Luxury car for 3 children

[supercalafragilisticexpealidocious]

I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and another on the way.

We need a car that will fit 3 car seats. I would like a car on the luxury end of the scale as we will be using it a fair amount and I've never had a decent car before. I also don't want to feel like the Von Trapp family with a very unsexy mumsy car. (Don't judge me please!).

We will be buying second hand and have a budget of around 30k.

Requirements are:

• needs to fit 3 car seats (ideally isofix I'm guessing given age of children)
• needs to have potential towing capacity for horse trailer in future
• good boot space
• feel "nice"
• we are going to be living in a village so need something that can potentially cope with village roads in winter

So far I've come up with the Land Rover Discovery, the Volvo XC90 and the Audi Q7. BUT I've heard the discovery is horribly unreliable and doesn't fit 3 seats across the middle so would require one of them to be in the third row of seats (not necessarily a deal breaker), the q7 is perhaps not substantial enough for village life, the xc90 doesn't have 3 isofix points so our oldest would need to be in a seat attached with a seatbelt which doesn't feel ideal.

Any opinions or advice and any personal experience would be much appreciated.

Xc-90 all the way. Best car we have ever had and perfect for three kids. We had three under four in car seats and all fitted in the back together which I loved.

We have an xc90 and I'd buy it again in an instant. We've had 3 car seats in the back - I think the older car seat was a joie one.

We bought a VW Toureg with a toddler and pregnant with twins.
Front seat had isofix so covered what we wanted.

Switched to a XC90 with an integral booster seat.

Best decision ever. Safe, reliable, luxurious, drives like a dream, not too expensive to insure.

With three kids you are likely to utilise the third row of seats for friends and family as well.

Kids now all teenagers and still the XC90 fits the bill.

@Femme2804
You are one RR owner amongst many. Your experience is probably not typical and maybe you've just been fortunate.

Thanks everyone. A few votes for the XC90 there.

I think we will try and test drive the XC90 and the Q7 and perhaps have a look at the Discovery too (just to scratch that itch!!). I'm leaning towards prioritising a seven seater that can have three seats across the second row so that we can keep boot space and third row of seats for occasional use and don't need to get 4 year old to climb through each time.

Ford smax vignale
7 seats, or 5 seats with big boot space.
3X isofix across back row

I warn you @supercalafragilisticexpealidocious if you test drive a disco you are gunna want one they are very luxurious :)

I would say it depends on what year you are going for they did mess about with them and make them odd shapes. There's a bit of an odd roll with range rovers like a sway. I never liked BMW's until I drove an X5 - nicer drive than a RR. And can be mistaken for an undercover police car people move out of your way on the motorway!
Q7 smoother in all ways.
The 66 plate discovery I drove a few years ago was harder getting into the third row than a Q7.
Then after 66 plate disco they went to the odd shapes. Then back to similar to any other RR. Bit lost really in amongst them.

With a child in the boot you can't put a car seat on the seat in the middle row that allows access due to getting out in an accident.
So you would have to have a child in the middle and outside edge seat.

@Lavender2021 but that isn't true if it was a family of 7.

@Luddite26 it's personal preference isn't it I love mine !
The undercover car thing is funny!

I thought you weren't allowed to put a child seat in the back row of seven seaters?

Yeah some cars don't allow car seats at all in the boot seats.
I'm talking older children with no car seats. You always want easy access even if it's not the rule for me personally.
Every car is different and the manual will say where children can go.

No choice if family of 7 @TesticularHeft

Funny friends have just got rid of the Q7 it was in and out of the garage all the time the last few months cost them a fortune. All electrical issues.

Please check the insurance on the discovery, also reviews

Land rover are in something of a pickle

"Used Car Reviews | What Car?" https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews

Quite useful.

Mercedes do a 7 seater too

"Mercedes GLB review | a practical and premium 7 seater | Company Car Reviews" https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/car-reviews/mercedes-glb

Virtually all cars of the kind the OP is considering have reversing cameras. I live on a village road that is single track in parts and the only issues we ever get is lost HGVs. I find attitudes like yours tedious.

The XC90 is great. I have driven them for years. They have extra seats for when you end up with a carfull of kids and are brilliant at towing horses. They are very safe and never break down.

Well I wouldn’t go the Audi route as I did that and gave the thing back. It was AWFUL. Go Volve.

Without a doubt I would go for the xc90

I would definitely go for an XC90 over a BMW X5. We were loaned a 22 plate by BMW for a few months as our new car was delivered very late and I really hated it, it did not feel luxurious on the road at all. Quite liked the heated cup holder though. The X7 we were loaned later was quite a bit nicer but they are just too big for most roads.

BMW costs also mount up once you’re out of warranty, I have a friend who is finding her 17 plate X5 very expensive. Colleagues with XC90s seem happier but repairs are still quite expensive.

Another one recommending BMW X5

Mercedes GLB

And, as said previously, the electric version of this is great for our 5 person family (eqb). VERY cheap to run. Less than £10 a week to fuel. So so quiet etc.