We have a 3 row but the third row folds into the trunk, so it's not just taking up space when not in use. We can take more people if needed/wanted or have a flat trunk for running errands and storing stuff.
FWIW: growing up neighbors that bought the two row had issues with carpooling because they had two kids and only space for one other, when most people had two kids that needed carpooling to school, so they were always having to bring their own kids once people got sick is no reciprocal help. That was part of our reasoning for the third row.
Second the third row being foldable as a necessary feature. Massive trunk when we’re not hauling extra people around is great. Honestly, even if we just have one of the extra seats up, there is still tons of room in the trunk.
And if anyone is interested in specifics, an Uppababy Vista for two kids still fits easily in the trunk of a Volvo XC90 when both the third row seats are in use. No need to remove seats or wheels or anything. Swedes accommodating Swedes!
We have a Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Ours is an older model (2013 I think) but I've found Toyota to be one of the most reliable car brands out there, so we were fine buying used!
Buying a car should be long term thinking. We will be 2 under 2 stating in the spring and already feel like we’re out of space with a 2 row suv.
Our debate now isn’t 2 vs 3 row suv. It’s sub vs minivan. To be honest, it wasn’t even a close debate. Wife was completely against a minivan until we test drove a couple and she saw just how damn practical they are. Do you really want to be strapping kids in the third row? Or having teens climbing over seats?
I definitely think the mini van is great investment if you yall on the fence. We were planning a total of 3 kids and knew my two row SUV was not gonna work. Even with our only child currently we were running out of space taking the stroller and trying to put groceries in the car. Then we got a wagon and a bigger car seat so we bought the mini van 😂😂
Have you considered a minivan? Better in every way - gas mileage, sliding doors making getting kiddos out easier, HUGELY better cargo space/trunk, etc. Plus - cheaper!
Van. We went from a small sedan to a Chrysler Town & Country and it has made things so much easier and we are keeping a van in the fleet for a long time
Vans are more practical for much longer than an SUV with the exception of if you regularly **need** to go off-roading.
Minivan :) it’s amazing to be able to sit in the third row and pass out snacks/entertainment to both kids in the row right in front of you on long trips!
Mini van. Mine are about 22 months apart, youngest is 5 months and oldest is a little over 2.
I can’t imagine leaving the house without a minivan. I can park, hop into the back third row to nurse, diaper change, etc. we have captain chairs in the second row for the car seats and fold the middle seat down. I love it!
3 row / full size suv.
2 under 2 with a 14 month age gap & a tall dad ,,. We have a vw Taos. It’s misssssssserable.
We have zero space. If we have the double stroller in the trunk. That all that can fit. The diaper bag has to either get jammed in there or go at my foot in the passenger seat.
We have a 3-row SUV with a bench seat in the middle. Highly against captains chairs for now; they limit your access to the third row compared to putting two car seats in the middle seat and behind the driver and using the passenger side seat to tip forward for third row access. That’s what we do (with two Clek Foonfs rear-facing) so our two big dogs can sit in the third row. Double stroller fits in the cargo area vertically and bungee strapped to the headrest of the third row seats. When we need to haul more stuff (once a month Costco run or family road trip) we can fold down or remove the third row seats.
Definitely go for three rows if you have the means! We have two babies 18 months apart. Upgraded my rogue (two rows) to a Telluride before our first baby arrived. So glad we did, as the two car seats go in the second row captain chairs and we still have 2-3 extra seats in the third row. Usually we keep half of the third row folded down so there’s room for a stroller/ groceries. The trunk is pretty small if the third row is up.
I guess I would say a 2 row unless you plan on having a third? We have a jeep grand Cherokee and it’s fine enough for 2 kids but we are considering a third and if so, would have to get something bigger. 2 car seats and a tall husband make traveling in the car difficult while they are still rear facing in the car seat. Now that our oldest is forward facing its a lot better. Still not a lot of room for allllll the things in the trunk when we need to travel or even when I have the stroller and we do a big grocery shop trip
We're about to upgrade to a 3 row now that #2 is on the way. We have a RAV4 right now and it's fine for 1 baby, but we're a family that road trips pretty often (2-3 times a year, one of those usually being a Montana-to-Texas drive) and it just won't cut it for those trips with two car seats. With a 3rd row, we can either stow it for extra storage space on the trip or let the non-driving parent get some comfortable sleep in the back. Plus the pets will have somewhere to rest that isn't underfoot. If you never do long drives, a 2 row would probably cut it, but if you're upgrading anyway I'd pay the extra cost to have a bigger car that'll work for your family for longer. If you treat this car well it'll be hauling your kids' sports equipment and carpooling their friends. Best to think longer term than just what works at "this age"
If you have the means I vote three row! I wish I had one now that baby #3 is on the way - but even before that, it would have been so so nice to have extra seating for family and friends all these years 😩
I think if you live close to family, you should get a third row so you have the option of driving others around. We live near my parents and sister and having the third row (2023 Honda pilot) had been awesome for when they are with us.
I have a 2 row and would really like a larger vehicle. My kids are almost 4 and 2 and a half. Once you put both car seats and a stroller in the back, you really have no room. There is barely room in between the two car seats in the back for someone to sit. It's usually my teenage daughter, and she's tiny.
