A car for three children - what do you have?

[popsycal]

We need a new car anyway so are considering getting something bigger in a few months time all being well.

We want a car that will last us as the children get bigger - ds1 will be 6 and ds2 will be 3.5 when next one arrives. Am thinking that by this time, ds2 will be on a booster seat with a back (and maybe a 5 point harness one) by this time. Baby seat has a base.

So:

• three kids comfortably in the back
• decent safety
• personal views on what you have found reliable etc

For the record, we currently have a peugeot 307 which we HATE and have forked out a small fortune in the 3 years that we have had it.

Thanks in advance!

bump

We have a c max and three children and can fit three seats in, is a tight squeeze, but as they get bigger and use booster seats will be a lot easier.

Has a good size boot and IMO lovely to drive.

I have 5yo twins and a 5mo baby.

we have test driven (?) a Citroen c4 picasso which is a strong contender and this weekend we are test driving a VW touran. Also considered a Toyota verso, but the Citroen and VW seem to get the most recommendations. The Citroen has 3 isofix seats in the back which is a big plus for me, plus it has won lots of awards. But I like the interior of the touran better, and it has 7 seats. So we are still trying to decide......

We have a Grand Scenic.

One big baby seat and one booster in the back and plenty of room for big sister in the middle, who doesn't have a booster any more. Plus it has 2 fold-away seats in the very big boot for extra people.

Great safety features - one of the best in its class I believe, and very comfortable to drive.

oooh thanks...i am making a list

Fiat Multipla - it can sit six adults comfortably and it still has a massive boot.

I lurve mine!!

Hard to suggest what might be best not knowing your budget but I can understand why you might not want to post that!

Our requirements were safe, reliable, low maintenance car for three under 4 with boot big enough for pushchair and beach paraphenalia.

We chose a Seat Alhambra - took 8 months of test driving pretty much everything to make that choice. They are the same as the Ford Galaxy and VW Sharan in the main but you get more for your money spec wise. Good safety, good reliablilty, drives like a normal car and is very manouverable. You can get a diesel from about 4K (T reg age,), good newer models with low mileage (02 plate and younger) for 8K and lots of scope between the two price bands) Petrols are thirsty. Galaxys come at about the same price but with a lower spec and sometimes higher parts costs, Sharans are more expensive because they are a VW . The engines are the same, diffs are on bodywork, light clusters etc.

If you are happy to go down a MPV route then the Alhambra is definitely worth looking at. Avoid the chrysler voyager - incredibly unsafe. Avoid imported deisel Toyota Previas/Lucidas/Estimas - poor reliablity re head gasket. Check out Parkers reviews to get a good idea of what is going to suit you best. www.parkers.co.uk/. Insurance is higher on anything with 7 seats so bear that in mind.

If you want a smaller car then avoid Renaults (poor reliablity record). Citroens are cheap to buy, build quality not fab though, reliability better than renaults.

hth - parkers website is good resource though.

mumwhereareyou - thats reassuring about the cmax we have just bought one, will have 4yo DD1, 2 1/2 DD2 in stage 2 car seats and a bay in a baby seat am planning to go to Halfords and get them to fit one. Once baby is out of baby seat it will get DD1's seat adn DD1 will be in a booster (will be alsmost 5 byt then).

We're looking to get a Multipla ASAP - have only heard good things about it.

Popsycal - have you been hiding or have I just not been looking? Congratulations btw - we're expecting no3 too with v similar age gaps to you.

oooh lots of good tips!!

i have been hiding a little
well, lurking more

Ford S Max - I love it and apparently voted best car for 3+ dc's in various sad car magazines that dp always reads

I do love the look of the Fiat Multipla though

Vauxhall Vectra Estate. Big enough for 3 teens now and certainly for all the paraphinalia of littlies. This one has gone round the clock mileage wise with no problems.

Congrats BTW Have I missed an announcement from you popsy - or am I just losing my perimenopausal mind?

er it wasnt an announcement as such......more of an OMG

We have a Mazda 5 and it is fab. Easier in the back now that the eldest (8) is tall enough to be off his booster, but still possible with 3 as long as you get a slimline booster for the middle seat, which is very narrow.

I like it because it is technically an MPV, so has two seats in the boot that fold flat, but it doesn't drive like one. I would have been hopeless with a big car as I have no spatial awareness whatsoever. It is long and thin rather than short and fat like the Verso, so you can still drive down narrow streets with a degree of confidence.

All seats fold flat so none of this taking them out and leaving them on the drive lark if you need a trip to Ikea. It does have a very tiny boot when all 7 seats are in use, but then so do most MPVs.

Also - HUGE plus - it has sliding doors in the back so the kids don't bash them against concrete posts/other cars when you're parked in a tight spot.

Downsides: fuel economy is not great; can take a while for the heating to wake up on very cold days.

We have a Skoda Octavia and love it!

lol popsy Hope you're feeling OK anyway.

We have a Toyota Corolla Verso for our 3yo and 7mo twins. LOVE it and the boot holds a double buggy and everything else we need comfortably.

Aunt has Multipla and while the cabin space is fab, I find the boot small in it.

oh gosh twins!!
the thought hadnt crossed my mind unitl now.....

have presented dh wih the list.....

anymore to add on?

this is really helpful - thanks

we had a 1.3 Ford Escort. Got 3 kids in, me n DH, 2 dogs plus camping equipment. We couldn't actually move of course...

Honda FR-V. We have one in a booster, one in a stage 2 and one in a Stage 1. All fit with ease plus space for a random granny or friend in the front if needs be.

Great car TBH, really well equipped, not a people carrier and still has decent boot.

Dh drives an A4 esate and we can just fit the three in the back - just and there is very little skin left on my knuckles when the belts are done.

Congratulations BTW.

I love my (Xsara) Picasso. We are currently using 2 Boosters + Britax Rennaissance (previously Graco autobaby + base). THe C4 Picasso looks even better.

Bigger than the Scenic, but a little more plasticy inside. THe fixtures and fittings seem a little prone to advanced wear and tear, but hey I paid less than £9K for it brand new and was mid spec so I am not complaining - I got what I paid for. The Scenic/Touran would have been £4K+ more for same spec. Mechanically it has been absolutely fine.

Be careful about 7 seaters if you go that way. You can't put carseats in the back row on some of them - or at least there are very few seats which will go on back seat.

Also My SIL had a v v v bad experience with an Alhambra. She was told she wasn't alone with her problems.

We have a C4 Grand Picasso (and would recommend it). Fits 3 carseats in back as it has 3 separate seats which you can move forward/backwards, all independently. Bit of a bugger to clip them in, but only because of the positioning of the buckle. Has the added advantage of the two fold-down seats in the boot. Very nice looking car, I'm sure it would be lovely to drive if our previous car hadn't been a stunning Audi A6 ...

people i know in RL rate the picasso - dh hates the way it looks.

am working on him
we want a good deal for our money tbh - so safety and reliabilty above ''pretty'
well that is my opinion and dh will agree eventually