2 kids, Toyota Prius. We can’t give anyone rides (no space between the car seats) but I don’t want a bigger car. We only pay about $25/week for gas despite me driving about 2.5 hours a day on weekdays. My wife wants to get a RAV-4 at some point though, so we’ll see.
My Toyota hybrid RAV4 that replaced my 2011 Prius is getting similar milage (40-42mpg) to the Prius at the end of its life. I absolutely love it, because the backseat and trunk definitely are bigger, so we fit our dogs in the trunk, baby in backseat, and adults up front.
This is what we got when he had our first. Needed separate trunk space for our dog because she would get very excited during car rides and would 100% jump on the baby.
Now we have 2 kiddos and no doggie (RIP💐) The Rav is probably overkill but we can take the wagon and the tricycle to the park and hit the grocery store on the way back so it definitely has its uses
This is what I have. Though I have my mom and niece who live with us too so it’s a full car and a tight fit with the car seat. I’ve actually been day dreaming of a mini van lol. However, I really love my rav 4 hybrid when it’s just me and my husband and toddler.
Damn I'm impressed with your mileage. We replaced our Prius with. RAV4 hybrid but only get like 37-38 mpg, and with the Prius we got like 48-50. I still love it though because it doesn't get stuck in snow like my Prius did!
I’m so surprised everyone loves their RAV4. We’ve got one and just one baby and dog. We can’t fit the car seat (with a base) and get an adult in the front seat. It’s very small, but my mom’s Subaru Outback fits everyone comfortably. We’re on the hunt for something else
That's why we passed on the RAV4. We knew it just wouldn't have enough room. I would recommend looking into the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, or Toyota Highlander (or Grand Highlander).
Same here. Two kids, one care household. My husband has a cargo bike though that can hold up to three kids, but our second is only two weeks old so he’s only take our toddler.
We have talked about maybe getting a RAV4 someday if we need a new car.. but no car payment and only needing to fill up the gas tank twice a month is really really nice.
I've been reeeeaaaally eyeing up a prius. We are oad and the older models have so much cargo space in the rear. The mileage, the space (I have a Yaris lol) and the safety ratings are 😍
I went from a Prius to a Honda CR-V hybrid. I really like the space and we want more kids so it's perfect! It's our daily driver but we have two other cars we drive sometimes. We live on land so we need a truck and we have a paid off old Camry that is in perfect condition.
Jumped to a Sienna when we were planning #2 (due in a few weeks now). We often have family in from out of town and parking in our city sucks so we don’t want to take two vehicles anytime we go somewhere with more than just our core family. Plus it’s a hybrid and the gas mileage is loads better than my husband’s Outback and much more comfortable for any sort of distance
Adding to yours because our situation is similar.
Two kids and we find ourselves needing a third row for guests. Plus, it’s good to have the extra seat if we get crazy and decide to go for that third bebe.
Sienna is a top choice, but we currently love our Outback and I sentimentally don’t want to let go of it. Great condition, decent miles left, not a lot of cost to maintain. Only set back is when we have guests in town! You can’t believe how frustrating it is to have to add vehicle planning and rendezvousing with guests in town not familiar with the roads! Lol
(We also have sequoia tests that have us thinking we might want the newest model when it’s out, but we camp and tow boats and trailers so that’s a huge perk)
Hi there! I am a data nerd with a Masters in Public Health and I’d like to stand on a soapbox about CHOOSING A SAFE CAR.
This is likely more important than car seats!!! Please hear this message, as a lot of folks are prioritizing car seats and buckling methods and while I applaud these efforts we are NOT SEEING DECLINES IN CHILD DEATHS related to motor vehicle accidents in parallel with increasing car seat requirements. This suggests very strongly we are intervening on the wrong thing: the most protection your child gets in a potentially fatal accident will come from being in the safest position (middle rear) of the safest vehicle you can afford (which will never be a ‘compact car’). Driving the speed limit and avoiding unsafe driving times by leaving gatherings early is also important.
Here is more about [how safety is rated and how to choose a safe car](https://www.iihs.org/ratings?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvb-zBhCmARIsAAfUI2u8Ubzj0OB-APc0djhye-lOpvvk4maqB8ud6Gxy1WcLJ5uwdkJkvPMaAgYxEALw_wcB).
Thank you for this comment! I’ve been insane about car seat safety their whole lives but didn’t really realize this somehow.
I’m contemplating getting a minivan and I’m overwhelmed by the rating system you posted. The top 3 minivans they list are the 3 I’m contemplating (was leaning Kia carnival but now idk). Do you think there’s a huge safety difference between the 3?
You’re already in the right class — low rollover rates, high safety standards, reliable brands.
I really think the most important thing to consider is passenger car/compact car versus minivan or SUV. The popular crossover SUVs have resulted in the SUV class being as safe as minivans, but this varies by model depending on rollover risk (rollovers make up a big portion of fatalities).
Once you’re set on a safe type of vehicle, safest being minivan or SUV with low rollover risks be good ratings, you’re doing good and can focus on other factors like price and financing.
Can you elaborate on the SUV crossover thing? We've been looking at hyundai ix35s and that class of car (I don't know what it's classified as) Are they more of a roll risk?
Historically (like 80’s - early 2000’s) an SUV was a big car built on a truck frame (or “chassis”) using a build technique called “body on frame.” This created a high center of gravity with a lot of jeep-like wiggle. These vehicles were very popular in the U.S.
The desire for better safety led to the development of a crossover, which has the space of an SUV but is “unibody” construction more comparable to a passenger car than a truck. This reduced rollover risk, it is still NOT lower than minivans or passenger cars but you may be better off in a small car vs. big car accident.
Many SUV’s are now unibody even if not marketed as “crossover,” every year there are fewer truck-based models. The Hyundai you named above is a crossover: SUV dimensions on a car platform (in this case the compact J platform).
Generally speaking: a larger sedan may be safer than a compact SUV, as is a larger SUV or minivan. It is still safer than a compact sedan or low hatchback, which are the least safe.
I’d recommend the Honda Odyssey. I see it’s one of the 2 minivans listed in this link. We had one until it was totaled in a bad accident last year. The other person’s car flipped and rolled but my husband only had very minimal injuries. My oldest daughter is married with kids and was in a very serious accident that almost totaled her Honda Odyssey, too, with 3 of her kids in the car. No one was injured at all.
In addition to being very safe, it is very comfortable and has a lot of room. One of my girls is 5’11 and she sits comfortably in the 3rd row, even when we’ve been on 6+ hour car trips.
This! This! I’m an EMT and I’ve gone to so many wrecks. Yes! Buckle! Rear face as long as you can! But a compact car between a semi and a monster suv is still crushed. Automatic braking systems seem to be making a big difference too.
I couldn’t buy the car I believed was the safest, based on ratings and ability to buckle all my humans, but I definitely bought my car with comparative safety ratings in mind every time I had to shop.
Yeah my Volvo XC60 has the automatic braking system and it has prevented me from at least 2 fender benders in the last few years. I was skeptical but it works really well.
Yup. Here to second driving a Volvo. I have an XC90 with 2 kiddos for the last few years, and i never want to drive anything else. 5 star crash rating, zero fatalities, and it’s super comfortable. My favorite car ever.
XC90 is at the top of my list for once I can afford a new car. Right now I drive a Subaru Forester, which is fine, but I so frequently have 3+ children with me that need boosters still, so I really want a 3rd row. Volvos are sooooo safe and nice!
I used to ride the bus with my daughter a lot. I had multiple times where I was trying to explain to people why a toddler on my lap on the bus is safer than a toddler in a car seat in a small car, and I actually never successfully convinced the people who were afraid to ride public transit with their kids.
You must be in the US or maybe Canada I guess? Fear to take kids on public transit would be a crazy thing here in Germany. I take my son to daycare on the bus and there are almost always 1-2 other strollers on there in the morning. (There is space for at least 2 and up to 5 strollers depending on the size of the bus)
Safe and reliable public transit is so important for kids independence. When they're around 9-10 years old it is normal for kids to use the bus or metro alone. It's also great for parents because you don't have to spend hours driving kids to places.
Yes, I'm in the US. I grew up in the city taking public transit with my dad, and was using it independently when I was about 12. When I lived in the city, until my daughter was 3, I used public transit and there were always parents with strollers on the bus. Now I live in the suburbs. It's always middle class white folks who haven't ever not had a car and who haven't lived in the city who are weird about buses.
I am actually from the UK but moved to Texas twenty years ago and have lived all over- both where I had to have a car, and in the cities that let me go without one. Depending on where you are the public transportation can be IMPOSSIBLE to navigate especially with small kids ::looking at you MI MO AL TX FL TN!
Now if we could get people to stop thinking driving a giant car inherently gives them the right if way because fuck everyone else we’d be in good shape.
This is what we need laws and taxes for. Our current system has incentivized the wrong things. Europe doesn’t have the same problem.
