Is there a small SUV that fits multiple rear facing carseats?

[sgmango]

We are looking to buy a smaller SUV (don't want a gas guzzler) that will fit 2 Britax Marathon carseats Rearfacing. The problem is that my husband can't drive with the driver's seat pushed all the way forward, which is the only way the carseat fits rear facing in our current vehicle.

Thanks!

[Joolsplus2]

www.informedforlife.org is a good place to start searching for a safe car, and probably your best bet is to just go try seats out. Older kids can sit quite upright in Marathons rearfacing (you should rarely have to push a front seat all the way forward, and it can touch the seatback in front of it), and while sometimes dads may need to compromise and sit a little more upright, too, they can usually drive safely in front of a rearfacing marathon (obviously very very tall folks can't, but a fair number of people don't realize they could just sit up a little more and are still reasonably comfortable)

[sgmango]

I haven't seen that one before. I really appreciate it.

[elektra]

My husband works for Hyundai so he drives a different model every 6 months or so. He currently has the Santa Fe, and while I couldn't speak specifically whether or not it could fit 2 MA RF, it's probably in the size range you are looking for.
I drive a Volvo XC90, and although my snobby side hates to admit it, the Santa Fe is actually a nicer ride IMO. My Volvo looks awesome from the outside I think, but it drives more like a truck and is kind of "creaky" compared to the Santa Fe. Oh, and I just visited the site that Jools included the link for, and the Santa Fe ranks safer than the XC90! Go figure.
So the Santa Fe is probably worth taking a look at. The 2007 model looks much nicer than the earlier versions I think.

[Joolsplus2]

LOL! Volvo had better not rest on its laurels too much, those Koreans are really catching up!

[MommyAllison]

We had a 97 Blazer (not sure if that is really a small SUV though...) and it could easily fit 2 RFing Marathons outboard. The middle seat in the back is strictly forbidden to use for any child restraints, FYI. We had DD's Marathon RFing in there for a year and a half and could still move the front seat all the way back. We usually got 15-17mpg in the city.

[birdie75]

You might want to check out crossovers they are built on a car platform instead of a truck platform so they are a smoother ride and better for fuel economy then an SUV. There are also several SUVs with a hybrid option if you do a lot of city driving (hybrid is really only better for stop and go for long distances diesel is the most fuel efficient).

Some ideas: Crossovers
-Ford Edge / Mazda 7 (This is what I am looking to buy)
-GMC Acadia / Saturn Outlook / Chevy Equinox / Cadaillac SRX?
-Acura MDX (I can't remember the Honda equivalent)
-Mazda 9 / Ford Tarus X

Some ideas: hybrid
-Ford Escape
-GMT 900 platform (Yukon / Tahoe)

I am sorry that I don't know much about the rest oof the manufacturers I live in Detroit and we don't get a lot of exposure to the other car companies.

[Tondi G]

My hubby drives a Mazda CX7 and it so far (in the last year) has been a fantastic car. I highly recommend you taking a test drive.... and bring your seats with you and install them... see how you like it!

As a aside... my Dh got the Mazda as a replacement for a Hyundai Santa Fe. His car was totalled in an accident... center punched on the side. Not ONE of his air bags deployed. The side impact air bags didn't come out and he had bad enough head injury due to hitting exactly where the air bags should have protected him, to cause permanent hearing loss in one ear. Thank god he had his seatbelt on! The EMT treating him at the scene said he was very very lucky. That said we went online an searched hyundai airbag and there were a lot of people discussing air bags that didn't deploy when they were supposed to. For a company that talks up their side impact airbags etc in their advertising campaign it was/is a real disappointment. We will never buy a hyundai again. Aside from that my DH had been quite happy with his car but his truly failed him when he needed it!

My neighbor has a new Honda CRV and it is nice looking. I asked her about it and she said she LOVES it! If I were looking for a smaller SUV I would check that one out!

I also had a chance to look at the Saturn Outlook the other day parked outside my house and it was pretty nice!