cars that fit 3 car seat but aren't massive 7 seaters

[Starsandthemoonx]

pregnant with my third child will have 6, 4 and new born anyone recommend any cats which fit 3 car seats but not massive expensive ones? thanks

We have a citroen picasso, newer version but not the grand version which has two extra seats (7seater).ours is just the five seater and is not massive but there are three separate seats in back. We love it. We live in a city so wanted something easy to park.

Ford tourneo gran connect.
Looks a bit naff it we embrace it. It's perfect!
Plus pre/without kids, it was an amazing campervan that got us round Europe for a month!

We have a Vauxhall Meriva and a Citroen C5. Both fit 2 group 1 car seats and a high back booster.

We have maxi cosy priori car seats and Joie hbb.

Congratulations xx

I had 3 seats in a Renault scenic.

A C-max or S-max might be worth looking at. We found that we used the extra seats more than you might expect. With 3dc there is no spare seat so if a friend visits, someone wants to sort out a Rainbows/ Beaver lift share etc., you have no where to put them. With three small dc I found I needed support more (e.g. pick one up from school as had to go to a&e with another one). Having a couple of spare spaces means that you can more easily reciprocate and keep everyone on side. Some like the C-max are no bigger than many cars but the boot can turn into seats. Also means that as a boot it fits buggies in easily.

Can i ask if you have a seven seater, do you have to take car seats out in the middle row to get to the spare seats in back? That was the case with the couple of 7 seaters we looked at, e.g verso

No, they just flip forward. S-max is slightly easier to flip forward than the VW Sharran but the Sharran is nicer to drive. The seats stay in the car the whole time but can be folded flat/ put up really easily. With little children the S-max is fine, the Sharran/Galaxy is a bit bigger and better for teenagers. In the winter I tend to leave the seats up as it is more lift season. They go down more in the summer as we fill it with camping gear.

It only takes 2-3 mins to put up/down the seats, I am just lazy! All 5 rear seats can be flattened for trip to the dump etc.

The SMax is perfect for this. But the CMax is very close behind. I’ve had both. Currently got a ERF seat, a HBB and a booster cushion in the CMax. The CMax grand has 7 seats and a sliding door. I wish we’d got that. When DS3 was new we had a ERF, an infant carrier and a HBB in the SMax, then changed to 2 ERF and a HBB. We had that combo in the CMax too. You really do need to try the seats in the cars though as different seats will fit differently.

Oh, Toyota verso. More roomy inside than the CMax. Was out of our budget. Lovely car though.

We were looking for petrol though, may be more choice if you want diesel.

I just found with the verso, i would have had to take the heavy baby seat out) and i have back problems) in order for anyone to use the extra seats in the back. The saleswoman was bemused that i was asking this, because thats 'just what you have to do with a seven seater.'

You can also get 3 car seats across the back of a Nissan pulsar. I’ve done it; I was very surprised!

Ah I see what you mean about taking car seats out. I was thinking about the actual seats in the car - you can tell mine are a bit older!! You only need one of the side seats to be able to flip forward or for your dc to be able to climb in the boot and somersault over in the S-max and Sharran.

We have an s max. The middle row fits three full size car seats so I don’t use the back row day-to-day. When we have a friend over I tend to use the two outside seats in the middle row and the two in the back. The middle seat in the middle row folds flat so the kids can access the back row.

Its less bus-like than other 7 seaters and does drive like a smaller car, but it is actually pretty wide so can be awkward to park in narrow spaces.

There is a 5 seater option but I don’t think it is actually any smaller, just doesn’t have the seats installed.

Citroen berlingo, very ugly but 3 seats in the back and a decent size

The Honda F-RV is a quality 6 seater. 3 separate seats in the front and the back, leaving a great sized boot. Easily fits 3 car seats in the back and both middle seats slide forwards/backwards.
Honda stopped making this model in 2009 (I think) but the used ones out there last forever. Mine is a 2006 and I've had it 4 years. Always starts, cheap to run and maintain. We would have preferred something newer but they're all 7 seaters these days and I'm not a fan of 2 very small seats in the boot.
Good luck x

I’ve gotten 3 seats in the back of an insignia.

and an Astra actually!

We have a toyota verso, 10 years old and still running brilliantly. One of the smaller 7 seaters on the market. We never had to take seats out of the middle to get to the back row though. Just put the nimblest people in the back and they climb in through the boot. Kids love it!
If extra grandparents, who can't climb in to the boot then we move a car seat or 2 in to the back seats so grandparents get the middle row and kids still climb in through the boot.