{"id":1277,"date":"2021-05-19T21:43:06","date_gmt":"2021-05-19T21:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/s37407.p1377.sites.pressdns.com\/resources\/whats-the-best-car-option-for-a-three-kid-fa\/"},"modified":"2021-05-19T21:43:06","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T21:43:06","slug":"whats-the-best-car-option-for-a-three-kid-fa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/whats-the-best-car-option-for-a-three-kid-fa\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s the Best Car Option for a Three-Kid Family?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">My husband and I are about to become outnumbered. We have two beautiful little girls at home, and I&rsquo;m expecting again! Sure emotions are flying all over the place, but there&rsquo;s just one thing that is completely freaking me out: We&rsquo;re never going to fit three car seats in our sedan.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">So, last weekend we looked at our finances and decided it&rsquo;s time our primary mode of transportation grew in line with our family. An RV is out of the question, so that leaves a minivan, medium SUV or a large SUV. I did a bunch of research (with a little help from<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/usnews.rankingsandreviews.com\/cars-trucks\/rankings\/Minivans\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\"> <\/span>here<\/a><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">), and here&rsquo;s what I found:<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Minivan<\/strong><br><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">The interior of a 2016 Kia Sedona<br>Sliding doors are a game changer!<\/span><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/280278776786528710\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/AndrewK70-201610202110179652.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Flexible seating allows for trunk space growth<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Sliding doors that stay open while I&rsquo;m holding groceries, my purse, a diaper bag and, oh yeah, a kid; plus, no worries about banging car doors in the parking lot (uh, not that I do that!)<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Spacious enough for my kids&rsquo; most important travel toys<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">A lot of head space makes it easy to get kids in and out of car seats<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Low enough to the ground for older kids to climb in by themselves<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Easy to get to the third row<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><em>:<\/em><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">The stigma of owning a &ldquo;Soccer Mom&rdquo; vehicle<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Can be hard to park what&rsquo;s basically a big box on wheels<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Most are front-wheel drive only, so it&rsquo;s not great for driving in the snow (Check out the Toyota Sienna if you need all-wheel drive)<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Number of Seats Total:<\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\"> 7-8, depending if you add an optional middle seat to the second row.<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Trunk space: <\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">With all three rows upright, I can load a double stroller and a month&rsquo;s worth of groceries in the trunk. And with the two back rows down, I&rsquo;d be able to haul two 4-foot-tall dressers.<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Industry Favorites: <\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, and Chrysler Town &amp; Country<\/span><\/p><p><strong>3-Row Medium SUV<\/strong><br><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">2016 Toyota Highlander<br>How sweet will this mom look driving that at pickup?<\/span><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/399835273147058092\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/AndrewK70-201610202110594320.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">I look pretty sweet in the driver&rsquo;s seat<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Bigger than a sedan without being as huge as a minivan or large SUV<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Easier to park than a minivan or large SUV<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Three car seats across the middle row is a tight squeeze, and not easy for an infant car seat, which would have to go in the middle seat and wouldn&rsquo;t be a smooth process getting in and out<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">With two car seats in the middle row, it&rsquo;s not so easy accessing the back row to put a third kid in his car seat. If oldest child can buckle herself, that could help, but will need the bucket seats for easy access<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Not much storage room when all three rows are used<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Third row is tight, which makes it tough to seat anyone older than a tween<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Number of Seats total:<\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\"> 7-8<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Trunk space: <\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">With all three rows upright, I can barely fit a week&rsquo;s worth of groceries! But if I keep the second row as a bench, I could keep the third row down until we have playdates.<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Industry Favorites: <\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Hyundai Santa Fe, GMC Acadia, Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Nissan Pathfinder, Dodge Durango<\/span><\/p><p><strong>3-Row Large SUV<\/strong><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">2016 Chevy Tahoe<br>Taking all 3 little ones camping? Priceless!<\/span><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/432345632956590387\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/AndrewK70-201610202110105322.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/strong><br><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Higher tow-capacity than minivans, so if I had a boat, I could easily haul it!<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">4-wheel drive handles bad weather and poor road conditions<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">I&rsquo;ll look like a Boss at school pick-up<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Seats older kids and their friends comfortably<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">With a higher height, I can see more of the road<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">My little ones might have trouble stepping in and out of it<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">The overall higher height makes it awkward to take out or put in portable car seats<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">Like parallel parking wasn&rsquo;t tough enough in a sedan!<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Number of Seats total: <\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">7 to 8<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Trunk space: <\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">With the third row upright, I can get a kid&rsquo;s bike inside. With the back row down, I could pile in the groceries and a stroller, plus little league equipment. Okay, okay, so I&rsquo;m getting ahead of myself!<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Industry Favorites:<\/strong><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\"> Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon XL, Ford Expedition, Infiniti QX80, Toyota Sequoia<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Big Deciding Factors:<\/strong><br><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">Between the the vehicle types, it really came down to a few simple factors:<\/span><\/p><ul><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">My kids&rsquo; ages<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">My willingness to be seen driving a minivan<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\"><p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"background-color:transparent\">My driving schedule and storage needs<\/span><br>&nbsp;<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">Ultimately, because my kids are little, and since I&rsquo;ll need to fit in three car seats, travel toys, diapers and pack-and-plays all at once, the minivan is the clear winner. Sure, I may not look as cool as other moms, but the convenience will make me happier. And maybe I&rsquo;ll just lease it &mdash; so there&rsquo;s an expiration date on the mom-van.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"background-color:transparent; font-family:arial; font-size:16px\">What car type would you choose?<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My husband and I are about to become outnumbered. We have two beautiful little girls at home, and I&#8217;m expecting again! Sure emotions are flying all over the place, but there&#8217;s just one thing that is completely freaking me out: We&#8217;re never going to fit three car seats in our sedan. So, last weekend we <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/whats-the-best-car-option-for-a-three-kid-fa\/\">Read more&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":948,"featured_media":7717,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":false,"care_reviewed_by":0,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"","last_update":"2021-05-19","view_count":5490,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"member-type":[4],"vertical":[6,17,13],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-1277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","member-type-all","vertical-children","vertical-child-care-advice","vertical-kids-health-safety","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/948"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1277"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1277\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1277"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=1277"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=1277"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=1277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}