Seeking Recommendations for Vehicle W/ Room for 3+ Kids

We have the Toyota Highlander with the 3rd row of seats. We can fit 2 boosters and a car seat in the back seat and the 3rd row is only 2 seats, but we've fit 2 boosters back there. My husband couldn't stand the idea of a minivan, which is what I really wanted, but this has really worked out well for us.

We've had two Honda Pilots. The 2009 model has a bit more room than the previous...

We have three kiddos - 20 months, 2 1/2 with special needs and 7. I can still get my son's monstrosity of a wheel chair in the back with all three kids in the car. I love the Pilots and do not worry when I'm out with my "load" in the snow! :)

We LOVE suburbans. We just bought our 3rd! I am expecting baby #4 in November. That will give us 4 kids 4 and under and I am a huge supporter of extended rear facing and extended 5pt harnessing. Our kids will be in full size car seats for MANY years to come. Our 1 year old will of mcourse still be rear facing when the new baby comes, and the suburban fit s all the car seats. The 4 and 2 year old sit in the last row bucket seats. The middle is a bench w/ a 60/40 split. The 40 part stays folded up for the big kid to get to there seats. The 1 year old is currently in the middle, with plenty of room for another car seat to her. The new baby will be moved to the middle (safest spot) and 1 yr old will be next to the door. We always have a double stoller in the way back and can carry a FULL load of groceries! It also takes ALL the room to go away for the weekend. We would NEVER be able to fit all our luggage/ pack n plays and everthing else in a mini van rear. We also have a extended cab full size truck with cover the bed. All 3 Britax carseats fit in the rear bench and a double stroller and groceries of course fit great in the bed. You can pick up either really cheap right now. We just got our 2007 for $20,000 less then listed price. It made a newer one affordable.

Obviously lots of recommendations. We have in the past had a Suburban and a Pacifica and have traded the Pacifica in for an Accord and will be trading the Suburban in for a an Odyssey. We have a 4 year old, 2 year old and 9 month old (and a Lab). I cannot tell you how many times we have been filled to capacity in the extended Suburban. That being said -I hate driving it. We have the two oldest in rear, baby behind passenger seat. Suprisingly with a Britax rear facing seat, I have very little room in the front seat as the seat can not be all the way back (My husband and I are very tall). What I am looking forward to the most in the minivan is the abilty to walk to the rear seats. I have climbed back and forth more times than I can count in the last two years. The Pacifica works well for older kids without full size car seats but really not effective for younger kids who need assistance with harnesses. Suprisingly - we all fit in the Accord. Two full size Britax and a booster. We don't rely on it as the family car, but it does fit everyone easily when needed.

Don't know that this helped.

We just bought a Dodge Grand Caravan SXT and LOVE it!!! It has stow & go seating and automatic doors- SO handy. It also has a DVD player which has been a total lifesaver. The trunk is big/deep enough that we can fit our double stroller in with no problem.
I have three boys, ages 6, 2, and almost 3 months. I put the oldest and the baby in the back, and the toddler in the 2nd row passenger side seat because he was always bothering his brother. We leave the 2nd row driver's side seat down so I can load all kinds of stuff in and access the back row without a problem., but it's easy to pull back out if you need to use it.

I don't know how big of a vehicle you are looking for, but if you're looking for something more like a car with ease of manuverability and great steering, I test drove a Mazda 5 and really liked it. It has storage under the seats, and 3 rows of seats in it (bucket) The middle seats slide so you can adjust for leg rooom. And it was reasonably affordable, so it might be something worth checking out. Happy hunting!

We just bought a Chevy Suburban because we also are expecting our 3rd child any day now. I'm not a mini-van person and we found that Chevy Suburbans and GMC Yukon XLs have the option of having the 2nd row as bucket seats (instead of a bench). I LOVE IT! My oldest will be in the back seat when the baby comes and will not have to climb over a bench and we'll be able to get to the 3rd row easily when we need to. It's a great option for someone who prefers an SUV but still needs easy access to all rows of the vehicle. Good luck and congrats on the new addition coming to your family!

Im hoping someday to get a SUV with 3 rows of seats, really havent looked to much. That way it can seat 7 and maybe something you could consider with 3 car seats there would be plenty of room. I have a jeep cherokee now and getting 3 car seats in there is next to impossible. Good luck! L.

