Looking for a Great Recommendation for a Family Car

Honda Odyssey mini-vans are a great reliable car....they are quite pricey so we went with a Chevy-Uplander. They are quite cheap but not as reliable...we did buy an 07 so it was still in warranty but under $14,000 with low miles...The Odysseys hold their value so even an older one with more miles was more expensive. If money isn't an issue, I'd go with the Honda... :)

Hi K., I bought a Toyota Camry at the recommendation of my mechanic. He said if you buy a Toyota you will never have problems. I also got the same advice from several people who drive some type of Toyota that I work with. Lets hope this stands true. My backseat is very roomie. My Husband who is 6' 5" rides back there with our daughter if we go somewhere in my car and I am driving. Her car seat is in the middle and he sits beside her obviously. Check them out I think you will like them. Good luck. D.

We use a Honda CRV for the family. I traded in my decked-out Accord for it, as it was easier on my back in loading a baby in and out. Ours is an older one - we bought it new in 2004, but it's been a great purchase for us. Better gas than our 4Runner Limited, and enough room. We have a booster seat (but formerly it was a Britax Roundabout) and a Britax Marathon (a huge honkin' carseat) there, and often fit in one of DS' friends in the third space. Very little maintenance outside of the norm. The tires wore unevenly and early, but we got them prorated under the tire warranty. Very little trouble with this vehicle, and I'd always recommend it, especially after downsizing from the more "luxury" vehicles. The Honda Pilot is a little bigger and more money, but also gets rave reviews.

We like our husbands highlander, same with the pilot with the 3rd row jumpseat that is pretty easy to put up (you just can't fold the 2nd seat down to get to it because the car seat is in the way so you have to climb over). You can get the highlander in a hybrid also, but it's in high demand so might not be too easy to find. I have an altima (which has better mileage than the highlander), and I can fit comfortably in the back w/2 full carseats but don't expect a 200 pounder to. But if that won't happen often it's not an issue. Just have them sit in front! :)

My friend had a Ford Freestar I think it is called and it is such a great car for a family. Tons of cupholders is what sticks out in my mind as well as plenty of room. I havent seen the car in over a year but, I do remember saying this is the perfect mom car without being a mini van!! Good Luck

My husband and I bought a HONDA ODYSSEY last summer before the birth of our second child and we love it. I was reluctant to be a "van mom" but it has been wonderful not having to crouch down to put the kids into their seats. Our main problem was that we needed to comfortably accommodate 2 carseats, a double stroller, and still have rooms for Costco grocery trips. The Odyssey has been more than adequate. One of my favorite features is that there are AC vents for not only the front seats but the second and third rows as well. A major plus in the summer months.

I personally have a Toyota Rav4. It's really good on gas and can fit 3 kids in the back, the driver and an adult passenger. It's roomy,cute to drive. It's a sm SUV and has lots of room for groceries or anything else travel wise. Mine has lay back seats where the kids pull the handle and lay back and then fall asleep. (the big ones even have the 6yr old doing it!!)Good luck in finding another car. Hope that helps!

Hi K.,

I run an in home child care and I drive a Ford Freestar van. I have four carseats and still enough room for me to get in and out to get all of them. Plus there is room in the back for a child that is old enough to be without a carseat if you needed it. I love it!!

Volvo makes a very safe car and they get pretty good gas mileage also Toyota always comes in the top few for any vehicle and they always do good on gas too - maybe look into a hybrid if you live in the city and don't drive very far or often - the more humans can do to eliminate their dependence on fossil fuels the better!

a year ago i became a grandma. I was driving a ford F-250 with a V-10 engine. i was getting aobut 11 miles to the gallon. becasue my daughter in law is dabetic, there were many midnight trips to their home or hospital which is 95 miles one way. i also knew that i would be taking care of both the boys at some time or another. i bought a toyota camry. i love it . i get about 38 on the hwy and i easily fit two huge car seats and there is still room for me in the middle if my husband drives. but.. im pretty skinny. 100 lbs soaking wet. it has a huge trunk which comes in handy when i have to cart boht boys around and alos has room for strollers. i bought it new and paid 19,000 for it a year ago. i stil use the truck occasionally but mostly when we are going out on rought roads. the boys love to go to our little ranch or for day trips to the mountains. but it is so high that i literally have to crawl in the back seat and pullup the car seats then have somone hand me the boys and there isnt much room back there after the two car seats are in. im sure you could find a good used one. just make sure that your mechanic checks it out. im pretty lucky because my mechanic is my brother. we have another toyota, a truck that my husband drives to work. it is a 94 and has over ###-###-#### miles on it and is still going strong. my son also has a toyota tundra and he loves it. as long as you do regualr maintenance they last forever

Hi K.~
I drive a Honda CRV. It fits my infant and toddler car seats just great. I have not tried to fit another person in the back but I'm sure we could do it if it was a short car ride.
Good Luck.