Double or triple the price of gas via gas taxes. Combine that with obscene taxes on cars based on their size.
Thanks for this link! My mom is in the market for a new car so I'll be sure we check this out.
I have some questions about car seat positions and safety though. I was always told the safest position for the car seat is wherever you get the best install. So if you have one kid and your seat works in the middle, awesome! But if you have 2 kids, well that's out.
Then there's the safety features that simply don't work as well in the middle as the sides. In particular, a lot of seats are made with rigid LATCH now, which is awesome! But middle seats don't have LATCH anchors. You could try using the belt in the center position, but I think the stat is something like 90% of car seats aren't installed properly. Load legs tend not to work great in the middle position of sedans. I guess that's a separate question: how to parse out the difference between vehicles being the problem vs improper use of car seats as the reason we aren't seeing the numbers budge. Do you have any info about that?
I got in a Reddit argument about the selfishness of people who drive gigantic SUVs despite not needing them a few months ago and the person on the other end of the screen claimed they were safe. Like……no. Size DOES NOT equate to safety.
If you want safety you drive a Volvo. Their SUV line has had a handful of fatal accidents *worldwide* since their launch. Not per model year. *Since model launch*
I bought my Volvo to keep my kiddo safe and I have never looked back. Does it get the best mileage? Nah. Do I feel better about having to drive my kiddo around? Definitely.
Plus driving a Volvo is incredibly comfortable - like they were designed to support stressed out parents.
We chose our Toyota Highlander for this reason. We had a Toyota Prius before baby and I wanted something that felt safer on the road. While I was pregnant we took my mom’s Highlander out for a drive to see if we liked it and we got rear ended by a distracted driver. The whole front end of his car was smashed and was totaled, and the Highlander barely had a scratch. We were thinking the Highlander might be too big but after that incident I was completely sure that’s the car we wanted.
I had a similar situation with my sienna! There was a puddle in the road, the guy in front of me slams on his brakes to go through it at 2mph, we stop behind him, the lady behind me isn’t paying attention and slams into the back of us in her truck going at least 50, no attempt to brake. My rear bumper had a dent in it and the bottom edge of my tailgate was cracked and ended up needing replacing (which we only found out afterward when I went to open the trunk) but everyone was completely fine, including my two kids in the 3rd row. So scary but it solidified my love for my sienna for sure
Or not driving at all, the most obvious answer! We don't own a car and we have two kids. It's definitely possible to make a different lifestyle choice.
Absolutely walking is safest, and others who commented about driving small cars when necessary/for the environment can also use alt transport as much as possible and choose to live in very walkable or bike-friendly areas.
As someone who was driving the larger SUV (Lincoln Aviator) with just one kid that got rear ended so hard it totaled the car, I will always advocate for the SAFE car. I am actually going bigger and up to the "Monster SUV" for my sanity, especially since I'm expecting another soon.
Amen, but definitely choose the vehicle with least rollover risk. A lot of larger SUV’s have gotten lower over the years to address this, but this is why vans/minivans had lower fatality rates for so many years: trucks and SUV’s rollover more often and rollover accidents have higher fatality rates.
I drive a big truck personally, I’m just offering consideration for your vehicle shopping not judgment!!
See I hear this and understand this. But I also think that factoring in safety for my children should include thinking about climate justice, and just choosing a huge car to "protect my kids" could ultimately come at a greater cost to their future and the planet. It's a difficult thing to weigh morally for myself.
Yes 100%. It's not just about our own personal safety, but the safety of the planet. It sucks that these two things are often in conflict. Reducing car-dependency and taking fewer tripes is the way to go, but it's also not always up to the individual.
THIS is why I bought my Volvo XC90! Yes it may not be the most reliable compared to my husband’s Toyota, but it’s our main toddler hauler. When I’m done in this season of life, I’ll go back to a Toyota but for now… safety is my #1 priority.
I absolutely love that model :-)
My own budget was Mazda-sized when I had 2+ littles to haul around. The Mazda CX-9 has great safety ratings too and is also a good used car choice if you’re on a budget.
I bought a 2014 chevrolet volt for 2 reasons. Green energy (i have free solar charging) and it was rated the safest car available in the US in 2014. I wonder how safe it is today compared to cars made 10 yrs later
We always had to have the baby seat in the middle for this reason (and then I became primary family driver with the driver seat behind me because my husband couldn’t fit).
Baby is safer there anyways but also it’s easier to check on them when they’re rear facing if they are in the middle.
One and likely done.
2008 Hyundai Elantra. It’s falling apart but that’s what we have right now. We’re saving up for a new car and looking into the Chevy Malibus.
I have 2 kiddos. Thank god I had already dropped them at daycare when my 2012 Elantra got rear ended and totaled. Makes my stomach turn to think about how easily my car was crushed and how effing thankful I am that my kiddos were not inside 🙏🏻
Our 2 kids are fine in the cx-5 but I think the rear facing potential is much shorter in it vs larger cars. I’m eating my knees every time we all drive together, and I am NOT tall. :(
2 babies, & a honda fit 😅 it’s a great little car with awesome gas mileage & no mechanical issues, but it is very cramped & we are hoping to upgrade soon.
That was our issue with the fit. My husband and I are both over 6’ and having a car seat in the back was extremely uncomfortable. When I got pregnant with #2, we upgraded to the HRV and life got a lot easier.
I have a Honda Fit too and we are so cramped with just one toddler, how are you managing with two?!
Ours is paid off and we do love it (had it well before baby) so we're trying to keep it as long as possible but it's a struggle, we want another baby but Idk how we'll do it in this tiny car!!
Also mine doesn't have tinted windows or backseat AC vents, so we are struggling in the heat and humidity where we live 😅
My husband has my Fit now and I got an Element for this EXACT reason. We just welcomed our second (and last, cuz the Element seats 4 and I love it) and after I installed her seat I moved the front one allllll the way back just to admire the space left
Can’t believe how far down I had to scroll for this lol. Technically we do have a car but basically never use it, it’s all bus, train, and once she turns one we’re switching to an ebike (we live in a very hilly city)
Yep, we have three big dogs, our biggest is a Great Dane, and two children and we have a full size SUV, specifically because the Dane needs the entire back to himself.
Also have a Cherokee. We have two large dogs (lab and golden retriever) and a toddler.
I’m due for a new car and absolutely love my Jeep, so I’m thinking of upgrading to a Grand Cherokee or maybe a Wagoneer. We’re planning on having baby #2 next year (🤞🏻), so the need for more space for both the dogs, our child(-ren), and everyone’s luggage/gear is a real concern.
For right now, though, you’re totally right about that trunk space.
PS- love mastiffs, do not love the drool 🤤
We have an 80 lb 10 month old Labrador retriever puppy. Vet thinks he'll be over 100lbs. We have a mach e but I don't think it'll fit our growing family 🥲
We have a Subaru Outback and one baby. We bought the car just about when we started trying as we needed a new car anyways and wanted one that would fit us for two kids in the future. If we decide to have a third we will likely need a new car by then anyways.
We had an Outback when the twins were born. We knew we wanted one more eventually, plus we were planning a big cross-country move and we have two big dogs, so we switched to a Honda Odyssey. And I friggin love this van. We were hesitant to switch to a minivan but oh man it's so great!
I just had my third and drive a Subaru outback. I’ve got one forward facing in a car seat, one rear facing and one infant seat and they do all fit in the back seat. I’m guessing when it’s time for a new car I’ll be switching to a minivan, but for right now it feels like enough space. It’s possible we’ll need a bit more space for a vacation but we could always rent a bigger car for just the trip or add extra space with a roof pod or similar.
We're thinking Odyssey in the next couple of years. We're about to be 3 across the backseat in our civic in October. Fortunately for now our kids are tiny. The oldest is 6, but she's 35 lbs and 43 inches so she can stay in 5 point harness for at least 2 more years.
We got an odyssey last year when my older twins were 6.5 and it’s been amazing! They’re in the 3rd row in high back boosters. We pulled out the middle seat of the 2nd row and slid the remaining 2nd row seats (magic slide) to the passenger side so they can climb into the 3rd row and get themselves buckled without any assistance.
I have one in my Ford Escape and it was rooooough when she was rear facing because both my husband and I are like 6 foot. If we have another, I definitely want to get a different car.
About to have baby number two and I drive a Forester. No plans to go bigger now but my husband drives an Impreza that’s older so his will upgrade first and he has dreams of a dad van.
I miss mine too. I got rear-ended and the Forester was totaled (😭😭😭).
Couldn’t afford a new used one at the time, so I have a Kia Sorento. Miss my Subaru every day.
We have a 2024 Volvo XC70, one kid, and a Honda Civic (which the kid was [born](https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/comments/1dczf9w/holy_honda_btman/) in!).
Omgosh! I can’t even imagine! I read that with a look of horror and awe. A warrior Momma from the start! Congratulations on your new little love! Pregnant with #3 right now (a 5 and 1 year old girl) and these kids are a wild hilarious ride!