We have three children, two in boosters, and one in a full car seat. Our vehicle just quit and we purchased a 2008 Chevy uplander at a great deal. At first I wasn't to kean on a van however, it has the sporty look to it as well as tons of room. Our van has 3rd row seating with tons of leg and walk room. I love it and so do my kids. Good luck.

We just got a Chevy Traverse and love it! You can get bucket seats in the middle, so the third row is easy to access. I used to have a Tahoe, and love that this is a little smaller feel (more like a car), and better gas milage! My kids love it!

I would recommend getting a minivan over a SUV because it is much easier to have access to the third row of a minivan. On our Honda Odyssey the 2nd row has two bucket seats so you can actually walk through the middle to the 3rd row of seats. I think minivans are also more versatile for traveling and storage needs.

I have three little girls 4, 2, and 1. We bought a toyota sienna when there were just two girls but I love it. I really didn't want a minivan and really didn't want to be a "soccer mom". I have found that it drives very well. I was worried about turning into parking spaces and such, but feel that it actually turns really good. I also think it handles well in snow, if you are in areas for snow.

I was actually in a accident when I was pregnant with number three and had the other two girls with me. Another driver rearended a vehicle in the opposite lane and that spun the car into my lane. Thankfully no one was hurt and the van went into the ditch didn't roll even though the driver's side tire broke off the axel. It was repaird with all OEM parts and still is as good as the day we bought it. (acident happended after only having it for 7 months)

What ever you decide make sure you test drive them to see how you like the fell of it. I test drove other vans such as a dodge carivan but didn't like the feel.

Good luck, there are many vehilces out there that will have room enough for our growing family.

honda pilot. Room for 4, and still have room for lots of gear or groceries.

I have to agree with the last poster. The Grand Caravan SXT!!!! We did TONS of research as we our expecting our 3rd in July and desperately needed an upgrade. I had to have the double sliding doors, Which I absolutely love!! They are amazing and make it so nice with an infant, toddler and 5 yr old. The stow and go is AWESOME. My husband loves it as well, because it fits a 5x8 sheet of sheetrock/plywood flat and a pick-up doesn't even do that! The one thing that sold me on the minivan vs. the SUV is that it is a good strong engine, but not a truck engine so you have get up and go but the gas mileage is better. I would recommend getting the dual electric sliding doors and rear electric hatch. We did not get the electric rear hatch and regret it. One less trip to the car in the rain after unloading groceries!
Good Luck!

Well, there is a stigma to mini-vans so I think the real questions might be your needs and your opinions. The minivan (Honda odyssey in our case) will let you haul tons of people but an SUV will help you haul some people and lots of stuff/tow if you need. The only thing I know is that if there is a way to bring a carseat with you to shop, I would. We had a CR-V and put the rear-facing seat from my sister in and it left it cramped up front. It wouldn't be too serious but would effect comfort for a year or so. Good luck and don't forget mpg in your decision.

I'd go with a mini-van for sure. The sliding doors with auto open and child safety locks are awesome - easy to get into a carseat without banging the car next to you with your door. I had two Ford Windstars over the years when the boys were little and loved them. Now they have the back door with automatic openers too - those auto doors are so handy when you have your hands full. I had the TV/VCR combo in the 2nd van and the boys loved watching Veggie Tales and other movies on our little trips - even as they got older. Vans just hold a lot more stuff too!
I now drive an Acadia - which would work for you, but I'd still recommend the mini-van. Look for something with the gear shift up on the steering wheel instead of between the seats - cuz that between the seats space is awesome for other stuff (I miss that space and that's the only thing I'd change about the Acadia).

We have a 2007 Hyundai Entourage and I love it! The middle seats fold down and flip up so you can reach the rear seats easily, the rear seats fold down and store flat for hauling. They do have automatic doors as an option which we don't have but would LOVE! The mid seats also come out so you could have the option of leaving one out for real easy access to the rear. I also love that my older kids 9, 6, and 2 can easily get in and out BY THEMSELVES!!! And love that in the rear it is sunken which is great for groceries. We also have a 4 month old and we have plenty of room even when we travel for all of our luggage which can be excessive with four children and a dog! Good Luck hope you find what you are looking for!!