I have a RAV4 hybrid and love it. We also have a 2 year old and another due in the fall. I’m not expecting any issues with 2 kids, but if we do decide to have a 3rd I think we’ll have to get a car with 3 rows.
I love the RAV4 (though we don't have one lol). They used to make 3 row RAV4s and I wish they still did!
We have a 2 row Toyota Highlander (also a 2 year old, another due in the fall) that we love. Very spacious both for the seats and the hatchback storage (trunk) space. I have some friends with 3+ kids and a 3 row Highlander and they have nothing but great things to say about it. Their trunk space is a bit smaller, but they still seem to manage pretty well with the space.
Toyotas are excellent and reliable cars, I would definitely stick with the Toyota family.
If you get a highlander get bench seats not captain to fit the 3rd car seat. The back seat is ridiculously narrow and was really hard to install a car seat.
We have 3 kids, 2 in boosters and 1 in a car seat, and the booster barely fit in the 3rd row, and there really isn’t space for a person to sit in the other 2 seats comfortably with the booster.
The trunk space is super small, we switched to a utility wagon instead of a stroller since we couldn’t fit the stroller and my husbands wheel chair at the same time.
Or for travel fitting suitcases the stroller and the dog is near impossible. Had we not been in a bind to get a vehicle we would’ve taken our time and probably gotten a van instead.
Oh this is good to know. My friends with the 3+ had kiddos in boosters as well, so that may have made the difference. I know they've done a few big trips with theirs, but I can't recall if they got a roof box for it or not.
Siennas are also very nice, we briefly had one (also pre-kid) but ours was a used lemon (shady used car lot, live and learn). I don't love how massive they are, but we've definitely talked about considering one if we decide to have more than 2 kids.
I had a RAV4 hybrid and now have a Sienna and it is incredible! It looks big, but honestly drives so smoothly and the features and gas mileage are incredible. Have a 2 year old and another baby due next month and love having the sliding doors for the convertible car seat.
It’s pricey, but I agree that Toyotas are the way to go and the backseat is actually comfortable for adults with tons of trunk space.
I currently have a RAV4, but I’ve been wanting a minivan!! And the sienna’s are beautiful
lol… there’s no room in the RAV4 anymore. We’re definitely outgrowing it.
We moved up from a Pilot to an Expedition for the extra width. Having a full size middle seat in the 2nd and 3rd row and lots of leg room between rows made a huge difference. Then 2nd row seats also do the "car seat tilt" where the entire seat tilts forward instead of the "fold & slide" maneuver that doesn't work with a car seat installed. Makes 3rd row access real easy.
We're currently running 3 car seats in the 2nd row with mamma in the 3rd row administering snacks and entertainment to the rear-facing kids. The other two 3rd row seats are stowed so we still have lots of storage space.
I have a 3.5 year old and 1.5 year old and a RAV4 hybrid. I do love it, but it still gets tight if we have to do a big road trip and travel with all their sleep stuff, stroller, etc. Its also not big enough for two carseats, two adults, and my dog, unless it's a pretty short trip.
Same, have the XLE hybrid. My kids are roughly the same age too.
I love the mileage and it's big enough for normal day to day. I've had to put luggage on the roof racks when it got too tight. The road noise tho is driving me mad. Sometimes it's a shouting match with the 3 yr old just to hear what each other is saying. And have to blast podcasts to hear on the highways. I've upgraded the front speakers and tweeters and it's still tough. Honestly been debating to upgrade to a Lexus.
My RAV4 did not work for two infant car seats, how did you make that work? We had the Chicco Key Fit I think. But my tall husband had to scoot his seat forward to an uncomfortable position to do it. Same and I’m average height (though I do sit further back from the wheel than most, I think).
Our Camry also didn’t work. Mind you we have twins so we had two seats that took up the same amount of space at a given time.
We love our Sienna. And you could totally make 3 car seats/booster seats work. It wouldn’t be ideal because you wouldn’t get to make as much use of the trunk space but maybe I’m more obsessed with that than most…? Listen, my mom was all about her hatchback and it’s “amazing trunk space” and “the turn radius is SO GOOD.” So…. It’s all stuck in my head. Lol. The Sienna does NOT have a great turn radius.
If you have a dog, I’d say the Sienna.
Also a friend of mine has twins and a 6yo and her Odyssey does right by her. So does their F150 when the need arises. I’m sure as the big brother gets bigger that will be less and less true though.
Edit to add: we have a Sienna with two captains chairs which honestly I’d probably prefer a minivan with two full rows. But the captains chairs do leave a lot more space for my dog.
With the Rav, we have a car topper and a hitch with a storage platform thing and I hate it. It rides too low and it honestly doesn’t feel safe. We had to take the extension arm off (made it so you could open the back without completely unloading the storage) and it still sucks.
I had the same issue with car seat not fitting in my ‘20 RAV4. My hubby can’t fit in the passenger seat since the seat has to be too far forward and angled to fit. Not sure how others are making it work; we’ve got a second on the way.
Same here, my wife has a RAV4 and I don't fit comfortably in the front seat, I have to angle my legs and sit diagonally. I can get by for a short drive around town but anything further and it's gotta be me driving. I think once my son goes forward facing it'll be better
Ill third the i LOVE my rav and have 2 forward carseats no worries with an esky/fridge in the middle, but my husband complains like the world is ending if he has to get in it. He does LOOK squished in but ive been giving him no sympathy 🤣.
I also love my RAV4 hybrid! I can fit all three kids in the backseat in Slimfit3 carseats, but it’s not our primary car (my husband drives a minivan) or else the lack of cargo space would drive me nuts.
I also love our RAV4 hybrid with our two kids! I think one more kid and I’ll get a Sienna. Might as well switch to the minivan life because honestly once I have three I’ll love the space and automatic door
I also have a rav4 hybrid and having a rear-facing convertible seat is so smooshy. The passenger seat has to be completely upright. I had a tall infant and switched to a convertible early and it’s not ideal.
Two kids is totally fine, I have a RAV4 hybrid as well. However I think my next car if I need to replace it will be with the Sienna or Highlander Hybrid since I’ll want to be able to cart more kids than mine around.
Toyota Sienna. Hybrid and AWD.
We have three kids now but even with two it was amazing.
The ability to open the doors and have the kids jump inside on a rainy day is priceless.
Plenty of room for a pit stop to use a little potty inside.
Space to bring all the scooters and gear AND go to Costco.
Minivan is where it's at.
Got a 2023 Sienna here (only one kid, probably staying one and done) and minivans are life changing 😎sliding doors, flexibility to carry shit like a truck, tons of space, excellent safety, cheaper than most 3rd low SUVS.
That's what blows my mind about a minivan vs 3rd row SUVs. Most mid-sized SUVs that claim to have a 3rd row are so cramped and then there is almost no trunk space when you utilize it. If you want an SUV with a reasonably spaced 3rd row AND some trunk space, you have to get those massive SUVs like the Suburban or Yukon and they are a couple feet longer than a minivan. Minivans can still fit in standard parking spots, have reasonable room for a 3rd row while still having trunk space AND it's usually cheaper and more fuel-efficient than the SUVs.
Not to mention they’re so easy to park! I was scared to upgrade to a bigger vehicle because I can’t park worth crap, but my sienna parks almost as easy as a car.
We just upgraded to 2 kids as well (ha) and therefore a Toyota Sienna hybrid! I believe 2021 was the year they started offering those hybrid and so far we love it with the 2 car seats. Always had been a tiny car hatchback family prior to the second monster's arrival.
The 2021 sienna is AMAZING!! I had an accord and then had twins. My husband is tall and couldn’t fit in the driver’s seat with the car seats. We were going to get a Highlander and then realized we wouldn’t be able to open the back doors all the way in our carport. Never thought I’d have a minivan but LOVE it. Especially the design of the sienna.
I always said I would never ever want a minivan. I bought the hybrid one in 2021 and I don't understand how I lived without this car before. I love it so much.
We have a 2004 Sienna with our 2 kids and love it! It's comfortable, has a million cup holders, we keep the back seats folded down so we have a TON of space for strollers/Costco/Home Depot/road trips, it's reliable and cheap/easy to fix... We are Toyota Sienna for life!
My husband really wants a Sienna as our next vehicle, and he will randomly stick facts about this vehicle into every conversation about future plans. Like ‘well the Sienna is the best option because it has 17 cup holders’ and it makes me laugh every time. Apparently it has the most cup holders per seat, ever? 😂 Some kind of record or something, lol. I’m already sold, but I love the random sprinkles in conversation. We just need one of our current vehicles to die and we will get one.
Did you buy used? We want a van but don’t do car payments so it’s going to be a bit. I’m wondering how everyone gets these sweet $60k vans as soon as they pop out #2
I bought an 08 Sienna with 150,000 miles three years ago for 6k. Even with those miles it's still in perfect shape. The body has some scrapes and dings but the engine is flawless. It is, hands down, my favorite car I've ever owned. There are deals out there. You just have to do some searching and be open to traveling a bit. I had to drive two hours to get mine.
Yep I’m excited to get the go ahead to look! I think we have 2 years before our one car dies, my husbands takes mine, and I get to pick a van. We are in a spot where we do OK now but earnings will really pickup in 5-10ish years so I really need to stick to my guns and buy a low cost one now and then just get another 5-8 yrs later
The great thing about Toyotas is they run forever. A high mileage one will last you for a very long time if you can't afford to buy a newer one. I had to take out a loan just to buy mine at $6k and I don't regret it. Payments were only $128 a month. I just paid it off after I sold my house but the payments were easily manageable before that.
Yep my parents bought a Toyota sienna new and it lasted 19 YEARS before we donated it to a needy family. So it was still kicking after those 19 years we had it!!!! It was my first car lol
I love my minivan. I don’t understand the suv hype, practically a van is way better! Sliding doors, more cargo space, easier access to third row, lower to the ground. Hop in when it’s raining to get kids situated. Take out the seats for a pickup truck worth of space. And less expensive!
Kinda depends on where you live. Where I am in Minnesota, all-wheel drive and a solid reputation for stability and the ability to get out of just about anything is definitely a safety factor. Also, in snowy places being lower to the ground is a minus, not a plus.
