1 series 5 door hatch - viable for kids?
Discussion
Test drove a 120d M Sport yesterday and really liked it, and that was coming from a 335d.
The Mrs and I have a 17 month old, and the car will be with us for 2 years at a minimum, with possibly another nipper in that time.
Is it a viable car for couple plus child, plus baby?
I am 6'6" so legroom is tight behind me, but I think it can work.
Am I being mad?! It will be also be used for work, so relatively frequent long journeys. My experience from having one over a weekend was that it would be fine on a long run, any to the contaray?
The Mrs and I have a 17 month old, and the car will be with us for 2 years at a minimum, with possibly another nipper in that time.
Is it a viable car for couple plus child, plus baby?
I am 6'6" so legroom is tight behind me, but I think it can work.
Am I being mad?! It will be also be used for work, so relatively frequent long journeys. My experience from having one over a weekend was that it would be fine on a long run, any to the contaray?
We had one as a hire car in Mallorca in May
The boot is tiny for one thing. You might just about manage with one sprog and a compact pushchair- but with either an infant (i.e travel system) and/or a toddler as well it would be a nightmare.
I think a Golf/A3 would be the minimum size needed.
The boot is tiny for one thing. You might just about manage with one sprog and a compact pushchair- but with either an infant (i.e travel system) and/or a toddler as well it would be a nightmare.
I think a Golf/A3 would be the minimum size needed.
I had an A3 and then the 120d, the boot in the 120d is more useable than the A3.
You could get a buggy in the back and shopping, but two buggies would be a struggle, so I guess it depends on the age of the second child.
I have done a couple of 3000 mile journeys in the 120d and it was great, every bit as good as the 535d, in fact as a passenger in te front I prefered it as he seats are much better, same as the 3 series, if you spec sport seats.
You could get a buggy in the back and shopping, but two buggies would be a struggle, so I guess it depends on the age of the second child.
I have done a couple of 3000 mile journeys in the 120d and it was great, every bit as good as the 535d, in fact as a passenger in te front I prefered it as he seats are much better, same as the 3 series, if you spec sport seats.
We've got a 3 door 130i which we occasionally use as a family car, we have a 3 month old. It's fine but you have to pack quite carefully - will depend quite a lot on what buggy you have, although you can get in all in if you need to. You will have to make sure the baby seat is behind the passenger though as the seat can't go that far back with a child seat behind.
I have a 335d and my wife has a 120d 5 door. We have an 8 month old.
The 120d is fine and we often take it. The only issue is the room if you have a 0-9 month rear facing child seat. This can't be behind me when driving as the child seat hits the back of the drivers seat. I'm 5' 11". My wife is much shorter and can sit in the passenger seat with our little one behind her. I can't sit in the passenger seat with the child seat behind me.
As soon as we swap to a forward facing child seat I think we will be fine, but at the moment we can't really use it if I'm not driving. Boot space isn't a problem and in some ways more practical than my 335d saloon boot. Could be tight if going on holiday in it, but I think we would have the same problem in the 335d.
Rich
PS, 120d is as good on a long journey as the 335d, with much better economy (120d only has the base stereo which is the only -ve!)
The 120d is fine and we often take it. The only issue is the room if you have a 0-9 month rear facing child seat. This can't be behind me when driving as the child seat hits the back of the drivers seat. I'm 5' 11". My wife is much shorter and can sit in the passenger seat with our little one behind her. I can't sit in the passenger seat with the child seat behind me.
As soon as we swap to a forward facing child seat I think we will be fine, but at the moment we can't really use it if I'm not driving. Boot space isn't a problem and in some ways more practical than my 335d saloon boot. Could be tight if going on holiday in it, but I think we would have the same problem in the 335d.
Rich
PS, 120d is as good on a long journey as the 335d, with much better economy (120d only has the base stereo which is the only -ve!)
Edited by rich325 on Friday 21st August 20:44
CR0X said:
my wife is 5'5" so sounds similar.
The little un in a forward facing seat fits behind me in the 3, and in a V50 which I have for the w/e, with neither having much legroom behind me.
It sounds like it might just be feasible!
I think you'd just have to make sure that if you had a second, the baby seat was behind your wife. If you're wife had been any taller I'd have suggested you tried it out somehow..The little un in a forward facing seat fits behind me in the 3, and in a V50 which I have for the w/e, with neither having much legroom behind me.
It sounds like it might just be feasible!
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