Guys, help required .... Need car suggestions for long term 3 across the back. Have a mother in law, 3 year old and baby due, all need to fit across the back with kids is proper safe seats, no micro kid seats that offer no protection.

Already looked at 2010 crv,disappointed with drive and rear space, why fit 5 isofix across back if centre car seat then covers the side seat belt buckle. 2013 drove much better,didn't try rear seat as dealer said the newer one was no better.

Then tried 2010 & 2013 Hyundai Santa fe. Really liked both, problem is seemed no bigger across back, although 7 seats. New one looks amazing, although only the the premium se didn't seem dark inside (most expensive). New one has taken a step back in access to the very rear seats too :-( . Also £30k is a lot of money for a Hyundai.... Ie a year or 2 old BMW x3 or 4 year old discovery is approx £30k, tried neither. Did try a Volvo xc90 a while ago, nice, very nice but old and big and poorer mpg than we would like.

Complications....

The new car can't really be longer than approx 4.65m as it wouldn't fit in parking space as wife's work.

3 across the back is better than a 7 seater.

Needs to be safe.

4wd Would be nice.

Not MPV, ideally.

Other option is that I change the Octavia scout for the new car, but currently doing over 35k a year so (600 miles a week to work plus social)

3rd car not an option.

Something nice to drive to...

Big wish list I know, but really don't want an s-max on the drive.

A more premium brand ideally, is no French stuff...

Approx budget approx £15k, but could be pushed to £30k.

Help...

Thanks, :-)

I was going to suggest a volvo xc60 but i dont think you would get 2 baby seats and an adult in back, might do in an xc70 though.

What xc90 have you got? Mpg?

X5?

To get that you'd really need an mpv.

The Touran is the same size as an Octavia

My friend had a similar problem with 3 children under 5 - he now has an Audi Q7 - only car big enough according to him?

If the Smax ticks all your boxes, you're just being a snob.

They're decent cars.

I cant even get 2 standard child seats and an adult comfortably in the back of a huge A8, they all fit in but its a very tight uncomfortable squeeze. The superb MK2 is even worse, the adult does not fit at all.

Difficult one, we sometimes need to have three in the back with two kids in seats and it is tight, never needed it regularly though so not looked for a car specifically for it but can sympathise about the isofix positioning covering the seatbelt buckles!

I do think that 7 seats may be the best option for comfort but the cost is length of car and loss of boot space! We lok at the Nisan Quas thingy which gets a good write up and in 7 seat format is not much bigger than the 5 seater version but boot space is negligible.

What you may find with a car of suitable width to get you 3 across comfortably is that it will be very tight in car parks so the length restriction you have set based on a car park may need a matching width unless you are elidgible for a disabled space or can ensure an end of line space.

Best of luck, be interesting to see what the shortlist of cars you come with is.

What about a Honda FRV, that way one of the kids can travel up front with you? Would be well within your budget (2nd hand only) and could free up some cash to add to your Scout in px for something a bit nicer.

Disco? or failing that Q7...

 

Although the SMax does tick all of your boxes and having had one as a courtesy car, I'd quite happily have one (when I'm a abit older).

Yes, s-max is the obvious choice, but would like something a bit different. Nothing against s-max, but after years of 4wd I know that I would miss it....plus s-max is longer than 4.65m, at nearly 4.8m so that would also cause issues... I think I'm looking for reasons not to buy a 2010-2012 Santa Fe :-)

What about a Honda FRV, that way one of the kids can travel up front with you? Would be well within your budget (2nd hand only) and could free up some cash to add to your Scout in px for something a bit nicer.

I had thought of frv, but new car would be family car and scout would just be to get work. Not sure frv quite hits the mark, but is on the list.

We've got an FRV and it does the job very well.  They were made up to about 2008 I think and there are some low mileage examples out there for about £10k.  If you get the 2.2 diesel like ours then we see about 45mpg average and there's enough poke to get us all about at reasonable speeds.  The versatility of the six seats is useful at times but normally the middle front seat is used as a table/arm rest.  We have three child seats across the back and there's enough room to fasten seat belts without scraping knuckles each time. 

