2 car seats and adult in back - what to buy?

M

MM3

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We will soon have a new bundle of joy entering the M household and my thoughts are turning to a new motor. We would like to be able to have the two car seats in the rear and also seat an adult between them as my wife always likes to sit in the back. We don't want an MPV so its either a saloon or a jeep. My wife would prefer a jeep as she likes the high driving position. We currently have the following shortlisted - budget around the 40-45K mark preferably second hand:

New model Honda CRV - this is the hot favourite at the moment , nice to drive and we can have two car seats and sit an adult reasonably comfortably
RAV4 - not sure if the back seat fits our requirements , anyone tried it with 2 car seats?
XC90 - Nice to drive and definitely big enough but probably too big for our needs

Anyone got any other non MPV suggestions?

Thanks,

M
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

I would have thought that the XC90 is effectively a step up from either the CRV or the Rav4.

The other half has a Rav 4 and as far as I am concerned it is a Corolla with a higher driving position and bigger boot.
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

CCOVICH said:
I would have thought that the XC90 is effectively a step up from either the CRV or the Rav4.

The other half has a Rav 4 and as far as I am concerned it is a Corolla with a higher driving position and bigger boot.
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Thanks for the reply - I'm planning to buy secondhand so I can probably get a 04 xc90 for 40-45K for the others it would probably be 07. TBH RAV4 is the only one I haven't driven and it looks a bit small to me but my wife likes it :)

M
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

Think the XC90 has up to 7 seats - I'd go for that one. To the best of my knowledge, no saloon car is fully 3 seats wides across the back.
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

have the new crv for approx 4 weeks now - would definitely recommend it - went for 2.0 L ES model with leather pack - as a car/jeep it is superb - good to drive, holds the road very well and boot space is very good (way bigger than rav 4), also fits into your 40 - 45 k price range.

we had a look at the xc90 - it is waaaaay bigger than crv.

also we have 3.5 yo in back in large seat (isofix) and 1 more on the way so our reason for buying was same as yours.
 
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Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

I have an 07 rav4 sol D4D and I love it, I much prefer it to my Dad's ML270 AMG merc which I was using all the time before I got my rav4 (he even prefers it)! I have 1 full size booster seat and if I have 2 adults travelling I put the child seat in the centre to give as much room as possible as the doors panels are curved out and alot of space would be wasted if the child seat was on the outside. The seat belt for the centre passenger comes from the left hand side roof and can be stored back up there when not needed. The ML270 was the same with regard to space.

I do think that it would be tight with 2 car seats and an adult, but the only way to know is to go to the garage and fit your seats into it. When I was buying I tried my big buggy in it to make sure it fitted! Boot wise I find it brilliant and I have the boot at the smallest size and all the leg room in the car to keep the childs feet off the back of the seats. There is even storage underneath the flat boot panel which is great for umbrella's, flashlamps, shopping bags etc. Its also very light on fuel and very nippy (biggest problem is holding it back in traffic).
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

XC90. No contest whatsoever. A completely different class of vehicle. Much much bigger too.

Get a diesel if you can find one.
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

Thanks for all the replies, looks like its the CRV or XC90.

XC90 is my personal favorite but we'd be looking at 04 vs 07 CRV , we would plan is keep the car up to five years so maybe the CRV would be the better long term bet due to it being a newer car...

M
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

Fiat Multipla

Ugly as sin but there are 3 seat accross the front.
I think any car with 2 child seats in the back is full.

7 seater could be the way to go.
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

Frank said:
Fiat Multipla

Ugly as sin but there are 3 seat accross the front.
I think any car with 2 child seats in the back is full.

7 seater could be the way to go.
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No chance Frank!!! Given I recently gave up my beloved coupe (for hint see username) for a saloon I'm not mentally prepared for an MPV of any kind :)

M
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

opel zafira
my sis just had twins and her husband is 6' 7"
they needed a car with lots of room in the back to take 2 baby seats
and have enough room for him as driver to put the seat back..
its just perfect!
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

yes you are right.... sorry about that....
one point to note about buying a jeep - if it is safety you are after a jeep is not the solution.
i myself am toying with the idea of buying a jeep (probably because they are fashionable - and everyone wants to be a "yummy mummy" however if you read up on the safety, it doesnt make good reading... you cant stop as quick as in a car, and their roll resist is not good....among other things... they also depreciated a lot more than cars too not to mention expensive to run.... all sad reading for me..
i have tried not to let this get to me as i was determined to get the jeep thing out of my system.... (i myself dont have children yet) style has always been important to me and am currently driving a convertible - definately not suitable for kids..... but now that i have that our of my system, i dont know what to go for next myself...and am looking to change for something else....
IMO i think safety should come ahead of "style" when children are involved... i hope i follow my own advise when the time comes...
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

I agree. SUV's handling and braking is not as good as a regular cars. It couldn't be with a higher centre of gravity and much more unsprung weight.
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

ok i have my flame suit on, anyway, im driving a SEAT ALTEA 2.0 TDI (140bhp) and fit the two kids in the back and an adult in the middle. There is another higher bhp version that might interest you coming from your M3 called the ALTEA "FR" it has 170bhp, this might not seem like much but when your driving the available pulling power is unreal. You should be able to afford a very high spec model.

Heres a review.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/used_car_reviews/article1903719.ece
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

RS2K said:
I agree. SUV's handling and braking is not as good as a regular cars. It couldn't be with a higher centre of gravity and much more unsprung weight.
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TBH I get the point but this wouldn't worry me, my wife doesn't exactly drive like Michael Schumacher ;-) I'd imagine the more metal between you and the other car the better i.e. golf vs XC90 there is only one winner!

M
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

5Times said:
ok i have my flame suit on, anyway, im driving a SEAT ALTEA 2.0 TDI (140bhp) and fit the two kids in the back and an adult in the middle. There is another higher bhp version that might interest you coming from your M3 called the ALTEA "FR" it has 170bhp, this might not seem like much but when your driving the available pulling power is unreal. You should be able to afford a very high spec model.

Heres a review.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/used_car_reviews/article1903719.ece
Click to expand...

Hmm still looks like an MPV to me! Nice car though and probably a better buy than the golf plus , certainly looks better...

M
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

5Times said:
ok i have my flame suit on, anyway, im driving a SEAT ALTEA 2.0 TDI (140bhp) and fit the two kids in the back and an adult in the middle. There is another higher bhp version that might interest you coming from your M3 called the ALTEA "FR" it has 170bhp, this might not seem like much but when your driving the available pulling power is unreal. You should be able to afford a very high spec model.

Heres a review.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/used_car_reviews/article1903719.ece
Click to expand...


A poor seller I understand and not big enough. Will be worth buttons later too.

p.s. it's a Seat :D
 
Re: 2 carseats and adult in back - what to buy?

MM3 said:
Hmm still looks like an MPV to me! Nice car though and probably a better buy than the golf plus , certainly looks better...

M
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It is, and its very stylish in the metal. plus you get 5 stars NCAP and ISOFIX for the child seats.
 
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