Modern estate with 3 kids seats

[DRCAGE]

Customer at work is looking for a new or nearly new estate car that can take 3 kids seats, he seems to think he needs a MPV, but would prefer an estate. He has tried a few with no luck so far.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.

[surveyor]

an MPV....Have you seen the size of car seats! - even the largest estate will struggle I think.

S-max is a decent compromise.

[miniman]

Superb?

Any estate car with one of these? www.multimac.co.uk

[wal 45]

Been through this nightmare recently to replace the Zafira and tried literally everything, just about every new or recent estate car now just isn't built for 3 across the back. Generally the middle seat has a stupid pull down thing that makes the centre seat uncomfortable. A lot also have moulded outer seats that also make the centre seat pretty unusable, if it isn't this then the transmission tunnel intrudes (BMW etc).

The only cars we found that would fit the children without them moaning was the newish Skoda Octavia saloon (but must be low spec and not estate), Toyota Avensis and Alfa 159 SW. Chose the Alfa in the end and while it is still tight just about does the job.

Think to be honest if these choices aren't palatable then MPV is the only option I'm afraid.

[miniman]

wal 45 said:

Think to be honest if these choices aren't palatable then MPV is the only option I'm afraid.

Or...

[Mr E]

Pretty sure we'd struggle to get 3 conventional kiddy seats in the Merc, and estates don't get much bigger than that.
There's no isofix in the middle anyway...

[Watchman]

Previous model E-class estate has 3 rows of seats (if that would do) but I don't know if there are any Isofix fittings in the 3rd row. I'd suggest probably not but you could always fix the child seats in place with the belts.

[fathomfive]

Smax.

[Mr_S]

What about a BMW 3 series GT, much more spacious in the back that a regular 3 series.

[Crush]

You can fit three across the middle row in the discovery 3/4

[wal 45]

Mr_S said:

What about a BMW 3 series GT, much more spacious in the back that a regular 3 series.

Transmission tunnel intrudes in all the BMW's we tried, the new FWD thing should be alright though. Good call with the off road stuff but not sure if that was what the OP was after, did find a few of the pretend off road stuff (Qashqai etc) too small in the back though as well.

A newish Mercedes estate was number one on the list but unfortunately same problems as all the other estates we tried. Seems as if manufacturers are pushing customers towards their bigger MPV/Off road stuff now, which is a shame if you need the space but not the image/expense.