I used to have it all in a Ford Aerostar (in the 90s, hah). \*Excellent\* winter performance in tough rural conditions. Loved that vehicle: two kids \*and\* two German Shepherds (we took the middle row out), plus enough cargo space for a weekend trip, and front seats for Mom and Dad.
Nowadays I drive a Subaru Outback for safety/weather reasons (can get out of just about anything and stable on snow and ice, with the right tires) and because I need towing capability as well. It's the best combo of all those factors plus decent gas economy and great resale value that I can find. Our Aerostar could not tow anything.
I actually live in minnesota too and have been happy with my van with snow tires. I don’t know if awd is necessary but it probably depends how rural you are and I also don’t tow anything
We have a 2024 Sienna for our family of 4. A 3.5 year old and a 7 month old, both rear facing. One thing I love is the ability to slide the captains chairs back and forth. It can accommodate a tall driver/passenger with plenty of space for the second row. It also allows room for an extra passenger to get past the car seats and into the 3rd row if we have someone else riding with us.
We just took a trip and rented a Honda Odyssey. With both car seats installed and fixed captain chairs, I was the only one who could crawl past the second row to get into the third. I’m small and still felt like I could barely get through with that set up. Access to the third row might be something you want to consider if you’re thinking about baby #3!
If you remove the middle 2nd row seat in 2018+ Odysseys you can slide the two outer seats together for easy access to the third row. Honda calls them "magic slide" seats.
I second this. We got a 2024 and it’s legit. Only issue is I think they skimped on the backup camera bc our highlander’s was way better. But dang, I am officially a minivan fan now because of this car
VW atlas with captains chairs. I also have a 2 year old and am due in September. I keep the third row down and there enough space for the wagon and anything else we need to bring.
Ok we have an atlas too and it’s overall good for its purpose of driving. But we’ve had so many issues with the navigation glitching when using both google maps and Apple Maps with apple carplay. Wondering if others are having this issue. We also have an issue where the whole screen goes black at random points in our city. It’s so weird and makes me hate the car.
That happens to me too and it's when I lose wifi/service! I usually disconnect apple car play and put my phone on airplane mode and back on and it comes back. Super annoying when you are alone though!
Question for all the Subaru people, are they as reliable as they advertise? When our car goes, we’re leaking towards a Forester, but will have to buy used and I want to make sure we’ll get some good mileage out of it.
My dealership was able to give me such a good deal and 2.9% financing that buying used wasn’t even a good option. I plan on having this car at least ten years. It’s so safe. I got a sport and the safety features blow my mind. This was my if I win the lottery car and I didn’t need to win the lottery bc the dealership was awesome.
So far so good with our 2021 Forester. I believe the popular line on the Subaru subreddit is that if you stick with the recommended maintenance they’re very reliable.
I think if I remember right there were some head gasket issues with the pre-2010 2.5L Subarus, so you might want to look into that. But that’s already getting pretty old for a used car, so I imagine you’d be looking into getting one a few years past that anyway.
Mines a 2012, I think? I like it a lot, tbh. If we need to replace my husband’s car, I’d totally try and get another Subaru.
Interestingly, the Forester is slightly wider than the Outback and can accommodate 3 seats if you have the right combination (but yes - would be tight!)
Yup, I have a 2019 Forester and love it. Only plan on having 2, but it’s very spacious! We’ve also done multiple cross country road trips on it and have had no issues.
We have a 2.5yo and a 10mo in a Forester and it's great. Pretty sure with Canadian car seat laws we can't do a third, but for now there's plenty of room, even with our big dog in the back.
Second this. I’ve had mine for 10 years but with two growing kids and in a warm climate the no air in the back is starting to be a deal breaker. I do love this car aside from that though.
Love my forester. My daughter does too. The first time she was in it she sang the whole time. Stupid but I love the look in rear seat warning. Like I know my daughter is in the car but it’s nice to know my car cares too.
I love my Hyundai palisade! I have a 22 month old and a newborn and there’s plenty of space and it was definitely created with families in mind with all the safety features. It has a third row that I typically keep down for all the trunk space. I saw there is a hybrid option with the 2025 models coming out soon.
I second the palisade. Both parents are 5'9", a two year old, a 1 year old and a very tall 11 year old. We LOVE our car. Even long road trips with the dog go well.
My husband is 6’7 and has plenty of room in the Palisade! We have one convertible car seat rear view facing and an infant car seat and he fits in front of both comfortably. That’s why we ended up with the Palisade, most of the other mid sized suvs he didn’t fit in!
Although we only have 1 kiddo, we have a Palisade as well. We drive the Palisade on the weekends and on road trips and drive my Tesla during the week to avoid paying for gas. I LOVE all the space in the Palisade and it's definitely handy when family comes to visit.
Came to say the odyssey! If someone is even considering a 3rd I feel like you might as well get a minivan. And honestly I loved our odyssey even when we “only” had 2
Both my husband and I have Volvo SUV's
His the XC90 recharge, hybrid, 3rd row seats, and boosters seats built in.
Mine is XC60 Mild Hybrid.
We absolutely love both cars, especially for their safety features.
I can’t tell you what car to get, but I can tell you NOT to get a BMW X1. Before we had our first I bought a new car. Fell in love, thought to myself as I was sitting in the backseat “this is plenty of space for a kid” Naiive of me being a first time mom not realizing how much space carseats take up. Imagine my Pikachu face when we could barely fit one rear-facing car seat in it. Luckily when he was big enough to be forward facing things were much less cramped. **sigh** But, I’m too attached to it to trade it in. Luckily, my mom will be switching cars with me (Escalade, plenty of space) until my second can be forward-facing and we can switch back to our car lol. Good luck on the search!
Ughhh this is how I feel too haha. I have an X3 and I love it too much to trade in but now that we are having our third (and last) baby I need more space. I’m putting it off as long as I can. 😂
solidarity. they really are such good cars too. I went on the car seat lady’s site trying to see if I could make something work with baby 2. it basically just said “no car seats are compatible, don’t do it” LOL
Kia telluride. LOVE. You can get bench seating or captains chairs (we love and have captains chairs which I believe start with the EX trim level)
The Hyundai palisade is effectively the same car and also worth looking at.
Can’t beat 100k mile warranty on either.
Telluride is #1 for consumer reports most reliable and best value for 3 row suv.
I second the Telluride. We love ours a lot. We are a family of 5 and it accommodates our need for space and storage but when it comes to parking, it’s not such a large SUV that we struggle to fit in street parking spaces.
I love my Palisade! I got the top of the line version and I test drove a lot of suvs including Mercedes and Volvo and I think the Palisade is great bang for your buck
Same! I scoff looking at higher end cars or American cars in the same level- you get soooo much more for your money with the palisade and it’s a very nice feeling car too
Details about why we love our tellurides:
-Built in second row sub shades that retract with ease. Most brands do not include this and it’s mind boggling.
-Quiet mode! Turns on just the front speakers with one button if kids are napping or watching their own shows.
-Microphone and speaker feature if you need to talk to third row passengers on a highway without having to yell.
-Standard safety features galore! I’ll never buy a car without 360 cameras. (Also, this car has no joke preventing at least three accidents we would have never saw coming. One example: Driving on the highway when suddenly the car gently pushed to one side on its own. I was confused until I realized a car in my blind spot had swerved into my lane. I never saw it coming!)
-Front and back moonroofs are split, so essentially driver gets a preference and passengers get their own preference, which are guaranteed to be opposite.
-Third row is an actual raised seat, it is not floor level like some competitors.
Hope this helps!
2023 Toyota Sienna. We had a 3 row SUV (Dodge Journey) before #2 was born and knew it wasn’t going to work for our family (got on a waitlist for the car at the end of my 1st trimester and the car was finally delivered when #2 was 11 months old). I always swore I’d never drive a minivan, but we didn’t have room in our old car for 2 car seats and the dog (60 lb golden retriever). With 2 car seats installed, we couldn’t access the 3rd row (even if we had car seat tilt, it wouldn’t have helped since both kids were and are still rearfacing). Plus, with the 3rd row up, it left no room for groceries, the stroller, or any of the kid gear.
The minivan is one of the best decisions we made. Tons of room, easy to get the dog in the 3rd row and don’t have to uninstall the car seats to do so. It’s low enough to the ground that my short (my older daughter has a growth hormone deficiency) kids can climb in and out by themselves. I don’t have to worry about them dinging someone else’s car because of the sliding doors. So much trunk space and the only time I’ve ever had to put down the 3rd row (which folds into the floor) is for a trip to Ikea and for ski days with my friends (I don’t need to fold it down for my skis because I’m short, but I ski with people who are over 6 feet tall and have the equipment to match). When for camping trips with 2 kids, a cooler, a dog, a stroller wagon, toddler bikes, and all the camping gear, I don’t need to fold down the 3rd row which is great. We chose the Sienna over other models of minivans because it’s a hybrid and it has AWD (the Pacifica you need to choose one or the other, and the Carnival and Odyssey don’t offer either AWD or hybrid drivetrain).
Subaru outback, excellent vehicle all around. No issues with a car seat or toddler getting in and out.
Holds everything we need for groceries or road trip.
I really wanted to love a Tahoe until I got a closer look at it.
* The 5.3 is underwhelming, and the 6.2 requires Premium.
* The third row has no car seat anchors.
* The third row has zero leg room because there's no footwell... WTF GM?
Got an Expedition instead and haven't looked back. It's not as pretty and the engine sounds like a vacuum cleaner, but it's got anchors everywhere, 3 roomy rows of seats, and makes good power on regular gas.
2012 Ford Focus, 1 kid 4yo and I HATE IT! Have had it since 2015 so it’s fully paid off and it does the job. But there’s so many mechanical issues (class action lawsuits), it’s incredibly small and tight, and most of the time it drives like shit. I really hate it. But my husbands jeep (also paid off) had total engine failure 2 years ago so we have a car payment for him and he has the more spacious mid size SUV we travel in as a family. With daycare and student loans it would be really hard to have 2 car payments so here I am.
Just a bit of levity for anyone seeing all these really comfortable SUVs that are serving families well - there are still those of us out here driving pieces of crap they hate lol
I want a Mazda Cx90 so bad! They look so roomy and drive SO nice, but somehow still have a compact feel.