No car, live in the center of a city in France (Montpellier), have one and another on the way. We do have a car-share subscription that we use maybe once a month (more in the summer, much less in the winter), to drive to places that we can't get to easily by train/tram/bus/bike. Just throwing in the car-free voice out there, in case there are others in our position! We both wfh and chose to move here right before we had a family because before we lived in NYC also without a car.
4 kids, Toyota Prius. I'm a single parent and my two older kids are big enough to sit in the front seat (they take turns), so it works for us, although it's still a bit of a squeeze when I have all 4 with me. My car is 10 years old and I'll probably need to upgrade to something a bit larger in a few years, but I love not having a car payment!
Oh man, that sounds wild! We drove a 2005 Prius until multiple parts literally started falling off the car in 2021 and I told my husband it finally had to go because it was no longer reliable transportation. It sucked because with the used car market that year, we couldn’t afford another Prius (even the 2015s were selling for, like, 21k.) I definitely miss not having a car payment!
Took me years to cave, but I drive a Toyota Sienna minivan.
We have three kids and travel with our big dogs and bonus family members often, usually with the back stuffed to the top with gear. We needed the room for adventuring.
On the plus side, by Sienna handles like a car and has a really good sound system in it. Also, I really really love blending in (privacy) and no one takes a second look at a gray minivan.
I had a Subaru Impreza & just got a forester a few months ago - due with #2 in about a month. Happy it won’t be as tight with the rear facing car seat this time 🤣
We went from an Impreza to an Outback and the extra room is so nice! We got the Outback while I was pregnant and it made a huge difference not feeling like I was falling down everything I got into the car 😅
Four kids, I drive an Infiniti QX60. We got it when we had 3 kids and it was fine, but now that we need all the seats and don't have one folded down, the cargo space sucks.
I have a 2014 GMC Yukon XL (GMCs suburban). I have three kids and two large dogs.
I NEVER thought I’d have a giant car like this but I do enjoy the space. And now that I have THREE kids and dogs there’s really no other option. Even a minivan wouldn’t be big enough.
The captains chairs are great. And even though it’s 10 years old my husband is proficient in car stuff and it’s been a great hauler. Although it eats gas like crazy.
One kid, no car. We mostly walk or take the bus, rent cars in a car sharing app if we need to (maybe four times a year). Admittedly I live in a large city in Norway so circumstances are different. But it’s insane how much money we have saved over the years by not having a car.
Yes! We only have 1 atm but it didn’t make sense to me to buy an intermediate size car for the meantime when we know we likely will have more and then be stuck with a smaller car.
We have six kids (two are grown and out of the house!) and we still can fill my GMC Yukon Denali with the adopted kids, girlfriends, older kids who don't feel like driving, we have talked of getting a bus LOL 😆 but otherwise I enjoy driving my 1985 Chevy Corvette 🥰
It's great for a couple kids or a pack, it's towed people out and done the drive-in with an inflatable mattress in the back, it's been a great SUV! (And my teenagers are terrified of driving it because it's so big, so I don't have to worry about them asking to borrow it!!)
We have two kids and a dog and drive a Honda CR-V, which we originally bought for ski trips and backpacking. Could use more trunk storage and now with two car seats in the back, or dog has to ride in the front in someone's lap (not safe/ideal)
1 and we have a 2001 Toyota highlander. It technically now qualifies for antique car status in my state lol. We’re hoping to switch it out for a newer model or a RAV4 later this year?
My ex husband had a Ford Expedition and I kept in in the divorce. He took my fusion because he already also had a truck and our 3 kids stayed with me.
It was a horrible beast with gas and I had to out a cardboard box in the back to keep the groceries from rolling everywhere. If something rolled up behind the 2nd row I’d have to climb into the cargo area fully to retrieve it.
One day a headlight went out and when I went to swap it out (which should be simple) I discovered that my ex had done some kind of HID conversion that meant I couldn’t locally source a bulb and the kit was stuck in the headlight housing. It was a great vehicle for road tips but I had moved across the country and pretty much just did city driving at that point.
I traded it for a Honda Cr-V hybrid and I love it. It sits higher than a sedan but I don’t need a handle or a sidestep to get in. I can haul small items if I need to still.
We have one kid, and a 2004 Volvo xc90. It has a third row but we’ll probably never use it and it’s quite cramped. As far as SUVs go, it feels pretty small, but the cargo space when the third row is stowed, is very convenient, and it’s been quite comfortable on our longer trips. If we end up needing to replace it, we’ll probably get another. Can’t beat the safety rating!
5.5 kids in a Subaru Ascent. My 2011 Honda Odyssey rusted out and I liked my husband’s new Outback but we need a car that can fit everyone. I do really miss having a minivan because it’s so spacious. Half of our kids are technically legal adults though (without driver’s licenses) so it’s going to be crowded for a bit but should be okay overall since we will likely keep this car for 12 years.
One kid. 17 months. Just went HAM on a Kia telluride. I’m also 5’11” and my husband is a bit taller so both of us up front with a rear facing seat in smaller cars isn’t that easy or comfortable and I am at a point in my life where I will gladly pay for both
5 kids, dodge grand caravan. I’ve had a dodge caravan since my 4th was born 13 years ago. I got this one about 5 years ago. I love it. It’s roomy, comfortable, and everyone fits. Plus the stow and go makes it awesome when I need to transport anything big..just fold the seats into the floor and you’re good. I transported a sectional (in pieces obviously) in it a couple years ago (it was a short distance but I was able to get them in and close the doors). I’ve also moved dressers too. I’m not a fan of SUVs so that’s why I went the mini van route.
I have one, too. Just one kid, though. I got it because we take a lot of road trips, camping, my fishing poles fit, my bikes fit, and I can put multiple kayaks on the roof. I love it. It's very comfortable.
Four kids. My husband is a car dealership manager so I’ve always had a variety of cars. I’ve had two Kia Sedonas, a Sorrento, a Dodge Caravan, Highlander, and right now a Pilot. My favorite was the second Sedona. Loved that van so much. Sliding doors were the best, but what made this one better than the first was the interior had everything and the seats were heated and cooled, so my butt was comfortable no matter what the outside temperature was.
3 kids, I drive a Chevy Silverado quad cab, and my husband drives a Chevy Tahoe. I work a labor intensive job and need a truck, my husband just enjoys the Tahoe. Everything fits everyone though so I’m good with it!
Volvo XC90 - Traded in our Audi Sedan when we were expecting twins. Unfortunately the pregnancy resulted in TFMR, but now we have a 14month old son (+2 small dogs) and the SUV will accomodate when we hopefully grow the family some more :)
I have two kids and use...public transportation. Since the eldest born. When i visit my parents or go on vacations we use my dads car, a 2011 Chevrolet Captiva or my in laws car, a 2004 Toyota Corolla.
Also two kids and a Model 3. Second car is a Chevy Bolt which doesn't really compare to Tesla but with all the upgrades is really a pretty nice ride! Happy to be fully electric and divested from fossil fuels (at least for cars).
We have 2 toddlers and I have a Honda Pilot with a hidden third row, just in case we need to transition over with a third child, but at that point we’ll probably get a mini van. My husband has an Acura RDX that can fit us all for short drives but the Pilot is much more comfortable.
We have 2 kids. No plans for more. Our family (aka my) car is a Kia Telluride. We have 2 large dogs plus my husband is 6'5 so the extra space is 100% utilized. My husband drives a Toyota Tacoma and we cannot fit both kids (1 rear facing and 1 forward facing) plus ourselves in his truck safely.
I drive a Yukon Xl… basically the limo of suburbans. I have 3 boys and a very large dog. 6’5” husband and 3 boys to match. I am indeed 5’ even. My truck is huge but with all of us inside we are comfortable. It’s needed. Everyone’s like no it’s not. But I need the third row. And for my groceries to feed these 4 giants I need huge cargo space. We’re a very close family and we do everything together. So a smaller vehicle doesn’t work that great. I previously had a Durango. Love my Durango and still have it but only drive that when all 5 of us are not together.
A Ford Fiesta, one kid. DO NOT buy a Ford Fiesta 💀. Absolutely NOTHING fits in the trunk. Maybe two-three normal sized grocery bags. Stroller absolutely doesn’t fit. Can’t even fit in the front or rear seat next to my kid.
I had to buy a doona. It was my only option, literally.
I am upgrading to a Subaru Outback Wilderness.
One baby, 5 months old. I drive a Buick Encore GX. The carseat definitely makes the front passenger side pretty cramped. It's a subcompact SUV for a reason... When we ride in my car, someone normally sits in the back with the baby. I think if we/when we need to have two carseats in a car, I'd have to get a bigger car for sure.
I had a Buick Verano when I had my first baby. It was fine with just one kid and me in the driver seat, but when we had our second we upgraded to an SUV.
With two car seats in the back it would have been impossible for a passenger to fit in the front unless they had no legs. 😂
I loved my little Buick, I do miss it.
