What vechicle has room but not mini-van?

[jodifla]

Ford Flex. Lots of room inside. It feels like a limo!

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I've had 2 Chevy Suburbans and would have another one in a heartbeat, but we don't need that much room anymore vs. the gas consumption. I will say, though, that considering what it is, I felt that it got great gas mileage. I looooovvvved my Suburbans. And it's classified as a truck!

Ours had 2 bucket seats, a middle bench seat, and a back bench seat. And after that tons of space for luggage, bikes, strollers, etc. Some of the minivans/small SUVS have 3rd seats that are dangerously close to the back of the car IMHO.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I love my Acadia. It took some time for me to get used to it. I had a mini van for 8 years. I wanted another, but there just aren't a lot of mini van options anymore. My DH convinced me to go with the Acadia. Now he takes MY Acadia to work often. He never wanted to drive my mini van. He says he gets compliments from people in his office when he drives the Acadia, but I don't really like being left home with the pick up truck.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

I wouldn't recommend the Honda Pilot if you are going to have three kids in carseats. I made the mistake of buying one a few years ago and ended up trading it in for an Odyssey less than 12 months later because getting the kids in and out of their carseats was a royal pain! The Pilot's third row seat was pretty much useless. (Other than those two things, I loved driving the Pilot! But it was our main family car and the hassle every day of getting the kids loaded up into it just wasn't worth it).

My parents have a Highlander and it seems to be a lot easier to load kids into, since it has two bucket seats in the middle row and then a bench seat in the back. I would definitely look at those if I were shopping for a new SUV.

BTW....I was one who always had sworn I would never drive a minivan. However, I'm now on my second Odyssey and I have to say that with three kids close in age, I love the convenience, hauling capacity and sliding doors that a minivan provides. Dh drives a car and when he has all three kids strapped in the rear seat, they are constantly complaining about being cramped and one is aggravating the other. It's nice to have the space to seperate them physically sometimes, particularly for long trips!

 

[tmccullough]

Nissan Pathfinder gets my vote! We love ours and finally made the move from having 2 newly bought minivans to the suv... love it!!!

 

[disneymeces]

We gave up our Chevy Tahoe (with third row) for mini-van. Although I love the options in the mini van, and all the floor space, I really miss my Tahoe, and had a lot of space in it too, 4 kids (2 in car seats) but the van just had way better options! My dd 16yrs says I'm officially not cool now!

 

[*BTMRR*]

Mitsubishi Outlander is a really nice car and has an optional 3rd row seat that is great for fitting an extra older kid in in a pinch but I can't imagine trying to get a kid in and out of a carseat back there.

I didn't really want a minivan either at first but IMO there's just no substitute in terms of ease of use + cargo space even when all seats are in use + reasonable fuel economy.

 

[highwayg]

I just traded in my mini van for a Chevy Traverse in August. It has been GREAT!! More than enough room! I highly recommend it,

 

[NemoMOm]

Here's the problem with suvs and car seats. I bought a Pilot that seats 7 adults because I did not want a mini van. The problem is when you have 2 car seats in that row behine the drivers seat, the seats will not go forward enough to put the child in the last row. So I had to pop the hatch and lift the child up, climb up and buckle them in. I just bought a mini van and though I do not like the look of them, I could kick myself for not buying one sooner. It is soooo convenient with children more than 2 I would test drive an suv with the car seats BEFORE you buy.

 

[NemoMOm]

You and I are too alike I swore I would never drive a mini van and bought the Pilot as well. I also now drive an Odyssey

I wouldn't recommend the Honda Pilot if you are going to have three kids in carseats. I made the mistake of buying one a few years ago and ended up trading it in for an Odyssey less than 12 months later because getting the kids in and out of their carseats was a royal pain! The Pilot's third row seat was pretty much useless. (Other than those two things, I loved driving the Pilot! But it was our main family car and the hassle every day of getting the kids loaded up into it just wasn't worth it).

My parents have a Highlander and it seems to be a lot easier to load kids into, since it has two bucket seats in the middle row and then a bench seat in the back. I would definitely look at those if I were shopping for a new SUV.

BTW....I was one who always had sworn I would never drive a minivan. However, I'm now on my second Odyssey and I have to say that with three kids close in age, I love the convenience, hauling capacity and sliding doors that a minivan provides. Dh drives a car and when he has all three kids strapped in the rear seat, they are constantly complaining about being cramped and one is aggravating the other. It's nice to have the space to seperate them physically sometimes, particularly for long trips!