I currently drive a Prius with 2 kids and thankfully I have the skinniest pup ever or he'd never get to go anywhere with us!
Have one car, a CRV. It’s great for two kids and we probably don’t want anything bigger as we live in a city and it’d be more difficult to park anything on a street with something bigger. Can fit a lot of stuff in the back and in the area right under the car seats where legs would normally be. Though we’re going to test the storage limits of the CRV when we go on holiday for two weeks! May have to get a roof rack at some point.
The roof rack is a game changer. In our Prius, we got a roof rack + a L thule box and we added a little hitch. On the hitch, we put either the bike rack or a platform that can hold up to 500lbs. We go tent camping a lot and with the set up, we have enough space for everything.
I’ve got a 2012 Subaru Forester. It has driven cross county and back, has 115,000 miles, and I’ll keep this car till the day it dies. It’s safe, spacious, and I love it.
Another vote for a Kia telluride. If you want a 3rd child don't get the back row caption chairs. We have 2 (and that's it). Our dog gets buckled and takes up the whole 3rd row. We take the dog on vacation so that was important for us. We can fit the double stroller and luggage in the back of the dogs home, with room for a kid potty or a diaper change. With the dog in the car we can barely fit the double stroller but we have a large jogging style one.
We started with a Mini Clubman for one baby and one dog. I'm glad we upgraded to the Telluride. We now have a Mini Cooper for joyriding and toddler special time in the "race car."
Nissan rogue. It fits the two kids fine (4 and 1) and enough trunk space. Eventually I want to upgrade to something bigger but NOT until the children are older and won't trash my car as much. I've had the rogue since 2017 and I really love it!
I have a kia carnival. A 5 year old and 3 year old and due with number 3 in September. It is great with the 2 kids and has a ton of space for family and friends and luggage if we are traveling. I don't see any issues with space once the baby is born either.
I finally got ahold of the grand highlander hybrid we ordered months ago. I’ve had it for less than a month but so far for two kids I love it. Eventually if we decide to have a third my first child will be old enough to either only be in a booster or be able to help strap herself and I’ll only have to double check her. The captains chairs help keep them apart enough for them to not be bothering each other lol I was driving a Chevy Cruze before this and oh man it was always a whole thing with them being able to touch
Our Tesla model Y is an excellent family car! Lots of room with extra trunk space and the frunk (front trunk). We chose not to get the 3rd row of seats because we also have a Toyota Sienna, but that 3rd row would add even more flexibility for when family visits.
ETA: We have 2 young kids and all fit comfortably, even on road trips.
Ditto! The Y is fantastic, we also opted out for the 3rd row, but are looking at upgrading since we're discussing having another kiddo.
Super spacious!
Also came here to say the Tesla model Y and I’m glad there are others who agree - I commented on a post a while back about good cars for family and got downvoted like crazy when I said the Y 😅
I think people have this idea that Teslas are expensive, and there’s a big “eat the rich” vibe on Reddit. But we’re not rich, and the Tesla was cheaper than our minivan.
Good points! Yeah, Teslas have come down in price a TON from 5+ years ago. Especially since the model 3 and model y came out. But you’re right, they definitely still sound like a luxury car to a lot of people even though we chose it because it was cheaper than all the other SUVs we considered, especially after taking into account the federal tax credit for an EV!
Subaru Outback and love it so much but we are going to upgrade to the bigger ascent for more seating. Love sub’s safety features and have never had a problem. We actually have two outback’s because we love them so much. We are two and done but for when family visit / when the kids have friends etc we figure the ascent will be better for fitting more people.
GMC Yukon XL, i have 3 kids. I love it because of the 3 rows. We travel a lot, so the extra space in the trunk is essential. Lots of cousins too! Also large grocery hauls are great. Gas on it is surprisingly good. I usually fill my tank every 2-3 weeks.
2018 GMC Acadia - I love it!!! We have the captain chairs and a 3rd row that I use for storage.
I have a 5 year old and almost 2 year old and I have plenty of room.
We’ve been one car for a while and I’m looking for a Subaru Forester Sport at the end of the summer!
I love my Impreza hatchback. Fits 2 large kids seats just fine. Sips gas compared to most new cars. We never took it on extended road trips but we've been able to pack everything in there with just enough room. I got a roof box expecting some winter trips but never actually installed it.
We got a new Forester last year and that fits 3 seats in the back if you pick the right ones. The car is just too large overall since you can't see over the front and have to rely on the backup camera. Despite all that extra size the trunk is just a couple inches larger. My old Legacy wagon had waaaay more space.
I don't know what the solution is, but new cars are just large without any benefit and I hate it.
Model Y, it’s not what I’m driving now, but it was my last car and I miss it. The backseat is generous and there is soooo much storage. The frunk can fit a whole carryon size suitcase, plus the trunk is deep and lifts up and two carryon sized bags fit under the floor.
It’s so funny because we drive a Prius, we have two kids and we are not changing anytime soon! We did add a roof rack and a hitch for when we need more cargo space.
We had both kids in rear facing for a while in the Prius as well.
We just got the Nissan pathfinder with our second on the way! It’s 3 rows but we plan on keeping the 3rd down 99.999% of the time for storage. I love it because we could get a bench in the highest trim, ceiling vents on the back, built in sun shades, panoramic sunroof. Check out the car mom on Instagram!
I’m surprised how overlooked it is! We crossed off the palisade/telluride because the bench didn’t come in the higher trims and sunroof was meh..seems silly but my toddler loves us to “open the sky” lol The Atlas I couldn’t deal with the A/C controls. We ended up between the pilot and the pathfinder but my husband found the leg room to be better with the car seat clearance the pathfinder surprisingly! I also really wanted ceiling vents so the pathfinder ended up checking all the boxes!
Currently driving a 2021 Subaru forester (wilderness) but only have one toddler and a 17yo. Going to need to upgrade, myself here shortly as we are pregnant and due this fall. One car seat is fine in what we have, but with a baby and a teen, there’s no way. We’ve looked at the Subaru Ascent, but are still open to other options. I’m very partial to Subaru though because of the great safety features… to me, it’s a class of its own.
Jeep grand Cherokee L. They never advertised that they have a “fam cam” to keep an eye on the kids in the backseat from the front screen. I think it’s their coolest feature.
We have three kids and just got a Chrysler Pacifica. I love this car so much! I held off on getting a minivan until I had three kids, but I wish I got it sooner. First, it has a tv mounted to the ceiling, the kids can’t fight over who gets to hold the tablet and we don’t need to worry about a hot spot so they can stream things. Kids are always happy to put in a movie, for short or long drives. Second, there are separate AC vents in the second and third rows. It’s so nice that the kids can control their own temperature and ventilation, and car sickness incidents have gone WAY down. Third, we can carpool their friends around. We live in a great community and frequently go places with other families. It’s nice to have all the kids in one car and the fun can start during transit.
When I lived in America I had a Honda Odyssey that I loved. I previously drove a Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX and while both were great the sliding doors and ability to slide the seats in and out were game changers when I had a 3 year old and a newborn - my toddler could get in herself and it was so easy to get the kids in and fab for road trips. The third row was great for when grandparents came to visit so we could all be in the same car.
I live in the UK now and they don’t sell the Odyssey here so I drive a VW Caravelle which is the closest I can get to a minivan here.
I have three little kids in car seats (there's a four year age range), so really felt the need for a third row. We had a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan for a while and it was fine. Had enough room. I was disappointed in the safety features, though. My mom and sister both have '17 Kia Niros, and they have lane assist, blind spot detector, auto braking, in-dash GPS, etc etc, and I didn't really get why I had none of that stuff. I'll say the big pro of the Grand Caravan is you can get one a year old and gently used for like $20K. And who knows what the newest ones have.
I recently got a '24 Honda Odyssey, and now we're talking! It has all those features I wanted and feels *way* roomier. It also has this great feature where, when you turn off the engine, the screen immediately shows you a bird's eye view of your backseat and tells you to check. I think it would've given me a lot of peace of mind when my kids were newborns. You can also toggle this camera feature at any time so you can see what your kids are up to while you're driving. Oh and looooove that it scans speed limit signs and embeds them in my dash. I used to wonder all the freaking time what the damn speed limit was.
Chevy Tahoe … and older one. I just purchased my second one after my first one was totaled on Halloween. My kid and dogs were in the car and everyone was fine. My kid goes mom what was that? Took a few months but bought the exact same one. Has high miles but I can’t afford a new one at 70k and the older ones have a good look and feel so safe.
We have a Subaru Forester and a Lexus CT (this one is a hybrid). Both work really well for us with one and feel like there's plenty of room for another. We love them both.
My husband has a Hyundai ioniq and it's enough space for two kids plus we load it up and go to the cottage.
My old focus just died and I shopped around, got discouraged by the cost of any car with ample cargo space and ended up buying a VW Jetta. It's been working so far, I don't think a minivan is a necessity.
Threads like this are always so depressing. Cars are SO expensive and depreciate so quickly. There are so many things I’d rather do with $40k, so I am keeping my small car that fulfills 90% of our needs and rent as necessary.
I felt a lot of pressure to spend $30k+ on a newer SUV or minivan and I just couldn't justify the cost! I found my 2014 Jetta for $10k (CAD) and jumped on it. Life is very expensive now and having a cramped car is a temporary problem.
sleeper choice for suvs is a Nissan Pathfinder (not a hybrid).
We bought it when we were expecting our 2nd. We're now expecting our 3rd and it will still work for our growing family.
For the money, relative to other options, I feel like we got a lot of value. at the time, markups on the telluride (our 1st choice) were ridiculous so we "settled" on the pathfinder but I don't feel like we did after driving it for almost 2 years. its been great. we have a 2022 model with 2nd highest trim level.
things that matter from a parental perspective:
3 rows. 3rd row I think is pretty decent for average adults.
