SUVs with Kids

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

#minivanlove

[SoonerTexan]

At least think about it. A loaded minivan would still be cheaper than most of what you are considering and you might love it. Somewhere around here is a thread where I absolutely refused to consider it. I'm a total convert


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[SoonerTexan]

https://www.google.com/amp/jalopnik....?client=safari


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[OrionGrad]

I keep telling DH that everyone who has a minivan loves it, but we just can't do it. I still wear sandals that give me blisters and I spent way too much time/money on getting my hair done every month. My point is, I'm just not mature enough to embrace practicality quite yet. �� But I know you all are right about minivans! I'm just not there yet.

ETA: I actually feel like the Acadia might be a really practical option! If anything it's too practical, and I still can't get my mind off the larger Volvo and Audi SUVs with third-rows, which aren't really practical for our situation but LOOK SO GOOD.

[MrsK]

We have a RAV4 with 3 in a row but we did not do that until they were all forward facing. So, IDK how that would work with an infant seat. It was very inconvenient though having only one car that could transport the infant.

Our main family car is a Town and Country minivan. We have 1 captain's chair down and I love having the floor space to change diapers, load groceries (because the stroller fills the trunk space), have "car picnics" on cold or rainy days, even put a potty chair in there for the toddler. I spend a lot of time in the car with the kids between pick ups and drop offs. The extra space has saved me many times.

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[MrsK]

I forgot about the sliding doors. Life changing. I push a button and the doors open/close. So simple.

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[MrsK]

Sliding doors, power loft gate = minivan love.

I'm short. My kids are big. There's no way I could reach across to get to a middle seat if they were all in one row to put everyone in. I can barely get the bucket seat into the base with a minivan let alone an SUV. It's so nice to be able to stand inside the minivan with the door open and pop his seat in and out.

C is almost 5 and still requires help to tighten/untighten her seat. I am keeping her in a 5 point harness for quite a while longer (why change, she doesn't care?). I love that I can hop in and out SO easily.

We have the girls in the back, R in the passenger captain (m can't have a car seat RF behind him). It's awesome.

FWIW, K1 will be 7 next month and he's still in a 5 point harness. And he's tall for his age. (Hijack: Who else is astonished that he's 7?)

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[MrsK]

I keep telling DH that everyone who has a minivan loves it, but we just can't do it. I still wear sandals that give me blisters and I spent way too much time/money on getting my hair done every month. My point is, I'm just not mature enough to embrace practicality quite yet. �� But I know you all are right about minivans! I'm just not there yet.

ETA: I actually feel like the Acadia might be a really practical option! If anything it's too practical, and I still can't get my mind off the larger Volvo and Audi SUVs with third-rows, which aren't really practical for our situation but LOOK SO GOOD.

On this note....the minivan is also awesome for parents night out. We invite 2 other couples out, let our kids all have a "slumber party" at our house supervised by a couple sitters, and all pile in the minivan to go out.

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[civilspouse]

I also never thought I'd have a minivan but love it for all the reasons listed. I don't really care about looks or having a fancy car though. Since you love the car you have I'd just try making it work and see how it goes. You can always change later if you decide you hate it.


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[rufflesanddots]

Making me want a minivan. No kids.

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[Flynn]

I was thinking more about this in the preschool dropoff line this morning, and I think the crux of my question is: Do kids take up less space as they older (no more car seats, smaller boosters, etc.) or more space (physically larger, more school stuff)? If I'll need more space in the car when they're 8, 11, and 13 than when they're 0,3, and 5, then I guess I have to get a much larger SUV (or minivan).

We have three kids. In 2006 we switched to a Suburban. We've had a Yukon XL now for about a year. I will NEVER downsize until we are empty nesters. I LOVE MY BEAST. Love it.

Kids need less seat space when they are older (no car seats) but more LEG room. My giant SUV allows for 8 adults (we have a bench seat in the middle -- we switched to this after car seats) PLUS coolers, sports gear, groceries all occupying the back at the same time.

Last weekend I had 5 twelve year old boys with their lacrosse gear and bags (several were long pole defenders), my 14 year old daughter and my other 8 year old son --- PLUS two coolers and a rain tent in my BEAST (short for BEASTMODE). We fit and had a reasonably comfortable 1 hour drive to the field.


I love how my car drives and I feel very safe in it. I DO feel guilty about the poor gas milage. However we rarely have less than 6 people in the vehicle at a time so if it were smaller we'd have to take two cars. We're always bringing one or two of the kids friends or carpooling with sports.

Go test drive a bigger SUV!!

[Phoebe]

Had a Sequioa (we still own it after 12 years). We needed captains chairs so we got an Acadia when our last baby was born. I loved it until the older kids needed more leg room. We bought another Sequoia last year. We now have two. I absolutely love it. We fit multiple kids, our family of six, horse show gear, soccer stuff, dance bags and lot of groceries all the time.


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[rainbabies]

SUVs with Kids

I drive a Yukon Denali. It has buckets in the second row and a bench in the back. (Not the xl)
As a family of 5 with teens, we all fit comfortably.
I keep one bucket folded up 24/7 as it's makes getting in/out easier. It's my second Denali after owning the xc90. I love it and will get one more, most likely next year, to finish out the growing phase of the kids. It takes a bit of time to get use to. But I Flove!!!! it. There's not much cargo space for groceries but I don't shop with the kids 😜 so it's never been an issue. DooooooItttttt.


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[OrionGrad]

I drive a Yukon Denali. It has buckets in the second row and a bench in the back. (Not the xl)
As a family of 5 with teens, we all fit comfortably.
I keep one bucket folded up 24/7 as it's makes getting in/out easier. It's my second Denali after owning the xc90. I love it and will get one more, most likely next year, to finish out the growing phase of the kids. It takes a bit of time to get use to. But I Flove!!!! it. There's not much cargo space for groceries but I don't shop with the kids  so it's never been an issue. DooooooItttttt.

I'm glad you mentioned the cargo space. We went to look at some yesterday (just browsing, we're not buying for a while) and I was surprised at how small the cargo area is in the Yukon. I'm not even sure if I could fit a Bob stroller back there. But the Yukon XL is too long to fit into my garage, so the Yukon is definitely the biggest we could get. It seemed like the Acadia actually had a bigger cargo area, but I guess maybe less room for long legs in the back seat.

[katiecrna]

I think you should forget the Volvo and get at least 2 rows of captain seats. If you don't want a big SUV than get 2 rows, if you don't mind a big suv than get 3. More room is better than less if you don't mind driving a big vehicle.
I don't know if you buy or lease. If you buy I would go with 3 rows. If you lease I would go with 2 rows than have your next car 3 rows.