an awkward angle or make accessing the back row impossible (by not allowing the seat to fold/slide out of the way). It is a lot of work hauling them in and out but nothing beats hands-on experience.

Good luck!

B.

Hi J.,

Congratulations! We were in the same predicament as you this past year--needing a new vehicle to fit 3 BIG car seats. I NEVER EVER wanted a minivan, either, but when I got pregnant with our third child, it was the only option. Like another Mom said, you gotta do what you gotta do! I have a Honda Odyssey and am now proud to say I LOVE it! 2 Britax Regents will definitely fit in the back row, plus, my double stroller will fit behind the third row with room to spare. As for gas mileage, I filled up the whole tank this week for $68. It gets 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. I also love it because of the automatic doors--my 2 1/2 year old boy loves to try to run away from me, but with the doors, I open his side of the van, let him in, and then close them all with the remote. Once I have my hands free and have my infant in the car, I walk back to his side and buckle him in. It definitely is a lifesaver also not to have to lift him in like I did with our Ford Explorer.

Good luck finding what's best for you. At least test drive the Odyssey--they have great comfort features, and I believe are the best looking minivans out there.

Jacqueline

Perhaps you should look at new in a couple months. Chevrolet is coming out with a Hybrid Tahoe for 2009. Plenty of room and much better gas mileage.

sorry i have to recommend the honda minivan. that is what i have and my double stroller, umbrella stroller and other things fit just fine behind the 3rd seat. they are very reliable and the sliding door action is great when trying to get kids in the car.

I had a Volvo XC90 and DO NOT GET IT!!!!
My kids were older and it was a pain to get them into the 3rd seat!!

I now have a Durango and frequently carry 3 in carseats.
It depends on how you use your vehicle and the configuration of the seats.

We typically have just two and we leave both on the passenger side, one in the middle row and one in the back.
They are both in the Alpha Omega and are rear facing.

Then when I have an infant with me, we either put her in the middle or 3rd row behind the driver. If we are getting in and out it's a pain to have to get the carseat out to get the other baby out so she goes in the back.

I have a Jeep side by side stoller and is just fits behind my 3rd row.

Good luck to you!!!!!!!

Hi J.,

Congratulations! Life with three really is great. (This from someone who wasn't going to have any, mind you!)

I have to agree with the other Jennifer. Please don't rule out the minivan. There are some really fantastic, higher end models out there, and they're much more practical. There are some with automatic doors that you can open remotely. How does this help? Well...if it's raining and you're at the grocery store with all three (which may actually happen!) you can book it to the van, push the button on the way, get the kids and the food in the car with nary a drop to show for it! The gas mileage is better, and there's a lot more space inside than you think. My husband is the one who won't concede to the minivan in our family, but I wish he would.

Okay, but if you're REAAAAALY dead set against the minivan, we drive a Ford Explorer with 3rd row seating. My three little girls are 3,2 and 9 months. We have two Britax Marathon carseats and one infant carrier and they all fit in the second row...we leave the third row down for the dogs, strollers...whatever. Once everyone's in a Marathon, we'll have to rearrange obviously...and then we'll probably be in the same boat as you! The upside, we can travel as one big happy family. The downside, no one else can come along unless we only have two more and they crawl over the back of the third row through the tailgate, have no cargo and the gas prices are killing us! Also, I think Ford may be a little 'cheaper' than you were looking for?!

Good luck and congrats again.
M.

Sounds like you're not interested in the minivan, but FYI my Graco duoglider double stroller will fit easily behind the 3rd row of a Honda Odyssey. ( not sure if your stroller is similar )

Hello J.,

We have Chev Malibu and Honda Civic. Both of them do well with three child seats in the back. =P It takes some squeezing. The Civic will not have enough room for the stroller.

The Acadia has enough room in the back of the third row. The second row is much wider than the Malibu so we are putting the three child seats there and have the thred row down unless we grandparents are here.

Hope this helps.

By the way, I have a 5, 3 and 1.

Have fun shopping.

It is a wierd looking vehicle, but check out the Kia Rondo.

BTW - you might want to get rid of that stroller if it is limiting your car purchase so much! :)

I was surprised you said no to mini vans b/c of the space for your stroller...I didn't want a van either, but when checking the SUV's, they are more expensive, have worse gas milage, and unless you go with the huge ones, don't have the trunk space of a van with the 3rd row seat up. not to mention that it's harder to get into the 3rd row seat.

We have a Toyota Sienna and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love the way it drives, and the trunk space is HUGE! I have the auto door on the passenger side which is great at school drop off b/c I can open and close the door for the kids while they get in and out. I also love that when the kids open the door to get out I dont' have to worry about their door slamming into someone elses car next to us. Especially with all this wind we've had lately, if it was a regular car door, the wind would take it and slam it open! I think you should reconsider the van option. there is a LOT of room in them! the seats fold into the floor if you need it, and it's easy for everyone to get in and out.

