family-friendly non-minivan?

[ourbabygirl]

I currently have a small sedan which is really not very baby-friendly, and its lease expires next April. My husband and I are starting to think about what to get next, but don't want a mini-van:ROTFLMAO:! Right now we only have a 7 month old, but plan on having at least 1 more. I'd probably like some sort of SUV, or at least something with AWD for our crazy long & stressful winters!

Any suggestions for something nice looking, reliable, safe, and not too pricey?

Thanks!

[KrisM]

Why not a minivan? SUVs are higher and harder for kids to climb into themselves. Minivans hold more people, like your kids friends. Just curious.

I have a Malibu, but want a minivan!

A sedan is nice, as my kids can get in themselves, the trunk holds a lot and I don't have to tie everything down like in a minivan or SUV, and I get 28 MPG.

[geochick]

Some to consider:
Honda Pilot
Toyota Rav4
Mazda 5
Lexus GX470
Mazda CX9
Toyota Avalon (or other large sedan)
Honda Odyssey
hyundai Veracruz

[SnuggleBuggles]

We have done extremely well in our Civic with 2 kids. I wouldn't rule out a sedan. Also, I honestly don't think you gain any extra space that is helpful with an SUV unless you are talking about buying some giant 8 seater (which I can't imagine you would). Side by side the trunk space is often smaller than a sedan (well, you have tall space but that doesn't tend to be that useful, ime) and the cabin space is the same as in a sedan from what I can tell if you are looking at smaller SUVs. Being up higher is a tad easier for buckling purposes but I wouldn't give that feature much sway.

I want to be able to carpool with ds1's friends and we just can't fit another child in our backseat next to our car seats. So, I am looking at the Mazda 5. 3rd row of seats can be floded down so you have trunk space. It is the same length as my Civic so I won't feel like I'm driving a bus. I consider it a small minivan. It is currently the trendy car to buy in my city (which I didn't know when I picked it out! I just liked it!). People want good gas mileage and the ability to carry more without having something big so it fits that bill.

If it weren't for ds1's friends I would happily keep using our Civic.

Oh, and snow tires are supposed to make a huge difference, so much so that you could get by w/o AWD. (I listen to a lot of NPR Car Talk :)).

Beth

[Piglet]

With 2 kids max, I would stick with a mid-size sedan. They are safe, good on gas, and have more than enough room for 2 carseats (and oftentimes 3). We have a Mazda Protege that we love to pieces. It is 9 years old and hasn't given us a minute of trouble. We lived in Canada until this year (and will be heading back again this summer) and never felt the need for AWD on our vehicles. Stability Control and Traction Control along with good winter tires will do the trick and sticking with a car that has a low center of gravity will help a great deal as well.

[smiles33]

We have a Nissan Altima (a medium- to large-sized sedan) and the Honda Pilot SUV. Here's my list of pros/cons comparing to the two:

- I frequently hit my head and my 3 year old DD will hit her head (usually only when she's standing on the seat or climbing into her car seat) as we get into the Altima's backseat and get her into her Britax Boulevard (which sits pretty high). That never happens in the Pilot. She also climbs into and out of the Pilot herself.

- The Altima has much better mileage and accelerates/drives better IMHO.

- The Altima is much easier to parallel park (again, IMHO).

- The Pilot sometimes feels like a big whale on the road compared to my smaller, sleeker Nissan.

- Nissan recommends premium gas for the Altima, Honda is fine w/regular gas.

- We're expecting #2 in 4 weeks, and may have #3, so it's possible I'll be switching cars w/DH. There's a 3rd row in the Pilot, too, though it completely obliterates any trunk storage space. Still, it's available if you carpool. We never use it.

Good luck!

[MontrealMum]

Oh, and snow tires are supposed to make a huge difference, so much so that you could get by w/o AWD. (I listen to a lot of NPR Car Talk :)).
Beth
:yeahthat:
I've gotten by for 12 Quebec winters with a set of 4 very good snow tires. We have some of the harshest winters in North America, and I have never driven an AWD until we bought a Subaru this year; however, it's DH's car so I've only driven it a few times in the winter - most days I drive my Corolla. I can say that although AWD was nice, 9 times out of 10, snow tires, knowing how to drive in the snow, and a little digging are all you need. I park on the street, we don't have a garage. I wouldn't necessarily buy an SUV and bank on it being a good winter vehicle - they frequently get stuck up here and we often see them in the ditch when going to ski. Of course, the snow tire law went into effect this past winter so perhaps that happened less. JMHO, but I would certainly consider investing in good snow tires for a minivan/sedan over buying something that consumes so much gas with these fuel prices.

