Larger Car - in Denail

I've had no problem fitting two large carseats (Britax Decathlons) in a humble Corrolla. But, if there were a third child I don't think a mid-size sedan would do it. I've heard that a Subaru wagon fits three carseats in back but the size of said carseats probably matters. Good luck!

My husband needed to get a rental car while is co. car was being fixed, and he ended up with a Ford Flex, its in between and SUV and a station wagon, it fits 7 and its extremely roomy inside. Plus it has seperate heating for the front and back and for the idividual front seats. I have a minivan now but I'm saving my pennies to get a Ford Flex in a few years. I thought it was a great car and it had a nice ride too.

Minivan's are great when you have two in car seats...so easy to get the kids in and out! You dont have to bend over, you dont have to worry about denting the car next to you with the door.
If you like to travel, the van is great because you can easily get into the back if you need to.
We bought a 06 dodge grand caravan new. We hit a deer (a buck, with huge antlers) going 75 on the highway , and all walked away without a scratch, if we had been in a smaller or shorter vehicle it is likely that my husband and son would have been killed.
As far as driving it, we liked it but had some issues as soon as it was out of its warranty.

Now we have 2007 Toyota Sienna. It is certified and drives like new. The sienna drives more like a car . Love it.
Once my kids are out of car seats I will think about something else. But my friend who has older kids said that when the kids are older you need one even more because of friends, sports gear etc.
Mini vans aren't forever....but they are great while you need them! THere is no shame in driving a minivan!

Let me first say that I was in minivan denial for a very long time. But, since I had 2 kids in carseats and my daughter was in preschool, I wanted to carpool. I was not able to fit 3 car seats in my Toyota Highlander, so I was going to need a bigger vehicle in order to do this also. The idea of driving a humongous Suburban or other such large SUV just didn't appeal to me, so we looked into a minivan. We ended up getting a Toyota Sienna and I am totally sold on it now! I love this vehicle! The problems I have heard with the larger (or even mid sized) SUV's with the 3rd row seats is that it is impossible to get to them all the way in the back and that there is no legroom in the third row, so fitting an adult back there is nearly impossible. Not so with my minivan. I seriously don't know how I lived without this thing! We got a fully loaded van with DVD, multi CD and automatic doors (we got it used and got a great deal). I have had the vehicle since the end of December and I still find something new about it that I didn't know it had about once per week. It is really an awesome vehicle and I couldn't be happier with it. It has so much people space and still has lots of storage, even with the third row up. I realize you may not be sold on the concept of a minivan, I know because I hated the idea of it too, but I don't care what the stigma is anymore now that I have one because it rocks that much!

I say at least test drive a few and take a look. I think you may change your mind. Mine even has a sunroof, so that I can open that and pretend I'm cool! Haha! Happy shopping. I hope you find the perfect vehicle for your family.

It kind of depends on what you want out of the vehicle. Gas economy? Extra room? Low maintenance?
We have had minivans and I loved them. We take at least 2 road trips a year that are more than 8 hours in the van. Having that extra room for luggage, snacks, totes for toys, etc. is a must. Plus, if you are having to climb into the back to tend to a child, head room is important!! Our last van was a Honda Odyssey and we never had one single mechanical issue with it. We drove it until we had over 165,000 miles!!! It would definitely meet your needs with two (maybe three) kids.
I have never owned a cross-over, but from what I've seen, they would be much like the van. After adding a 4th child to the family, we have gone to a Suburban because we needed seating for 8 (always extra kids) and with the ball bags, stroller, football equipment, etc. we needed even more space than a van could provide ~ crazy, I know. Anyway, I enjoy driving the Chevy, but I do miss the sliding doors on the van. That was a perk that I didn't realize I'd miss so much.
The other thing to consider is driving conditions. One thing I like more on the Chevy is the 4WD. The van had AWD, which was fine for the most part, but this past winter, we had A LOT of snow, and the 4WD proved to be most valuable!! Maybe test drive a couple different vehicles to see what you like driving and what will be the best fit. Good luck!!

My husband and I go through cars like most people go through clothes. We've had many company cars, many needs to for upgrading, downgrading, etc.

My best advice is to look for the kid of car you like and then how the latch systems in those cars are situated.

In 2008, we both had company cars. Mine was MUCH bigger - 2008 Ford Taurus. His was smaller - 2007 Chevy Impala, but because of how the latches were situated in the car, he was able to get more things in the car between the kids than I could. His latches were closer to the door while mine were more in the interior.

With gas prices rising and minivans/suvs still getting awful gas mileage (we just got a new Honda Pilot that's averaging less than 16 mph), I'd recommend taking all of that into consideration.

