If you have 4 kids and need decent boot space as well what car do you have?

[KeenoOnVino]

I have a Toyota verso atm, which I love. But dc4 due imminently and if all 6 of us were in car at the same time and we had to use back row of seats, it takes away any boot space at all. We do a lot of camping and uk holidays where the car boot is piled high and roof rack full, so need a decent sized boot. All the “typical” cars I’ve looked at have this same problem where the 3rd row of seats remove all boot space. Ford c max, etc etc My eldest is still in booster, but probably doesn’t need to be, my middle two are in high backed booster and 2nd stage car seat. So it’s not like I need space for 4 large bulky car seats.

What does everyone else drive? I don’t want to get a trailer!!!

My ddil has got a 7 seater Kia. I think it's a Ce'ed.

Ford S max

I had 4, could get 3 across the back seat easily and one in one of the pop up/boot seats that still left half of the huge boot with a bit behind the seat plus the roof box.

I’ve a Kia Sorento, bit of a gas guzzler but it suits me. I have 4 DSs and it more than copes with them and all their stuff. I like the fact that the rear seats are lay flat and can be raised individually therefore making more boot space if you only need 6 seats.

We use a roof box on our 7 seater (x4 dc now teenagers).

When we first had 4 we had a Citroen C8 it was huge with electric sliding doors, three full sized seats along the middle and two in the rear, we took one out to get the double buggy in, still had boot space behind the third set of seats.

We now have a C4, smaller with the folding third row of seats we only use 6 seats at the weekend now eldest is 15. With 6 in we’ve still got a good bit of a boot. They’re cheap as well, looked at loads of 7 seaters hated the Zafira.

BMW X5 it also has two pop up seats in the boot, so I can either have big boot and five seats or smaller boot and seven seats.

My mum has suggested a Hyundai i800 but it looks like a tank on the pictures!

I think a roof box and a decent 7 seater is your answer. VW Sharan is a really versatile car and the seats are all full sized. The problem with having one up and one down in the last row is that your boot stuff is not secure.

My worry about that bernie is that atm when the 5 of us go away, our roof box is crammed as well as our boot with the back row of seats flat. If we had to lift one, I just don’t know where we’d put all that stuff

A friend drives an i800. It's amazing for space. If I could afford one, that's what I would go for. Sadly I have to settle for a Qashqai plus 2 and folding down a rear seat.

A trailer on the back?

Is it massive mini ? Like make it hard to get into typical parking spaces etc?

Will have a google of all these other ones to have a look as well! Thanks

We researched all people carriers and the Previa was the best at the time. Not sure if they are still available though? (not helpful) But you'd still be better off with a trailer for camping.

I like the look of the Peugeot 5008, I don't have one so can't comment on reliability but I may investigate further when I can afford to do so.

We have a Mazda 5, for 6 you can put just one boot seat up leaving a decent space but you would need a roof box for trips. Full size mini vans aren't common in the U.K. but we had a huge dodge one in the USA on holiday

We have a sharan and I love it but it doesn’t really have masses of boot space, especially as you’ll need a pram/pushchair. I also worry about the dc in the very back with one seat folded down and stuff piled up. We’ve been thinking of a van type thing when our kids are older; a caravelle or something like that!! 😳

Sharan. Sorry - they aren't the most elegant but SO much space.

We can only have a Peugeot 5008 or a Zafira as it's a company car. Of those two the 5008 is way better than the Zafira.
However a courtesy we were given a Seat Alhambra and were gutted to give it back as it seemed so spacious.

Sharan here too. There's lots of storage space in the foot wells as well if your kids are smaller. We took 5 to Italy on a 3 week road trip. I sat in the back row for a while with things piled up next to me. It was remarkably comfortable. Leaning against the pile to sleep was better than being in the front seat . We also had a roof rack and the car drive very well despite the extra height.

We have a vw Sharan. The Seat Alhambra is exactly the same but cheaper. Usually we have both back seats up and fold the middle seat down so we can see and chat with the children in the back. There isn't masses of boot space but more than in the S max we used to have.

The best car for space was our VW transporter camper van! Noisy but (just about) small enough to use as our everyday vehicle. Masses of space for carrying everything! and holiday accommodation. It was brilliant and I still miss it.

(We swapped it for the Sharan when we got a caravan, it wasn't really up to the towing and no more need to carry all the camping gear in the car)

We have a VW transporter (or a ´multivan´ as that is how they now call the transporter-for-private-use). We are in the same situation and did a thorough testing of many types of 7 seaters. Husband had his mind set on a fancy German car and I liked the Volvo but after testing it appeared that either none of them would comfortably hold three child seats in a row or it would have the 6/7th seat in an uncomfortable place in the back or that no room would be left in the boot for massive buggies and luggage. So, husband had on other choice than to accept that from now on we drive a van. We also didn´t want a diesel as in the future we´d mainly use it for the school run and diesels (with the filters) have caused us endless problems in the past. The kids love the multivan as it has two seats that can turn and it is so handy that you can just walk through the car in case of a minor emergency.