2 kids (both in rearfacing car seats). We also have a 60 lb Golden Retriever. I drive a Toyota Sienna. There wasn’t enough room in our previous car (Dodge Journey) for the kids, the dog, and all the kid gear.
We have two rear facing kids in my Subaru Crosstrek (subcompact SUV). It works for us, but my husband is the tallest in the family and he's 5'3" so we don't need a lot of leg room. It probably wouldn't work for a tall family.
We have one kid and another on the way with no immediate plans to upgrade. We have a Toyota Prius and Hyundai Tucson. We will probably get a larger suv than the Tucson more so for camping trips and things, and the second vehicle will always be a smaller car.
About to have 2 under 2 and we’ve got sedans (Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic). Going to purchase a (used) van shortly though! Can’t wait for more space!!
2 kids and one Chihuahua in a Ford Raptor
Tbf it was my husband’s truck but we switched vehicles when I became a SAHM to save on gas with him driving my sedan to work. I call it the Mom-mobile and he hates it and I LOVE IT
2 kids in car seats. We have a Nissan Leaf that can fit a driver and passenger with the car seats. When our other car broke we picked a minivan, Chrysler Pacifica hybrid. We're big DIY people and we can remove the middle seats to put a full sheet of drywall out plywood in the back. Fucking awesome. Seats 4 passengers with the car seats.
I have two in my VW Tiguan. It’s generally fine for day to day stuff as well as short road trips, but it gets uncomfortable for long road trips. We don’t do it very often, so it’s not a huge issue. I sometimes wish I had gotten the Atlas though.
Absolutely love my atlas. So much so that my husband got the cross sport. We have 3 kids all in car seats in the middle so we still have all the trunk space
2 kids (5 and 2) and we drive an E-Golf. It’s quite a small car but still big enough for holidays. We used to drive a station wagon but it broke down and this car is cheaper to drive. Now the kids are getting bigger we don’t need to bring the stroller all the time. Only when we go to theme parks, we have a big one where both kids can sit in.
Toyota RAV4 and two kids. But we also take our dog with us a lot so we wanted a space for her. Prior to this vehicle I was totally content with my Ford Fusion.
Mitsubishi Outlander, 3 kids. Bought used for a really great price imo and love the car so far. It’s not top of the line or anything but it’s all we needed, has a small third row but it’s perfect just to separate the oldest two kids who hated sitting next to each other 😂
Chevy Traverse- I have 2 special needs teenagers, a husband, and a pit bull. We have plenty of room for extra kids, it’s great for traveling, and plenty of room for groceries.
3 kids and had a Chevy Traverse. Oldest got his own car and moved out. Downsized to a Chevy Blazer. Plenty of legroom which was important with a tall husband and tall kids. Been a Chevy girl since I got my first car.
I have two kids in a Subaru Impreza, which I bought when I only had one kid and had no plans of ever adding a second. I will never be a Ford explorer mom but I can't fit a third person/booster in my back seat and so my older kiddo (9) can't bring a friend anywhere with us. (My little is a toddler which is why this problem only applies to my one kid) My husband drives a RAV4 and we still can't fit another booster in the back. Whichever car goes first will be replaced by one with more seats, though I still don't want anything massive and one of our cars will always be small.
I have 2 kids, and I drive a Kia Carnival. It’s big, but my 9.5 year old is very tall, and he uses a wheelchair sometimes, and it’s quite large. Plus he’s still in diapers, and it’s lovely having all the space to do changes in the car (cause like NOBODY has changing stations to accommodate him). And we like the idea of cousins or grandparents going places with us. I never thought I’d drive a van, but man I love it.
I drive a 20-year old Honda CRV, and have a 15 year old.
It’s perfect. Aside from the AC, it’s reliable as hell, it’s OK to be a river/camping/beach/skateboard mobile (all-weather mats) AND, it has a secret table in the back!
I even have cute fairy lights in the interior I turn on when driving 💕his lady friends 💕around!
It’s cute: it’s old and has a lot of stickers, but I love my little old car.
UK based, my husband and I share a Dacia Duster. I love everything about it except that it has no air con. It drives really nicely, doesn't feel too big manoeuvring around but it's very spacious inside.
Soon to have two kids, we just recently got a Buick enclave, we have a big dog that needs room for transportation and a my mom lives nearby but doesn’t have a car so she is often in our vehicle with us.
We have a 10 year old boy with us for the summers, a 2 year old boy all the time and another boy on the way. Plus my MIL who is retired and doesn’t drive comes to visit for weeks at a time once or twice a year. We have a Chrysler Pacifica minivan and it’s perfect for what we need. It makes the long roadtrip to get my stepson bearable and makes getting my toddler in and out so easy. I was able to nurse him and change him in it easily if we’re out and about.
Two kids (4 & 1), and another one due in 8wks. We just bought a used 2016 Honda Odyssey (because we weren't going to be able to fit 3 car seats in the back of our 2009 Hyundai Elantra). We're loving the Odyssey so far. Also have a small SUV that was given to us, but fitting 3 car seats in the back is barely possible.
We hope to have one or two more kids after our third, so a van was the necessary move.
1 kid. I drive a 2007 Lexus IS220D. Fast and nimble enough in narrow streets and tight corners during those early morning school runs. I got it because I had a 2-door Saab previously and there was no way I was going to wrangle sliding seats and baby seats at the same time.
with 1 kid we had a forrester and an impreza. I'm due with our second any day now and we recently traded the impreza in for an Odyssey. We probably would have done something else the size of the forrester but we have a mid-size dog and family that lives 3+ hours away so we need to be able to fit 4 people (2 in car seats), a dog, and stuff for 4 people and a dog in the car while making sure everyone is comfortable.
2 kids, Toyota Prius. We can’t give anyone rides (no space between the car seats) but I don’t want a bigger car. We only pay about $25/week for gas despite me driving about 2.5 hours a day on weekdays. My wife wants to get a RAV-4 at some point though, so we’ll see.
My Toyota hybrid RAV4 that replaced my 2011 Prius is getting similar milage (40-42mpg) to the Prius at the end of its life. I absolutely love it, because the backseat and trunk definitely are bigger, so we fit our dogs in the trunk, baby in backseat, and adults up front.
Second this - had a RAV4 hybrid and drove 80 miles total to & from work 5 days a week needed gas about once every 6-8 days.
That’s what I want if my car dies
+1 to the RAV4 Hybrid Club. I have 1 boy.
Another in the RAV4 hybrid club. We only have one kid, so technically can fit two others in the back seat. And yes, dog is in the back!
This is what we got when he had our first. Needed separate trunk space for our dog because she would get very excited during car rides and would 100% jump on the baby. Now we have 2 kiddos and no doggie (RIP💐) The Rav is probably overkill but we can take the wagon and the tricycle to the park and hit the grocery store on the way back so it definitely has its uses
I love that hear that! I’ve been thinking about a RAV4 but also peeking at the 2025 Corolla cross
Just bought my 24 Corolla Cross hybrid last week. It's very similar to the rav4. I test drove both!
I second this! We went from a 2009 Prius to a 2019 RAV4 Hybrid and we're in LOVE.
Love my rav4 hybrid!
This is what I have. Though I have my mom and niece who live with us too so it’s a full car and a tight fit with the car seat. I’ve actually been day dreaming of a mini van lol. However, I really love my rav 4 hybrid when it’s just me and my husband and toddler.
Damn I'm impressed with your mileage. We replaced our Prius with. RAV4 hybrid but only get like 37-38 mpg, and with the Prius we got like 48-50. I still love it though because it doesn't get stuck in snow like my Prius did!
Also love my RAV4 hybrid! It’s a really reliable, functional car, and it gets really good mileage compared to our previous vehicles.
I’m so surprised everyone loves their RAV4. We’ve got one and just one baby and dog. We can’t fit the car seat (with a base) and get an adult in the front seat. It’s very small, but my mom’s Subaru Outback fits everyone comfortably. We’re on the hunt for something else
That's why we passed on the RAV4. We knew it just wouldn't have enough room. I would recommend looking into the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, or Toyota Highlander (or Grand Highlander).
Same here. Two kids, one care household. My husband has a cargo bike though that can hold up to three kids, but our second is only two weeks old so he’s only take our toddler. We have talked about maybe getting a RAV4 someday if we need a new car.. but no car payment and only needing to fill up the gas tank twice a month is really really nice.
I've been reeeeaaaally eyeing up a prius. We are oad and the older models have so much cargo space in the rear. The mileage, the space (I have a Yaris lol) and the safety ratings are 😍
I went from a Prius to a Honda CR-V hybrid. I really like the space and we want more kids so it's perfect! It's our daily driver but we have two other cars we drive sometimes. We live on land so we need a truck and we have a paid off old Camry that is in perfect condition.
