Is an SUV necessary or better with babies/young kids?

[Italiahaircolor]

I had a Mazda CX9...and while I loved it at first, by the end of my time with it...I hated it.

Ours was purchased brand new and within a few thousand miles we started having road noise problems, vibration when driving...things the dealership couldn''t or wouldn''t fix because they blamed the tires...however after replacing the tires, the issue continued. Eventually DH had enough and bought my a LR, which is an okay SUV but expensive.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 10/27/2009 12:28:39 PM
Author: EBree
With one baby? Not necessary. We''ve got a Civic and are able to fit ourselves, my son''s bulky infant seat, LARGE stroller (Uppababy), and any other baby stuff inside it with room to spare.

Two or more kids? Not sure- aren''t there yet. My husband is very anti-SUV, so it''ll be interesting to see how we all fit once we''ve got #2.

People do it all the time, so I''m sure it''ll be fine.

Okay, I didn''t read all the posts, but wanted to add that aside from YOUR kids, you need to keep in mind eventually you''ll be driving around your kids'' friends. In our car, we only can fit three in the back, so we have to selectively choose who we go out with. I''ll NEVER buy a mini-van because that''s not "me," so as a result, we only have one friend in the car with us at a time.

 

[MishB]

I don''t know how common this is in the US, but apparently around a dozen children are killed in Australia every year by their parents reversing over them in the driveway, often in SUVs, their height means children can''t be seen even by checking the rear view mirror.

This one happened just yesterday:


http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/child-killed-by-reversing-car-20091027-hh3n.html

 

[meresal]

Date: 10/27/2009 9:29:16 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
I had a Mazda CX9...and while I loved it at first, by the end of my time with it...I hated it.

Ours was purchased brand new and within a few thousand miles we started having road noise problems, vibration when driving...things the dealership couldn't or wouldn't fix because they blamed the tires...however after replacing the tires, the issue continued. Eventually DH had enough and bought my a LR, which is an okay SUV but expensive.

Italia- Thank you for the info. Did it bother you that you can't get the Mazda with leather seats? I have never liked cloth seats and don't like how they can stain. I was also driving behind a CX7 this morning, and noticed how small the rear window is! After adding the head rests on the back row seats you can't even see thru the bottom half of the mini-wondow that is already there, leaving a few inches of actual viewing space.

I was looking at some of the LR's, but you're right, they are seriously expensive. It's insane.

Thank you again everyone for your advice. I agree that the sedan will be fine, but I'm going to keep my options open in case something major happens with my car. I looked at the Audi Q5. Does anyone know anyone that has one of these? It got amazing reviews.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

mer, I don''t blame you. Leather seats was a MUST on my new car. So much easier to clean. Trust me, T has spilled milk, ground up snacks, etc...I cannot even imagine how my seats would look if they were fabric.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 10/28/2009 10:22:25 AM
Author: meresal

Date: 10/27/2009 9:29:16 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
I had a Mazda CX9...and while I loved it at first, by the end of my time with it...I hated it.

Ours was purchased brand new and within a few thousand miles we started having road noise problems, vibration when driving...things the dealership couldn''t or wouldn''t fix because they blamed the tires...however after replacing the tires, the issue continued. Eventually DH had enough and bought my a LR, which is an okay SUV but expensive.

Italia- Thank you for the info. Did it bother you that you can''t get the Mazda with leather seats? I have never liked cloth seats and don''t like how they can stain. I was also driving behind a CX7 this morning, and noticed how small the rear window is! After adding the head rests on the back row seats you can''t even see thru the bottom half of the mini-wondow that is already there, leaving a few inches of actual viewing space.

I was looking at some of the LR''s, but you''re right, they are seriously expensive. It''s insane.

Thank you again everyone for your advice. I agree that the sedan will be fine, but I''m going to keep my options open in case something major happens with my car. I looked at the Audi Q5. Does anyone know anyone that has one of these? It got amazing reviews.