I have 3 (8, 5, 2), and when the most recent was born, we had an infant seat, convertible (similar to britax, a touch wider), and a high-back booster seat. We fit it all fairly easily into our Dodge Neon. A compact car by class, but the largest in its class. I haven't been able to replicate this in any other compact car. We generally get about 25 mpg (manual transmission), and we have mostly city driving, with several long highway trips per year. We've had the car for 6 years, and last year we had to replace the transmission, but probably wouldn't have if we'd taken better care of the car on a maintenance level. The kids are still comfortable, and the only drawback I have is that we can't give rides to friends, especially to/from church, b/c our car is at capacity. We also have a hard time if we want to go tent camping for more than 2-3 days, but we've done it, just the kids were squished a bit during the ride by gear. Our double stroller fits easily into the trunk, as well. (Graco that fits an infant seat in one seat). So, it might take some creativity, but it is possible to have a 5-person family in a compact car. We've had it as our only car for 2.5 years now!

Congratulations on #3! Good luck on your search for a car!

I am a grandmother of 6(count them) grandchildren. I have 2 children who have 3 each so when I get the kids I have at least 3 at all times. I have a Acura MDX yes, 3 seats and fold the back seat for stroller and also let the older child in back seat or if one of the children is in booster 3 car seats fit in the middle row of seats. Also, both of my children have Mini Vans however, they are the Toyota Sienna and it has the ability of 3 car seats and moving the seats of the van around to fit all and the stroller will fit behind the back seat as they both have had to do that for sometime now. I hope this helps. Congrats on the New little one.

P.

We have a honda mini van. I have 3 kids under 5 yo and this is the only option I even considered. We have a double stroller that fits behind the 3rd row with plenty of room to spare. Since I am short 5'2" a the SUV's are all to tall and hard for the kids to get into. My husband got a Honda Pilot when our 3rd was born so that he could get three car seats into his car as well (he traded in a Camry). We do all fit but my oldest has to climb in the back door or go over the middle seat to get into his seat and there is very little storage.

I love the automatic doors and all the bells and whistles. I know it is hard to give up the image but with 3 kids practicality must be a priority.

Hi J.,

I have the Lexus GX and LOVE it but I don't have three kids… I'm not sure it will fit three child seats across the 2nd row and if they do fit I think it will be a tight squeeze. You can leave one seat down and let your oldest climb into the back row but take a close look at the back row before you decide. It is not a full bench. It has two fold down seats. The upside is that you can fold down only one seat and still have a lot of trunk space. The down side is that if you have both seats down there is not much room left for strollers, probably about 3 - 3 1/2 feet deep.

The LX has a little more room but I think you will have the same problem. It is the same width as the LX but it has a couple extra feet on the backside. The Volvo and Acadia will have similar issues. Between the two I think you have a better shot with the Acadia. My friend has one with a 2 1/2 and 1 year old (double stroller fits in the back with the third row is up) and she is very happy. If you really need room for three child seats and strollers and whatever else you might be hauling I would look at the Tahoe or Suburban. I have never been in the Mercedes so I can't speak to that one but my personal opinion is that the Mercedes comes too close to looking like a minivan.

Car dealers should let you test out the arrangements. It will take a little time but at least you will know and I'm not sure where you live but you are welcome to meet me in a parking lot somewhere and take a look at my GX (I'm in the Highland Village/Flower Mound/Lewisville area).

Good Luck!

May I just say as the owner of two Mercedes - Think gas costs. Premium gas and an M class costs $120 to fill up and the M Class gets better mileage than a R class. (I wanted one) I love my Mercedes, however with gas the way it is, unless you really don't have a budget, I would consider something more economical and one that uses regular unleaded.

I have 3 and drive a GMC Yukon. I drive the regular Yukon most of the time but we have an XL too which is longer. I would recommend captain's chairs in the 2nd row. That way it is easy to get to the 3rd row to buckle in also easy for the kids to get in. My single Maclaren stroller fits in the back of the regular Yukon but that is about all that fits. I would take your stroller to the dealer to check out if it fits. The XL will definitely have plenty of room to fit a big stroller.
You might want to check out the Infiniti too. Their large SUV has a tad more room behind the 3rd seat than a regular Yukon but less room than the XL. Also it is a tad wider inside.

Good luck!

I agree with the others and check out a minivan. We love our Honda Odessey and can not imagine life without it. It makes things a lot easier than running around the car a bunch of times trying to get everyone buckled in, and it is great when it is raining and I can climb in and close the doors, buckle everyone on and then walk up to the front.