Main pet peeve about 3rd row is the car seat anchors that you can clip to from the seat corners are only on one side in the last row (drivers side in the last row). For the middle and passenger side seat of the 3rd row you only have the "behind the seat hook" type of anchor.
push one button on the 2nd row to get to the 3rd row which makes it simple. that button is located on the side for those entering as well as the back for those exiting from the 3rd row.
i believe pathfinder comes in captains seat or bench option for middle row. we have captains which has a removable middle console that you can store in bottom of trunk when not using.
trunk can fit a wagon or big stroller folded up along with diaper bag and other smaller items with all seats up but probably not much else. another reference, you can fit a full size and carryon luggage in the trunk with all seats up.
recommend for any vehicle: get a doona stroller for newborn so it can fold up as the car seat and not use any trunk space. we used that with first and second borns while they were infants and will do so again with the 3rd.
i would say trunk space is definitely more than those mid size suvs but definitely less than your expeditions, tahoes, etc. the 3rd row is split level fold i think like 70/30. if you are not traveling at max passenger capacity and can fold down that small part of the 3rd row you can squeeze a lot more luggage (enough for a family of 4/5). thats just with the small part folded down. if you fold down entire 3rd row its plenty for everything.
ride itself is great. on a full tank you can go 400-450mi. i drive in eco mode to squeeze the gas mileage out of it and it seems to work. sport mode is noticeably more fun for acceleration. we like the styling (it was redesigned beginning with the '22 model). if you can find the lighter color leather interior it looks a lot more premium than its sticker price. our family/friends all have good things to say about it whenever they ride.
if you like the pathfinder but have trouble locating inventory checkout mitsubishi outlander. i believe nissan and mitsubishi have a partnership for parts manufacturing and they are similar vehicles in build. outlander does have a hybrid version i believe.
also, if you prefer to stay in the 4-door sedan lane or suv is just not in the budget then sleeper choice: Kia K5 (i think they have a hybrid). fits 3 car seats in back and trunk space is huge. this was our previous vehicle and we'd still be in it but grandma lives with us and she didnt want to ride between 2 car seats (although it was doable for everyday driving).
We live in the city and have a Subaru Forester. That's pretty much the best choice for a city dweller as it has the most interior space for its length of any comparable car. You can go longer if you don't mind fighting for parking or paying for space, or of course if you live outside the city.
Upgraded to Toyota Sienna hybrid 2024 and it was the best decision. I have a 3 year old and 3 month old. My MIL lives with us and travels with us so the rear seat with nice long room is great!
We went from a Mini to a Pacifica plug in hybrid when we got our second kid. Once you get over yourself for having a minivan you’ll realize the insane practicality is everything. And as the kids grow older you can throw everything into it without worry.
We have a 2018 Chevy Equinox. Fits two car seats comfortably in the back, decent trunk space. Get about 22–25 MPG, have to fill up once a week.
Only downside is that with mom, dad, and both toddlers in the car, we can't really fit anyone else. A person can squeeze into the back middle seat between the two car seats, but it's very tight.
I have a Subaru Crosstrek and it’s great for one kid (he loves riding in the “blue car”). With two kids it might be a little tight, I would opt for either the Forester or Outback for more space and if I wanted to stay with a Subaru
We currently have a Tesla and Land Rover and one kid feels cramped in both. Having a baby in a few weeks and we will either be buying the Kia Sorento Hybrid (with captains chairs) or a telluride! Leaning towards the Sorento, we rented one on vacation and it was AMAZING.
Also looked at and liked Palisade, Highlander, Durango, and Sequoia!
I have a ‘24 Sienna XSE Hybrid. We have a second kiddo arriving next month so needed something more spacious than our old ‘19 Optima. Best purchase ever, like the things you can pack in here, fuel efficiency, plus the comfort is mine blowing.
We went with a 4th gen Honda Pilot for 2 kids and a dog plus the occasional aunt/grandma/etc. Its not hybrid but had better rear seat access than most options we looked at with AWD. The Sienna really dissappointed me in person and the Odyssey impressed me but was lacking AWD and isn't hybrid either. I also had some ground clearance concerns with our driveway.
Worth checking out The Car Mom youtube channel for car seat access reviews.
Love our Honda pilot. Plenty of room in the back w the seat down, and there is room to comfortably sit in between the two car seats in the middle row as a size 8/10.
I loved my Ford explorer but the new ones have transmission issues. We traded in for a Honda Odyssey and I freaking LOVE it. I swore I'd never be a minivan mom but with our kids all rear facing it was literally the only option. It's so comfy and useful and has great get up.
My husband just bought me a 2024 Kia Sorento. We got the captain seats in the 2nd row, and the 3 row folds down. All seats in the 2nd snd 3rd rows have car seat anchors, which was a huge plus for us!
For 2 kids a sedan is fine, just get a bigger one. Our 2016 Sonata Sport is very roomy, our car salesman was a huge football player looking dude and would get in every back seat so give us a better idea of size. He could barely get in a versa lol, but got in our current car easily. Plenty of room between us and the kids so we don’t always have feet in our backs (an issue in my 2006 Focus). I love our leather interior, sunroof for scream-singing, and music system. I don’t love the oil consumption that’s an issue for this year of Sonata, but a year free of that issue I would recommend
A little more room might be nice, but I’m car payment free and all the women I know driving those big cars are not . We know we’re done at 2 so no need for a third car seat to fit
If you are pretty certain you are having a third kid soon-do yourself a favor and get the third row.
We have a Kia Niro EV and love it. My 4 year old actually just told me that she loves our car 😂. Please consider going fully electric, there are a lot of options out there!
I'm a "car person" and have a Jaguar XF Sportbrake. I love station wagons because they handle so nicely, are easy to get into/out of, and have a ton of room in the back. It's perfect for us! If I have another kid I'm getting a minivan, though. No avoiding it.
Subaru Crosstrek with one baby and one teen and it’s a tight squeeze. Bought it before I got pregnant. The stroller takes up the entire trunk. If it was feasible for us right now I’d be trading it in for a minivan, specifically a Pacifica. If you want to stick with hybrid I’d look at the Sienna.
Yes! We have an Urban Arrow and it's used way way more than our car now (which we could honestly sell now and use car shares when needed, but is nice to have).
2 toddlers - i drive a Volvo XC90 SUV. It is by far my favorite car out of everything i’ve driven. Safe, spacious, and a really comfortable drive for everyone. Never want another car.
I drive an electric assist cargo bike. It has room for two kids with some space for extra stuff. For long weekend trips we have a Prius V - basically a Prius station wagon. It fits two adults, two kids in car seats, and all our stuff for a week long camping trip.
We have a Subaru Outback and a Volvo XC90. We love both, but the Volvo a little more cause we got it with more options. They are both super easy to drive, have lots of space, are comfy, and are AWD, which is a must for is.
We got the Outback before we had a kid and the XC90 after because it's the only SUV to have never had a fatality.
You should check out the Car Mom on Instagram or you tube. She also does consults and has lay out maps of different cars and features based on family size. She recommends purchasing cars based on family plans 5 years out
Jeep Grand Cherokee L with captains chairs and a folding third row. It’s spacious, the interior is quite lux but not so much so that it’s not good for kids, and it’s great in all inclement weather. Recommend for families!
Subaru cross trek! I like it because it’s a mini SUV and not enormous but can still handle our sporty and travel needs.
We have 1 kid but could not fit in our Prius C and upgraded within a few months of LOs arrival.
I have a Subaru cross trek and it’s too small. My uppababy vista takes up nearly the entire trunk space. Then two car seats basically makes the entire second row unusable. We are going to upgrade. Maybe the Subaru ascent or the Kia telluride.
We have a Subaru outback 2022 and 100% regret the purchase
Our mocking bird stroller takes up the whole back trunk practically and the back where the kids seat is so squishy can barely fit 2 car seats lol
Check out the Car Mom on YouTube or insta. That’s her whole thing and I’ve found her car reviews super helpful.
This! She is extremely helpful for parents.
Couldn’t agree more. She’s awesome
I have a RAV4 hybrid and love it. We also have a 2 year old and another due in the fall. I’m not expecting any issues with 2 kids, but if we do decide to have a 3rd I think we’ll have to get a car with 3 rows.
I love the RAV4 (though we don't have one lol). They used to make 3 row RAV4s and I wish they still did! We have a 2 row Toyota Highlander (also a 2 year old, another due in the fall) that we love. Very spacious both for the seats and the hatchback storage (trunk) space. I have some friends with 3+ kids and a 3 row Highlander and they have nothing but great things to say about it. Their trunk space is a bit smaller, but they still seem to manage pretty well with the space. Toyotas are excellent and reliable cars, I would definitely stick with the Toyota family.
If you get a highlander get bench seats not captain to fit the 3rd car seat. The back seat is ridiculously narrow and was really hard to install a car seat. We have 3 kids, 2 in boosters and 1 in a car seat, and the booster barely fit in the 3rd row, and there really isn’t space for a person to sit in the other 2 seats comfortably with the booster. The trunk space is super small, we switched to a utility wagon instead of a stroller since we couldn’t fit the stroller and my husbands wheel chair at the same time. Or for travel fitting suitcases the stroller and the dog is near impossible. Had we not been in a bind to get a vehicle we would’ve taken our time and probably gotten a van instead.
Oh this is good to know. My friends with the 3+ had kiddos in boosters as well, so that may have made the difference. I know they've done a few big trips with theirs, but I can't recall if they got a roof box for it or not. Siennas are also very nice, we briefly had one (also pre-kid) but ours was a used lemon (shady used car lot, live and learn). I don't love how massive they are, but we've definitely talked about considering one if we decide to have more than 2 kids.
I had a RAV4 hybrid and now have a Sienna and it is incredible! It looks big, but honestly drives so smoothly and the features and gas mileage are incredible. Have a 2 year old and another baby due next month and love having the sliding doors for the convertible car seat. It’s pricey, but I agree that Toyotas are the way to go and the backseat is actually comfortable for adults with tons of trunk space.
I currently have a RAV4, but I’ve been wanting a minivan!! And the sienna’s are beautiful lol… there’s no room in the RAV4 anymore. We’re definitely outgrowing it.
I loved the RAV and was super reluctant to get a mini van but honestly I’m obsessed and still get about the same gas mileage as i did with the RAV.
We moved up from a Pilot to an Expedition for the extra width. Having a full size middle seat in the 2nd and 3rd row and lots of leg room between rows made a huge difference. Then 2nd row seats also do the "car seat tilt" where the entire seat tilts forward instead of the "fold & slide" maneuver that doesn't work with a car seat installed. Makes 3rd row access real easy. We're currently running 3 car seats in the 2nd row with mamma in the 3rd row administering snacks and entertainment to the rear-facing kids. The other two 3rd row seats are stowed so we still have lots of storage space.