ETA: AWD does not necessarily help cars drive better in the snow. What it does is give you more traction for getting out of very snowy parking spots (or mud in the spring) or down a completely unplowed road. It will not help keep your car on the road. Stability and traction control, which are standard on many newer cars, will go much further to do that - along with snow tires.

[TwinFoxes]

We were car shopping, and two I really liked were the Mazda CX9 and the VW Passat Wagon. I'm like you, I have no desire to get a mini-van. We have a Jetta right now, and now that the girls have traded in their double snap-n-go for a BJCMD, we have tons of room in the trunk so we probably won't be getting a new car after all (I love my Jetta, so zippy!) I liked the CX9 because it had lots of cargo room and space for the dogs, and it handled really well. The Passat Wagon felt really comfortable. (I didn't test drive it though.)

What you might want to do, since you have time, is go to an auto show this year. You can't test drive the cars, but you can sit in them and get a feel for them. I ruled out a lot of cars I had been considering just because they were uncomfortable, or had bad blindspots. I don't know where you live, but a lot of the major cities have auto shows, usually in the winter.

[neeter]

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[WatchingThemGrow]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Honda CR-V! We have one and think it has been nearly perfect for 2 kids! It has plenty of room for family vacations, everyday stuff, a potty area in the back for DD next to the BJCED. It has been so awesome for us b/c it can fit 3 seats if needed, and the inside is so configurable in terms of hauling large toys/gear when necessary.

We both like the way it drives, costs, goes through gas, etc. We're planning on keeping it with 3 DC as long as we can, until the need for carpools and stuff dictates a van.

[pastrygirl]

I covet a Ford Taurus-X/Freestyle. If my husband would agree to upgrade my car, that's the first car I would look at.

[HannaAddict]

I would look at a new or used Volvo wagon, the cross country wagon but NOT the XC90 SUV. The wagons have better reliability, way better reliability according to our local mechanic who won't even work on the XC90's. The Volvo wagons are often pretty deeply discounted even when brand new too. I do like the Pilot as well, Honda's are great cars (loved my Accord). I like the CRV but don't think you get much more room for the passengers than a midsize sedan provides.

You could also look at a used Mercedes ML 320CDI, the diesel Mercedes SUV. It has good reliability, great crash test results, is roomy but not huge, is very comfortable and gets better mileage than a minivan (in the diesel variety). You would want a 2007 or later. If you need a third row, the other Mercedes diesel crossovers/SUVs are the GL and R, many are coming off leases from 2007 and approach the cost of a minivan with better mileage. Like most luxury cars, they depriciate a ton the first couple of years, so a low miles two year old version under warranty is much cheaper than a new one.

[maestramommy]

Agreeing with pp on an mid-sized sedan. They can be very family friendly if you're going to have only 2 or you're anal on gas mileage. We have an Accord and a Pathfinder, which when we bought it, was a mid sized SUV. Honestly, the Accord is MUCH more comfortable and family friendly. The advantages to our Pathfinder over the Accord are 1) the back seat shape makes it easier to get 3 across, and 2) we have 4WD, which is nice when the snow plows haven't made it to our street yet. That's it. I have on occasion driven in unplowed snow in our Accord and even without snowtires, it's doable, you just have to be careful.

[cvanbrunt]

I have to second the Volvo XC70 wagon. My husband just bought a 2005 to replace his Toyota Highlander Hybrid (the lease expired). The built in booster seats are fantastic! There's more cargo room than the in the Highlander when the seats are folded down.

[geochick]

Whatever you decide to look at, make sure you read review on Edmunds.com. This is another handy review site...
http://www.consumersearch.com/automotive

Asking a few of us for our opinions is a great place to start, but thousands of people (and some expert reviewers) have answered a lot of the questions we might not come up with for you.

[elliput]

Currently, I drive a small sedan and DH drives a big SUV. While the SUV has by far and away more space, the sedan is actually easier to get the kids in and out of and the trunk is big enough that I could get both a full size stroller and a Snap-N-Go in it.

As an aside, DH and I drove a minivan long before we had kids. It was a great vehicle- comfortable, handled well, tons of space and much better gas mileage than an SUV. The reason we decided to get an SUV instead of another minivan was because we wanted a higher towing capacity.

Another non-minivan people mover type vehicle to consider is the Ford Flex.

[C99]

from the outside it just looks like a wagon.

I think it looks like someone put a minivan through the dryer. If it weren't so underpowered, I'd be lusting after the Mazda 5 -- but I have never mistaken it for a station wagon when I see it on the road.

