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Why the need for a 7 seat van or SUV when you only have two kids? At this point you only need a midsize sedan for family use. It won't be at least 5 years before the kids will be involved in things that may require a family van or SUV.
for all those people saying "not needed" we used every inch of space and it was very practical. We camped in it, we slept in it, we transported kids and grandparents in it, we carried kids and their gear in it (yes, even when kids are "small" it makes travelling easier with stroller and travel crib), we carried friends and their kids in it.
I could never understand why so many people buy 8 seater vehicles as soon as they have 1 child.
You have 2 children. what are the other 4 seats for?
I commend you for the realistic choice of minivan over SUV, but still think a sedan is more relevant.
We're a family of four, and my wife intends to purchase a 2014 Flex in a couple weeks. The extra two seats are for friends when we go on Anchorage runs, and for our kids friends (sleepovers).
Minivans are very practical, even for smaller families. They offer higher seating, comfortable ride for long trips, and decent gas millage. Also, great for running to the store for home supplies with the seats folded down.
To the original poster, The Toyota Sienna is a great choice, and the Caravan is fantastic with its stow-and-go seating. Lots of storage, plenty of power, good MPG, and nice ride. My mother has a 2014 30th Anniversary edition. It's good in the snow, but the engine is pretty powerful - even with traction control and blizzaks (studded), she still has to be easy with the throttle. When taking it to Anchorage it powers through the mountains with ease.
I could never understand why so many people buy 8 seater vehicles as soon as they have 1 child.
You have 2 children. what are the other 4 seats for?
I commend you for the realistic choice of minivan over SUV, but still think a sedan is more relevant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by victimofGM
Why the need for a 7 seat van or SUV when you only have two kids? At this point you only need a midsize sedan for family use. It won't be at least 5 years before the kids will be involved in things that may require a family van or SUV.
Kids these days are required to sit in boosters, which becomes a pain when they want to bring a friend. Its easy enough to put three across when they don't have the boosters. With the booster seats the added space makes life much easier, or so I'm told.
Look at Honda Pilot or Acura MDX. The older MDXes are quite nice too, and very reasonably priced in the used market. And they still look good.
They drive and handle like a car (almost), but give you the space and height of an SUV, but are also 7 seaters but still smaller than a full blown minivan. Compact 7 seaters, in short. And very decent storage, as long as the third row is folded down, half-folded or fully folded.
I'm in a similar boat. We have 2 , considering a 3rd kid.
My question is whether three kids in combinations of booster and car seats across doable? I'm sure it depends on the vehicle width of course....
It would look like this for the first year:
1 booster
1 forward facing baby seat
1 rear facing baby seat
Then:
1 booster
2 forward facing baby seats
I was eyeing the Ford Transit connect...Toyota sienna i'm sure these are fine vehicles, But I just don't know... it's a minivan!
The Toyota AWD minivan is not cheap, either, about $30k before you add any options.
It also depends on the car seats/boosters. Some are narrower than others. I'd recommend thecarseatlady.com and csftl.org for more research. Those two sites are great resources for car seat safety ratings and fit.
AlexonAutos.com also has a lot of video reviews where he evaluates how each vehicle accommodates car seats.
It also depends on the car seats/boosters. Some are narrower than others. I'd recommend thecarseatlady.com and csftl.org for more research. Those two sites are great resources for car seat safety ratings and fit.
AlexonAutos.com also has a lot of video reviews where he evaluates how each vehicle accommodates car seats.
I believe cars.com also does a series on car seats and how they fit in the back seats with lots of pictures and a simple A, B, C, D, F rating for various seats.
People just can't help themselves. Op didn't ask for your advice on whether or not they NEED a mini van. Worry about your own needs and either answer the question or don't. Having an 8 seater with a family of 4 makes perfect sense. You can fit friends or an entire other family. Not everything in life is about a necessity, want's are ok. If you can swing it, get an AWD. both brands are great. I guess depending on where you live AWD isn't that big a deal.
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Its the carseat rules...
