3 kids & proper seats
Discussion
Afternoon all,
Looking for advice pls.
Got a 4 & 6 year old with another on the way.
Struggling to see past the obvious… Galaxy, s max, Sharon?
Wouldn’t mind something a bit more PHer if such a thing exists?! L322 Range Rover maybe?
Don’t need the 7 seats but could be handy.
Auto and leather are the big preferences.
Budget wise, 8-20k - less the better to be honest, as it’ll just get wrecked by the kids.
Quite the look of these, but never had an import before, will it be a ball ache sourcing parts, windscreens etc?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023111941...
Looking for advice pls.
Got a 4 & 6 year old with another on the way.
Struggling to see past the obvious… Galaxy, s max, Sharon?
Wouldn’t mind something a bit more PHer if such a thing exists?! L322 Range Rover maybe?
Don’t need the 7 seats but could be handy.
Auto and leather are the big preferences.
Budget wise, 8-20k - less the better to be honest, as it’ll just get wrecked by the kids.
Quite the look of these, but never had an import before, will it be a ball ache sourcing parts, windscreens etc?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023111941...
St Ives said:
Afternoon all,
Looking for advice pls.
Got a 4 & 6 year old with another on the way.
Struggling to see past the obvious… Galaxy, s max, Sharon?
Wouldn’t mind something a bit more PHer if such a thing exists?! L322 Range Rover maybe?
Don’t need the 7 seats but could be handy.
Auto and leather are the big preferences.
Budget wise, 8-20k - less the better to be honest, as it’ll just get wrecked by the kids.
Quite the look of these, but never had an import before, will it be a ball ache sourcing parts, windscreens etc?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023111941...
I believe you will need 3 separate 'full' seats, unless you take a punt on the future and move your 6 year old into a booster in a few years time (say 8 years old). If not, then three big car seats, require three separate seats. Looking for advice pls.
Got a 4 & 6 year old with another on the way.
Struggling to see past the obvious… Galaxy, s max, Sharon?
Wouldn’t mind something a bit more PHer if such a thing exists?! L322 Range Rover maybe?
Don’t need the 7 seats but could be handy.
Auto and leather are the big preferences.
Budget wise, 8-20k - less the better to be honest, as it’ll just get wrecked by the kids.
Quite the look of these, but never had an import before, will it be a ball ache sourcing parts, windscreens etc?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023111941...
As you say, S-Max has this and they are ok. I ended up going with a 2019 Peugeot 5008. Our eldest is now in a booster which opens up the car market a little more as the booster is narrow enough in the middle row to fit without too much yanking, pulling, twisting to get seat belts on.
St Ives said:
Afternoon all,
Looking for advice pls.
Got a 4 & 6 year old with another on the way.
Struggling to see past the obvious… Galaxy, s max, Sharon?
Wouldn’t mind something a bit more PHer if such a thing exists?! L322 Range Rover maybe?
Don’t need the 7 seats but could be handy.
Auto and leather are the big preferences.
Budget wise, 8-20k - less the better to be honest, as it’ll just get wrecked by the kids.
Quite the look of these, but never had an import before, will it be a ball ache sourcing parts, windscreens etc?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023111941...
IMO you've answered your own question. Low mileage, petrol, non-turbo, japanese, 7 seats etc etc.. There are plenty of specialists to assist with parts, and that's assuming that they are different from the UK spec Accord/CRV/HRV et al. Looking for advice pls.
Got a 4 & 6 year old with another on the way.
Struggling to see past the obvious… Galaxy, s max, Sharon?
Wouldn’t mind something a bit more PHer if such a thing exists?! L322 Range Rover maybe?
Don’t need the 7 seats but could be handy.
Auto and leather are the big preferences.
Budget wise, 8-20k - less the better to be honest, as it’ll just get wrecked by the kids.
Quite the look of these, but never had an import before, will it be a ball ache sourcing parts, windscreens etc?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023111941...
Most vehicles with a similar MO will be diesels with a turbo, which adds an additional layer of complexity. If you are simply looking for a family bus that's cheap to maintain and easy to drive I don't think you'll do much better. As someone who grew up as 1 of 3 kids, I wouldn't have anything with less than 3 rows of seats for a long journey
However, if you are looking to man maths your way into an L322 I really wouldn't blame you!