My husband currently drives a new Subaru Legacy (sedan), has plenty of room in the backseat for our 2 car seats and gets great gas mileage (~26 mph). Even though I looked like a Granny in my Taurus, I really miss it as an economical, extremely safe vehicle.

I'd also recommend checking out sites like Motortrend, Car & Driver, etc. to see what professional and consumer reviews are there for good family cars.

We had a minivan ... it was fine, but not my favorite. Look into cross-overs. They're a cross between a minivan and an SUV. We had a Chrysler Pacifica for a while (we change cars a lot too) and i really liked it. We're now looking at a Dodge Durango (bit more to the SUV, but not like a Suburuban or anything). Crossovers generally get better milage than the "land tanks" and many come with optional 3rd row seating.

Mini vans are by far not very stylish but really do serve the purpose. teh croossover are nice, but can get crowded with carseats if you need more than two.

Volvo xc 90. Easy and fun to drive. Third row seating. Lots of kid friendly features built in booster seats. Ours run great we bought a used certified one five years ago.

Lenc

I love my Honda Element - only 4 seat belts, but 8 air bags and a rubber floor!! BIG inside with 26mpg. The seats flip into a million different configurations too. Really love it. Brand new ones can be snapped up for 24k!

Good luck!

We have a Ford Expedition and absolutely love it. We've had it for almost 8 years now and have never had a mechanical problem with it, and it is super comfortable. Since it seats 8, I can haul a carpool full of kids (last week I drove on a Kindergarten field trip and had 6 kids in car seats/ boosters, plus another mom, and we all fit in there fine). We also have a BMW wagon, and while it is fine for just our family of 4, going to the grocery store or whatever, there are many times when it just hasn't been big enough to suit what we're doing (like when you need to go to Costco, or take a weekend trip somewhere), so we drive the Expedition. The only thing is, it isn't a hybrid or anything like that, so the gas does get expensive. But if we were in the market for another car right now, we'd buy another Expedition in a heartbeat.

I, too was NEVER going to get a minivan. Once I hit 3 kids, it became inevitable! The big SUV's with the 3rd row seats are great, but a total pain in the neck to try to get to a child's seatbelt in the 3rd row. Long story, short, we ended up with the minivan (dodge caravan). Words cannot explain how much better this is than an SUV! When it is pouring buckets I can literally get in and fasten my kids in. It is not very stylish or "cool", but those days of trying to keep up with that are long gone anyway! With four kids, comfort and convenience is way more important. We have also had a Kia Sedona. These are more reasonably priced and we were very happy with ours. Good luck on your car search! Once you figure out what model car you want definitely shop around at different dealerships! It's amazing how many different prices we got on the exact model Dodge that we have. The monthly payments were $100 more at one dealership!!

We too were in denial that we'd have to get a minivan but after DS was born, there wasn't any other option for us. We have a Durango w/ the 3rd seat option but if we used that option, our oldest who is 7 would have to always jump the seat, can you imagine that during the dead of winter, no thank you. We were NEVER the mini van type but I can tell you now that I have one, I love it. It's sooooo convenient, drives well, and best of all, my kids love it too!!! I am sure that there are in the 'middle' kind of cars that may give you the room you need, but unless there is a side door that opens for a 3rd row seating option, I don't see it making much sense to go that route, as I said someone would always be hopping over a seat to get there. Best of luck, minivans are not as awful as they are made out to be :) promise!

I have 3 kids ages 9, 3, and 2. We recently traded in our Audi Allroad - which I believe is the same size as the Legacy - because we just couldn't fit 3 growing kids (plus 2 in car seats) anymore. After months of research & test driving we ended up with a Land Rover LR3. I didn't want the typical mommy minivan either. The LR3 is sporty looking and is very cool to drive. Awesome in snow, heated windshield so no more scraping in the winter & automatic wipers in rain. Surprisingly, the back row is large enough for adults to fit in. Most vehicles I looked at could barely fit a child in the back row. What I really love is that it comes with a fridge! Not a cooler, but an actual working refridgerator. Only big enough for a few juice boxes & bottles, but with little kids it is a life saver. So, if you don't want a minivan I would definitely check out the LR3. FYI - if cost is a concern take a look at pre owned. I got a 2008 and it's in fabulous condition and about $10k less than new!

We just had our third child. I have a Hyundai Santa Fe and have no problem with three car seats (a high back booster, a regular car seat and the infant carrier at the moment). They are snug but it works well for all my around town driving. We just traded my husband's car for a GMC Acadia. It is an SUV but it has two captain's chairs in the middle row and then the third row. It is great because my son can easily get in the back without climbing over seats and we get the extra space for long trips while not being a minivan (my husband and I could not get our head around the minivan idea either!).

