The Mini has got to go, but struggling to decide on a replacement

[MrsMopple]

I am expecting twins in August, and already have a nearly 5 year old. I have a lovely little Mini, which has been great for us as a family of 3, and for my job (which involves a lot of driving) because it is very economical.

When we found out about the twins dh first asked me to stick with the Mini for job reasons and to see how I coped before considering changing, but I have insisted on 4 doors for practicality (if ds was on the front seat, I'd effectively lose a door, so would be getting the babies out of the back from driver's side only).

We looked at a Polo, for fuel economy and four doors, but it just doesn't do it for me and I don't want one, much to dh's frustration!

So what would eb a good choice? I'm leaning towards a Nissan Qashqai at the moment, which although not massive, has the required 4 doors and is a bit bigger than the Polo and higher off the road, too. I need to have a diesel and fuel economy is importan. This pregnancy is definitely my last, so no more than 3 children. Any suggestions, please?

My friend has recetly bought a Renault Modus and has been very happy with it.
here

honda civic my diesel version does 50mpg.

honda CRV. Fantastic car with a huge and practical boot. We have had one for 2 years and are now having to get rid of it as we are also expecting twins and already have 2 children! Good idea to check if you can fit 3 car seats/booster seats across the back though as I assume when your hubby is with you your son would not be in the front?

We had a Fiat 500 before the twins which is more ridiculously impractical than your mini. I cried when it was sold

We bought an XC90 which might seem a bit too large for your needs but I adore it, it is so easy to drive and we easily fill it with buggies and shopping. It feels like the safest thing in the world too.

We've got a Vauxhall Zafira. Great cos you can get 3 along the back, plus large boot when not using seats 6 and 7 for all the paraphenalia that goes with kids

another vauxhall zafira recommendation here

We've been looking at cars as we have a 3 year old DS & are expecting twins. We were discover that not many cars have 3 full seats across the middle row & we need this as we will need 3 car seats & to get a decent size boot we are going to have to buy a 7 seater & not use the back 2 seats. We are going to test drive:

Ford S-Max
Ford Galaxy
VW Touran
Citroen C4 Picasso Grande
Peugeot 5008

The Vauxhall Zafira no longer has 3 full seats on the 2nd row. I like the look of the Nissan Qashqia but even in the 7 seater Qashqai+2 the middle row only has 2.5 seats so it would not work for us.

Good luck!

We were shocked to discover !

we bought a galaxy which I'm v.happy with in general except for the lack of sliding doors. I underestimated how useful this would have been with 4 young dcs. I should have put it higher up my priority list, just my tuppence worth.
I once got stuck in a carpark and couldn't get both dts out. I had to climb through the boot with one of them.

That's my fear trying to get three children out of the car! The Chrysler has sliding doors but most of the other won't work for us as we need a big boot, for example the Mazde looks nice but it doesn't have 3 full seats across the middle row & the boot would be too small if we used a seat in the rear.

Think I am going to post a new post about car with sliding doors....

Yes, Mazda is a bit small really. You can fit a double buggy in the galaxy with the 2 seats up at the bag btw, I have a city mini double in there and it's fine. Prob a maclaren would go as well. The Kia (Sedona?) has sliding doors and a decent boot. We very nearly bought it but I was too pg to test drive it by then and couldn't decide!

I was a bit surprised by the lack of 3 full seats too, Thinking.
Time is flying by, I'm already at 29 weeks and things are getting a bit too close for comfort! Still got the Mini and nowhere near buying a more practical vehicle, but very grateful for all the suggestions. I may end up with another Honda Civic (had one before my Mini) and as ds will be 5 when the twins arrive I think I have a bit more freedom than if he were a toddler.

Do you need a big boot? Is your car the main family car?

I like the renault scenic which has 3 seats in the back. You can get a grand scenic which is a bit bigger and has 2 optional (flap down so occasional use only) seats in the back.

Do you want to get dh in the car as well as the dcs? (unless planning on making use of the roof rails and strapping him there ) Have found very few cars are genuine 3 seaters across the second row unless you get an humongous 4x4. You are probably looking at an MPV or a big estate car/ choose very narrow car seats/expect a bit of knuckle crunch. Small type MPVs are the Scenic, Jazz, Meriva etc but tbh were not big enough for us and we have gone the 3 rows of seats which gave us more options:

• Honda FRV which is a 6 seater - 3 at front and 3 at back.
• Mazda 5 which really is a 6 seater: 2, 2, 2 but it would always mean compromising on the boot space which is no good with twins
• Vauxhall Zafira which is a 7 seater - however to get access to the rear seats where reasonably your 5 year old might want to sit, you have to slide the whole second row forward which is no good if you have car seats in place (unless there is a way round this?)
• Loved the Ford S Max which is a 7 seater but doesn't drive like one. The seats individually move so easier to get access to the rear 3rd row. Couldn't find one in our price range
• Ford Galaxy - again really loved it, more than I wanted to pay whilst on mat leave though.