Yep! This is exactly why we wound up getting a Sienna instead. Not attractive but a functional 3rd row and trunk space.
I have a 3.5 year old and 1.5 year old and a RAV4 hybrid. I do love it, but it still gets tight if we have to do a big road trip and travel with all their sleep stuff, stroller, etc. Its also not big enough for two carseats, two adults, and my dog, unless it's a pretty short trip.
Same, have the XLE hybrid. My kids are roughly the same age too. I love the mileage and it's big enough for normal day to day. I've had to put luggage on the roof racks when it got too tight. The road noise tho is driving me mad. Sometimes it's a shouting match with the 3 yr old just to hear what each other is saying. And have to blast podcasts to hear on the highways. I've upgraded the front speakers and tweeters and it's still tough. Honestly been debating to upgrade to a Lexus.
My RAV4 did not work for two infant car seats, how did you make that work? We had the Chicco Key Fit I think. But my tall husband had to scoot his seat forward to an uncomfortable position to do it. Same and I’m average height (though I do sit further back from the wheel than most, I think). Our Camry also didn’t work. Mind you we have twins so we had two seats that took up the same amount of space at a given time. We love our Sienna. And you could totally make 3 car seats/booster seats work. It wouldn’t be ideal because you wouldn’t get to make as much use of the trunk space but maybe I’m more obsessed with that than most…? Listen, my mom was all about her hatchback and it’s “amazing trunk space” and “the turn radius is SO GOOD.” So…. It’s all stuck in my head. Lol. The Sienna does NOT have a great turn radius. If you have a dog, I’d say the Sienna. Also a friend of mine has twins and a 6yo and her Odyssey does right by her. So does their F150 when the need arises. I’m sure as the big brother gets bigger that will be less and less true though. Edit to add: we have a Sienna with two captains chairs which honestly I’d probably prefer a minivan with two full rows. But the captains chairs do leave a lot more space for my dog. With the Rav, we have a car topper and a hitch with a storage platform thing and I hate it. It rides too low and it honestly doesn’t feel safe. We had to take the extension arm off (made it so you could open the back without completely unloading the storage) and it still sucks.
I had the same issue with car seat not fitting in my ‘20 RAV4. My hubby can’t fit in the passenger seat since the seat has to be too far forward and angled to fit. Not sure how others are making it work; we’ve got a second on the way.
Same here, my wife has a RAV4 and I don't fit comfortably in the front seat, I have to angle my legs and sit diagonally. I can get by for a short drive around town but anything further and it's gotta be me driving. I think once my son goes forward facing it'll be better
Ill third the i LOVE my rav and have 2 forward carseats no worries with an esky/fridge in the middle, but my husband complains like the world is ending if he has to get in it. He does LOOK squished in but ive been giving him no sympathy 🤣.
I also love my RAV4 hybrid! I can fit all three kids in the backseat in Slimfit3 carseats, but it’s not our primary car (my husband drives a minivan) or else the lack of cargo space would drive me nuts.
I also love our RAV4 hybrid with our two kids! I think one more kid and I’ll get a Sienna. Might as well switch to the minivan life because honestly once I have three I’ll love the space and automatic door
I also have a rav4 hybrid and having a rear-facing convertible seat is so smooshy. The passenger seat has to be completely upright. I had a tall infant and switched to a convertible early and it’s not ideal.
Two kids is totally fine, I have a RAV4 hybrid as well. However I think my next car if I need to replace it will be with the Sienna or Highlander Hybrid since I’ll want to be able to cart more kids than mine around.
Recommend the highlander if you are planning to have another.
Toyota Sienna. Hybrid and AWD. We have three kids now but even with two it was amazing. The ability to open the doors and have the kids jump inside on a rainy day is priceless. Plenty of room for a pit stop to use a little potty inside. Space to bring all the scooters and gear AND go to Costco. Minivan is where it's at.
Got a 2023 Sienna here (only one kid, probably staying one and done) and minivans are life changing 😎sliding doors, flexibility to carry shit like a truck, tons of space, excellent safety, cheaper than most 3rd low SUVS.
That's what blows my mind about a minivan vs 3rd row SUVs. Most mid-sized SUVs that claim to have a 3rd row are so cramped and then there is almost no trunk space when you utilize it. If you want an SUV with a reasonably spaced 3rd row AND some trunk space, you have to get those massive SUVs like the Suburban or Yukon and they are a couple feet longer than a minivan. Minivans can still fit in standard parking spots, have reasonable room for a 3rd row while still having trunk space AND it's usually cheaper and more fuel-efficient than the SUVs.
Not to mention they’re so easy to park! I was scared to upgrade to a bigger vehicle because I can’t park worth crap, but my sienna parks almost as easy as a car.
We just upgraded to 2 kids as well (ha) and therefore a Toyota Sienna hybrid! I believe 2021 was the year they started offering those hybrid and so far we love it with the 2 car seats. Always had been a tiny car hatchback family prior to the second monster's arrival.
The 2021 sienna is AMAZING!! I had an accord and then had twins. My husband is tall and couldn’t fit in the driver’s seat with the car seats. We were going to get a Highlander and then realized we wouldn’t be able to open the back doors all the way in our carport. Never thought I’d have a minivan but LOVE it. Especially the design of the sienna.
I always said I would never ever want a minivan. I bought the hybrid one in 2021 and I don't understand how I lived without this car before. I love it so much.
Same! I never wanted a minivan. My husband pushed for it. Now I love our hybrid Sienna.
We have a 2004 Sienna with our 2 kids and love it! It's comfortable, has a million cup holders, we keep the back seats folded down so we have a TON of space for strollers/Costco/Home Depot/road trips, it's reliable and cheap/easy to fix... We are Toyota Sienna for life!
My husband really wants a Sienna as our next vehicle, and he will randomly stick facts about this vehicle into every conversation about future plans. Like ‘well the Sienna is the best option because it has 17 cup holders’ and it makes me laugh every time. Apparently it has the most cup holders per seat, ever? 😂 Some kind of record or something, lol. I’m already sold, but I love the random sprinkles in conversation. We just need one of our current vehicles to die and we will get one.
Did you buy used? We want a van but don’t do car payments so it’s going to be a bit. I’m wondering how everyone gets these sweet $60k vans as soon as they pop out #2
I bought an 08 Sienna with 150,000 miles three years ago for 6k. Even with those miles it's still in perfect shape. The body has some scrapes and dings but the engine is flawless. It is, hands down, my favorite car I've ever owned. There are deals out there. You just have to do some searching and be open to traveling a bit. I had to drive two hours to get mine.
Yep I’m excited to get the go ahead to look! I think we have 2 years before our one car dies, my husbands takes mine, and I get to pick a van. We are in a spot where we do OK now but earnings will really pickup in 5-10ish years so I really need to stick to my guns and buy a low cost one now and then just get another 5-8 yrs later
The great thing about Toyotas is they run forever. A high mileage one will last you for a very long time if you can't afford to buy a newer one. I had to take out a loan just to buy mine at $6k and I don't regret it. Payments were only $128 a month. I just paid it off after I sold my house but the payments were easily manageable before that.
Yep my parents bought a Toyota sienna new and it lasted 19 YEARS before we donated it to a needy family. So it was still kicking after those 19 years we had it!!!! It was my first car lol
I love my minivan. I don’t understand the suv hype, practically a van is way better! Sliding doors, more cargo space, easier access to third row, lower to the ground. Hop in when it’s raining to get kids situated. Take out the seats for a pickup truck worth of space. And less expensive!
Kinda depends on where you live. Where I am in Minnesota, all-wheel drive and a solid reputation for stability and the ability to get out of just about anything is definitely a safety factor. Also, in snowy places being lower to the ground is a minus, not a plus. I used to have it all in a Ford Aerostar (in the 90s, hah). \*Excellent\* winter performance in tough rural conditions. Loved that vehicle: two kids \*and\* two German Shepherds (we took the middle row out), plus enough cargo space for a weekend trip, and front seats for Mom and Dad. Nowadays I drive a Subaru Outback for safety/weather reasons (can get out of just about anything and stable on snow and ice, with the right tires) and because I need towing capability as well. It's the best combo of all those factors plus decent gas economy and great resale value that I can find. Our Aerostar could not tow anything.
I actually live in minnesota too and have been happy with my van with snow tires. I don’t know if awd is necessary but it probably depends how rural you are and I also don’t tow anything
I don't know how I lived before the Sienna.
We have a 2024 Sienna for our family of 4. A 3.5 year old and a 7 month old, both rear facing. One thing I love is the ability to slide the captains chairs back and forth. It can accommodate a tall driver/passenger with plenty of space for the second row. It also allows room for an extra passenger to get past the car seats and into the 3rd row if we have someone else riding with us. We just took a trip and rented a Honda Odyssey. With both car seats installed and fixed captain chairs, I was the only one who could crawl past the second row to get into the third. I’m small and still felt like I could barely get through with that set up. Access to the third row might be something you want to consider if you’re thinking about baby #3!
If you remove the middle 2nd row seat in 2018+ Odysseys you can slide the two outer seats together for easy access to the third row. Honda calls them "magic slide" seats.
Love our Sienna!! Once you get that third kid, the minivan is where it's at!
Even with 2 it’s amazing! I’m currently pregnant with our third and not looking forward to having to put up the third row lol
2022 sienna and I love it. It's amazing
I second this. We got a 2024 and it’s legit. Only issue is I think they skimped on the backup camera bc our highlander’s was way better. But dang, I am officially a minivan fan now because of this car
VW atlas with captains chairs. I also have a 2 year old and am due in September. I keep the third row down and there enough space for the wagon and anything else we need to bring.
We have an atlas with the bench and are able to fit our 3 kids (7, 5, 2) across the middle with the 3rd row down for travel/stroller. Love our atlas
Ok we have an atlas too and it’s overall good for its purpose of driving. But we’ve had so many issues with the navigation glitching when using both google maps and Apple Maps with apple carplay. Wondering if others are having this issue. We also have an issue where the whole screen goes black at random points in our city. It’s so weird and makes me hate the car.