If it is an option on the cars you're now looking at, look for one where the back doors open 90 degrees. That means that the doors open all the way out instead of just at an angle like most cars do. This makes it a lot easier to get kiddos and stuff in the car. My Pontiac Grand Prix has this and it is just one of those little things you don't think about until you have kids and realize how nice it is.

Hi K., My big tip being that I'm an insurance agent is when you have a couple of cars (or van, suv, whatever) in mind, call your insurance agent and ask them to quote it for you BEFORE you buy it so you have an idea of how much your insurance will either increase or decrease. Idealling having the VIN # handy would be a big help to them! If i can help you out, just let me know! Congrats on the new purchase and good luck! F. ____@____.com www.agentlady.com

Hi K.,

I can't recommend a car but I can recommend a mid-size SUV. I have a Honda Pilot and absolutely love it and so does my 3 1/2 year old daughter. It has the ability to seat 7 and the back seat is roomy enough for two carseats and a person.

I had a BMW 5 series before and would take the Honda Pilot anyday. I get better gas mileage and the Honda is one of the safest and most reliable vehicles on the road today. They also hold their re-sale value. Lastly, My BMW was a 2000 and my Pilot is a 2007 and my insurance is cheaper on the Pilot.

Honda overall is a great manufacturer. The Pilot is my third Honda and I have loved every one.

Good luck.

L.

I would go with a certified used Lexus RX 350 or a certified used Toyota Highlander or larger. These cars are awesome family cars and run forever. I have a Lexus 300 and I love it. It is 8 years old and still going like gang busters. They have great warranties and road side assistence programs. You can also get them both in the hybrid style for gas savings. Best of luck! If you are in Tucson I highly recommend Lexus of Tucson on the Auto Mall off Oracle. They are really wonderful to work with.

We have a Lexus ES350 and it is SO roomy! The trunk is huge and it's really safe. We recently took it on a trip to California and got 31 mpg! We worked with Krandall at Bell Lexus - he was great. I have also heard that Carmax is a great place to buy a car. My sister only buys used cars and only at Carmax b/c of no haggling and she loves them. Good luck!

I have a Toyota Sienna and I love it. I have done nothing to it beyond Tune ups and oil changes and it has over 60K miles. I said I would never own a mini-van, but now I am eating my words. I wouldn't have it any other way though. It is easy for my children to get in and out. It is easy for me to buckle car seats. I have two car seats in the back and two in the middle and I still have room for more people. It gets great gas mileage which I am extremely grateful for. The back seats fold down really easily and the three seats in the middle are removable. It has a dual air conditioning system and there is plenty of storage. I keep a double stroller in there at all times and sometime a pack N' play and I still have plenty of room for groceries. The automatic doors are a plus too. I love it!

I'd suggest looking at Consumer Reports Magazine. It is available at the public library, and by checking the index at the back of the magazine you can find anything and everything they have reviewed over the past year or more. I hope this helps!

The Honda Odyssey is my favorite family vehicle of all time. Hondas are very reliable and their minivan drives like a car not a truck. Arrowhead Honda has gone out of their way for us on when we made a mistake ordering a van. They also have gone out of their way to fix a mistake they made when servicing a car.

Have you used Costco to check on participating dealers in their fleet purchase program? It's the best way to buy a car. You go to the fleet manager, tell them what you want and they tell you the bottom price. No haggling!! And you get the fleet price!!

If the Odyssey is too pricey, we have the Accord. Our family is tall and we can still fit in the back seat when the front seat is all the way back. We haven't checked into the other Honda models, but we are sure they are as reliable.

Mazda 5 is a great car on gas mileage and will seat seven. I never even thought about mazda before. After finding out the great gas mileage I looked and liked what I saw. The Honda Pilot is also a great vehicle but a little more expensive when it comes to gas. Good Luck and happy car shopping. =0)

Not sure how big you want to go, but I have 2 words for you....HONDA ODYSSEY!!! I has more room than people give it credit for. Great gas mileage, low maintenance!! DVD PLAYER!! Best vehicle I have ever owned!!!