In the end we have compromised and gone for a Renault Grand Scenic 1.9 diesel although the 1.5 more economical for driving around town. It has the option of turning off the front airbag which means a rear facing car seat could go there, although ours has an isofix base and am not sure I can faff with moving it around - but it means I can have eldest dc at the front or in the 3rd row if transporting the whole family.

Citreon C8 has sliding doors I think

Others on our list were the Picasso C4 MPV
and the Touran

I have three car seats in the back of our Toyota Corolla Verso (diesel) and it is fantastic. Lots of room and 2 extra seats in the boot that are comfy for adults, but doesn't feel like driving a tank. Nice and easy to park.

Oh, and all the middle row seat positions slide forward and backwards just like passenger seats in other cars. I have the middle child seat furthest forward and the two outside child seats furthest back so that the three kids can't fight with each other.

Boot is big enough for a powertwin, nipper etc. and room for a family picnic in the rain!!

A few friends equally happy with theirs. Good luck.

Themagicnumber - we liked the Verso but didn't think we'd be able to fit 3 car seats along the middle row - what car seats do you have? Thanks

Same question re the Touran as we liked it but again the middle seat on the 2nd row is slightly smaller than the outer seats - anyone managed to fit 3 car seats across the middle row?

Cheers

Oh I've been contemplating Verso too but do the car seats fit across the back easily?

We have had loads of car seats over the last four years (as well as prams!!)between our two cars and the grandparents cars.

I can remember having had the following combinations in the middle seat of the Corolla Verso:

Two rear-facing Newborns and a tall toddler:
Maxi Cosi cabrio on Easybase - click
Maxi Cosi Tobi
Maxi Cosi Cabrio on Easy base - click

Maxi Cosi Cabrio on Easybase - click
Maxi Cosi Tobi
Jane Rebel

Forward facing toddler twins and older tall toddler:

Britax Evolva
Maxi Cosi Tobi
Britax Evolva

Britax Evolva
Maxi Cosi Tobi
Maxi Cosi Rodi (and also Graco Logico L)

Have also tried:

Maxi Cosi Priori XP
Maxi Cosi Priori XP
Maxi Cosi Rodi

I can happily fit in 3 kids, 3 adults and a powertwin plus nappy bags and a picnic (or 3 kids, 4 adults and a maclaren).

Nippers and other side by side prams take up more width in the boot so that would be more of a squeeze with 3 adults - I've only ever had a Nipper with 2 adults and 3 kids - but then there is tonnes of room spare in the boot on top of the pram.

I keep a Powertwin in the car because it is perfect for all doorways and can go either in the boot or in the passenger seat.

I have to say that we all love the verso, plus the t-spirit model has dvd player and t.v. screens in the headrests.

we have a vw touran - it just fits 3 car seats across the back (anything narrower didn't when we tried). It also has 2 fold down seats in the boot, which are handy for transporting extra kids (eg play dates after school). When those seats are down there is a huge boot - great for double pushchairs etc.

Diesel fuel econ is about 50-55mpg (country and a road driving - country lanes only is about 45mpg).

by the way the seats we have are high backed boosters (my twins are 7). I expected them to be narrower than the stage before (which fitted 3 across the back in the mazda premacy I had then), but they are actually wider !

I would beg, steal or borrow a selection of car seats that you are likely to be using in the next 2-3 years and take them to try out (we did that and the car sales man thought we were mad !). But it is really the bottom line - if you can't fit them all in then the car is not much use.

BTW in the Verso you can also have two car seats and an adult comfortably in the middle row.

On family visits quite often my dad goes in the back row with DS1 and they chatter away. Meanwhile my mum goes in the middle row with the twins and keeps them entertained.

If DH is not with us then powertwin goes in the passenger seat. If DH with us then we manage with a back carrier or Maclaren.

I love this car so much maybe I should get a job with Toyota!!!

Good advice throckenholt we took 3 car seats with us when we bought the Verso - otherwise it is a very expensive mistake!

we have a mercedes A class which has integrated booster seats in the back and have managed a variety of 3 carseats across the back. Equally if you wanted more boot room the B class is like an estate version of the A class