We have a Mazda5 as well and they are really affordable and nothing beats getting a child in and out of the car with a sliding door. I know the minivan is not as sexy as another car but this one is compact and kinda sporty. we love ours.

The Honda Pilot or Nissan Pathfinder :)

We went through the same thing just before adding kid #3 (all kids are in car seats). First let me say that some cars are wide enough to fit three carseats, and they do make extra-skinny car seats. That being said, we went with a Subaru Tribeca with optional third-row seating. I feel like it is a little more car-like than van-like. I'm enjoying the Subaru so far, although I'll definitely drive something smaller (and manual) once it's an option.

Volvo also makes a car with seating for more than 5. I can't remember the model. It's expensive, though.

We were in the same place. Our kids are exactly that age and I spent a year driving a Chevrolet Impala, insisting that a minivan was NOT in my future. In the meantime my parents purchased a Honda Pilot - their crossover vehicle. And we used it a few times and drove it. It was nice with the space but not the perfect fit.

Then I started doing minivan research. I spent 7 months driving vehicles, checking gas mileage, quality for cost and reading endless consumer reports. All signs pointed one way, minivan. and not just any minivan a Kia Sedona. We finally bit the bullet and bought one. BEST THING I EVER DID!

I can do so much more, I have more space, it's wonderful on gas and because we bought a newer one its a nicer design for a mini van. And their base model comes with way more bells and whistles than anyone elses, at a better price.

I don't know what your budget it, but whatever you decide (and I urge you to at least test drive a few minivans) do your homework. We purchased 2 vehicles prior to this van and had I done my homework I'd have saved us a lot of time and money wasted.

Good luck, let us know what you choose!

Explorer with 3rd row. Boooooo minivans! :-)

We have a Mazda 5 and like it very much. In the back, it has two captain's chairs and a third row that can be up or down or halfway down. It has sliding doors on either side like a mini-van, but is a "mini mini van" and much cuter than a regular boxy minivan. It has better mileage than a minivan and lots of headroom--a roomy feeling interior. It doesn't have AWD but we live in VT and studded snow tires do the trick. It has the same undercarriage as a Mazda3 which is a sports car, so it has excellent handling and lots of zoom zoom.

There are also sorts of ways to configure the back seats and the captain's chairs slide up and down so you can get to the third row. There is a small aisle between the captain's chairs where you can also get to the third row. I would put the oldest in the far back.

Best of all, the price is right!

It has a very unique look and feel which will set you apart.

I was not very happy when I started driving a mini van (a chevy venture), but the price was right. I have to say although, I was never to pleased about the look of it, it is very convenient with kids. Long story short but I'm on my second van and have a Chevy Uplander which is loaded with a dvd player and leather seats. It doesn't look so much like a van and the kids love the dvd player.
I am constantly taking my 2 kids and my sisters 2 kids with my sister places and we all fit comfortably. Every other vehicle non-van like with seating like the van has not been comfortable or easy with 4 kids. My mom has an extended envoy and a family friend has a rendezvous.

Not only do I have a solution which can keep you in denial, it's economical too! I drive a 2000 Lexus RX 300 - it's a mid-sized SUV. I had 2 kids, and then when pregnant with #3 panicked because I also didn't want a minivan (although after reading these posts I am tempted). Anyway, instead of replacing the car, I replaced the car SEATS. With the Sunshine Kids Radian 60 or 80, you can fit 3 across. They are somehow narrower - I can't figure out how - but more comfortable (makes no sense to me either). They are also still with a 5 point harness (not boosters) which are known to be safer. I have 2 of those and a HUGE baby seat. My first baby seat was the rear facing big one that went up to 30 pounds. Now I have a Britax for the baby (who is almost 2) and still have my older kids in the Radians. Their friends think it's weird because they are not used to having the full buckling in, they are used to boosters, but I'll take the safety and space any day. We do not have 3rd row seating but know that the newer cars all come with that. The only problem we have is that we can't take any other kids in it which we could do if we had either a minivan or 3rd row, but it's been fine. And I'm still "stylin" in my SUV (albiet old and messy SUV). Good luck!

I gave in and got a Honda Odessey - and LOVE IT. Before you make up your mind test drive them and even try to put some car seats in them - the vans really make it so much easier... at least when they are little. I also have heard people rave about the Honda Pilots - I just found they didn't have enough room to get the kids in and out. We have a Jeep Grand cherokee as our other car, and it works... but again, much more difficult to get the kids in and out... which you do a lot of.