I had the CX-9...mine did have leather. I had the Grand Touring. I thought the CX-7 also had optional leather once you got into the touring and grand touring models, maybe I''m wrong. I had a lot of "little" issues with Mazda, road noise being the biggest. Another issue was the color. I had the white one, and it started rusting on the rear panel within one year. Around this time, our dealership closed without letting anyone know...the next closest dealership was an hour and a half away. Once I tried to have it fixed, they buffed it out--claiming this would work, P.S it didn''t. They then told us rust was like "cancer" and wouldn''t be able to be fixed. Over all, my experience was really poor--bad customer service. Going back, I wouldn''t have bought that one. In the same price point (40k) I could have bought a fully loaded Highlander or Enclave or Acadia...not saying those are any nicer than the Mazda, but there is a lot out there in the crossover class.

If you''re looking at the CX-7 price point, have you thought about the small Mercedes suv? It''s around 30k base which is around the price of a fully loaded CX-7, but Mercedes give a lot more base than other brands. Also Toyota just released a newly designed 4Runner which is awesome looking and totally functional.

 

[pennquaker09]

We have both a sedan (BMW 535) and SUV (Mercedes GL) and I found that I can actually fit everything I need in the BMW with room to spare. Before that, I had never even driven a sedan before. I''ve always had SUVs and I sort of felt like I needed to have one. Now, when I''m with my SIL, the GL comes in handy because we have 4 kids in some kind of seat in addition to two strollers.

I''ve seen the new IS I think it''s pretty big for a compact sedan. And I just love Lexus - you can''t go wrong with any of their models. The RX is also highly recommended.

 

[Sabine]

I have a 4 door Nissan Sentra...4 doors don''t come much smaller. For the day to day stuff, it''s not too bad, but I do wish I had a bigger trunk. The stroller from the travel system is literally the ONLY thing that fits in it when I have to take that. I''m going OOT this weekend and going to have a major problem taking all the stuff I need for ds.

 

[Mara]

i lost my post earlier, then got preggo brain and wandered away.

i meant to say that the tiguan we saw only had cloth seats with little holes in them like indents and all i could think of was CRUMBS in the holes. yak!!

and i think we are ruling the tiguan out for the reason that i can''t get a manual AND leather in the same car. they don''t offer it in the version that comes in manual. WTF. oh well.

and yes that leather is a necessity. the car leathers are very durable, in my mini for the last 3 years portia has sat in the passenger seat in her seatbelt and it doesn''t have any scratches (visible) from her nail. and much easier to wipe down. so i def want leather in this car.

and lol i saw my friend yesterday about this thread and she is the one who has 2 boys and a truck with just the backseats and she was like ''thats right, rebel against that SUV mentality. you only need as much room as you have!!!'' ... her passion was cracking me up. anyway.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 10/28/2009 6:47:56 PM
Author: Mara
and yes that leather is a necessity. the car leathers are very durable, in my mini for the last 3 years portia has sat in the passenger seat in her seatbelt and it doesn't have any scratches (visible) from her nail. and much easier to wipe down. so i def want leather in this car.

My SUV had leather seats and the car seat (britax) left horrible indentations in the leather.

 

[Camille]

Date: 10/28/2009 8:56:35 PM
Author: MC
My SUV had leather seats and the car seat (britax) left horrible indentations in the leather.

Ohhh big ditto

when we sold the Lexus the seat was pretty disorted, leather didn't go back to its former shape

.....I tried those thick rubber mats under the baby seat for the Escalade but you know, they are hard to clean.....a double receiving blanket worked just fine! no marks, I guess a barrier between leather/babyseat makes the difference 2¢

 

[Mara]

camille, that is what i was reading as well...also they have seat protectors you can get for like $11 that goes behind the car seat to protect the car upholstery or leather.

 

[TravelingGal]

The carseat techs don''t like the thick rubber mats. If anything, they recommend those grippy rubber things that come in rolls that you can line kitchen shelves with. They are thinner and do the job.

 

[mia1181]

Date: 10/28/2009 10:41:59 PM
Author: TravelingGal
The carseat techs don''t like the thick rubber mats. If anything, they recommend those grippy rubber things that come in rolls that you can line kitchen shelves with. They are thinner and do the job.

Ditto this.

And MishB and Meresal: I think the CX7 has a camera in the back so you can see what is behind you when backing up.