I needed therapy at first as I had to sell my remapped vRS to buy the FRV to fit our three children in - my own fault I guess.  However in the time we've had it ( nearly two years now ) it has proved itself to be a very competent car and as you'd expect from Honda, very well made.  It's better screwed together than the Skoda was and has no rattles or squeaks to mention either.  The engine is a wonderful thing, far less diesel like than some petrols I've driven.  It's a bit left field as a choice but it's proved to be the correct one for us. 

On another note, my sister has a Grand Scenic and regrets ever buying it.  Not only because bits have fallen off and it rattles a fair bit but because of the seating arrangement.  She gets annoyed by the fact that boot space has to be sacrificed to be able to get everyone in.  She did have a Multipla before then and wants it back.  I liked the layout of the Mulipla but preferred the idea of Japanese build quality so the only choice was the FRV (for us anyway).

Hope this helps but if you've any other questions just ask.

A mate of mine has a Hyundai IX 35 and rates it highly for the transporting of small and large people at the same time in the back. Failing that, as EM said, how about the Disco ?

I forgot about the ix35 myself.

 

I've driven one a few times for airport runs with 4 other adults + luggage all in with no problems.  gets a thumbs up from me.

 

they normally come quite highly spec'd as well

Why not just make the MIL hate you so much she refuses to be in the same car as you?

Two full size car seats and an adult are always going to be tricky in the back unless the car has a very wide rear bench.

Particularly as the ISOFIX points are usually in the outer seats if you want to use them.

So IMO you will be looking for something 2m wide like a Disco/Range Rover/Q7 unless you can get away with a Galaxy.

We have two car seats and my son rides in the front.

One car seat and two adults in the back is easier.

No problem in a normal family car like the Yeti.

I forgot about the ix35 myself.

 

I've driven one a few times for airport runs with 4 other adults + luggage all in with no problems.  gets a thumbs up from me.

 

they normally come quite highly spec'd as well

3 adults take much less room than 2 (safe) car seats and 1 adult.....

3 adults take much less room than 2 (safe) car seats and 1 adult.....

 

Agreed, but it was 3 comfortable adults (also not small people) as opposed to be squashed.

I've read that an Audi a6 will fit three across in the back. I don't like the 5 to 7 seat conversions, like the Cashqai as you are effectively putting your least favourite child in the rear crumple zone.

If I was in that situation, I would try both the A6 and Santa Fe/Sorento.

The ix35 is a lovely car, but is no better than any normal car for the rear space.  That's why I went for the FRV as it was designed from scratch as a vehicle with three proper seats in the back as opposed to two and a lump in the middle for the third unfortunate rear passenger.

Here's a nice example,

http://www.garageonthegreen.com/used_car_honda_fr-v_mpv_889.htm

As you can see, three proper seats which is what the op was looking for I think.

Yes the Honda does look good.... Shame they don't make it anymore.... To get one with low miles costs though... 59 EX diesel 43k is £13k .... The one above at £9k with 63k seems good value.....

What about that small 4wd mazda or the vw tiguan?

Im lucky with my son if i need passengers, hes only 6 but is taller than 135cm so legally doesnt need a booster seat so that really helps. And my 11month old sons car seat is huge

It might also be worth noting, maybe not in the OP's case but if you have 3 kids you dont need to use child seats in the back if by fitting 2 seats prevents safe fitting of a 3rd one

Edited 30 December, 201312 yr by BrownBarge

What xc90 have you got? Mpg?

Mines an 04 163bhp D5 auto

Its the original pre dpf engine, the best one in my opinion but a little under powered for such a big heavy suv,

I drive it like a saint compaired to how i drive vrs and according to trip its doing 30mpg, but i think that is very optimistic, not done calculation but it does 350 miles to a tank and costs around 85 quid to fill it.

Vrs does 300 miles to 65quids worth of v power and thats also showing 30mpg on trip and i drive it like ive stole it.