Parents with 3 small children - What do you drive?

edwardcasbon1 · 4 Jan 2019 at 20:08

Hi all,

My wife and I are expecting our 3rd child soon (early April). We've currently got a 2 year old, and a 4 year old.

Now we're about to have 3, we're having to work out if we can fit all 3 in the back (Vauxhall Astra diesel, and Kia Sportage). Don't think we can fit all 3 in the Kia, but might be able to in the Vauxhall. My wife mentioned about getting some slimmer car seats for our current 2 in order to make them fit in the Kia.

Just wondering what other people in the same situation drive, and how you comfortably fit 3 in the back?

Thanks,

Edward

mr tommo · 4 Jan 2019 at 20:23

No idea how you do that. We have two in car seats and couldn't fit a third in the back of our 5 series! Coud get slimmer seats I guess but find it's the isofix that takes up most of the room.

theone8181 · 4 Jan 2019 at 20:25

While I've only got 2, a friend has 3. 1 5 year old, 1 3 and one newborn. I think they have a Picasso and seem pretty happy with it. I'm sure the dad said he could fit all 3 on the back seat.

tom_nieto · 4 Jan 2019 at 20:29

Everyone that I know in this situation has ended up with a VW touran. Can get 3 isofix seats across the rear. Other alternative that seems to work is the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Simon · 4 Jan 2019 at 20:33

Ford Smax too

CraigN · 5 Jan 2019 at 00:04

my boss bought an Audi SQ7 for this

MrM · 5 Jan 2019 at 08:45

You might want to check out www.multimac.co.uk

Not cheap but I’ve heard of a few people who have them and rate them and whilst expensive, cheaper than a new car!

a1ex2001 · 5 Jan 2019 at 08:51

Isn't vauxhall zafira the default answer here?

flame696 · 5 Jan 2019 at 09:38

I've got 4 kids I drive a 2014 Toyota Verso

MassiveJim · 5 Jan 2019 at 13:30

My missus regularly ferries other peoples kids around along with our 2, we have a 54 plate Touran and doesn't seem to be any problem fitting 3 car seats in.
I don't know if it makes any difference, but none of them are isofix, we use seatbelts to secure them all.

iMacMart · 6 Jan 2019 at 08:26

Simon said:
Ford Smax too

I've got 4 children and have the above when we all go out, and a 5 series BMW for my work car

prj1865 · 6 Jan 2019 at 08:58

Hyundai Tucson (67 plate)

(9 year old in the middle, 5 year old on one side with a high back booster and 0 year old in an isofix / maxicosi on the other).

I think three car seats might be a struggle...

AshFU · 6 Jan 2019 at 10:56

Think my friend with 3 kids uses a C4 Picasso, 3 adult size seats in the back

Andybtsn · 6 Jan 2019 at 11:15

prj1865 said:
Hyundai Tucson (67 plate)

(9 year old in the middle, 5 year old on one side with a high back booster and 0 year old in an isofix / maxicosi on the other).

I think three car seats might be a struggle...

We do the same (although still regret not going for the Santa Fe) and similar age kids. The other car is an Insignia which is narrower and an absolute nightmare to get to the seat belt clips.

Tinders · 6 Jan 2019 at 12:13

I have a 9 month old, and 5 and 6 years olds. I have a Volvo XC60, and we can just about fit 2 high back booster seats and a baby seat in the middle. If i use the iso fix, then there is no chance of fitting anything in the middle, but its fine with the belts.

You really need to go for a car with 3 individual seats, something like the grand picasso or CRV are good for this. None of the big estates (A6/520/superb) will do the job im afraid.

prj1865 · 6 Jan 2019 at 19:57

Andybtsn said:
We do the same (although still regret not going for the Santa Fe) and similar age kids. The other car is an Insignia which is narrower and an absolute nightmare to get to the seat belt clips.

My Tucson (SE Nav) was £20k brand new. The Santa Fe would have been over £30k. I don’t understand the price jump for a slightly larger car from the same company....

panthro · 6 Jan 2019 at 20:07

MrM said:
You might want to check out www.multimac.co.uk

Not cheap but I’ve heard of a few people who have them and rate them and whilst expensive, cheaper than a new car!

I remember when John Barker was writing for Evo, he fitted one of these to an E92 M3 and it worked perfectly.

ExoMale · 6 Jan 2019 at 23:27

having 3 kids and gone through a few cars and i have a pug 2008, but im a single parent, so when i have them i can get away with the front seat for the 3rd as that are 2/5/6 and i have never used isofix seats, i ve seen them and find the base too much hassle and room taking, but for me if i wanted 3 seats in the back i would have to shrink the youngest seat, the mother owns an 03 scenic which has 3 single seats in the back and much more ideal.

basically you need a car that has 3 individual seats in the back or a 7 seater.

L0rdMike · 7 Jan 2019 at 05:54

Had 3 car seats in the back of my impreza. Tight as hell but managed it.

SpeedFreak · 7 Jan 2019 at 12:38

We have a new shape Volvo XC60 having previously had a BMW 5 Series. In my experience the seats need to be from a mixture of vendors/styles to fit easily or the vehicle enormous. When you have a variety of seats the absolute widest points tend to be in different places so are easier to fit beside each other.