 

[Camille]

Date: 10/28/2009 10:38:51 PM
Author: Mara
camille, that is what i was reading as well...also they have seat protectors you can get for like $11 that goes behind the car seat to protect the car upholstery or leather.

Yep, I highly recomend Prince Lionheart Seatsaver I think we paid $10 [? it's been awhile] love the front storage, one thing, formula spills will bake on, very hard to clean

After a year we used old receiving blankets w/o problem, shelf liners sound like a great idea!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/28/2009 6:15:49 AM
Author: MishB
I don''t know how common this is in the US, but apparently around a dozen children are killed in Australia every year by their parents reversing over them in the driveway, often in SUVs, their height means children can''t be seen even by checking the rear view mirror.


This one happened just yesterday:



http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/child-killed-by-reversing-car-20091027-hh3n.html

I don''t have kids, but hope to have them in the next decade. I just upgraded from a Civic to a Rav4 and I love it. I keep my cars for 7-10 years so it will probably be my car if I have babies. It is really nice for road trips. Can''t say much else about it in terms of parenting.

It also has a camera in the rear view mirror that shows the back. The main focus is between the bumper and the ground. It would show a small child behind the car. I know the CRV offers it too.

 

[iluvcarats]

I have an SUV b/c we live in a very snowy climate. I had a Volvo xc70, which was also great and easy with kids. It is helpful to have the room for the stroller and all the other stuff. Leather is a must. TMI, I know, but I can''t even count how many times my kids have puked in my car

 

[Pandora II]

I''m very anti SUVs and in London they tax you like crazy for having one - I think the Congestion Charge is £25 GBP a day

.

We have a Toyota Prius and have no problem getting both of us, Daisy, a fairly substantial stroller, a travel cot plus mattress, 2 suitcases, activity mat, huge camera case and all the other crap one needs for a week long trip with a baby into it.

 

[partgypsy]

Personally I think SUVs and babies/kids don''t mix for 1 reason (MishB mentioned another) I do not think they are as safe- SUVs are prone to roll-overs. We did transition with the second kid (plus having a medium-sized dog) to a mini-van. The more room you have, the more you will fill it up. However I do like having a hatch back for big items.

Personally I still miss my old toyota camry station wagon. Ideally I would prefer to drive some kind of station wagon type vehicle.
Ford windstars are not known for being very safe (or reliable). The safety records of other minivans are much better (we have a honda odyssey)

 

[meresal]

Thanks again for all of your input.

We are going to hold off, pretty much because I don't feel like spending the money. My car was a graduation present, and so I have never had a car payment, and I LOVE that. I will have to find a car that I absolutely love, to give up the fully paid off Lexus. I'm just not willing to pay what they are asking for the type of car that I want right now.

My parents have not always had an SUV. A Jaguar sedan and a BMW. Both of which are known for having very spacious interiors. My dad finally got an SUV when I was about 12, because I was playing every sport you can imagine and we were traveling to tournaments all over the place. We needed the space for equipment, suit cases, and heaven for bid one of my teammates had to ride with us. Before that, it just wasn't necessary.

I have been looking in my back seat over the past few days, and as many of you have said, there is plenty of room. Thought it is a pain for taller peeps, I have survived the last 7 just fine. The trunk is nice a spacious, and will be fine for some groceries and a stroller, since I will only be using it for day to day activities. All family travel will be done in my DH's truck.

I will just have to retire my golf clubs to the garage.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I know this is late - we had a sedan until child #3 was born and then we got a minivan with the auto sliding door and I was super glad because then I had one in school and a 2 year old and an infant. I wouldn''t get a new car for baby #1. There''s nothing wrong with having a baby in a sedan or even two for that matter. The opening door issue is nice with the minivan but IMO SUVs are even harder than a sedan. You have a wider vehicle, a higher heft to get baby up into it, the doors can''t open as wide - it''s a pita. I wouldn''t spend money to replace a car unless you find you need to. And as uncool as minivans have the rap of being, they are easier for kids with the auto doors not swinging out. Or at least easier to keep them from denting the cars next to you!

