what kind of car do you drive?

hi, all!

dh and i had been planning on getting a new toyota highlander, but now we've added toyota 4-runner and honda pilot into the mix. does anyone have any input on these cars from a twins-infant-parent point of view?

we would particularly like a car that has room for both infant seats and an adult in the same row. (i'm sure i'll get over it later, but right now i only feel comfortable taking the kids when someone else is w/me--namely, my kind-hearted mom!).

also, i really like that the highlander has a button on the remote which will open the hatch/trunk. the other two cars don't have that, but they do have more room in the second row where the car seats would be.

what do you drive and are you happy w/it?

thanks a bunch!

~~jl, mom to 12 week old joey and hank

 

I have a minivan. :bad:

No advice on the cars you are considering!

 

me and the mrs got a navigator. Three rows of seats and have a fold down switch. Room for two car seats and a passenger in the 2nd row. Automatic tailgate lift, dvd player for later, etc... so far so good!

 

I have just recently bought a Ford explorer with third row seat, its really roomy and there is room for both carseats and about 4 more other people besides mom and dad, to sit comfy. I used to have a honda accord coupe, I thought i could deal with it but that had to go, 2 door was not cutting it. I know the twins appreciate the space. there also is plenty of room for the double stroller, babies, and groceries, without any problems

 

I have the Honda Oddysey (minivan), but just had a Honda Pilot (traded the Pilot for the Odyssey).

The Pilot worked well, but there wasn't a whole lot of room front-to-back with the rear facing infant seats. Plus, we do a LOT of traveling 3+ hrs, so packing up us, the boys, etc was getting tight. You can fit an adult in between the 2 seats, but not comfortably & it's almost IMPOSSIBLE for them to climb into that middle spot (I used to climb from the front, but boy was that a chore!).

I swore I'd never drive a minivan, but now that I have one, I love it! I do miss my Pilot for how it handled, the 4WD, & the 'look' of it, but that doesn't compare to the comfort of our Odyssey!

 

[SIZE=10pt]When the babies were first born I drove an Oldsmobile Aurora which is a pretty big car and I always felt like the front passenger seat had to be pulled way up to fit the infant carseats. There was just enough room in the back seat for someone to squeeze in between the seats. Well about 4 months ago we bought a Chevy Trailblazer and I really like the extra room. We bought their convertible carseats and the boys love them but their really isn't much room between them in the back seat. I was really shocked that they took up almost the entire back seat, but there is WAY more room in the front and I love having all the room in the back for diaper bags, strollers, toys. I think with either of those vehicles you will have enough room for your mom (maybe not in the back seat) and all the baby stuff. Oh by the way GAS SUCKS!!!![/SIZE]

 

We traded our pontiacs in for a nice spacious mini van, we love it!!

 

We have a Ford Expedition. Both infant seats and an adult fit in the backseat, plus there is a third row which folds FLAT to the floor (not all 3rd rows do!) which gives us tons of cargo space. It's a big truck but I love it!

 

We have three under four, so three carseats, so a minivan was our best option. We have the Honda Odyssey. Just an FYI on the Pilot and you may already know this, but I think the new model comes out in June...

 

thanks for all the input! i really wanted a hybrid, which is why i chose the hilander originally, but dh now feels we can't afford it. so, i'm back to the drawing board and apprecaite all the input!

i guess we could think about minivans, too. i know it's a big leap but most people seem to recover from it pretty well.

thanks, again!

jl

 

I'm going to give my Toyata Rav 4 a thumbs down! I really want an Odyssey! I was the only one who could drive the car when the boys were in the infant carriers and now with the convertibles its really crowded in the back! Our stroller takes up almost all of the trunk space too. Don't forget to take your stroller and car seats with you when you look at cars!

 

I have a SAAB station wagon right now, but are looking at the Toyota Sienna. I love the Highlander and would love to buy it, but after talking to my SIL who also has twins and some IRL twin mommy friends, I think the minivan will be the most useful in the long run. There is lots of room in the back for the big stroller, plus when they start walking, the minivan is closer to the ground so they can climb in themselves. This was really what decided it for me.. I can't wait until they can climb in by themselves!!!

 

I drive a Nissan Murano and it works well. i can fit in both seats and still have space for another person. It is big though and i have to make sure that i park where i have no other cars next to me so that i can open the doors wide enough to remove the car seats.

 

We've got a Pilot. It's a bit tight with the rear-facing seats, but I imagine that's gotta be the case in most cars (maybe except minivans). Once we turn the seats aorund we will be fine.

We have the Sunshine Kids Radian 80 car seats that are really narrow, so I have no problem sitting between the car seats, and I'm 5'9'' and not a size 2 ...

It's hard to get between the seats though, cause they are still rear facing ... but again, once you turn them around, it should be fine. The Pilot also has a 3rd row. Not a huge one with a ton of leg room .. .but we've fit 2 shorter adults back there.

That all being said ... when my DH's car dies (which should be soon) we are planning on looking into the Odyssey ... I'm obviously a Honda girl!

Good luck with your decision ...

Erica