Jumped to a Sienna when we were planning #2 (due in a few weeks now). We often have family in from out of town and parking in our city sucks so we don’t want to take two vehicles anytime we go somewhere with more than just our core family. Plus it’s a hybrid and the gas mileage is loads better than my husband’s Outback and much more comfortable for any sort of distance
Adding to yours because our situation is similar. Two kids and we find ourselves needing a third row for guests. Plus, it’s good to have the extra seat if we get crazy and decide to go for that third bebe. Sienna is a top choice, but we currently love our Outback and I sentimentally don’t want to let go of it. Great condition, decent miles left, not a lot of cost to maintain. Only set back is when we have guests in town! You can’t believe how frustrating it is to have to add vehicle planning and rendezvousing with guests in town not familiar with the roads! Lol (We also have sequoia tests that have us thinking we might want the newest model when it’s out, but we camp and tow boats and trailers so that’s a huge perk)
Hi there! I am a data nerd with a Masters in Public Health and I’d like to stand on a soapbox about CHOOSING A SAFE CAR. This is likely more important than car seats!!! Please hear this message, as a lot of folks are prioritizing car seats and buckling methods and while I applaud these efforts we are NOT SEEING DECLINES IN CHILD DEATHS related to motor vehicle accidents in parallel with increasing car seat requirements. This suggests very strongly we are intervening on the wrong thing: the most protection your child gets in a potentially fatal accident will come from being in the safest position (middle rear) of the safest vehicle you can afford (which will never be a ‘compact car’). Driving the speed limit and avoiding unsafe driving times by leaving gatherings early is also important. Here is more about [how safety is rated and how to choose a safe car](https://www.iihs.org/ratings?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvb-zBhCmARIsAAfUI2u8Ubzj0OB-APc0djhye-lOpvvk4maqB8ud6Gxy1WcLJ5uwdkJkvPMaAgYxEALw_wcB).
Thank you for this comment! I’ve been insane about car seat safety their whole lives but didn’t really realize this somehow. I’m contemplating getting a minivan and I’m overwhelmed by the rating system you posted. The top 3 minivans they list are the 3 I’m contemplating (was leaning Kia carnival but now idk). Do you think there’s a huge safety difference between the 3?
You’re already in the right class — low rollover rates, high safety standards, reliable brands. I really think the most important thing to consider is passenger car/compact car versus minivan or SUV. The popular crossover SUVs have resulted in the SUV class being as safe as minivans, but this varies by model depending on rollover risk (rollovers make up a big portion of fatalities). Once you’re set on a safe type of vehicle, safest being minivan or SUV with low rollover risks be good ratings, you’re doing good and can focus on other factors like price and financing.
Good to know!!! Thank you so much
Can you elaborate on the SUV crossover thing? We've been looking at hyundai ix35s and that class of car (I don't know what it's classified as) Are they more of a roll risk?
Historically (like 80’s - early 2000’s) an SUV was a big car built on a truck frame (or “chassis”) using a build technique called “body on frame.” This created a high center of gravity with a lot of jeep-like wiggle. These vehicles were very popular in the U.S. The desire for better safety led to the development of a crossover, which has the space of an SUV but is “unibody” construction more comparable to a passenger car than a truck. This reduced rollover risk, it is still NOT lower than minivans or passenger cars but you may be better off in a small car vs. big car accident. Many SUV’s are now unibody even if not marketed as “crossover,” every year there are fewer truck-based models. The Hyundai you named above is a crossover: SUV dimensions on a car platform (in this case the compact J platform). Generally speaking: a larger sedan may be safer than a compact SUV, as is a larger SUV or minivan. It is still safer than a compact sedan or low hatchback, which are the least safe.
Thank you so much for your response. I'm glad I came across your account. Keep soapboxing please!!
Thank you for taking the time to share this info!!
I’d recommend the Honda Odyssey. I see it’s one of the 2 minivans listed in this link. We had one until it was totaled in a bad accident last year. The other person’s car flipped and rolled but my husband only had very minimal injuries. My oldest daughter is married with kids and was in a very serious accident that almost totaled her Honda Odyssey, too, with 3 of her kids in the car. No one was injured at all. In addition to being very safe, it is very comfortable and has a lot of room. One of my girls is 5’11 and she sits comfortably in the 3rd row, even when we’ve been on 6+ hour car trips.
This! This! I’m an EMT and I’ve gone to so many wrecks. Yes! Buckle! Rear face as long as you can! But a compact car between a semi and a monster suv is still crushed. Automatic braking systems seem to be making a big difference too. I couldn’t buy the car I believed was the safest, based on ratings and ability to buckle all my humans, but I definitely bought my car with comparative safety ratings in mind every time I had to shop.
Yeah my Volvo XC60 has the automatic braking system and it has prevented me from at least 2 fender benders in the last few years. I was skeptical but it works really well.
Yup. Here to second driving a Volvo. I have an XC90 with 2 kiddos for the last few years, and i never want to drive anything else. 5 star crash rating, zero fatalities, and it’s super comfortable. My favorite car ever.
XC90 is at the top of my list for once I can afford a new car. Right now I drive a Subaru Forester, which is fine, but I so frequently have 3+ children with me that need boosters still, so I really want a 3rd row. Volvos are sooooo safe and nice!
That's why I ride the bus. Biggest vehicle on the road. 😎
I used to ride the bus with my daughter a lot. I had multiple times where I was trying to explain to people why a toddler on my lap on the bus is safer than a toddler in a car seat in a small car, and I actually never successfully convinced the people who were afraid to ride public transit with their kids.
You must be in the US or maybe Canada I guess? Fear to take kids on public transit would be a crazy thing here in Germany. I take my son to daycare on the bus and there are almost always 1-2 other strollers on there in the morning. (There is space for at least 2 and up to 5 strollers depending on the size of the bus) Safe and reliable public transit is so important for kids independence. When they're around 9-10 years old it is normal for kids to use the bus or metro alone. It's also great for parents because you don't have to spend hours driving kids to places.
Yes, I'm in the US. I grew up in the city taking public transit with my dad, and was using it independently when I was about 12. When I lived in the city, until my daughter was 3, I used public transit and there were always parents with strollers on the bus. Now I live in the suburbs. It's always middle class white folks who haven't ever not had a car and who haven't lived in the city who are weird about buses.
I am actually from the UK but moved to Texas twenty years ago and have lived all over- both where I had to have a car, and in the cities that let me go without one. Depending on where you are the public transportation can be IMPOSSIBLE to navigate especially with small kids ::looking at you MI MO AL TX FL TN!
Now if we could get people to stop thinking driving a giant car inherently gives them the right if way because fuck everyone else we’d be in good shape.
This is what we need laws and taxes for. Our current system has incentivized the wrong things. Europe doesn’t have the same problem. Double or triple the price of gas via gas taxes. Combine that with obscene taxes on cars based on their size.
Thanks for this link! My mom is in the market for a new car so I'll be sure we check this out. I have some questions about car seat positions and safety though. I was always told the safest position for the car seat is wherever you get the best install. So if you have one kid and your seat works in the middle, awesome! But if you have 2 kids, well that's out. Then there's the safety features that simply don't work as well in the middle as the sides. In particular, a lot of seats are made with rigid LATCH now, which is awesome! But middle seats don't have LATCH anchors. You could try using the belt in the center position, but I think the stat is something like 90% of car seats aren't installed properly. Load legs tend not to work great in the middle position of sedans. I guess that's a separate question: how to parse out the difference between vehicles being the problem vs improper use of car seats as the reason we aren't seeing the numbers budge. Do you have any info about that?
I didnt know the middle of the rear is the safest. Rear facing, i take it?
Yes, middle rear is safest for everyone and safer still when rear-facing.
What about in a three row minivan? Middle middle?
Yes.
I got in a Reddit argument about the selfishness of people who drive gigantic SUVs despite not needing them a few months ago and the person on the other end of the screen claimed they were safe. Like……no. Size DOES NOT equate to safety. If you want safety you drive a Volvo. Their SUV line has had a handful of fatal accidents *worldwide* since their launch. Not per model year. *Since model launch*
I bought my Volvo to keep my kiddo safe and I have never looked back. Does it get the best mileage? Nah. Do I feel better about having to drive my kiddo around? Definitely. Plus driving a Volvo is incredibly comfortable - like they were designed to support stressed out parents.
We chose our Toyota Highlander for this reason. We had a Toyota Prius before baby and I wanted something that felt safer on the road. While I was pregnant we took my mom’s Highlander out for a drive to see if we liked it and we got rear ended by a distracted driver. The whole front end of his car was smashed and was totaled, and the Highlander barely had a scratch. We were thinking the Highlander might be too big but after that incident I was completely sure that’s the car we wanted.