 

[HVVS]

Don't laugh when I say this, but the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis are great products and big enough for family and gear. Look for one with the factory dual exhaust on it, because that's part of a "handling package" that stiffens the suspension, changes the rear end gearing for more torque, and makes the difference between a good highway cruiser and a marshmallowmobile. The used ones usually come well equipped, with low miles, and nice paint, and they've been owned by old people who drove them gently and maintained them well. The power seats will adjust to fit small women to tall men. These cars are well-built and the parts interchange between many different model years as well as between the Vic and the Marquis. Both of those have a 5-star crash rating, and a full frame. Aside from gasoline usage (less than van or SUV, probably), they are easy keepers and seldom need expensive repairs. Taxi fleets use them. Police used them for years. Rear wheel drive is more durable and easy to repair vs. front wheel drive. Nothing beats 4WD if you really need winter traction for deep snows. But with good tires, a "Panther" platform car will go in the snow. Lincoln Town Car is also the same platform.

I kept bumping up the size of my vehicles b/c the other vehicles on the road kept getting bigger and heavier. I still have my Vic ('96 going strong and looking pretty at 140k miles) but added a 4WD truck due to the new location I'm in being much rural, deeply snowy, and roads poorly maintained. I won't go back to a small car, and I agree with what was posted about the safety of minivans. The Vic and Marquis and Town Car are big heavy built cars and they can take a collision well.

 

[Allisonfaye]

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, we bought a Mercedes wagon. The salesman told us people usually trade them in when they get a second kid because they kick the back of the chairs and drive you crazy. At 39, I figured I was only having one. I have now had the car and the daughter for 5.5 years. He was right. My second daughter (4) kicks the back of my seat and drives me crazy. How did that salesman know SHE would be the one? Anyway, I want a new car, mainly because I can only transport 2 carseats. I can''t carpool, pick up an extra kid, etc. Maybe the reasoning is a bit lame, but that''s it. I will probably buy either this coming spring, or the following spring at the latest. Minivan or SUV. But it must fit 3 carseats/boosters minimum. If you are only having one kid, you can probably wait. When you have number 2, you will have to at some point.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 10/27/2009 11:44:24 AM
Author: Mara
meresal we are looking for a new car right now since we both have tiny cars, and my lease is up in Dec. i asked the same Q mentally and of friends.

my coworker''s family has 2 kids, one is a baby, and they have one of those trucks that has the backseats, toyota tacoma maybe? anyway they are a very sporty family and they get along just fine with the limited space and the truck itself. they don''t intend to buy another vehicle. they also are great at minimalizing ''stuff''...i hope to follow their lead.

me personally..we are small car people and don''t like a lot of clutter. it blows my mind when people tell me they have huge SUV''s that they FILL with baby stuff. i am like really, the kid is 8 lbs??? wth? i am sure that ''stuff'' makes life with the baby easier, and yes things like having a sliding door or whatever again makes life easier, but for me it''s kind of mentally like having an automatic vs a manual. how easy does life REALLY have to get??!?!

i will NEVER have a minivan (greg is under orders to shoot me if that happens), and can barely stomach the thought of a tiny SUV. but we''re trying to do our research and end up with something that is smart for the at least intermediate term since we have to get something anyway.

i would see how you feel when the baby comes then make a decision. if you have cars/trucks you CAN fit the baby in then see how it works. i also have coworkers who kept their small 4 door sedans and got along just fine.

IMO...you don''t HAVE to go get a big SUV just to fit the daily baby stuff. every family is going to be different. oh and for us if we need more room for big trips like to Tahoe or something, we''ll just rent an SUV.

I agree with you. If you don''t have a ton of space, you don''t bring a ton of stuff. When I bought my double stroller when DD#2 came along, we picked the one we wanted and got the measurements and found it at the store and tested it out first before buying.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Nope. Got a little classic car, never trading it. All I needed was a really, really good rear facing car seat. I have a car seat that will be rear facing until my 'baby' is four years old. It' s inconvenient, difficult, too small etc, but I still manage just fine. It's the carseat that matters to me, not the car.

I would give my right arm for an SUV lol. Unless you live on a farm, they are seriously frowned upon where I live. Bad taste. (I have a landrover, but it's hidden in the garage, I use my Citroen DS or Xantia to avoid nasty notes stuck to my windscreen by envirmonentally conscious passers by).

Seriously, you'll be fine without an SUV.

Jen