I had a Passat Wagon before we bought our minivan. After the honeymoon ended, I hated that car. The backseat was tiny and it actually was less comfortable and had less trunk space than the car we traded in for it -- a Nissan Maxima.

[chinook]

Ditto what all the PP's have said about snow tires - I think unless someone lives in a VERY extreme climate or works in the bush or something that snow tires are more than adequate for winter driving. I'm a BIG believer in winter tires, they made a world of difference over all-seasons on our van.

I, personally, like driving a can, many handy features when you've got a couple of kids to lug around, but if we didn't drive a van I'd consider a wagon - Audi, VW, Subaru. Lots of cargo space without the gas-suckage of an SUV. :)//

[neeter]

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[MelissaTC]

I covet a Ford Taurus-X/Freestyle. If my husband would agree to upgrade my car, that's the first car I would look at.


We traded in our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan for a 2008 Taurus X and love it!! I wish I had originally waited for the release of the Freestyle. I immediately wanted one once they were released.

[Happy 2B mommy]

I would love to trade in our Grand Caravan for either a Mazda 5 or a Honda cR-V.

[maestramommy]

Dh was telling me that some of the newer model cars have traction control, so AWD may not be that necessary if you live in a snowy area. AWD really seems to lower gas mileage significantly.

[HGraceMom]

We have a 2 & 7 yo - and a CTS & Edge. I love not driving a minivan, and the CTS is "my" car. However, I've been driving "DH's" Edge for the past few weeks so I can cart the dog around during showings, and have to say I really really like it, too.

I hear you on not wanting / needing a minivan - both of my regular strollers fit in the CTS trunk, along with groceries & backpacks, etc. & with DD FF in her carseat, an adult has plenty of space in front of her if I need to pick up my mom or DH & I take my car for whatever reason. We're not totally sporty, but if we were, and had all of that gear, too, I'd def. drive the Edge - it's the mom of 1&2 car of choice in our neighborhood these days, and the Flex is turning into the mom of 2&3 who carpool car of choice.

Not to mention the domestics have great deals right now & the gov. is going to watch over warranties for us :)!!!

[american_mama]

I think Melissa and I are the two Ford Freestyle/Taurus X owners on the board and we both like it. I think she meant to say she wished she'd waited until the Ford Flex was released. But I think either vehicle is a lot of car for a family of 3.

I'd look at the Kia Rondo, which I did a 24 hour test drive of. It's a lot like the Mazda 5, but better styling, especially in the interior. It does NOT have the sliding doors like the Mazda 5, which appealed to me for looks but I must say, sliding doors improve access. So it's a tradeoff between style and functionality.

Compared to the Mazda 5, I thought the Kia Rondo had a slightly larger third row, slightly more cargo room with the third row up (although still not much), more standard safety features, and a much better interor. When I looked at the Mazda 5, I think the only interior color was dark gray fabric upholstery or supposedly a brown leather interor that the salespeople told me was exceedingly rare. I liked the way the Kia drove a lot.

[jerseygirl07067]

I hear you on the minivan issue and I sympathize. We have looked at the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna (both minivans) and while they are both perfect for our needs I am still having issues about buying one. (I posted on this a while back)

Other options that we are considering are the Honda Pilot - I like the fact that the 3rd row splits and folds to the floor as does the 2nd row. The newer body style is bigger and would do a better job at fitting 3 across, which would meet our needs too, and we'd still have the 3rd row if we needed it.

I also want to look at the Ford Taurus X and was glad to see two previous posters liking theirs. The reliability is not as good as Honda or Toyota, but nonetheless it was still recommended by Consumer Reports. I think it's being phased out for the newer Ford Flex.

I personally am a big Honda fan, but in our area, I've heard from friends that Honda won't budge as much on prices, and there may be a chance we could get a better deal on a Ford. We shall see!

[bubbaray]

Well, I have a minivan (Honda Ody) and "only" two children. I can't imagine having a smaller vehicle -- our dog would have to ride on the roof if we had a sedan!

Just because a family is "only" two children doesn't mean that the family doesn't have need for a vehicle larger than a sedan.

JMHO.

[MelissaTC]

I think Melissa and I are the two Ford Freestyle/Taurus X owners on the board and we both like it. I think she meant to say she wished she'd waited until the Ford Flex was released. But I think either vehicle is a lot of car for a family of 3.


Maybe my post wasn't clear but my regret was not waiting originally for the release of the Freestyle before purchasing the Grand Caravan. I immediately wanted the Freestyle in 2005 but already had the van.

