|
The problem is most normal "5" seater cars can't cope with 3 child seats across the back. Bigger cars or MPV's may be better eg Citroen C4 Picasso (&Grand), Ford S Max / Galaxy, Peugeot 5008, Renault Scenic (&Grand), VW Touran/Sharan, Seat Alhambra.
Beware most SUV's tend to be smaller across the back seat and have titchy boots.
Edited by Big John on 06/04/2021 at 19:27
|
Vauxhall Combo Life 1.2 petrol
Citroen Berlingo 1.2 petrol
Peugeot Rifter 1.2 petrol
All 3 are essentially the same vehicle with the Vauxhall as the budget end and the Peugeot as the posh end
Masses of space, can get bikes in the boot, nice high ride, robust, low insurance and reliable.
For 10k you will find a 19 plate 1.2 petrol one of the above.
On Autotrader, for under £10k there is precisely one example nationwide. A Combo Life, and it is a diesel. Up the budget to £11k and there are 15 Combo Life's (of which 10 are petrol), no new shape Berlingo's and one Rifter (a petrol).
If the OP does not need space for 3 child seats, then an estate version of a Golf sized car would be fine.
|
|
The motorpoint Combo Life 69 plate 1.2 petrol looks a bargain
|
|
|
If the OP does not need space for 3 child seats, then an estate version of a Golf sized car would be fine.
Given the modern requirement for some sort of a booster cushion until possibly age 12 I'd have thought that at least a short period of three child seats was more or less inevitable. I travelled occasionally in the middle rear seat of a Citroen BX between a seven year old and a five year old in booster seats. It's a good job I'm pretty slight for a bloke.
OTOH we got three adolescents 17, 15 & 13 in the back of a facelifted Mk1 Berlingo comfortably and for long distances.
|
|
Surprisingly difficult to find out which cars have 3 sets of Isofix points on the rear seats. There are lists out there of cars with 3 sets of Isofix points, but if you read through them, it is often the case that only two are on the rear seats, with the front passenger seat also being included. Also, the cars which are listed as having 3 sets on the rear seats, it doesn't say if those cars have always had them, or if they were added at a facelift. For example, I found it stated that the VW Touran has 3 sets, but pics of a 2012 car on Autotrader (the youngest petrol Touran listed for £10k) suggest that it is only the two outer seats which have Isofix.
What definitely does have 3 sets on the rear seats are the Citroen C4 Picasso and the Grand C4 Picasso. This can clearly be seen in the pics of used versions. Youngest C4 Picasso on Autotrader for £10k is 2017, that is the 1.2 turbo petrol. The Grand C4 Picasso would be a year older with the same engine.
|
|
My motto was 2's company 3's a people carrier. We stopped at 2!
I think you could just about squeeze a small adult between 2 boosters so the 3rd booster could go in the front in a reasonable large saloon. We did this a few times in a Mazda6. The question is how long before the first child is able to go without a booster?
|
|
I have 3 kids, when eldest was 3, twins then arrived! Wife’s Focus was changed for a 3 year old Honda FRV which had 3 seats up front and three in the back. It was a fantastic car which we called the ‘Tardis’. Kept it for 7 years then got a Toyota Verso which again has three individual rear seats and two small kid seats that fold up from the boot. The three individual seats in the rear make the difference so nobody has to sit in the middle of a bench over a transmission tunnel. Most SUV’s have a rear bench and tiny boot seats except the Peugeot 5008 which has the three individual rear seats. I also have a Skoda Octavia estate which mostly transports my labrador!
|
I have 3 kids, when eldest was 3, twins then arrived!
Chap I worked with had 2 daughters, wife wanted to try again for a son. No son arrived, had triplets so 5 girls in the house. He bought a Transit.
|
I have 3 kids, when eldest was 3, twins then arrived!
Chap I worked with had 2 daughters, wife wanted to try again for a son. No son arrived, had triplets so 5 girls in the house. He bought a Transit.
