@barnabas17 I love our minivan. We got the Honda Odyssey that has those "magic/sliding" seats in the second row. So nice to get our oldest in a booster to the back seat while the 15 month olds are still in base+car seat. Not having to fold the seats down was the ultimate deciding factor
SUV for tall husband with second row a/c and good gas mileage
@tdear25 We're in a similar boat, minus the 6'4 part. I'll tell you this - strongly consider going ahead and ensuring there's a third row. We have not been able to find a two-row SUV that can support a third seat/booster. Our Nissan Rogue is loved - we love it so much - but we need 2 boosters and a car seat and it just wont fit. I tested three seats in a new Chevy Blazer and i couldn't get them to fit either. I just dont think it's possible. Our favorites were the Pathfinder, Acadia, Traverse, and Explorer. Though, if you're really ballin' the Nissan Armada was super nice. Kia and Hyundai have models that appear to be great and have crazy long warranties, but they are priced accordingly.
Id stay away from the "compact" third row. Compare the VW Tiguan to the GMC Acadia, with the 3rd row seats in sitting position, and youll see what I mean. There's considerably less storage space in the back, and the 3rd row leg room is really cramped.
Get a sitter and go to Carmax and spend a morning just walking around looking at different models. They usually have almost everything so you can just browse them all in person. Don't fall in love with one there, cause you can probably work a better deal somewhere else.
Minivans are Niiiiiiiiiice.
Get a power liftgate! youll thank me. That usually means the 2nd-best Trim Level for each model. Which fortunately means it comes with a ton of other nice features. If you're getting a power liftgate, you're getting most every other good feature.
We are actually holding out for the electric trucks next year, if we can survive that long. If you want a truck at all, it's worth considering because they are the exception to "two rows wont fit three kid seats." And most of them now you can fit a ton of stuff in the back cab.
Id stay away from the "compact" third row. Compare the VW Tiguan to the GMC Acadia, with the 3rd row seats in sitting position, and youll see what I mean. There's considerably less storage space in the back, and the 3rd row leg room is really cramped.
Get a sitter and go to Carmax and spend a morning just walking around looking at different models. They usually have almost everything so you can just browse them all in person. Don't fall in love with one there, cause you can probably work a better deal somewhere else.
Minivans are Niiiiiiiiiice.
Get a power liftgate! youll thank me. That usually means the 2nd-best Trim Level for each model. Which fortunately means it comes with a ton of other nice features. If you're getting a power liftgate, you're getting most every other good feature.
We are actually holding out for the electric trucks next year, if we can survive that long. If you want a truck at all, it's worth considering because they are the exception to "two rows wont fit three kid seats." And most of them now you can fit a ton of stuff in the back cab.
@asvin Okay, going to Carmax with a measuring tape sounds brilliant! Thanks for the encouragement to get a third row. We definitely do not want more than our two kiddos, but we live close to a lot of family so I’m sure there’ll be a time we’d want more seating.
My husband is dying for the new Ford Lightning! I hate driving his truck though, I’m too small to drive it comfortably, it gets terrible gas mileage, and my work parking garage is really tight.
My husband is dying for the new Ford Lightning! I hate driving his truck though, I’m too small to drive it comfortably, it gets terrible gas mileage, and my work parking garage is really tight.
@tdear25 I'm 6'8“ tall, and our first parent car was a Subaru Forester. It's been great. It can fit 3 kids in car seats in the rear seat, and has plenty of room for me in the driver's seat. It gets 27 mpg on the highway and is fun to drive, too.
The only downside for me is sitting in the passenger seat with a rear facing car seat behind it is uncomfortable as i would have to sacrifice my legroom for the car seat to fit. This isn't a huge problem for short trips, but impractical for long trips. What it meant most of the time is that I would drive.
Another option is the slightly larger Subaru Ascent, but it doesn't get as good of gas mileage.
Also, our second parent car is a Honda Odyssey which has also been great, but it doesn't have as much legroom/headroom in the driver's seat. Minivans really are great, though, as they can fit SO much stuff.
The only downside for me is sitting in the passenger seat with a rear facing car seat behind it is uncomfortable as i would have to sacrifice my legroom for the car seat to fit. This isn't a huge problem for short trips, but impractical for long trips. What it meant most of the time is that I would drive.
Another option is the slightly larger Subaru Ascent, but it doesn't get as good of gas mileage.
Also, our second parent car is a Honda Odyssey which has also been great, but it doesn't have as much legroom/headroom in the driver's seat. Minivans really are great, though, as they can fit SO much stuff.
@mathias36 Hmmm, thanks for your note. You’re taller but my husband and I split driving responsibilities so he needs to be comfortable in either seat and our twins are still in rear-facing. I’ll check out the Ascent as well.