For those of you with 3 row SUVs, How do you buckle kids in the 3rd row?

[jess_g]

Right now we are driving a sedan which can seat 3 in the back seat. Its a tight squeeze with 3 kids always in the car so we are thinking of trading it in for a minivan or a 3 row SUV. If we get the minivan than I know I can climb back to the 3 row and help to buckle my boys in when they are back there. They are both in booster seats now so I wil be able to move their seats around as needed. But in a 3 row SUV can someone tell me how easy it is to get back there to buckle them in? And how easy it is for them to climb in and out of the car? I like the space of the minivan and the seat configuration better but we realy need something that can handle some snow and ice on the roads as they don't plow that great here and I have been told SUVs are much better in the snow. The cars we are looking at are the Highlander or the Pilot and the Odyssey or the Sienna.

ETA: We have 2 kids in boosters and one thats a teenager. We also have one more with us alot (also a teenager). So we don't need to fit 3 car seats in a row and with 3 rows of seating we will put them 2 and 2 in the back 2 rows.
Thanks,

Jessica.

[newbiemom]

I have 3 convertibles in a row in the second row of my Pilot. I have no problems buckling them in and they have no problems getting out. (I have 2FF and one RF on the passenger side). I'm on the short side so I actually stand on the floor of the car to buckle them in. My DH just stands on the ground to buckle the middle one in. Sometimes, I'll reach backwards from the front seat to buckle the middle one in. he's getting to the point where he can almost buckle himself in, though.

[bubbaray]

If you need to use the 3rd row on a regular basis, I'd get the Sienna AWD. I have an Ody and the only thing I'd change would be AWD or 4WD. I don't know if 2 boosters and a convertible will fit 3 across in either of those SUVs -- boosters generally need more room than convertibles.

We ruled out 3rd row SUVs for the access reason. If I absolutely had to have an SUV (snow and off roading), I'd get a Yukon XL or Suburban.

[Laurel]

I have a Highlander. We love the car...but we only have two kids. The third row is great for occasional use, I don't mind leaning over the seat to make sure a kid in a booster is buckled in the third row for carpool, etc. However, if it was a regular thing I would think it was a huge PITA!!!

To sum up, I'd advise against the Highlander with three kids.