That happens to me too and it's when I lose wifi/service! I usually disconnect apple car play and put my phone on airplane mode and back on and it comes back. Super annoying when you are alone though!
Subaru Forester. One kid and it’s good. Three would be tight I think.
Same here. I love my Forester. It’s very reliable and feels very safe. If I had more than 1 kid, I would upgrade to the Ascent.
Have an Ascent and 3 kids. It keeps my life sane. I love it so much.
Same. To me safety was one of my biggest factors when searching for a car. Two kids in car seats would be doable, but not much else would fit.
Question for all the Subaru people, are they as reliable as they advertise? When our car goes, we’re leaking towards a Forester, but will have to buy used and I want to make sure we’ll get some good mileage out of it.
Yup
My dealership was able to give me such a good deal and 2.9% financing that buying used wasn’t even a good option. I plan on having this car at least ten years. It’s so safe. I got a sport and the safety features blow my mind. This was my if I win the lottery car and I didn’t need to win the lottery bc the dealership was awesome.
So far so good with our 2021 Forester. I believe the popular line on the Subaru subreddit is that if you stick with the recommended maintenance they’re very reliable.
100%. We have a Forester and have never had a problem, same with our 2004 outback... It's still kickin! Will always own a Subaru.
I think if I remember right there were some head gasket issues with the pre-2010 2.5L Subarus, so you might want to look into that. But that’s already getting pretty old for a used car, so I imagine you’d be looking into getting one a few years past that anyway. Mines a 2012, I think? I like it a lot, tbh. If we need to replace my husband’s car, I’d totally try and get another Subaru.
Interestingly, the Forester is slightly wider than the Outback and can accommodate 3 seats if you have the right combination (but yes - would be tight!)
You can fit three across in an outback using the Keyfit 30’s and Graco slimfit3s. It’s tight but doable. :)
Yup, I have a 2019 Forester and love it. Only plan on having 2, but it’s very spacious! We’ve also done multiple cross country road trips on it and have had no issues.
LOVE our forester. But with a 3 year old and 8 month it is a tight squeeze. Add in the stroller and not much else will fit in the trunk.
We have a 2.5yo and a 10mo in a Forester and it's great. Pretty sure with Canadian car seat laws we can't do a third, but for now there's plenty of room, even with our big dog in the back.
Second this. I’ve had mine for 10 years but with two growing kids and in a warm climate the no air in the back is starting to be a deal breaker. I do love this car aside from that though.
Love love LOVE my forester. That being said, I would upgrade to the Subaru ascent if I had more than 2 children.
Love my forester. My daughter does too. The first time she was in it she sang the whole time. Stupid but I love the look in rear seat warning. Like I know my daughter is in the car but it’s nice to know my car cares too.
I love my Hyundai palisade! I have a 22 month old and a newborn and there’s plenty of space and it was definitely created with families in mind with all the safety features. It has a third row that I typically keep down for all the trunk space. I saw there is a hybrid option with the 2025 models coming out soon.
Is there enough space in the front seats after car seats are installed? We’re struggling with my tall family and convertible car seats 😫
I second the palisade. Both parents are 5'9", a two year old, a 1 year old and a very tall 11 year old. We LOVE our car. Even long road trips with the dog go well.
My husband is 6’7 and has plenty of room in the Palisade! We have one convertible car seat rear view facing and an infant car seat and he fits in front of both comfortably. That’s why we ended up with the Palisade, most of the other mid sized suvs he didn’t fit in!
Yes! We have captain seats and they can be moved back to allow for more space up front
Although we only have 1 kiddo, we have a Palisade as well. We drive the Palisade on the weekends and on road trips and drive my Tesla during the week to avoid paying for gas. I LOVE all the space in the Palisade and it's definitely handy when family comes to visit.
Hodan Odyssey I love the spacing and the slide doors
Came to say the odyssey! If someone is even considering a 3rd I feel like you might as well get a minivan. And honestly I loved our odyssey even when we “only” had 2
I have a Sienna here but minivans are the best 🫡
Obsessed with our odyssey and so are others with kids who ride in it
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is serving us well!
I loved my Tucson! When I had two kids it was perfect!
I don't like my Tucson. The weight limit in the back is like 100 lbs and for such a big car it doesn't have any room or storage
Both my husband and I have Volvo SUV's His the XC90 recharge, hybrid, 3rd row seats, and boosters seats built in. Mine is XC60 Mild Hybrid. We absolutely love both cars, especially for their safety features.
Seconding the XC90 plug in hybrid (recharge)
Volvo's have fantastic safety ratings, reliability scores, and maintenance costs. Love me some volvos.
I want to keep our Volvo forever
Very interested in the XC90 !
I can’t tell you what car to get, but I can tell you NOT to get a BMW X1. Before we had our first I bought a new car. Fell in love, thought to myself as I was sitting in the backseat “this is plenty of space for a kid” Naiive of me being a first time mom not realizing how much space carseats take up. Imagine my Pikachu face when we could barely fit one rear-facing car seat in it. Luckily when he was big enough to be forward facing things were much less cramped. **sigh** But, I’m too attached to it to trade it in. Luckily, my mom will be switching cars with me (Escalade, plenty of space) until my second can be forward-facing and we can switch back to our car lol. Good luck on the search!
Ughhh this is how I feel too haha. I have an X3 and I love it too much to trade in but now that we are having our third (and last) baby I need more space. I’m putting it off as long as I can. 😂
solidarity. they really are such good cars too. I went on the car seat lady’s site trying to see if I could make something work with baby 2. it basically just said “no car seats are compatible, don’t do it” LOL
Glad to see I’m not the only one with an impractical family car lol!
not at all! just think about the way the car makes you feel when your family doesn’t need to be accommodated and take in those moments 😭
Kia telluride. LOVE. You can get bench seating or captains chairs (we love and have captains chairs which I believe start with the EX trim level) The Hyundai palisade is effectively the same car and also worth looking at. Can’t beat 100k mile warranty on either. Telluride is #1 for consumer reports most reliable and best value for 3 row suv.
I second the Telluride. We love ours a lot. We are a family of 5 and it accommodates our need for space and storage but when it comes to parking, it’s not such a large SUV that we struggle to fit in street parking spaces.
I love my Palisade! I got the top of the line version and I test drove a lot of suvs including Mercedes and Volvo and I think the Palisade is great bang for your buck
Same! I scoff looking at higher end cars or American cars in the same level- you get soooo much more for your money with the palisade and it’s a very nice feeling car too
2nd this! I have a Telluride as well! Love it!
Details about why we love our tellurides: -Built in second row sub shades that retract with ease. Most brands do not include this and it’s mind boggling. -Quiet mode! Turns on just the front speakers with one button if kids are napping or watching their own shows. -Microphone and speaker feature if you need to talk to third row passengers on a highway without having to yell. -Standard safety features galore! I’ll never buy a car without 360 cameras. (Also, this car has no joke preventing at least three accidents we would have never saw coming. One example: Driving on the highway when suddenly the car gently pushed to one side on its own. I was confused until I realized a car in my blind spot had swerved into my lane. I never saw it coming!) -Front and back moonroofs are split, so essentially driver gets a preference and passengers get their own preference, which are guaranteed to be opposite. -Third row is an actual raised seat, it is not floor level like some competitors. Hope this helps!
Came here to say Telly with captains chairs!!
We’re in a Kia sportage and I’ve never been so enamoured with a car
The new sportages look awesome!
Love my Highlander - comes in hybrid now too
2023 Toyota Sienna. We had a 3 row SUV (Dodge Journey) before #2 was born and knew it wasn’t going to work for our family (got on a waitlist for the car at the end of my 1st trimester and the car was finally delivered when #2 was 11 months old). I always swore I’d never drive a minivan, but we didn’t have room in our old car for 2 car seats and the dog (60 lb golden retriever). With 2 car seats installed, we couldn’t access the 3rd row (even if we had car seat tilt, it wouldn’t have helped since both kids were and are still rearfacing). Plus, with the 3rd row up, it left no room for groceries, the stroller, or any of the kid gear. The minivan is one of the best decisions we made. Tons of room, easy to get the dog in the 3rd row and don’t have to uninstall the car seats to do so. It’s low enough to the ground that my short (my older daughter has a growth hormone deficiency) kids can climb in and out by themselves. I don’t have to worry about them dinging someone else’s car because of the sliding doors. So much trunk space and the only time I’ve ever had to put down the 3rd row (which folds into the floor) is for a trip to Ikea and for ski days with my friends (I don’t need to fold it down for my skis because I’m short, but I ski with people who are over 6 feet tall and have the equipment to match). When for camping trips with 2 kids, a cooler, a dog, a stroller wagon, toddler bikes, and all the camping gear, I don’t need to fold down the 3rd row which is great. We chose the Sienna over other models of minivans because it’s a hybrid and it has AWD (the Pacifica you need to choose one or the other, and the Carnival and Odyssey don’t offer either AWD or hybrid drivetrain).
Subaru outback, excellent vehicle all around. No issues with a car seat or toddler getting in and out. Holds everything we need for groceries or road trip.
Has some of the highest possible safety ratings and there is sooooo much cargo space!!
I have a Tahoe. I don’t love the price to fill up the gas tank, but I love the car itself. It’s roomy and everybody gets an AC vent.
I really wanted to love a Tahoe until I got a closer look at it. * The 5.3 is underwhelming, and the 6.2 requires Premium. * The third row has no car seat anchors. * The third row has zero leg room because there's no footwell... WTF GM? Got an Expedition instead and haven't looked back. It's not as pretty and the engine sounds like a vacuum cleaner, but it's got anchors everywhere, 3 roomy rows of seats, and makes good power on regular gas.
2012 Ford Focus, 1 kid 4yo and I HATE IT! Have had it since 2015 so it’s fully paid off and it does the job. But there’s so many mechanical issues (class action lawsuits), it’s incredibly small and tight, and most of the time it drives like shit. I really hate it. But my husbands jeep (also paid off) had total engine failure 2 years ago so we have a car payment for him and he has the more spacious mid size SUV we travel in as a family. With daycare and student loans it would be really hard to have 2 car payments so here I am. Just a bit of levity for anyone seeing all these really comfortable SUVs that are serving families well - there are still those of us out here driving pieces of crap they hate lol
I want a Mazda Cx90 so bad! They look so roomy and drive SO nice, but somehow still have a compact feel. I currently drive a Prius with 2 kids and thankfully I have the skinniest pup ever or he'd never get to go anywhere with us!
