Best 7seater for childminding? New style Ford Galaxy or Toyota Previa???

[GiveMeChocolateNOW]

I need to buy s seven seater asap for childminding (and also family car). We need to have decent boot space and the back seats not too far back (safety/crumple zone).

We've visited car giant and narrowed it down to new style ford galaxy or a toyota previa.

DH loves the Ford, definitely sexier and you can get them with leather seats (better for spillages etc). But the Previa has sliding doors and I love that you can get into the back easily from the front seat - could be useful in traffic jams etc. The Previa is soo practical but about so not glam.

Do you own one? Any thoughts on either?

Oops ... but about so not glam

sliding doors are fab

we have a ford s max - its great

i dont like driving galaxys' - feel like atank when you park them

I have a Galaxy - it's not bad to drive, it's just an MPV so not nippy but fine. However, I wish, wish, WISH it had sliding doors

Yes I think sliding doors would be useful, especially when I'm CMing. I have lost count of the number of times DD2 has opened the car door onto someone else's car door.

I love my VW Sharon but I really wish I had sliding doors - far important than sex appeal in my opinion

yes, my children have bumped my poor neighbour's car twice. i will def go for slidig doors next time we get another 7 seater (if we can afford it!)

i have an old Galaxy and it does not feel too tank like to me.

Should say that the folding back-row seats in the new Galaxy are one of the things that sold it to me. I don't need them all the time, and they go completely flat into the floor, and are really easy to pull up/collapse down.

Sliding doors are the best thing for young kids EVER. We have a 7 seater Fiat Doblo & the kids (& we) love the slidy doors.

we've got a previa (well a jap import one that's a emina I think, but it's the same car really!) and the boot is huge compared to other mpvs

big boot on Previa is a bonus, does anyone know if newer ones have side aibags?

Galaxy = 1 star safer on NCAP crash tests

I have the Kia Sedona, 7 seater, sliding doors .Better boot space than the old style Seat Alhambra (Galaxy) we have had in the past. We have used it for towing our old caravan (now have a motorhome), lugging minded kids around & my dh's model railway boards (he exhibits at shows) plus goodness knows what else!

I have a citroen C8 which has electric cliding doors! the kids call it the space ship! Very large boot space when all seats in use too. Wouldn't swop it at all.

I have a previa (with the 8 seats), and the reason that we got it is that it has a massive amount of space in it. The boot is huge (can get a double buggy, single buggy and shopping in there), we have plenty of leg room on all seats, and the sliding doors are a godsend - how many times have you parked with tonnes of space away from everyone else, to come back and find someone parked right next to the door that you need to open fully to get the baby into the car seat???

MAN - I want your car but dp said no

One day I will get one........

I had an 8 seater previa with sliding doors which was great. I now have an estima import, but it does not have quite as much boot space.

I had the estima and we upgraded to the uk spec, and it is so much more spacious (but I do miss the reversible middle row!)

LMG - it was dh that made the final decision, I wanted the c8 or 806(peugeot). I have to admit that he made the right choice (more leg room), as 11 yr old ds is now my height and we would of had to change cars as his legs are so long!!!

Right I'm going to see a Galaxy today, they seem to be best for child safety and POLEDRA I like that the seats fold flat could be v useful as we spend alot of time visiting rellies. Seats down for the journey, to fit everything + kitchen sink in. Then up for driving rellies around so no need to take two cars everywhere!

I would go with safety every time - the new style galaxy came out well on safety (assuming you mean the new shape post 56 or 57 yes?)

I have a Renault espace - LOVE IT - it has the best safety rating for MPVs and plenty of boot space - plus you can put the seats in various positions in the car and even have no seats at all - yay!!

But would be tempted by sliding doors have to say if they came with the same safety as an espace.......