One of my customers had a VW Transporter van which he had converted into a crew cab van. It got written off and was replaced by a Passat estate, which they had for about a year. But the Passat has now been replaced by a MWB high roof Transit crew cab van, twin rear wheels, high viz striping on the rear, and it is yellow!. That will have at least 6, but possibly 7 seats, and an absolutely enormous amount of space in the back, completely seperate thanks to a full metal bulkhead. It barely fits in the driveway, but I respect the choice hugely, to buy something like that instead of following the herd and buying a big SUV. And there is going to be no problem at all finding it in a car park (not multi-story obviously, wouldn't get under the barriers) with that colour and the fact that it literally towers over even the tallest SUV!.
|
|
|
|
I think in similar circumstances, I'd have bought a nice shed. With 6 ladies in the house, I'd be spending a lot of time outside in it :-)
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have a requirement to fit 3 full-size adults across the rear seat - previously we had a Hyundai Santa Fe where this was just possible - on one occasion we took our two grand kids in baby seats but our daughter-in-law had to perch very uncomfortably between the baby seats - there are very few cars with more rear shoulder room than a Santa Fe, all of them much more expensive.
You might find the one exception that proves the rule but basically, 3 kids in safety seats needs a 3-row car, either SUV, crossover or MPV.
Edited by RT on 07/04/2021 at 13:37
|
It is one of life's little foibles though isn't it? You pass your test at 17 and of course you want a sexy car, but you can't because it's impossible to afford and insure, so you get a little underpowered hatchback if you're lucky. You get a bit older, start to earn some money and think you'll get that cool car, but by now, you've gone and got married, got a thumping big mortgage and the first child is on the way so you end up with a much more practical, slightly larger underpowered hatchback.
More children follow, work is going ok, but every time you get a pay rise, either the kitchen needs to be replaced or you need a bigger house and a bigger mortgage, so now you've got a mundane estate or an MPV if you're lucky.
The years roll by, your wife has gone back to part time work, so you've got a little bit of disposable, but she wants an SUV so forget the sexy car again.
Then comes the kids wanting to go to university with all that costs. You hang on grimly to the aging estate and SUV until all that is over and they are self sufficient.
But then they need help with a house deposit so you put off the new car again.
They get settled, you have a bit more cash again, you start thinking about a sports car and weekends away, until one of them produces grandchildren. No room for a child seat in an MX5 is there...oh and "could you have the grandkids this weekend please Mum and Dad"...
:-(
Edited by Alby Back on 07/04/2021 at 13:49
|
|
|
there are very few cars with more rear shoulder room than a Santa Fe, all of them much more expensive.
Really?, I can think of at least one other Hyundai which has more shoulder room (and would cost less) than a Santa Fe, never mind any other makes.
You might find the one exception that p[roves the rule but basically, 3 kids in safety seats needs a 3-row car, either SUV, crossover or MPV.
Unless the 7 seater in question was absolutely huge, having one or more child in the 3rd row is going to put their safety at a greater risk were you rear ended.
Also, child seats vary in size. I just had a quick look at seats on Halfords website. The first two seats I looked at, both for the same 4-12 age range, differed in width by just under 14cm!.
|
Previously mentioned,
Motorpoint
But the 2019 69 plate 1.2 petrol
Vauxhall Combo Life
Mid spec Energy model
For £10599
You can get 3 car seats with ease across the back, not to mention a huge boot in the back.
The reason I repeat this info is because I had a conversation this morning with someone else in the same predicament who I mentioned the Combo Life deal to, they enquired but can’t get the money together until May and didn’t like the finance offer from Motorpoint.
It will more than meet your needs but you won’t get any street cred!
Edited by daveyK_UK on 07/04/2021 at 14:16
|
No room for a child seat in an MX5 is there...oh and "could you have the grandkids this weekend please Mum and Dad"...
My Mrs wanted an MX5 in the late 90's as a toy (jealous of the Caterham) but whilst the 2 of us and the dog fitted it was simply not sensible at the time.
Move onto about 2010 and it seemed feasible so we went and looked again. Model had changed and once in we could not get out due to the enormously wide cills and arthritis.
Too late now even though we can afford one easilly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
