Concerned about driving long distance with a full car

[IfyouStealMySunshine]

I drive a Vauxhall corsa and am travelling 7.5 hours away for a family reunion.
coming home the car will have 5 passengers (including me) everyone has a seatbelt but I’m worried that it would be overloaded. One is a child, one is a 13 stone man and other 3 are all women around 8, 9 and 11 stone.
I’ve said I can only take a small bag home each and relatives will bring the rest back the next day.

Should I be worried about weight/capacity? It’s legally allowed of course I’m just concerned it will put strain on the car.

It’s not going to be massively comfortable for the passengers in the back especially if the child is in a bulky car seat. Otherwise of course it’s fine. The car wouldn’t have 5 seats if it weren’t safe to use them…

It will be fine. A quick google says Corsas can carry about 550kg which is the equivalent of 5 adults each weighing 17 stone.

Not a problem weight wise. Can’t say I’d want to be squeezed into a Corsa with 4 other people to travel 7.5 hours though.

I mean, 8 hours in a Corsa isn't going to be the most comfortable journey.... Doesn't anyone else drive? Can they take the train where at least they can stretch out, take a walk, bring their own luggage? What's stopping them returning the next day in the car with their luggage?

If it's steady motorway driving then once you're on the road then car will just plod along. Fuel consumption might actually improve if you usually do short town journeys.

If it's just family pressure to transport folk who won't take the train/take an extra day annual leave for the journey just say no. DC in a car seat for 8 hours is going to be a nightmare, tell them you've decided to stop off overnight halfway.

The car will be fine. The people will be pretty uncomfortable though.

I imagine it will be pretty miserable for the passengers but the car will be fine.

Weight wise you are fine. For the people in the back, it will be a very uncomfortable journey!

Car seats are massive so sitting next to one is not going to be comfortable in a Corsa, I have had 2 of them in the past. I would be trying to persuade at least 2 people to arrange alternative transport. It is a long time to be cramped in the back.

Overloaded no but it will feel heavier in terms of increasing your speed as quickly as you do in your car when it is just you.

Here is a video (they do a later 2023 model too) of 3 adults in back of the car

Weight wise it would be fine.

Its going to be uncomfortable for those in the back though esp if the child is still of the age of needing a car seat. They always take up more than an actual seat.

OP, remember that the weight distribution will be different to how it usually is, so be aware that when you're going round corners and roundabouts that your car will behave differently to the way it does when there's only you in it, or you and a single passenger.

The car seat means you’ve only room for 4 and that won’t be very comfortable for such a long journey. As the driver it’s up to you - check your tyre pressures and take plenty of breaks.

the car will be struggling to hit 60 and visibility will be an issue. elbow room and leg room will be awful. maybe the 13 stone man catches a train instead? he’ll probably beat you without all the loo breaks you’d need anyway 🤷🏽‍♀️

What utter rubbish! How will visibility be an issue? And how will it struggle to reach 60mph? Have you ever driven a Corsa? We have 5 adults in a Corsa all heavier than the people OP mentioned and it doesn't struggle to reach 60 at all!

Agree with others, weight ok but being comfortable... this would be a no from me as a passenger, I would find alternative.

You could ask everyone to chip in and hire a 7 seater, child can sit in the "boot" that way so 2 adults on main middle will be more comfortable.

Or suggest 1 or 2 adults find another way there, even if it means you dropping at train station or airport

Check to see if there is a different recommended tyre pressure for a heavily loaded car for your model.

The car will be fine, the people will be miserable. I'm 11.5 st and 5'7 and I would be miserable on my own in the back of a corsa as leg room is pretty limited unless the driver is 5ft and sits on the steering wheel.

I drive a Corsa and couldn't imagine having 3 people in the back. I know you can, and there are seatbelts for 3, but it will be very uncomfortable for the passengers.
Could you hire a bigger car instead?

Exactly but I wouldn't want to drive 7.5 hours in a Corsa even on my own, such a tiny car, and I love doing long drives alone! You need to be aware that your petrol usage will adversely affected with such a full car and also check your tyre pressures too for the extra load.

It should be fine.
The larger man sits in the front. Child in the back.
None of the woman are particularly large. Make sure the tyres are freshly pumped with air.
I suggest the adults in the back swap window and middle seat now and again.

Has OP said the child is in any sort of car seat?

Reading between the lines is sounds like the passengers need a lift and are happy to have a bit of a squash. If they are not happy then they can find alternative transport.

You wont fit 2 adults in the back of a corsa with a car seat or high back booster, the car is too small for it. And 3 grown adults in the back seat for that amount of time would be extremely uncomfortable for them.

I honestly can’t see two people plus a child in a car seat fitting in the back 😵‍💫
There honestly just isn’t the room let alone barely any access to the seat belt in the middle for even an 8 stone woman if there’s a child’s safety seat.
Leg room is pretty tight too.
Good luck OP!

Check the condition of your tyres and they will need inflating to accommodate the additional wight. The handbook will show two figures one for normal use and a higher one fir fully loaded.

OP has not said (yet) whether the child is in a car seat.

It's also printed on driver's door jamb or the fuel filler cap.