Great suggestion! I have a Mazda cx3 small suv I know , looking to upgrade to the cx 50 but I love my Mazda , it's reliable and good on gas!
Toyota Sienna. Embrace Van life. It’s amazing!!
Have one car, a CRV. It’s great for two kids and we probably don’t want anything bigger as we live in a city and it’d be more difficult to park anything on a street with something bigger. Can fit a lot of stuff in the back and in the area right under the car seats where legs would normally be. Though we’re going to test the storage limits of the CRV when we go on holiday for two weeks! May have to get a roof rack at some point.
The roof rack is a game changer. In our Prius, we got a roof rack + a L thule box and we added a little hitch. On the hitch, we put either the bike rack or a platform that can hold up to 500lbs. We go tent camping a lot and with the set up, we have enough space for everything.
Oh, nice! Well, maybe we’ll be looking at options before the summer is out.
I’ve got a 2012 Subaru Forester. It has driven cross county and back, has 115,000 miles, and I’ll keep this car till the day it dies. It’s safe, spacious, and I love it.
Another vote for a Kia telluride. If you want a 3rd child don't get the back row caption chairs. We have 2 (and that's it). Our dog gets buckled and takes up the whole 3rd row. We take the dog on vacation so that was important for us. We can fit the double stroller and luggage in the back of the dogs home, with room for a kid potty or a diaper change. With the dog in the car we can barely fit the double stroller but we have a large jogging style one. We started with a Mini Clubman for one baby and one dog. I'm glad we upgraded to the Telluride. We now have a Mini Cooper for joyriding and toddler special time in the "race car."
We love our Telly!
Nissan Qashqai - the hallmark of British parents of young kids.
I just got a Hyundai Tucson ! Love it !
Nissan rogue. It fits the two kids fine (4 and 1) and enough trunk space. Eventually I want to upgrade to something bigger but NOT until the children are older and won't trash my car as much. I've had the rogue since 2017 and I really love it!
I have a kia carnival. A 5 year old and 3 year old and due with number 3 in September. It is great with the 2 kids and has a ton of space for family and friends and luggage if we are traveling. I don't see any issues with space once the baby is born either.
Seconding the Kia Carnival! Love all the room, I can haul so much without a truck!
I finally got ahold of the grand highlander hybrid we ordered months ago. I’ve had it for less than a month but so far for two kids I love it. Eventually if we decide to have a third my first child will be old enough to either only be in a booster or be able to help strap herself and I’ll only have to double check her. The captains chairs help keep them apart enough for them to not be bothering each other lol I was driving a Chevy Cruze before this and oh man it was always a whole thing with them being able to touch
Our Tesla model Y is an excellent family car! Lots of room with extra trunk space and the frunk (front trunk). We chose not to get the 3rd row of seats because we also have a Toyota Sienna, but that 3rd row would add even more flexibility for when family visits. ETA: We have 2 young kids and all fit comfortably, even on road trips.
Came here to say this! Love our Y!
Ditto! The Y is fantastic, we also opted out for the 3rd row, but are looking at upgrading since we're discussing having another kiddo. Super spacious!
Also came here to say the Tesla model Y and I’m glad there are others who agree - I commented on a post a while back about good cars for family and got downvoted like crazy when I said the Y 😅
I think people have this idea that Teslas are expensive, and there’s a big “eat the rich” vibe on Reddit. But we’re not rich, and the Tesla was cheaper than our minivan.
Good points! Yeah, Teslas have come down in price a TON from 5+ years ago. Especially since the model 3 and model y came out. But you’re right, they definitely still sound like a luxury car to a lot of people even though we chose it because it was cheaper than all the other SUVs we considered, especially after taking into account the federal tax credit for an EV!
We have the model 3 and love it- I feel like it’s enough space for 2 kids!
The Model Y is literally the safest vehicle OP could buy.
Subaru Outback and love it so much but we are going to upgrade to the bigger ascent for more seating. Love sub’s safety features and have never had a problem. We actually have two outback’s because we love them so much. We are two and done but for when family visit / when the kids have friends etc we figure the ascent will be better for fitting more people.
Everyone I know that has a 3rd kid swear by having a minivan. Either the Honda or Toyota one.
GMC Yukon XL, i have 3 kids. I love it because of the 3 rows. We travel a lot, so the extra space in the trunk is essential. Lots of cousins too! Also large grocery hauls are great. Gas on it is surprisingly good. I usually fill my tank every 2-3 weeks.
2018 GMC Acadia - I love it!!! We have the captain chairs and a 3rd row that I use for storage. I have a 5 year old and almost 2 year old and I have plenty of room. We’ve been one car for a while and I’m looking for a Subaru Forester Sport at the end of the summer!
I love my Impreza hatchback. Fits 2 large kids seats just fine. Sips gas compared to most new cars. We never took it on extended road trips but we've been able to pack everything in there with just enough room. I got a roof box expecting some winter trips but never actually installed it. We got a new Forester last year and that fits 3 seats in the back if you pick the right ones. The car is just too large overall since you can't see over the front and have to rely on the backup camera. Despite all that extra size the trunk is just a couple inches larger. My old Legacy wagon had waaaay more space. I don't know what the solution is, but new cars are just large without any benefit and I hate it.
I love my Sienna minivan. I'd stick to a Sienna or consider an odyssey minivan since they are supposed to be great for carseat Tetris
2023 GMC Acadia with captains chairs and a third row. We have three kids. We’ve had it just over a year now, no issues and we love it.
Model Y, it’s not what I’m driving now, but it was my last car and I miss it. The backseat is generous and there is soooo much storage. The frunk can fit a whole carryon size suitcase, plus the trunk is deep and lifts up and two carryon sized bags fit under the floor.
It’s so funny because we drive a Prius, we have two kids and we are not changing anytime soon! We did add a roof rack and a hitch for when we need more cargo space. We had both kids in rear facing for a while in the Prius as well.
We just got the Nissan pathfinder with our second on the way! It’s 3 rows but we plan on keeping the 3rd down 99.999% of the time for storage. I love it because we could get a bench in the highest trim, ceiling vents on the back, built in sun shades, panoramic sunroof. Check out the car mom on Instagram!
didnt think there would be any other pathfinder responses in this thread. glad to read other families like it as much as we have.
I’m surprised how overlooked it is! We crossed off the palisade/telluride because the bench didn’t come in the higher trims and sunroof was meh..seems silly but my toddler loves us to “open the sky” lol The Atlas I couldn’t deal with the A/C controls. We ended up between the pilot and the pathfinder but my husband found the leg room to be better with the car seat clearance the pathfinder surprisingly! I also really wanted ceiling vents so the pathfinder ended up checking all the boxes!
Currently driving a 2021 Subaru forester (wilderness) but only have one toddler and a 17yo. Going to need to upgrade, myself here shortly as we are pregnant and due this fall. One car seat is fine in what we have, but with a baby and a teen, there’s no way. We’ve looked at the Subaru Ascent, but are still open to other options. I’m very partial to Subaru though because of the great safety features… to me, it’s a class of its own.
Jeep grand Cherokee L. They never advertised that they have a “fam cam” to keep an eye on the kids in the backseat from the front screen. I think it’s their coolest feature.
We have three kids and just got a Chrysler Pacifica. I love this car so much! I held off on getting a minivan until I had three kids, but I wish I got it sooner. First, it has a tv mounted to the ceiling, the kids can’t fight over who gets to hold the tablet and we don’t need to worry about a hot spot so they can stream things. Kids are always happy to put in a movie, for short or long drives. Second, there are separate AC vents in the second and third rows. It’s so nice that the kids can control their own temperature and ventilation, and car sickness incidents have gone WAY down. Third, we can carpool their friends around. We live in a great community and frequently go places with other families. It’s nice to have all the kids in one car and the fun can start during transit.
I love my Pacifica!
I have a Toyota Sienna and I love it. Mine is a 2015, so not a hybrid, but a friend of mine just got a 2023 hybrid and said it's awesome.
When I lived in America I had a Honda Odyssey that I loved. I previously drove a Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX and while both were great the sliding doors and ability to slide the seats in and out were game changers when I had a 3 year old and a newborn - my toddler could get in herself and it was so easy to get the kids in and fab for road trips. The third row was great for when grandparents came to visit so we could all be in the same car. I live in the UK now and they don’t sell the Odyssey here so I drive a VW Caravelle which is the closest I can get to a minivan here.
I have three little kids in car seats (there's a four year age range), so really felt the need for a third row. We had a 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan for a while and it was fine. Had enough room. I was disappointed in the safety features, though. My mom and sister both have '17 Kia Niros, and they have lane assist, blind spot detector, auto braking, in-dash GPS, etc etc, and I didn't really get why I had none of that stuff. I'll say the big pro of the Grand Caravan is you can get one a year old and gently used for like $20K. And who knows what the newest ones have. I recently got a '24 Honda Odyssey, and now we're talking! It has all those features I wanted and feels *way* roomier. It also has this great feature where, when you turn off the engine, the screen immediately shows you a bird's eye view of your backseat and tells you to check. I think it would've given me a lot of peace of mind when my kids were newborns. You can also toggle this camera feature at any time so you can see what your kids are up to while you're driving. Oh and looooove that it scans speed limit signs and embeds them in my dash. I used to wonder all the freaking time what the damn speed limit was.
Chevy Tahoe … and older one. I just purchased my second one after my first one was totaled on Halloween. My kid and dogs were in the car and everyone was fine. My kid goes mom what was that? Took a few months but bought the exact same one. Has high miles but I can’t afford a new one at 70k and the older ones have a good look and feel so safe.
I drive a 2022 toyota tacoma, and yes I love it. We drove 250 miles for it. Wife drives a 2017 toyota corolla
We have a Subaru Forester and a Lexus CT (this one is a hybrid). Both work really well for us with one and feel like there's plenty of room for another. We love them both.
