med-size cars w/ opotional 3rd row

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
We have an "opportunity" to replace our '07 Matrix, which we love(d), but are debating a size upgrade.
This is Wife's car.
Have a 5.5 y/o and one on the way. We both prefer smaller cars, she is only 5' tall and isn't a fan of big (e.g. SUV) vehicles. Really don't want a van, we're fighting the "soccer mom" image tooth and nail.

The problem isn't the 4 of us, it's that now w/ car seats being so big, and the laws about where kids can ride, if you ever need to carry another adult, or to pick up a kid's friend, you can forget it in a Matrix or any mid-sized sedan/hatch, no way you'd get 3 across the back seat.

Looking for suggestions/ideas on cars that have an optional 3rd row seat or may (??) be big enough to actually fit 3 across the back (doubful I know). Key is, not a big SUV or a van.

In the olden days, you could get a med-sized station wagon w/ trundle in the back. That would be perfect. Too bad Subie dosn't make such a thing for Foresters or Outbacks.

Currently eyeing Mazda5 (may be too van-esque?), Toy Highlander (my preference but pricy?) or Kia Rondo (great reviews - but cheap?).
 
my wife swore up/down she would never drive a mini-van...guess what she loves to drive now...Grand Caravan. When we found out our second kid was gonna be the 2 for 1 special, we decided the XJ was not gonna cut it, and took the minivan plunge. For loading kids in carseats, you can't beat the door sliding out of the way and having full access.
 
RenegadeT said:
my wife swore up/down she would never drive a mini-van...guess what she loves to drive now...Grand Caravan. When we found out our second kid was gonna be the 2 for 1 special, we decided the XJ was not gonna cut it, and took the minivan plunge. For loading kids in carseats, you can't beat the door sliding out of the way and having full access.
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we know. We know they're easier, more practical, nowadays get decent MPGs, good motors, actually fun to drive... it's totally just the whole "I don't want to be a guy driving a minivan" thing.

And it's just hard to justify w/ only 2 kids. 95% of the time, a good old sedan/hatch is fine.
 
My Parents Picked up a '09 Hyudai SantaFe. Seems to be pretty good. Comfy ride, 3rd row. They got it with about 30K on the clock for right at $20K and fully loaded.
 
That Mazda 5 is a piece of shit. I had a rental one a little while ago, and even for a rental I hated the thing. I felt like I was riding in a dustbuster on a train track.

I hate that you can't buy something decently sized that has 3rd row seating. With our second kiddie due in 5 weeks my wife and I were talking about how our Trailblazer is going to be tight if we ever take any of the boys' friends anywhere.

She doesn't want a Burb, I don't want a minivan.

We're buying a schoolbus. :lol:
 
Just saw you like the highlanders. New one or the older style? My girl has the last body style and honestly I hate it. It runs like new at 70k but the seats suck, everything is cheap looking, and it feels like you are driving a wind up toy around. The new ones are pretty sick inside but 30+k on a wind up toy is alil strong in my opinion. If it doesn't have half decent sized seats in the back there is really no point of 3rd row seating. I had the same dilemna about 3rd row but with the smaller vehicles you either have the 3rd row/no storage at ALL or you have the storage and no 3rd row. Like hey kids you can all hop in but throw your $h!t on the roof
 
Hm, didn't know the CX7 had a 3rd row option.
Same for Santa Fe.
Will look into those.

Blaze said:
I hate that you can't buy something decently sized that has 3rd row seating. With our second kiddie due in 5 weeks my wife and I were talking about how our Trailblazer is going to be tight if we ever take any of the boys' friends anywhere.
She doesn't want a Burb, I don't want a minivan.
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Soudns like we're in te hsame boat.

hadfield4wd said:
The car for 4 people is a good excuse not to haul other people kids around.
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I'm guessing you don't have kids.

By far the best "babysitter" is to have over a good playmate for our son. They play by themselves for hours, we can actually do our own stuff and leave them alone.
Picking up the friend is worth every bit of it.
 