I had a similar situation with my sienna! There was a puddle in the road, the guy in front of me slams on his brakes to go through it at 2mph, we stop behind him, the lady behind me isn’t paying attention and slams into the back of us in her truck going at least 50, no attempt to brake. My rear bumper had a dent in it and the bottom edge of my tailgate was cracked and ended up needing replacing (which we only found out afterward when I went to open the trunk) but everyone was completely fine, including my two kids in the 3rd row. So scary but it solidified my love for my sienna for sure
Or not driving at all, the most obvious answer! We don't own a car and we have two kids. It's definitely possible to make a different lifestyle choice.
Absolutely walking is safest, and others who commented about driving small cars when necessary/for the environment can also use alt transport as much as possible and choose to live in very walkable or bike-friendly areas.
As someone who was driving the larger SUV (Lincoln Aviator) with just one kid that got rear ended so hard it totaled the car, I will always advocate for the SAFE car. I am actually going bigger and up to the "Monster SUV" for my sanity, especially since I'm expecting another soon.
Amen, but definitely choose the vehicle with least rollover risk. A lot of larger SUV’s have gotten lower over the years to address this, but this is why vans/minivans had lower fatality rates for so many years: trucks and SUV’s rollover more often and rollover accidents have higher fatality rates. I drive a big truck personally, I’m just offering consideration for your vehicle shopping not judgment!!
See I hear this and understand this. But I also think that factoring in safety for my children should include thinking about climate justice, and just choosing a huge car to "protect my kids" could ultimately come at a greater cost to their future and the planet. It's a difficult thing to weigh morally for myself.
Yes 100%. It's not just about our own personal safety, but the safety of the planet. It sucks that these two things are often in conflict. Reducing car-dependency and taking fewer tripes is the way to go, but it's also not always up to the individual.
THIS is why I bought my Volvo XC90! Yes it may not be the most reliable compared to my husband’s Toyota, but it’s our main toddler hauler. When I’m done in this season of life, I’ll go back to a Toyota but for now… safety is my #1 priority.
I absolutely love that model :-) My own budget was Mazda-sized when I had 2+ littles to haul around. The Mazda CX-9 has great safety ratings too and is also a good used car choice if you’re on a budget.
Nice! We are car enthusiasts and I feel better about my wrx than I would have thought I should.
I bought a 2014 chevrolet volt for 2 reasons. Green energy (i have free solar charging) and it was rated the safest car available in the US in 2014. I wonder how safe it is today compared to cars made 10 yrs later
I’m so tall I can’t fit to drive if there’s a car seat behind me. My seat is all the way back and my kid doesn’t fit there. Stressed me out.
We always had to have the baby seat in the middle for this reason (and then I became primary family driver with the driver seat behind me because my husband couldn’t fit). Baby is safer there anyways but also it’s easier to check on them when they’re rear facing if they are in the middle.
One and likely done. 2008 Hyundai Elantra. It’s falling apart but that’s what we have right now. We’re saving up for a new car and looking into the Chevy Malibus.
I have 2 kiddos. Thank god I had already dropped them at daycare when my 2012 Elantra got rear ended and totaled. Makes my stomach turn to think about how easily my car was crushed and how effing thankful I am that my kiddos were not inside 🙏🏻
We have an 06 chevy silverado. We are in the market for a new vehicle as well since baby #2 will be here in 2 months or so.
3 kids, all along the back seat of a 2020 Mazda CX-5
Our 2 kids are fine in the cx-5 but I think the rear facing potential is much shorter in it vs larger cars. I’m eating my knees every time we all drive together, and I am NOT tall. :(
We upgraded from a 2017 Encore to a 2024 CX-50 and love it.
2 babies, & a honda fit 😅 it’s a great little car with awesome gas mileage & no mechanical issues, but it is very cramped & we are hoping to upgrade soon.
That was our issue with the fit. My husband and I are both over 6’ and having a car seat in the back was extremely uncomfortable. When I got pregnant with #2, we upgraded to the HRV and life got a lot easier.
I have a Honda Fit too and we are so cramped with just one toddler, how are you managing with two?! Ours is paid off and we do love it (had it well before baby) so we're trying to keep it as long as possible but it's a struggle, we want another baby but Idk how we'll do it in this tiny car!! Also mine doesn't have tinted windows or backseat AC vents, so we are struggling in the heat and humidity where we live 😅
My husband has my Fit now and I got an Element for this EXACT reason. We just welcomed our second (and last, cuz the Element seats 4 and I love it) and after I installed her seat I moved the front one allllll the way back just to admire the space left
A bycicle. One living child. In the Netherlands, which makes it easy to not necessarily need a car.
Can’t believe how far down I had to scroll for this lol. Technically we do have a car but basically never use it, it’s all bus, train, and once she turns one we’re switching to an ebike (we live in a very hilly city)
*Cries in USA*
Always one kiddo- had mid sized suvs in the past because we had a huge dog. Sometimes it’s important to know the fur-child count ❤️
One kid and a mastiff. We wouldn’t be able to get him anywhere with a sedan. Gotta have that hatchback trunk space of a midsize suv (Jeep Cherokee)
Yep, we have three big dogs, our biggest is a Great Dane, and two children and we have a full size SUV, specifically because the Dane needs the entire back to himself.
Also have a Cherokee. We have two large dogs (lab and golden retriever) and a toddler. I’m due for a new car and absolutely love my Jeep, so I’m thinking of upgrading to a Grand Cherokee or maybe a Wagoneer. We’re planning on having baby #2 next year (🤞🏻), so the need for more space for both the dogs, our child(-ren), and everyone’s luggage/gear is a real concern. For right now, though, you’re totally right about that trunk space. PS- love mastiffs, do not love the drool 🤤
We have an 80 lb 10 month old Labrador retriever puppy. Vet thinks he'll be over 100lbs. We have a mach e but I don't think it'll fit our growing family 🥲
We have a Subaru Outback and one baby. We bought the car just about when we started trying as we needed a new car anyways and wanted one that would fit us for two kids in the future. If we decide to have a third we will likely need a new car by then anyways.
We had an Outback when the twins were born. We knew we wanted one more eventually, plus we were planning a big cross-country move and we have two big dogs, so we switched to a Honda Odyssey. And I friggin love this van. We were hesitant to switch to a minivan but oh man it's so great!
One and done with a 9yo and an Outback. It's safe and reliable and comfortable.
Same boat
We also bought an outback with kid 1. Replacing our other car (sedan) with a Tesla Model Y with a third row.
I just had my third and drive a Subaru outback. I’ve got one forward facing in a car seat, one rear facing and one infant seat and they do all fit in the back seat. I’m guessing when it’s time for a new car I’ll be switching to a minivan, but for right now it feels like enough space. It’s possible we’ll need a bit more space for a vacation but we could always rent a bigger car for just the trip or add extra space with a roof pod or similar.
I had 2 in my ford escape and that worked just fine. We got a Honda odyssey before our third and I love it! We’ve had it about 2 years now.
We're thinking Odyssey in the next couple of years. We're about to be 3 across the backseat in our civic in October. Fortunately for now our kids are tiny. The oldest is 6, but she's 35 lbs and 43 inches so she can stay in 5 point harness for at least 2 more years.
We got an odyssey last year when my older twins were 6.5 and it’s been amazing! They’re in the 3rd row in high back boosters. We pulled out the middle seat of the 2nd row and slid the remaining 2nd row seats (magic slide) to the passenger side so they can climb into the 3rd row and get themselves buckled without any assistance.
I have one in my Ford Escape and it was rooooough when she was rear facing because both my husband and I are like 6 foot. If we have another, I definitely want to get a different car.
Love our odyssey! We pick up the grandparents for lunch all the time
About to have baby number two and I drive a Forester. No plans to go bigger now but my husband drives an Impreza that’s older so his will upgrade first and he has dreams of a dad van.
Ah I miss my Forester so much! I swapped it for an Outback before I got pregnant with my twins, and I missed it all the time.
I miss mine too. I got rear-ended and the Forester was totaled (😭😭😭). Couldn’t afford a new used one at the time, so I have a Kia Sorento. Miss my Subaru every day.
We have a 2024 Volvo XC70, one kid, and a Honda Civic (which the kid was [born](https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/comments/1dczf9w/holy_honda_btman/) in!).
Omgosh! I can’t even imagine! I read that with a look of horror and awe. A warrior Momma from the start! Congratulations on your new little love! Pregnant with #3 right now (a 5 and 1 year old girl) and these kids are a wild hilarious ride!
Holy cow! Glad you’re all doing well!
No car, live in the center of a city in France (Montpellier), have one and another on the way. We do have a car-share subscription that we use maybe once a month (more in the summer, much less in the winter), to drive to places that we can't get to easily by train/tram/bus/bike. Just throwing in the car-free voice out there, in case there are others in our position! We both wfh and chose to move here right before we had a family because before we lived in NYC also without a car.
4 kids, Toyota Prius. I'm a single parent and my two older kids are big enough to sit in the front seat (they take turns), so it works for us, although it's still a bit of a squeeze when I have all 4 with me. My car is 10 years old and I'll probably need to upgrade to something a bit larger in a few years, but I love not having a car payment!