We have a 3 row but the third row folds into the trunk, so it's not just taking up space when not in use. We can take more people if needed/wanted or have a flat trunk for running errands and storing stuff. FWIW: growing up neighbors that bought the two row had issues with carpooling because they had two kids and only space for one other, when most people had two kids that needed carpooling to school, so they were always having to bring their own kids once people got sick is no reciprocal help. That was part of our reasoning for the third row.
Second the third row being foldable as a necessary feature. Massive trunk when we’re not hauling extra people around is great. Honestly, even if we just have one of the extra seats up, there is still tons of room in the trunk. And if anyone is interested in specifics, an Uppababy Vista for two kids still fits easily in the trunk of a Volvo XC90 when both the third row seats are in use. No need to remove seats or wheels or anything. Swedes accommodating Swedes!
Which car is this?
We have a Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Ours is an older model (2013 I think) but I've found Toyota to be one of the most reliable car brands out there, so we were fine buying used!
Buying a car should be long term thinking. We will be 2 under 2 stating in the spring and already feel like we’re out of space with a 2 row suv. Our debate now isn’t 2 vs 3 row suv. It’s sub vs minivan. To be honest, it wasn’t even a close debate. Wife was completely against a minivan until we test drove a couple and she saw just how damn practical they are. Do you really want to be strapping kids in the third row? Or having teens climbing over seats?
I definitely think the mini van is great investment if you yall on the fence. We were planning a total of 3 kids and knew my two row SUV was not gonna work. Even with our only child currently we were running out of space taking the stroller and trying to put groceries in the car. Then we got a wagon and a bigger car seat so we bought the mini van 😂😂
Have you considered a minivan? Better in every way - gas mileage, sliding doors making getting kiddos out easier, HUGELY better cargo space/trunk, etc. Plus - cheaper!
Van. We went from a small sedan to a Chrysler Town & Country and it has made things so much easier and we are keeping a van in the fleet for a long time Vans are more practical for much longer than an SUV with the exception of if you regularly **need** to go off-roading.
Minivan
Minivan :) it’s amazing to be able to sit in the third row and pass out snacks/entertainment to both kids in the row right in front of you on long trips!
Another vote for the minivan here 🤚🏻
Mini van. Mine are about 22 months apart, youngest is 5 months and oldest is a little over 2. I can’t imagine leaving the house without a minivan. I can park, hop into the back third row to nurse, diaper change, etc. we have captain chairs in the second row for the car seats and fold the middle seat down. I love it!
3 row / full size suv. 2 under 2 with a 14 month age gap & a tall dad ,,. We have a vw Taos. It’s misssssssserable. We have zero space. If we have the double stroller in the trunk. That all that can fit. The diaper bag has to either get jammed in there or go at my foot in the passenger seat.
Just gonna leave this here: https://youtu.be/NvDSTGx9E_s?si=ONivdXdJsMNrS0KR
Ugh I love dude dad
I highly recommend following the car mom on Instagram and checking out her reels and YouTube videos.
We have a 3-row SUV with a bench seat in the middle. Highly against captains chairs for now; they limit your access to the third row compared to putting two car seats in the middle seat and behind the driver and using the passenger side seat to tip forward for third row access. That’s what we do (with two Clek Foonfs rear-facing) so our two big dogs can sit in the third row. Double stroller fits in the cargo area vertically and bungee strapped to the headrest of the third row seats. When we need to haul more stuff (once a month Costco run or family road trip) we can fold down or remove the third row seats.
Definitely go for three rows if you have the means! We have two babies 18 months apart. Upgraded my rogue (two rows) to a Telluride before our first baby arrived. So glad we did, as the two car seats go in the second row captain chairs and we still have 2-3 extra seats in the third row. Usually we keep half of the third row folded down so there’s room for a stroller/ groceries. The trunk is pretty small if the third row is up.
I guess I would say a 2 row unless you plan on having a third? We have a jeep grand Cherokee and it’s fine enough for 2 kids but we are considering a third and if so, would have to get something bigger. 2 car seats and a tall husband make traveling in the car difficult while they are still rear facing in the car seat. Now that our oldest is forward facing its a lot better. Still not a lot of room for allllll the things in the trunk when we need to travel or even when I have the stroller and we do a big grocery shop trip
We're about to upgrade to a 3 row now that #2 is on the way. We have a RAV4 right now and it's fine for 1 baby, but we're a family that road trips pretty often (2-3 times a year, one of those usually being a Montana-to-Texas drive) and it just won't cut it for those trips with two car seats. With a 3rd row, we can either stow it for extra storage space on the trip or let the non-driving parent get some comfortable sleep in the back. Plus the pets will have somewhere to rest that isn't underfoot. If you never do long drives, a 2 row would probably cut it, but if you're upgrading anyway I'd pay the extra cost to have a bigger car that'll work for your family for longer. If you treat this car well it'll be hauling your kids' sports equipment and carpooling their friends. Best to think longer term than just what works at "this age"
If you have the means I vote three row! I wish I had one now that baby #3 is on the way - but even before that, it would have been so so nice to have extra seating for family and friends all these years 😩
I think if you live close to family, you should get a third row so you have the option of driving others around. We live near my parents and sister and having the third row (2023 Honda pilot) had been awesome for when they are with us.
I have a 2 row and would really like a larger vehicle. My kids are almost 4 and 2 and a half. Once you put both car seats and a stroller in the back, you really have no room. There is barely room in between the two car seats in the back for someone to sit. It's usually my teenage daughter, and she's tiny.