Ah, you forgot the "criminally underrated" in my eyes Zafira Sports Tourer's Petrol 1.4, if you don't want the diesel worries...
Terrible amount of new plate car for the money I think.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertisin...
Terrible amount of new plate car for the money I think.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertisin...
If you want 3 kids in child seats next to each other in a row you ideally want to look at cars with 3 individual seats. Typically they then also slide independently if each other too. The bonus 2 seats in the boot can come in handy for carrying grandparents or extra kid friends occasionally or just have a larger boot. The footprint of most of these 7 seaters is no more and even less than a large estate or large SUV like an XC90 or Q7.
Cars like the VW Tourn and Sharan, Seat Alhambra, Ford S max and Galaxy, Peugeot 5008, Citroen C4 Grand Picasso tend to work well in this regard and give you options for different child seat needs. Other cars like the Skoda Kodiaq and Seat Tarraco whilst looking but and sold as 7 seaters won't get 3 child seats in a row. There are other cars some t some 7 seater too like the C5 Aircross, Kia Carens, Zafira but they are all somewhat compromised for child seats by either not allowing child seats in the middle seat, not allowing support legs in middle seat or being a bit narrow that only certain combinations of car seats fit.
Cars like the VW Tourn and Sharan, Seat Alhambra, Ford S max and Galaxy, Peugeot 5008, Citroen C4 Grand Picasso tend to work well in this regard and give you options for different child seat needs. Other cars like the Skoda Kodiaq and Seat Tarraco whilst looking but and sold as 7 seaters won't get 3 child seats in a row. There are other cars some t some 7 seater too like the C5 Aircross, Kia Carens, Zafira but they are all somewhat compromised for child seats by either not allowing child seats in the middle seat, not allowing support legs in middle seat or being a bit narrow that only certain combinations of car seats fit.
The Odyssey you linked, and there will be plenty other cars like this, may look suitable size wise but I'd strongly suspect you could not fit 3 child car seats in a row in that car. Look at the rear view of the seats back to see how small the middle seat actually is and look at the bolsters of the seat base and back of the 2 outer seats. This sort of seat shape inevitably means the child seat has to sit in the middle of the seat and you lose a lot of the seemingly useable space on the sides. If you look at the 7 seaters rear seats I listed above you'll see typically the seat base is flatter and the seat back doesn't have sculpted bolsters.
C5 Aircross:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404299...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305177...
1.6T Galaxy Titanium X:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405300...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405310...
5008:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405300...
Elysion:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311073...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404299...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305177...
1.6T Galaxy Titanium X:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405300...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405310...
5008:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405300...
Elysion:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311073...
Many thanks all.
@ edc - didn’t think about the middle bench on the Odyssey - the flat floor makes me think it would work? Especially as we’ll be looking at boosters soon for the oldest (I think!)
@ ZX10R - was hoping you’d come along!
Really liking the Elysion, just finished the JayEm vid on YouTube, seems that could work but poss same issue as Odyssey seat. Do quite like the JDM factor though - bit less obvious choice wise.
@ raj - FRV is a really good shout but ‘too old’ apparently
I assume these 1.4 are the chocolate engine ones, hence so cheap (it’s also an import, I’m assuming) but can’t see it being too challenging for parts…
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...
@ edc - didn’t think about the middle bench on the Odyssey - the flat floor makes me think it would work? Especially as we’ll be looking at boosters soon for the oldest (I think!)
@ ZX10R - was hoping you’d come along!
Really liking the Elysion, just finished the JayEm vid on YouTube, seems that could work but poss same issue as Odyssey seat. Do quite like the JDM factor though - bit less obvious choice wise.
@ raj - FRV is a really good shout but ‘too old’ apparently
I assume these 1.4 are the chocolate engine ones, hence so cheap (it’s also an import, I’m assuming) but can’t see it being too challenging for parts…
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041888...
Edited by St Ives on Thursday 13th June 06:40
OP, the Elysion IMO will be a pain with only 2 seats in the middle row.
You'll have to tip that huge seat up every time you need to take all 3 with you.
Also check insurance on an import.
I also suspect it will be expensive to run but vtec yoh!