RatLabGuy said:
we know. We know they're easier, more practical, nowadays get decent MPGs, good motors, actually fun to drive... it's totally just the whole "I don't want to be a guy driving a minivan" thing.
And it's just hard to justify w/ only 2 kids. 95% of the time, a good old sedan/hatch is fine.
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I know you know...just wanted to be first to post the obvious, get it out of the way from the beginning :flipoff2:
 
What is it about tanks that turn you off? I mean if you are buying a 35k dollar riceburner you could buy a semi tank with 3rd row, pocket 15k, and let that pay for the gas. I mean I fully understand the no minivan idea but when you start popping out mini's bigger=better
 
raleighjeepguy said:
What is it about tanks that turn you off? I mean if you are buying a 35k dollar riceburner you could buy a semi tank with 3rd row, pocket 15k, and let that pay for the gas. I mean I fully understand the no minivan idea but when you start popping out mini's bigger=better
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??? who said anything about buying a 35k car? We plan to spend half that or less. Used of course.

My WIFE, who will be the primary driver, dos not like driving BIG vehicles. That is her choice, since it will mostly be her car.
If it were up to me, it's be a 4 door Titan, so I could also get a toy hauler out of it.
 
The girlfriend and i looked at a Honda Pilot the other day (she loves her honda's, especially her CRV) its got the 3rd row and is smaller than my tahoe. But it still has plenty of room for 3 kids/ 2adults in the back row. Gets decent Fuel economy and is still mid sized SUV.
 
the kia rondo is a good car. I have been selling them since they came out. the 3rd row is an option. but the kids are all thats going to fit in the 3rd row. I have 1 new 09 model left. big rebate
 
oh yeah dont forget the traverse!
 
I would prefer a 74 Coupe Deville, more than plenty of room for kids and 502 c.i. under the hood and enough room in the trunk for two large bodies and gas milage isn,t too bad until ya crank it!
 
RatLabGuy said:
. it's totally just the whole "I don't want to be a guy driving a minivan" thing.
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:rolleyes:

An absolute crock of :poop: if ever I've heard it!

Translation: I'm hip, I'm young, I'm...


so pigheaded, I'd rather have a tooth pulled than get a cavity filled and also willing to spend 3x the cost of the most practical vehicle for our use (you guessed it, a mimi-van!) just to pump my ego!

You'd fit in with the rest of the "moms" in a mimi-van sportin' that scraggly ponytail! :flipoff2:
 
Dave,
Has the DW ever driven say a Tahoe, Expedition or similar?
When Kylie came along my wife was firmly in the no tank or minivan camp, planned to sell my F350 and her camaro and reorganize...long story short we ended up with a loaned Tahoe from the Chevy dealership while the Camaro had a recall performed...now 2 yukon's, 1 tahoe and an expedition later she wont give it up...

All I am saying is you owe it to yourself to go test drive one if she never has....they really are amazingly car like, have 3 real rows and can actually haul something...
 
^ Agreed!
 
my boss had a suburban with a 5.3 07 or 08 not sure and it got 1 mpg less than his new pilot. i dont care what the window says hondas v6 sucks gas.
 
johnnymac said:
What about a truck? I hauled 3 kids, 2 in car seats, the third in a booster in a 4 door 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 4 door pick up. Gas was okay, only paid like $17k or so...
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I think you missed the part where I said "she dosn't like big vehicles"...
If it were my choice it's be a 4 dr Titan!

Highlander and Pilot have been nixxed, once she pulled the seat up (5' tall) she's not comfortable. It seems most SUVs are like that, not really made for short people.

Santa Fe is possible, need to find a used one to drive (they discontinued the 3rd row).
She really likes the Mazda5, comfy etc. That may be the ticket. Yeah, kinda cheap car but at least its fun to drive (for a mini- minivan).

And I've come to terms w/ the idea of having a van (esp once I realized it could be a great tool for hardware stor runs), but wife still wants something fairly "small". I'm going to see if I can find any smaller vans that she'll dig.
 
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