We just went through a similar dilemma. We ended up with a Toyota Sequoia. It is huge and ravenous for gas but it will hold all of us and my mom's wheelchair. Some things you might look for are a car that is wide enough to put three baby seats across the 2nd seat and a split third seat so that 1/2 the seat can be laid flat to accommodate big cargo and the other 1/2 the seat can still be used for a person or baby seat. You may also like a hybrid. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid was very nice, gas mileage was not too bad but only kids could sit in the 3rd seat, which wouldn't work for our family but may for yours. The Tahoe hybrid was good but Toyota beat them in the little things. I did a lot of research online at places like cars.com where they review cars for large families to get an idea of what there was out there.

I am probably speaking for most of the ladies on this board when I say "We are ALL too sexy for our minivans!" however...you gotta do what you gotta do! :)

I ALSO thought I didn't want a minivan, but the Honda Odyssey is what I now have and LOVE! I have 4 kids...2 teens, a preteen and a 3 year old. I can't imagine trying to strap 3 car seats in, but I know it would be a lot easier if you had a minivan and didn't have to climb into a backseat each time you got in and out somewhere. Also remember that your kids will soon have friends that they will want to invite along...leave some room for an extra friend or 2! And with gas climbing higher and higher, the minivans are probably starting to look better and better to those in the huge SUV's!
And, by the way, the trunk of my van holds a LOT! More than you would expect...it's deep... I've had a bicycle and a jogging stroller back there before...

Congrats on baby #3 and good luck on your vehicle hunt!
S.

I only have 2 kids but..I had a BMW X5 - too small..then I had a Lexus GX..also not enough room with the jump seats down in the back..no trunk space for stroller or groceries. I now have a Infiniti QX56..and I love it. It is huge on the inside, and has plenty of room for 3 kids..and trunk space.

I was in the same position just 3 months ago. We went round and round looking at every option..except a minivan. No way, no how was I to get a minivan. I test drove all the vehicles on your list except the Tahoe. They all drove terribly, very bumpy, like a work truck and gas mileage was a killer! Well, guess what, I now am the proud owner of a 23-28 miles per gallon 2007 Toyota Sienna! HA! Go figure! You can fit anything in that sucker, a complete lawn set, I squeezed 9 adults in it and yes, even tho your trying really hard not to admit it, you can fold down the hide-a-way seat (it comes in two pieces so you can have a third seat in back and have one folded down) and fit your BOB double stroller in it, I can, very easily. It has more room, drives like a car and all the luxuries of a Lexus if you get the XLE. Leather, Bose stereo, auto-doors, DVD...etc. They truly thought of everything for a growing family. Never thought I'd be a minivan mom, but here I am at 35 being a commercial for them! How life changes. Good luck!

I had a Volvo XC 90 when I found out I was expecting #3..no way will it fit three young children comfortably. I did swallow my pride and bought a Honda Minivan...it reallly is the best choice for young children. There is no cool factor...but how cool can you look being out with three children? It is easiery on your back, the kids get in and out with ease, and it is MUCH easier to park. Also, my Mountain Buggy Urban double stroller fit fine in the back of the Odyssey along with other gear.

Huge SUVs really should be the way of dinosaurs..they are gas hogs (bad for the earth and the wallet)and totally unnecesary in this area.

My plan is to trade in the minivan once our 9 year old can safely sit in the front seat.

Good luck with your decision! I know it is not an easy one...

We just bought a Toyota Sienna and I absolutely love it! I never thought I would drive a minivan, but I am so glad I decided on this one. I am positive you could fit your double stroller behind the third row. My friend and I just went shopping together and we EASILY fit my Graco stroller AND her double stroller in there. My sister-in-law has a Honda Pilot, and there is not nearly as much room in the very back as there is in our minivan. I couldn't even fit my Graco stroller in her Pilot without folding down the third row. Good luck!

With almost all those cars, I am sure you can put three car seats in the middle row so you keep the third row folded down (and fit your stroller). I also have friends who have the smaller cars and can fit all three car seats in one row. That being said, we have the XC90 and did not need our third row until we had our fourth (because obviously 4 car seats do not sit in the second row). We have the twin phil and ted stroller and this fits only if one of the third row seats is down.

To get in the third row, my daughter opens the hatch and jumps through the back--but she's nine.

When I was preg. with my 2nd I decided on a minivan...If I had a 3rd, my oldest could get in back to buckle himself. My almost 3 yr old still needs help. We bought an 05 Kia Sedona brand new, 3 yrs ago. I am just now looking into trading it in or selling it, as both my kids are big enough to crawl into their seats now (the middle seats are captains). The very back seat is in 2 sections, so it can be taken out (for the stroller). Anyway, if I had it to do over again I would. What kind of vehicle are you driving now?

Have you considered changing your car seats? We are looking into how to fit 3 across too. I currently have 2 Britax Marathons which leaves very little room for a 3rd car seat. I have found online a seat that is a little more narrow. The reviews on the seat are good. Still seems too be roomy enough for the kids. I'm considering two of these with one rear facing snugride. Good luck!

http://www.elitecarseats.com/Sunshine-Kids-Radian.pro