5008 seems to be well liked here.
My 3 are grown up now but we had an Alhambra when they were really small.
Then 2 x XC90s when they were older which we loved.
Tried the big (ish) estate route in between the XC90s but it was such a pain it didn't last long.
Did test drive an S Max and liked it but couldn't reach a deal.
You'll have to tip that huge seat up every time you need to take all 3 with you.
Also check insurance on an import.
I also suspect it will be expensive to run but vtec yoh!
5008 seems to be well liked here.
My 3 are grown up now but we had an Alhambra when they were really small.
Then 2 x XC90s when they were older which we loved.
Tried the big (ish) estate route in between the XC90s but it was such a pain it didn't last long.
Did test drive an S Max and liked it but couldn't reach a deal.
I'm sure I annoy people popping up in all these multiple kids threads lol... but here comes my recommendation for the Multimac again. It's a great bit of kit and then you can buy any car we bought a 7 seater anyway, but just use the rear as a massive boot now with the three kids across the middle row.
we bought a 7 seater anyway, but just use the rear as a massive boot now with the three kids across the middle row.We had 3 children under 4, with number 3 being a 'surprise'.... the best solution we found after exploring a number of options was for a Discovery 4, £20k gets you a quite late registered one.
My wife loved it from the outset and I grew to love it and ended up keeping it for the longest I've ever kept a car for 4 years.
The boot with the last row of seats folded is big, with the middles row folded its huge!
Good luck
My wife loved it from the outset and I grew to love it and ended up keeping it for the longest I've ever kept a car for 4 years.
The boot with the last row of seats folded is big, with the middles row folded its huge!
Good luck
66HFM said:
We had 3 children under 4, with number 3 being a 'surprise'.... the best solution we found after exploring a number of options was for a Discovery 4, £20k gets you a quite late registered one.
My wife loved it from the outset and I grew to love it and ended up keeping it for the longest I've ever kept a car for 4 years.
The boot with the last row of seats folded is big, with the middles row folded its huge!
Good luck
My wife likes these a lot! My wife loved it from the outset and I grew to love it and ended up keeping it for the longest I've ever kept a car for 4 years.
The boot with the last row of seats folded is big, with the middles row folded its huge!
Good luck
£700+ tax grinds my gears a bit.
At £20k top end, the newer model starts coming in, bit leggy but are they any better?
Are the 2.0T Ecoboost S Max any good? Quite like the idea of not having a diesel and associated complications.
CrippsCorner said:
I'm sure I annoy people popping up in all these multiple kids threads lol... but here comes my recommendation for the Multimac again. It's a great bit of kit and then you can buy any car we bought a 7 seater anyway, but just use the rear as a massive boot now with the three kids across the middle row.
£2.5k for the kit and we’re still left with a Golf sized boot. Not sure it’s for me. Clever idea though. we bought a 7 seater anyway, but just use the rear as a massive boot now with the three kids across the middle row.St Ives said:
My wife likes these a lot!
£700+ tax grinds my gears a bit.
At £20k top end, the newer model starts coming in, bit leggy but are they any better?
Are the 2.0T Ecoboost S Max any good? Quite like the idea of not having a diesel and associated complications.
They're a very good option the only downside could be the (like all dual clutch gearboxes) the gearbox, they need to be serviced regularly apart from that there's a reason why they're the popular pick.£700+ tax grinds my gears a bit.
At £20k top end, the newer model starts coming in, bit leggy but are they any better?
Are the 2.0T Ecoboost S Max any good? Quite like the idea of not having a diesel and associated complications.
ZX10R NIN said:
St Ives said:
My wife likes these a lot!
£700+ tax grinds my gears a bit.
At £20k top end, the newer model starts coming in, bit leggy but are they any better?
Are the 2.0T Ecoboost S Max any good? Quite like the idea of not having a diesel and associated complications.
They're a very good option the only downside could be the (like all dual clutch gearboxes) the gearbox, they need to be serviced regularly apart from that there's a reason why they're the popular pick.£700+ tax grinds my gears a bit.
At £20k top end, the newer model starts coming in, bit leggy but are they any better?
Are the 2.0T Ecoboost S Max any good? Quite like the idea of not having a diesel and associated complications.
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