Will I regret a crossover?

[khm]

I think as kids get older, it is nice to take a kid or two extra (I have two of my own). I haul an extra kid between 2 and 4 times a week.

This is certainly HIGHLY dependent on your area and activities though. I drive a small sedan, which is my preference now that we are out of car seats and boosters.

I can fit 5 total. My husband drives a large SUV (he does use it for work and does need the space and the "off-roadiness") that can fit 7. We said we'd trade off if I needed to haul extra kids. We've done that once in one year. I just don't need to haul THAT many kids, it turns out.

I also would really take stock if you'd need something big enough for three adults in the back. Really, is that likely to ever happen? In my circle, someone would just drive themselves, none of us would need / want pack into a single vehicle like that to go somewhere.

[westwoodmom04]

We have a Ford Flex with captain's seats in second row, and bench in third. I can only fit two people in the third row, but that has worked well for us. We have two kids, so typically I have two extra kids in the car (for carpooling) or two adults (when family is visiting). With three kids, I'd probably go with second row bench and third row bench, but I think that would give you more than enough space. I don't typically have a lot of cargo when I'm carpooling, and tend not to have extra kids in the car when I fold down the third row (trips to grocery store, airport, vet, etc. . .) I agree that it is unlikely that you will need to sit three in the third row.

[twowhat?]

Well, I vote minivan all the way for 2 kids We have an Odyssey and you will find lots of Ody love here. It doesn't feel like driving a big SUV. It feels more like driving a large car. It's really nimble with a crazy tight turning radius. The size is compact for all the things you can fit in there - not an inch of space is wasted! The 3rd row fits 3 small/medium adults comfortably (I sit often sit back there with both of my parents). There is enough room in the cargo area to throw a couple of kids bikes or a few suitcases with the 3rd row up or a giant folded double stroller. Even our big AT Radio Flyer wagon with the big fat wheels fits back there without having to turn it sideways or anything - just set it down in there! With the 3rd row down, we've been able to haul every IKEA purchase we've ever made, 15 bags of mulch for the landscaping (with room for more), really a TON fits back there with the 3rd row down. Add a hitch and you can tow too without having to drive around an overpowered SUV all the time or use a hitch-mounted bike rack (I assume you would tow something only occasionally). And don't forget the roof storage too if you REALLY wanna pack it all.

[daisysmom]

Do you think that the bench 2nd row and 2 seats in the third row configuration equates to more usuable seating than captain seats/3 in the 3rd row? I think the Traverse has 55" for 3 people in the 3rd row and the MDX has 50" for two people....5" is not a lot of extra room for a whole third person. So really I am just gaining two extra (relatively cramped) seats in the Enclave/Traverse. Whereas the bench 2nd row leaves an outboard seat free (my two carseats fit center and outboard in mDX and Gl450) plus the two wider seats in the 3rd row so 3 real extra seats. Am I correct in this thinking?

I do think the bench in the second row works better for us... because if we just have 2 additional friends (meaning 3 kids total), they can all sit in the second row and I can throw all the gear in the back (and have the third row folded down). While my DD loved having a the captain's chairs, I think the bench is more practical for more children in the second row.

[arivecchi]

We outgrew our X5 pretty quickly when DS1 started school. We frequently drive with his friends in our car and I expect that will be more frequent now that DS2 is starting kindy. We use our third row a lot and I am loving all the space with all the backpacks, sports gear, etc that we have to carry. We also have an X5 and that is not roomy enough. We spend the same in gas with both cars.

[cono0507]

We have two kids (age 7yo and 9yo now). I drove a Chrysler Pacifica crossover for 9 years and then recently got a Toyota highlander. They are really similar in size, though the highlander has a slightly more roomy middle row and slightly more cargo space with the third row down.

We don't anticipate ever needing a larger car. Both of these cars have been just right for our family of four for frequent skiing, cross-country road trips, carpooling other kids (in the third row), etc. We carpool regularly and often have a total of 4 kids in the car without a problem.

[smilequeen]

I have 3 kids, so the bigger cars make sense, but with 2, I don't think you'll outgrow a crossover unless you CONSTANTLY have extra people/have big dogs/need to carry a lot of cargo. It's the a lot of cargo that gets us (boys play hockey).

[123LuckyMom]

We have 2 kids and a dog, too, and we have an Ody. It's not a gas guzzler; it drives like a car; and it has a tight turning radius. I LOVE it! Now that DS is 5 and his friends are starting to be in boosters, I find I'm driving multiple kids a lot more often. Once uninstalling and reinstalling car seats becomes less of an issue, it becomes easy to drive other kids or carpool two families. It's also convenient to have the extra space when we go out to dinner with my mom and sister, for example. I usually leave the third row as seats and use the smaller trunk, which is plenty big.

[MaiseyDog]

We hade a Traverse for many years and just sold it and bought a Nissan Pathfinder. I loved the traverse for space. We had the captain chairs and had no problems geting adults into the back seat when needed. We got the captain chairs because both girls were in car seats and I wanted third row access withough having to uninstall a car seat. We fit three small adults in the third row. It wouldn't be comfortable for a long drive, but fine for getting everyone to across town so we didn't have to take two cars. I really loved the space in that car overal, but had to sell it due to some mechanical problems that were just kinda flukey and don't seem to be overall a problem with the make.

I really like the new Pathfinder, the ride is much smoother than the traverse. The cargo space with the third row up is considerably smaller than the traverse and do miss that, but i'm not carrying around strollers and such anymore so it's not been a problem for us. We now have a bench seat in the second row and since DD1 is in a low back booster it isn't a problem to lift it up to get in the back seat. i really like how the seat folds forward for easy access to the third row. The majority of the time the third row is down and cargo room is ample. We mostly use the third fow for carrying extra kids around on the weekend, but we did travel with my parents and my family over memorial day weekend and all six of us fit fine even with weekend bags for everyone.

I have never regretted not having a van but honestly I'm just not a van person.

[lhafer]

Kids, 8 and 4 here. I drive a minivan....Nissan Quest. I've had it since my first kid was born. I'm so sick of driving a minivan anymore. When my lease is up next year (this is our second minivan), i want the acura MDX. I want a 3rd row because I do use it for Girl Scouts occasionally, but it really don't need all the space I have 90% of the time. It's just too big for our needs. And I live in suburbia minivan land. I don't carpool, etc. adults don't ride with me, no do family members. Only a Girl Scout or 2 occasionally for meeting or field trios.