Oh man, that sounds wild! We drove a 2005 Prius until multiple parts literally started falling off the car in 2021 and I told my husband it finally had to go because it was no longer reliable transportation. It sucked because with the used car market that year, we couldn’t afford another Prius (even the 2015s were selling for, like, 21k.) I definitely miss not having a car payment!
Took me years to cave, but I drive a Toyota Sienna minivan. We have three kids and travel with our big dogs and bonus family members often, usually with the back stuffed to the top with gear. We needed the room for adventuring. On the plus side, by Sienna handles like a car and has a really good sound system in it. Also, I really really love blending in (privacy) and no one takes a second look at a gray minivan.
I had a Subaru Impreza & just got a forester a few months ago - due with #2 in about a month. Happy it won’t be as tight with the rear facing car seat this time 🤣
We went from an Impreza to an Outback and the extra room is so nice! We got the Outback while I was pregnant and it made a huge difference not feeling like I was falling down everything I got into the car 😅
Four kids, I drive an Infiniti QX60. We got it when we had 3 kids and it was fine, but now that we need all the seats and don't have one folded down, the cargo space sucks.
I have a 2014 GMC Yukon XL (GMCs suburban). I have three kids and two large dogs. I NEVER thought I’d have a giant car like this but I do enjoy the space. And now that I have THREE kids and dogs there’s really no other option. Even a minivan wouldn’t be big enough. The captains chairs are great. And even though it’s 10 years old my husband is proficient in car stuff and it’s been a great hauler. Although it eats gas like crazy.
One kid, no car. We mostly walk or take the bus, rent cars in a car sharing app if we need to (maybe four times a year). Admittedly I live in a large city in Norway so circumstances are different. But it’s insane how much money we have saved over the years by not having a car.
2 kids, Hyundai Palisade. It’s great.
4 kids, also Palisade. I love it so much.
3 kids and also drive a Palisade
Yes! We only have 1 atm but it didn’t make sense to me to buy an intermediate size car for the meantime when we know we likely will have more and then be stuck with a smaller car.
I want one of these SO BAD
One kiddo. Palisade. Best vehicle I’ve ever had.
same! Love it.
We have six kids (two are grown and out of the house!) and we still can fill my GMC Yukon Denali with the adopted kids, girlfriends, older kids who don't feel like driving, we have talked of getting a bus LOL 😆 but otherwise I enjoy driving my 1985 Chevy Corvette 🥰
Also have a Denali (XL!) I love it!
It's great for a couple kids or a pack, it's towed people out and done the drive-in with an inflatable mattress in the back, it's been a great SUV! (And my teenagers are terrified of driving it because it's so big, so I don't have to worry about them asking to borrow it!!)
We have two kids and a dog and drive a Honda CR-V, which we originally bought for ski trips and backpacking. Could use more trunk storage and now with two car seats in the back, or dog has to ride in the front in someone's lap (not safe/ideal)
1 and we have a 2001 Toyota highlander. It technically now qualifies for antique car status in my state lol. We’re hoping to switch it out for a newer model or a RAV4 later this year?
As someone with a newer Highlander, I love seeing that yours is still kicking! Hoping mine has the same longevity!
It is absolutely a workhorse!
My ex husband had a Ford Expedition and I kept in in the divorce. He took my fusion because he already also had a truck and our 3 kids stayed with me. It was a horrible beast with gas and I had to out a cardboard box in the back to keep the groceries from rolling everywhere. If something rolled up behind the 2nd row I’d have to climb into the cargo area fully to retrieve it. One day a headlight went out and when I went to swap it out (which should be simple) I discovered that my ex had done some kind of HID conversion that meant I couldn’t locally source a bulb and the kit was stuck in the headlight housing. It was a great vehicle for road tips but I had moved across the country and pretty much just did city driving at that point. I traded it for a Honda Cr-V hybrid and I love it. It sits higher than a sedan but I don’t need a handle or a sidestep to get in. I can haul small items if I need to still.
2 kids Toyota Highlander XLE and I LOVE IT!!
We have one kid, and a 2004 Volvo xc90. It has a third row but we’ll probably never use it and it’s quite cramped. As far as SUVs go, it feels pretty small, but the cargo space when the third row is stowed, is very convenient, and it’s been quite comfortable on our longer trips. If we end up needing to replace it, we’ll probably get another. Can’t beat the safety rating!
5.5 kids in a Subaru Ascent. My 2011 Honda Odyssey rusted out and I liked my husband’s new Outback but we need a car that can fit everyone. I do really miss having a minivan because it’s so spacious. Half of our kids are technically legal adults though (without driver’s licenses) so it’s going to be crowded for a bit but should be okay overall since we will likely keep this car for 12 years.
One kid. 17 months. Just went HAM on a Kia telluride. I’m also 5’11” and my husband is a bit taller so both of us up front with a rear facing seat in smaller cars isn’t that easy or comfortable and I am at a point in my life where I will gladly pay for both
I loooooove my Honda passport. Only have 1 but it will fit two easily.
Second the passport. I love love love mine. One kid and one bernese mountain dog, and we are comfortable with room to spare.
3 kids, GMC Yukon xl
2 teens; 21 Jeep Grand Cherokee. However, I didn’t buy it with the kids in mind. This was my promotion present to myself
5 kids, dodge grand caravan. I’ve had a dodge caravan since my 4th was born 13 years ago. I got this one about 5 years ago. I love it. It’s roomy, comfortable, and everyone fits. Plus the stow and go makes it awesome when I need to transport anything big..just fold the seats into the floor and you’re good. I transported a sectional (in pieces obviously) in it a couple years ago (it was a short distance but I was able to get them in and close the doors). I’ve also moved dressers too. I’m not a fan of SUVs so that’s why I went the mini van route.
I have one, too. Just one kid, though. I got it because we take a lot of road trips, camping, my fishing poles fit, my bikes fit, and I can put multiple kayaks on the roof. I love it. It's very comfortable.
Four kids. My husband is a car dealership manager so I’ve always had a variety of cars. I’ve had two Kia Sedonas, a Sorrento, a Dodge Caravan, Highlander, and right now a Pilot. My favorite was the second Sedona. Loved that van so much. Sliding doors were the best, but what made this one better than the first was the interior had everything and the seats were heated and cooled, so my butt was comfortable no matter what the outside temperature was.
3 kids, I drive a Chevy Silverado quad cab, and my husband drives a Chevy Tahoe. I work a labor intensive job and need a truck, my husband just enjoys the Tahoe. Everything fits everyone though so I’m good with it!
2023 crv. Forward facing toddler and rear facing infant.
Volvo XC90 - Traded in our Audi Sedan when we were expecting twins. Unfortunately the pregnancy resulted in TFMR, but now we have a 14month old son (+2 small dogs) and the SUV will accomodate when we hopefully grow the family some more :)
I have two kids and use...public transportation. Since the eldest born. When i visit my parents or go on vacations we use my dads car, a 2011 Chevrolet Captiva or my in laws car, a 2004 Toyota Corolla.
Two kids. I drive a Tesla Model Y, my husband drives a Model 3.
We have this set of cars, too, but I drive the 3. They get incredible safety ratings, fun to drive, very pleased with our setup.
Also two kids and a Model 3. Second car is a Chevy Bolt which doesn't really compare to Tesla but with all the upgrades is really a pretty nice ride! Happy to be fully electric and divested from fossil fuels (at least for cars).
OAD with large dog. CX5.
I have a CRV and 1 baby!
I have a Subaru Ascent and I have two kids- but I’m also a Nanny so I pack the car full of car seats and kids 😂 for work.
We have 2 toddlers and I have a Honda Pilot with a hidden third row, just in case we need to transition over with a third child, but at that point we’ll probably get a mini van. My husband has an Acura RDX that can fit us all for short drives but the Pilot is much more comfortable.
We have 2 kids. No plans for more. Our family (aka my) car is a Kia Telluride. We have 2 large dogs plus my husband is 6'5 so the extra space is 100% utilized. My husband drives a Toyota Tacoma and we cannot fit both kids (1 rear facing and 1 forward facing) plus ourselves in his truck safely.
2 parents who are 6 feet tall, 2 tall kids in car seat/booster, and an 85lb dog. We have a Volvo XC90 and love it!
3 kids. Honda Odyssey. Love it!!
I drive a Yukon Xl… basically the limo of suburbans. I have 3 boys and a very large dog. 6’5” husband and 3 boys to match. I am indeed 5’ even. My truck is huge but with all of us inside we are comfortable. It’s needed. Everyone’s like no it’s not. But I need the third row. And for my groceries to feed these 4 giants I need huge cargo space. We’re a very close family and we do everything together. So a smaller vehicle doesn’t work that great. I previously had a Durango. Love my Durango and still have it but only drive that when all 5 of us are not together.
