SUVs with Kids

[rainbabies]

SUVs with Kids

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.

I'd have to say no to fitting the stroller. Maybe on its side? Sometimes I put a captains chair down and fold one back seat up. They're removable, too. You could take and leave one out??


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[SoonerTexan]

We are on a trip and we have a double stroller, air mattress, crock pot, and 5 suitcases in the cargo area of our minivan...and there is still some room. Just sayin...


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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Our double BOB basically kills the back seat of any car that we've ever used or rented. You can maybe stack one layer of suitcase underneath it before it goes. I just don't like lifting the double BOB into any car but a van because it's lower to the ground. It would be impossible for me to get the double into an SUV - I'm too short. But I have to have my double BOB, it completes me.

To quote DH: "Besides you, C, D, and single BOB, double BOB is the best thing that's ever happened to me." (This was obviously prior to R).

[alison]

I have a compact SUV, and while you have to travel a little leaner, parking in the city is SO much easier with it. I see moms struggling to parallel park their vans and large SUVs, and am glad I have a smaller car. The only issue we run into is when we carpool with dd7s friends. As they get older, they have bigger stuff and more friends, and their friends have stuff, too! I take out dd7's car seat and put in two boosters to accommodate a friend (dd2 is in a regular car seat). It's a tight fit, and I would prefer not to have to deal with the in and out of car seats, but it's not terrible.

How old is the Volvo and how many miles? I guess for me it would also depend on how you'd do trading it in, and what kind of loss you'd take. I traded in an Acura MDX for our Mazda CX-5. We took a hit financially on that, but having only 3" on either side of the side mirrors to pull into my garage (in reverse!) was reason enough to trade it in.

[Thirteen]

As someone who just looked at a 2017 Pilot, and a 2017 Sienna, I much preferred the Pilot. The Elite model has captain's chairs and is totally awesome.

Still holding out to see what Subaru turns out as their new 3rd row model for 2018. *swoon*


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[OrionGrad]

How old is the Volvo and how many miles? I guess for me it would also depend on how you'd do trading it in, and what kind of loss you'd take.

My Volvo is a 2015.5, so almost brand new, but we bought it knowing this situation was likely to come up (complicated situation... my ancient Rav4 crapped out weeks before we left Oregon, but getting a third-row SUV at the time seemed like getting way ahead of ourselves since we didn't know if we'd ever have a third baby). So all that is to say, I won't feel horrible about trading it in when the time comes, even though I'm usually a person who keeps cars for a long time. But I've gotten really attached to my Volvo, so I'm hoping we can stay in it for as long as possible.

As someone who just looked at a 2017 Pilot, and a 2017 Sienna, I much preferred the Pilot. The Elite model has captain's chairs and is totally awesome.

I didn't realize the Pilot had captain's chairs. I like it a lot, but it looks like there's a console between the captain's chairs and I'm hoping that DS1 can walk between the middle seats of whatever car we get.

We checked out the new Acadia Denali this weekend, and we all really liked it. (The boys refused to get out of the back, which was kind of embarrassing. ��) It has all the same in-car technology that my Volvo has, plus some cool extras like a surround vision camera and a rear seat reminder so you don't leave anyone in the back. So like I said, I'm not in ANY rush to get a new car, but when the time comes I do think we found a good option.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'll admit that this thread has me excited about my post-residency car. My van is a 2011 and perfect for right now but I admit that some of the newest van/SUV features are REALLY nice.

I'm currently driving a 2017 Odyssey because my Sienna is part of that massive airbag recall (I'm one of the few people patient enough to wait on hold to get a loaner vehicle). The auto-start and power lift gates and rear camera are SWEET. I miss my red 2011 Sienna a lot (it drives better than the Honda) but I like the nice features for sure!

[JDAZ11]

Our double BOB basically kills the back seat of any car that we've ever used or rented. You can maybe stack one layer of suitcase underneath it before it goes. I just don't like lifting the double BOB into any car but a van because it's lower to the ground. It would be impossible for me to get the double into an SUV - I'm too short. But I have to have my double BOB, it completes me.

To quote DH: "Besides you, C, D, and single BOB, double BOB is the best thing that's ever happened to me." (This was obviously prior to R).

Our double bob too. I wanted to scream the few times I went to grocery store with it still in the car. The car seats take up the whole back seat. So there is almost no room for bags. After this happened three times, I wanted a suburban. We test drove them. I loved it. We planned to get one once we got here, but the. We rented a Tahoe while we're waiting for my car to arrive. And it was so big. It was the front, I guess the length of the hood that bothered me. Maybe it was a different year than the suburban I test drove, but I was so not excited parking it and about getting the kids in and out of it in parking lots.

What about the new Tesla? I hear those doors are great in parking lots.


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[alison]

Oh wow, your Volvo is very new.
I'd say give it a shot with all 3 first. See how it goes for a little while.

[OrionGrad]

Our double bob too. I wanted to scream the few times I went to grocery store with it still in the car. The car seats take up the whole back seat. So there is almost no room for bags. After this happened three times, I wanted a suburban. We test drove them. I loved it. We planned to get one once we got here, but the. We rented a Tahoe while we're waiting for my car to arrive. And it was so big. It was the front, I guess the length of the hood that bothered me. Maybe it was a different year than the suburban I test drove, but I was so not excited parking it and about getting the kids in and out of it in parking lots.

What about the new Tesla? I hear those doors are great in parking lots.


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DH wants me to get the Tesla, but I've read some bad reviews about fitting car seats properly in it. (Also, its $$$) I also don't like that the back of the front seats is this hard plastic shell. I can just imagine my boys kicking the seats and scuffing it up, and me freaking out. 😝 One of my neighbors has one and she loves it (and of course it looks GREAT), but her kids are all grown so car seats and muddy feet aren't a problem.

[alotofyarn]

So, if we do have to get a new car, we're going to go ahead and get a bigger SUV. Original plan was for me to get an MDX after residency, but we don't quite have that budget yet, so we're going to look maybe at the Explorer, Pilot, and Highlander.

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[OrionGrad]

I think that's a smart move.

[Thirteen]

SUVs with Kids

It's probably going to come down to the new Subaru third row (which is apparently comparable, size wise, to a Suburban), or a new Pilot for us.


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[Kudzoo]

We shopped them all and landed on a Durango. Never would have given Dodge a shot, but it's CR Recommended. Very pleased. Has the ZF transmission of BMW and Bentley, and the underpinnings of the Mercedes M class. A very nice SUV.

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[JDAZ11]

SUVs with Kids

DH wants me to get the Tesla, but I've read some bad reviews about fitting car seats properly in it. (Also, its $$$) I also don't like that the back of the front seats is this hard plastic shell. I can just imagine my boys kicking the seats and scuffing it up, and me freaking out. 😝 One of my neighbors has one and she loves it (and of course it looks GREAT), but her kids are all grown so car seats and muddy feet aren't a problem.

Well, I totally agree with that. We went to look at escalades during that same suburban trip to the dealer. There was all this suede on the doors in the back seat - and all I could think about was their slimy food covered (or drool covered - one is an amazing drooler. It's insane) hands touching that. It was a fast NO (even though those seats were amazing).

But I thought that Tesla was actually about the same price (at least sort of) as a suburban (a high trim - I can't even remember what it was called). Anyway, I could totally be wrong.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here freaking out that nothing catastrophic is wrong with my car (a free 2006 hand-me-down from my parents). I really don't want my kids near any new car for three years or so. I think something was wrong with the suspension and took it in Thursday - no response yet 😱 (It has 125K on it, so I'm pretty sure that keeping it 3 years is a pipe dream...).


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