We may be 3 (and hopefully will be 4 soon!) but at certain times of the year, we are driving around 5 sometimes 6. We needed a vehicle that we can cart my parents and visiting family. I liked the Taurus X because the third row has real seats and is quite comfortable compared to other 3rd row seats. My Dad is fine in the third row and has no trouble accessing it so that was important. In a few weeks, we will be driving 6 with my parents and my FIL.

[essnce629]

We just bought a Mazda5 3 months ago and LOVE it! We're about to have baby #2 and it seems like the perfect car for 2 kids. We keep the 3rd row down all the time so there's a ton of trunk space, but it will be nice having the 3rd row for when grandma visits and we can all go out to dinner in one car. I love having two captains chairs, instead of a bench seat and I love, love, love the sliding doors. There's no way I would want a full-size minivan right now-- they're just too big for what our family needs. I love that the Mazda5 drives just like a car and doesn't seem like I'm driving a boat (especially since my car before it was a super tiny 2-door Hyundai Accent!) And you can now get the Mazda5 with a light (off white) interior (either cloth or leather) which is nice if you don't like black. And the 2008 and 2009 models added 3 extra arm rests and air vents in the second row, which were two main complaints with the first Mazda5 models.

[Piglet]

No, there is no rule that 2 kid familes aren't allowed big cars. The OP never mentioned anything about a dog. You have 2 kids and a dog so your needs are obviously different than a fmaily with just 2 kids no dog. When we had 2 kids we had absolutely ZERO need for a minivan. The kids could have been in a tiny sub-compact and it would have been doable. When discussing the minimum car size requirement for a 2 kid family, I think it is fair to say that you absolutely do not require a minivan. Even 3 kid families can get by in a sedan. Throw a big dog, a special need (i.e. carting around medical equipment/wheelchair), or a job that requires lots of load capacity and your needs immediately change.

[geochick]

You absolutely don't NEED a large car, but let me tell you, as they grow up, kids, their friends, and their gear start to take up space. My 5 year old plays soccer. One of his teammates needed a ride the other day. We couldn't take him because we drive 2 sedans, and the car seats wouldn't allow for another. I have a 2 year old too...once she starts having friends and playing sports, etc., we're definitely going to get a bigger car. We COULD get by with our 2 sedans, but for convenience, I want something bigger. I can understand why the op is interested in more space...dog or no dog.

[JamiMac]

Well, I have a minivan (Honda Ody) and "only" two children. I can't imagine having a smaller vehicle -- our dog would have to ride on the roof if we had a sedan!

Just because a family is "only" two children doesn't mean that the family doesn't have need for a vehicle larger than a sedan.

JMHO.

I totally agree! We completely fill our Suburban on trips and when I had two kids we filled our MDX. Especially when we bring our dogs to Gramma's house. It doesn't help that we usually have DH's golf clubs too. ;) I would love an Odyssey though. I don't feel we'd be trading much space because we could fold down one side of the third row. I have no desire to go smaller until we're past the carseat/stroller stage with all my kids.

[JamiMac]

I think it looks like someone put a minivan through the dryer. If it weren't so underpowered, I'd be lusting after the Mazda 5 -- but I have never mistaken it for a station wagon when I see it on the road.

I had a Passat Wagon before we bought our minivan. After the honeymoon ended, I hated that car. The backseat was tiny and it actually was less comfortable and had less trunk space than the car we traded in for it -- a Nissan Maxima.

I thought this *was* a wagon. I'm behind one everyday in the carpool lane and it looks exactly like a wagon to me. Isn't it marketed as one?

[BargainMomforLuke]

I was in the same boat as you & I just bought a new Acadia (I cannot tell you how many people tried to bully me into a minivan). I have to say I LOVE IT! It's really roomy, it can seat 7 (we opted for the captains chairs), it has a 60/40 split in the back row, & is pretty much identical to a mini-van in interior size except for the deep storage in the back. The gas mileage isn't completely awful at 18/24. It is a real smooth ride & drives just like my sedan, plus it doesn't feel humongous to me. It's a nice, roomy car & the kids love being up high. If you don't opt for all of the extras, it's pretty affordable.

[TwinFoxes]

(I cannot tell you how many people tried to bully me into a minivan).

Yeah, what's the deal with that? My SIL and MIL just won't let the whole minivan thing drop. I understand why people want one, but I don't! I've never once complained about my car. But every time cars come up in conversation, they tell me I need a minivan. Subtly, like when we moved out here and our car was being shipped it was suggested I rent a mini van "just to see how much I'd like it" to not so subtly "just you wait, you'll end up driving one." I have two tiny little girls! I figure they'll be at least 5 before I NEED a bigger car. Whatevs!