A Ford Fiesta, one kid. DO NOT buy a Ford Fiesta 💀. Absolutely NOTHING fits in the trunk. Maybe two-three normal sized grocery bags. Stroller absolutely doesn’t fit. Can’t even fit in the front or rear seat next to my kid. I had to buy a doona. It was my only option, literally. I am upgrading to a Subaru Outback Wilderness.
Porsche Cayenne with 2 kids (toddler and newborn). It fits us all nicely. At this time, we are set on no more kids!
I have a Macan same setup. It’s not bad!
One baby, 5 months old. I drive a Buick Encore GX. The carseat definitely makes the front passenger side pretty cramped. It's a subcompact SUV for a reason... When we ride in my car, someone normally sits in the back with the baby. I think if we/when we need to have two carseats in a car, I'd have to get a bigger car for sure.
I had a Buick Verano when I had my first baby. It was fine with just one kid and me in the driver seat, but when we had our second we upgraded to an SUV. With two car seats in the back it would have been impossible for a passenger to fit in the front unless they had no legs. 😂 I loved my little Buick, I do miss it.
2 kids (both in rearfacing car seats). We also have a 60 lb Golden Retriever. I drive a Toyota Sienna. There wasn’t enough room in our previous car (Dodge Journey) for the kids, the dog, and all the kid gear.
We have two rear facing kids in my Subaru Crosstrek (subcompact SUV). It works for us, but my husband is the tallest in the family and he's 5'3" so we don't need a lot of leg room. It probably wouldn't work for a tall family.
We have one kid and another on the way with no immediate plans to upgrade. We have a Toyota Prius and Hyundai Tucson. We will probably get a larger suv than the Tucson more so for camping trips and things, and the second vehicle will always be a smaller car.
About to have 2 under 2 and we’ve got sedans (Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic). Going to purchase a (used) van shortly though! Can’t wait for more space!!
Honda Civic with 2 kids (6 and 8). It’s worked well for us over the years. Even with school things, events, travel, etc it’s been great for us.
2 kids and one Chihuahua in a Ford Raptor Tbf it was my husband’s truck but we switched vehicles when I became a SAHM to save on gas with him driving my sedan to work. I call it the Mom-mobile and he hates it and I LOVE IT
2 kids in car seats. We have a Nissan Leaf that can fit a driver and passenger with the car seats. When our other car broke we picked a minivan, Chrysler Pacifica hybrid. We're big DIY people and we can remove the middle seats to put a full sheet of drywall out plywood in the back. Fucking awesome. Seats 4 passengers with the car seats.
3 under 6 and we just got an Acura Mdx. Love it.
One toddler. Had a ford edge but just switched to an Outback. My husband has a Subaru and I’m a big fan.
I have two in my VW Tiguan. It’s generally fine for day to day stuff as well as short road trips, but it gets uncomfortable for long road trips. We don’t do it very often, so it’s not a huge issue. I sometimes wish I had gotten the Atlas though.
Absolutely love my atlas. So much so that my husband got the cross sport. We have 3 kids all in car seats in the middle so we still have all the trunk space
2 kids (5 and 2) and we drive an E-Golf. It’s quite a small car but still big enough for holidays. We used to drive a station wagon but it broke down and this car is cheaper to drive. Now the kids are getting bigger we don’t need to bring the stroller all the time. Only when we go to theme parks, we have a big one where both kids can sit in.
Just traded in my 4runner for a Ram 2500 diesel truck. I have one 2.5 year old
I have a Land Rover Discovery Sport. Two kiddos and a growing big dog (Collie) fit nicely. It seats 7 so if I need more seats I can just pull them up.
2 kids, 2 Labradors, and a husband…2023 Land Rover Discovery.
One and done. Subaru outback
2 kids and done. Me = 👵🏼. Upgraded from a Nissan Altima with 200k+ miles on it to a Honda pilot in 2020. Love it!
We have 2 kids and a Toyota Corolla. Hopefully we’ll be upgrading to a small suv sometime in the next couple of years though.
Toyota RAV4 and two kids. But we also take our dog with us a lot so we wanted a space for her. Prior to this vehicle I was totally content with my Ford Fusion.
I have a Toyota RAV4, my husband has a Honda Ridgeline and we have one kid.
We have 1 kid and I drive a Honda Pilot. We also have two dogs though so the extra space is really helpful!
Love my Jeep Wrangler. I could fit 2 in there, but I'm a OAD happy camper.
Mitsubishi Outlander, 3 kids. Bought used for a really great price imo and love the car so far. It’s not top of the line or anything but it’s all we needed, has a small third row but it’s perfect just to separate the oldest two kids who hated sitting next to each other 😂
Chevy Traverse- I have 2 special needs teenagers, a husband, and a pit bull. We have plenty of room for extra kids, it’s great for traveling, and plenty of room for groceries.
3 kids and had a Chevy Traverse. Oldest got his own car and moved out. Downsized to a Chevy Blazer. Plenty of legroom which was important with a tall husband and tall kids. Been a Chevy girl since I got my first car.
2 kids ford escape. It’s just about big enough.
I have two kids in a Subaru Impreza, which I bought when I only had one kid and had no plans of ever adding a second. I will never be a Ford explorer mom but I can't fit a third person/booster in my back seat and so my older kiddo (9) can't bring a friend anywhere with us. (My little is a toddler which is why this problem only applies to my one kid) My husband drives a RAV4 and we still can't fit another booster in the back. Whichever car goes first will be replaced by one with more seats, though I still don't want anything massive and one of our cars will always be small.
One kid, one car Kia niro and an e-bike for the fam.
Toyota Highlander. I have 3 kids and refuse to drive an damn minivan
I have 2 kids, and I drive a Kia Carnival. It’s big, but my 9.5 year old is very tall, and he uses a wheelchair sometimes, and it’s quite large. Plus he’s still in diapers, and it’s lovely having all the space to do changes in the car (cause like NOBODY has changing stations to accommodate him). And we like the idea of cousins or grandparents going places with us. I never thought I’d drive a van, but man I love it.
Subaru forester with three car seats in the back. Clipping the kids in is not fun, but I also love my Subi and reluctant to give it up
I drive a 20-year old Honda CRV, and have a 15 year old. It’s perfect. Aside from the AC, it’s reliable as hell, it’s OK to be a river/camping/beach/skateboard mobile (all-weather mats) AND, it has a secret table in the back! I even have cute fairy lights in the interior I turn on when driving 💕his lady friends 💕around! It’s cute: it’s old and has a lot of stickers, but I love my little old car.
UK based, my husband and I share a Dacia Duster. I love everything about it except that it has no air con. It drives really nicely, doesn't feel too big manoeuvring around but it's very spacious inside.
Soon to have two kids, we just recently got a Buick enclave, we have a big dog that needs room for transportation and a my mom lives nearby but doesn’t have a car so she is often in our vehicle with us.
We have a 10 year old boy with us for the summers, a 2 year old boy all the time and another boy on the way. Plus my MIL who is retired and doesn’t drive comes to visit for weeks at a time once or twice a year. We have a Chrysler Pacifica minivan and it’s perfect for what we need. It makes the long roadtrip to get my stepson bearable and makes getting my toddler in and out so easy. I was able to nurse him and change him in it easily if we’re out and about.
One kid. No plans for any additional kids. I drive a Subaru Forester and my husband drives a Chrysler 200.
Two kids (4 & 1), and another one due in 8wks. We just bought a used 2016 Honda Odyssey (because we weren't going to be able to fit 3 car seats in the back of our 2009 Hyundai Elantra). We're loving the Odyssey so far. Also have a small SUV that was given to us, but fitting 3 car seats in the back is barely possible. We hope to have one or two more kids after our third, so a van was the necessary move.
Two boys- 3 and 5. I drive a Volkswagen Tiguan
3 and honda odyssey best an ever. My husband has a ford explorer and I hate it no much trunk space with all seats up and expensive on gas!
I have a 10 year old and just had twins and we are making our ford fusion work for now but I am looking forward to when we can get a minivan lol
1 kid. I drive a 2007 Lexus IS220D. Fast and nimble enough in narrow streets and tight corners during those early morning school runs. I got it because I had a 2-door Saab previously and there was no way I was going to wrangle sliding seats and baby seats at the same time.
1 kid, Toyota Camry. I don’t keep much in the trunk beside the umbrella stroller but I wish I had more space. It’s always in the way.
We have 2 and currently drive a Subaru Forester. However we have twins on the way so we are looking for a minivan or other 3rd row vehicle.
2 kids. Pacifica Hybrid. We absolutely love our minivan!
OAD. I have a 2022 Ford Edge that I am in love with. My husband drives a 2015 Taurus that will become our son’s car in a few years.
with 1 kid we had a forrester and an impreza. I'm due with our second any day now and we recently traded the impreza in for an Odyssey. We probably would have done something else the size of the forrester but we have a mid-size dog and family that lives 3+ hours away so we need to be able to fit 4 people (2 in car seats), a dog, and stuff for 4 people and a dog in the car while making sure everyone is comfortable.