 

[heartsy77]

Here's the problem with suvs and car seats. I bought a Pilot that seats 7 adults because I did not want a mini van. The problem is when you have 2 car seats in that row behine the drivers seat, the seats will not go forward enough to put the child in the last row. So I had to pop the hatch and lift the child up, climb up and buckle them in. I just bought a mini van and though I do not like the look of them, I could kick myself for not buying one sooner. It is soooo convenient with children more than 2 I would test drive an suv with the car seats BEFORE you buy.

I soloved this problem by buying a smaller ( narrower) car-seat without the extras on the side or too to interfere with the back seat. I also sometimes put the two car-seats side by side in 2nd row and leave the last seat pushed ahead allowing access to and from 3rd row. I have 6 daycare children (3 in some type of car- seat) and it worked out so far for me.

 

[bigmama67]

We bought a Mazda 5 in July. LOVE it! It handles like a car and gets over 20 MPG and it is much easier to park than a MV. (Putting this in because I am home sick today, not because the vehicle makes me sick...lol.)

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I soloved this problem by buying a smaller ( narrower) car-seat without the extras on the side or too to interfere with the back seat. I also sometimes put the two car-seats side by side in 2nd row and leave the last seat pushed ahead allowing access to and from 3rd row. I have 6 daycare children (3 in some type of car- seat) and it worked out so far for me.

This is what I do in my Acadia. I have had 4 carseats in at a time. You have to leave the last seat in the second row car seat free to get to the back. I usually have 6 daycare children on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I did like the sliding door on the mini van better because now I'm always telling the kids to watch the doors so they don't hit the car next to us.

 

[DeniseinNS]

Mitsubishi Outlander is a really nice car and has an optional 3rd row seat that is great for fitting an extra older kid in in a pinch but I can't imagine trying to get a kid in and out of a carseat back there.

I didn't really want a minivan either at first but IMO there's just no substitute in terms of ease of use + cargo space even when all seats are in use + reasonable fuel economy.

I was really interested in the Outlander, until I saw the third row which is not the same as the rest of the seats in the vehicle. It is a flimsy looking bench seat that doesn't look like it would be very comfortable to sit on.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I recently got rid of my mini van and got a Hyundai Santa Fe, I was scared about downsizing at first but I have to say I am pretty impressed with the room. Both of my kids are in booster seats and we can fit an adult in the back with them comfortably, there is lots of trunk room as well.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Need seating for 5, with 3 car seats (two rear facing). What vechicles have a 3rd row that is not a mini-van?

The only one I know of for sure is a Toyota Highlander.

LOVE our honda pilot! Keeps its value, great "up" options too! Got mine fully loaded and I LOVE the way she drives and her options are awesome!!

 

[fakereadhed]

I <3 my Mazda5 !!!!

 

[Ericandjenng]

I had a Ford Explorer with a third row which I loved. I traded to a mini-van (yeah, I'm a convert too--at least temporarily) because I got a really good deal on it.

BUT the mini-van has tons of room & the fold & go seats fold into the floor almost flat enough to dance on. I can also rearrange which seats are being utilized depending whether I've got to haul something long or bulky. The back seats folded down with a blanket cover provided the storage space at Christmas for the Santa presents

That being said, I will probably go back toan SUV next time or something with a manual transmission--I miss my 5-speed...

 

[Ericandjenng]

I did like the sliding door on the mini van better because now I'm always telling the kids to watch the doors so they don't hit the car next to us.

The best reason for a mini-van--that and powered doors and liftgate!

 

[mamaLori05]

I was completely AGAINST buying a mini van. They are SUPER ugly IMHO! But, if you take the time to compare one to the other options you have been given. You may decide that the room is well worth the ugliness! We looked at a few Mvans this weekend and we will probably get one. We had almost settled on an acadia before looking at Mvans though. good luck, lots of options out there!!

same here! I REALLY wanted to get a 3rd seater SUV, but when comparing them, the third row was really a joke. Trust me, I really wanted it to work, but had to admit it wouldn't. A small child could probably fit back there, but once their legs get longer, forget it. We buy new cars and keep them until they die.

I'm pretty sure our next car will end up being a mini van, unless someone comes out with something within the next year. Trust me, it will be a SAD day at our house when I have to bring home that mini van, but at least I will know they kiddo's will be comfy in the 3rd row. Right now we really like the newly designed Toyota mini van. The seats are comfy and there is a lot of room. And it doesn't look as mini vanish as some of the others.