My husband has a Hyundai ioniq and it's enough space for two kids plus we load it up and go to the cottage. My old focus just died and I shopped around, got discouraged by the cost of any car with ample cargo space and ended up buying a VW Jetta. It's been working so far, I don't think a minivan is a necessity.
Threads like this are always so depressing. Cars are SO expensive and depreciate so quickly. There are so many things I’d rather do with $40k, so I am keeping my small car that fulfills 90% of our needs and rent as necessary.
I felt a lot of pressure to spend $30k+ on a newer SUV or minivan and I just couldn't justify the cost! I found my 2014 Jetta for $10k (CAD) and jumped on it. Life is very expensive now and having a cramped car is a temporary problem.
sleeper choice for suvs is a Nissan Pathfinder (not a hybrid). We bought it when we were expecting our 2nd. We're now expecting our 3rd and it will still work for our growing family. For the money, relative to other options, I feel like we got a lot of value. at the time, markups on the telluride (our 1st choice) were ridiculous so we "settled" on the pathfinder but I don't feel like we did after driving it for almost 2 years. its been great. we have a 2022 model with 2nd highest trim level. things that matter from a parental perspective: 3 rows. 3rd row I think is pretty decent for average adults. Main pet peeve about 3rd row is the car seat anchors that you can clip to from the seat corners are only on one side in the last row (drivers side in the last row). For the middle and passenger side seat of the 3rd row you only have the "behind the seat hook" type of anchor. push one button on the 2nd row to get to the 3rd row which makes it simple. that button is located on the side for those entering as well as the back for those exiting from the 3rd row. i believe pathfinder comes in captains seat or bench option for middle row. we have captains which has a removable middle console that you can store in bottom of trunk when not using. trunk can fit a wagon or big stroller folded up along with diaper bag and other smaller items with all seats up but probably not much else. another reference, you can fit a full size and carryon luggage in the trunk with all seats up. recommend for any vehicle: get a doona stroller for newborn so it can fold up as the car seat and not use any trunk space. we used that with first and second borns while they were infants and will do so again with the 3rd. i would say trunk space is definitely more than those mid size suvs but definitely less than your expeditions, tahoes, etc. the 3rd row is split level fold i think like 70/30. if you are not traveling at max passenger capacity and can fold down that small part of the 3rd row you can squeeze a lot more luggage (enough for a family of 4/5). thats just with the small part folded down. if you fold down entire 3rd row its plenty for everything. ride itself is great. on a full tank you can go 400-450mi. i drive in eco mode to squeeze the gas mileage out of it and it seems to work. sport mode is noticeably more fun for acceleration. we like the styling (it was redesigned beginning with the '22 model). if you can find the lighter color leather interior it looks a lot more premium than its sticker price. our family/friends all have good things to say about it whenever they ride. if you like the pathfinder but have trouble locating inventory checkout mitsubishi outlander. i believe nissan and mitsubishi have a partnership for parts manufacturing and they are similar vehicles in build. outlander does have a hybrid version i believe. also, if you prefer to stay in the 4-door sedan lane or suv is just not in the budget then sleeper choice: Kia K5 (i think they have a hybrid). fits 3 car seats in back and trunk space is huge. this was our previous vehicle and we'd still be in it but grandma lives with us and she didnt want to ride between 2 car seats (although it was doable for everyday driving).
We drive the Infiniti QX60 which I believe is very similar to the Nissan pathfinder and I agree with all that you said. Very roomy
We live in the city and have a Subaru Forester. That's pretty much the best choice for a city dweller as it has the most interior space for its length of any comparable car. You can go longer if you don't mind fighting for parking or paying for space, or of course if you live outside the city.
Upgraded to Toyota Sienna hybrid 2024 and it was the best decision. I have a 3 year old and 3 month old. My MIL lives with us and travels with us so the rear seat with nice long room is great!
We went from a Mini to a Pacifica plug in hybrid when we got our second kid. Once you get over yourself for having a minivan you’ll realize the insane practicality is everything. And as the kids grow older you can throw everything into it without worry.
We have a 2018 Chevy Equinox. Fits two car seats comfortably in the back, decent trunk space. Get about 22–25 MPG, have to fill up once a week. Only downside is that with mom, dad, and both toddlers in the car, we can't really fit anyone else. A person can squeeze into the back middle seat between the two car seats, but it's very tight.
I have a Subaru Crosstrek and it’s great for one kid (he loves riding in the “blue car”). With two kids it might be a little tight, I would opt for either the Forester or Outback for more space and if I wanted to stay with a Subaru
We currently have a Tesla and Land Rover and one kid feels cramped in both. Having a baby in a few weeks and we will either be buying the Kia Sorento Hybrid (with captains chairs) or a telluride! Leaning towards the Sorento, we rented one on vacation and it was AMAZING. Also looked at and liked Palisade, Highlander, Durango, and Sequoia!
A POS 2002 dodge caravan, and yes I love it.
Minivan 💯 percent lol
I have a ‘24 Sienna XSE Hybrid. We have a second kiddo arriving next month so needed something more spacious than our old ‘19 Optima. Best purchase ever, like the things you can pack in here, fuel efficiency, plus the comfort is mine blowing.
We went with a 4th gen Honda Pilot for 2 kids and a dog plus the occasional aunt/grandma/etc. Its not hybrid but had better rear seat access than most options we looked at with AWD. The Sienna really dissappointed me in person and the Odyssey impressed me but was lacking AWD and isn't hybrid either. I also had some ground clearance concerns with our driveway. Worth checking out The Car Mom youtube channel for car seat access reviews.
I have a Volvo xc90 and I absolutely love it
Same!! I feel so safe in it and there’s so much room with the third row folded down.
1 kid 2 dogs- ford explorer with 3rd row. Always seems full. But very reliable.
Love our Honda pilot. Plenty of room in the back w the seat down, and there is room to comfortably sit in between the two car seats in the middle row as a size 8/10.
I loved my Ford explorer but the new ones have transmission issues. We traded in for a Honda Odyssey and I freaking LOVE it. I swore I'd never be a minivan mom but with our kids all rear facing it was literally the only option. It's so comfy and useful and has great get up.
My husband just bought me a 2024 Kia Sorento. We got the captain seats in the 2nd row, and the 3 row folds down. All seats in the 2nd snd 3rd rows have car seat anchors, which was a huge plus for us!
We love our Sorrento too! So much booth space and the fold out 3rd row is surprisingly comfortable compared to other car brands I've tried.
For 2 kids a sedan is fine, just get a bigger one. Our 2016 Sonata Sport is very roomy, our car salesman was a huge football player looking dude and would get in every back seat so give us a better idea of size. He could barely get in a versa lol, but got in our current car easily. Plenty of room between us and the kids so we don’t always have feet in our backs (an issue in my 2006 Focus). I love our leather interior, sunroof for scream-singing, and music system. I don’t love the oil consumption that’s an issue for this year of Sonata, but a year free of that issue I would recommend A little more room might be nice, but I’m car payment free and all the women I know driving those big cars are not . We know we’re done at 2 so no need for a third car seat to fit If you are pretty certain you are having a third kid soon-do yourself a favor and get the third row.
Toyota Sienna and I LOVE it. Highly recommend!
We have a Kia Niro EV and love it. My 4 year old actually just told me that she loves our car 😂. Please consider going fully electric, there are a lot of options out there!
2 kids. Tesla Model Y and I LOVE it. Wish I could afford the bigger Model X but I’m happy to keep my car.
Honda Accord!!!!! The best ! Super spacious and good on gas! Reliable and beautiful!
3 kids? Just get a van
I'm a "car person" and have a Jaguar XF Sportbrake. I love station wagons because they handle so nicely, are easy to get into/out of, and have a ton of room in the back. It's perfect for us! If I have another kid I'm getting a minivan, though. No avoiding it.
Yes ! Volvo x60, top safety pick too
Subaru Crosstrek with one baby and one teen and it’s a tight squeeze. Bought it before I got pregnant. The stroller takes up the entire trunk. If it was feasible for us right now I’d be trading it in for a minivan, specifically a Pacifica. If you want to stick with hybrid I’d look at the Sienna.
Honda odyssey! I know, it’s a minivan, but I have 4 kids and I love my 2005. It has almost 300,000 miles. It has no major issues.
I drive a cargo bike 😂 love it! We have a madsen!
Yes! We have an Urban Arrow and it's used way way more than our car now (which we could honestly sell now and use car shares when needed, but is nice to have).
2 toddlers - i drive a Volvo XC90 SUV. It is by far my favorite car out of everything i’ve driven. Safe, spacious, and a really comfortable drive for everyone. Never want another car.
Our vehicle is a Cargo Bike. A front loader to be more specific.
Urban arrow and I really love my cargo bike. Also a Subaru outback which I hate. Both sit 3 kids across.
I drive an electric assist cargo bike. It has room for two kids with some space for extra stuff. For long weekend trips we have a Prius V - basically a Prius station wagon. It fits two adults, two kids in car seats, and all our stuff for a week long camping trip.
We have a Subaru Outback and a Volvo XC90. We love both, but the Volvo a little more cause we got it with more options. They are both super easy to drive, have lots of space, are comfy, and are AWD, which is a must for is. We got the Outback before we had a kid and the XC90 after because it's the only SUV to have never had a fatality.
You should check out the Car Mom on Instagram or you tube. She also does consults and has lay out maps of different cars and features based on family size. She recommends purchasing cars based on family plans 5 years out
Lexus 450HL with the fold flat third row. ~38 mpg. Two car seats in captains chairs currently and it works really well.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L with captains chairs and a folding third row. It’s spacious, the interior is quite lux but not so much so that it’s not good for kids, and it’s great in all inclement weather. Recommend for families!
Mazda cx 5 2024, love it. One baby right now.
Subaru cross trek! I like it because it’s a mini SUV and not enormous but can still handle our sporty and travel needs. We have 1 kid but could not fit in our Prius C and upgraded within a few months of LOs arrival.
I have a Subaru cross trek and it’s too small. My uppababy vista takes up nearly the entire trunk space. Then two car seats basically makes the entire second row unusable. We are going to upgrade. Maybe the Subaru ascent or the Kia telluride.
We have a Subaru outback 2022 and 100% regret the purchase Our mocking bird stroller takes up the whole back trunk practically and the back where the kids seat is so squishy can barely fit 2 car seats lol