SUVs that can fit 3 car seats across the back

[anonymous-user]

Beefmeister said:

Honestly, buy a Disco3.

Aside from the Disco4, it's the best car you can buy for the money.

(if you're looking for an SUV, obviously).

FYI, some stats:

Those widths for the RR and Q7 are incorrect.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Summary.aspx?m...
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Summary.aspx?m...

[Beefmeister]

Hmmm, may have got data a bit wrong there. From Autocar the widths are:

Q7: 1983mm
Disco3: 1915mm
X5: 1933mm
RR: 2009mm

Now these are all from road tests, and one would assume Autocar keep their method of measurement consistent (inc. mirrors or not).

[Ferg]

DeadMeat_UK said:

I mean, did you consider, for a second, before having the third, that it would reduce you to 3 ton wafty cars that can't be parked properly ?

Not necessarily.

[Biggles111]

We've got a disco and my wife loves it. It also makes a great tow car for the boat and is very comfortable, a great all rounder. It gets used on the school run for our 3, and whilst it is harder to park than say a mini, for the class of car it is pretty easy to park. Parking sensors front and rear and great mirrors make it easy. A lot of thought has gone into the design - eg the rear doors where they would touch another car have plastic outers, great in a tight space as less risk of damaging another car.

But if you are only carrying an extra child occasionally then it would be a bit OTT, if you need 4 wheel drive how about something like a new shape Freelander, an ML, or a Subaru? Check but I think you will fit three across the middle seats of any of these if you go for sensible sized child seats.

Edited by Biggles111 on Thursday 2nd September 18:44

[Godzilla]

Already got an A6 Allroad which I consider to be a big car and there is no chance of fitting 3 car seats across the back or seating an adult between 2.

Modern child car seats are just so wide and rear seats are usually biased toward seating two adults rather than three.

[Biggles111]

For what it's worth we used to have 3 child seats in the back of an old shape ML and a Merc E class. At a push we have even had 3 in the back of grandma's newish Polo. It does depend on the size of the child seats though, they do vary quite a bit even for the same age.

[Ciaran]

Biggles111 said:

For what it's worth we used to have 3 child seats in the back of an old shape ML and a Merc E class. At a push we have even had 3 in the back of grandma's newish Polo. It does depend on the size of the child seats though, they do vary quite a bit even for the same age.

In relation to the ML, was that 3 full size baby seats or booster seats? In the same situation as the OP although budget would be less.

[anniesdad]

Our Disco 3 (soon to be replaced with 4) workhorse is ideal for our family. We've got 3 (eldest 8, youngest 1) and the middle row (all individual seats) swallow our 3 with ease. You could always use one (or both) of the bootspace seats also as it's a true 7 seater. Its a big car but not overly so. Also the 3 middle row seats have a flat profile so car seats sit on them quite well, a problem if the car has bucket type seats (Q7?).

Edited by anniesdad on Thursday 2nd September 21:47

[Waugh-terfall]

kambites said:

Is the Disco really 2.2m wide? That's HUGE!

It is very square though, so it's pretty easy to judge it's size etc, even more so with AdventureCam or whatever its called these days

[Jules360]

It depends on whether you want to use the Isofix mounts. If you do then you cannot get 3 kiddie seats across the back of a RR. We had a Sport and could squeeze my wife in the middle, and put the eldest in the front (she's 4 on a booster seat.) Not ideal so took delivery of a Q7 yesterday. Bloody massive but still has a decent boot when using the third row and even better if you just use one of the third tow seats.

Edited by Jules360 on Thursday 2nd September 23:43

[djone101]

CO2000 said:

How about a Pathfinder for better value ?

+1

7 proper seats when you need them - all the toys - great ski bus. Only downside is economy isn't great (but that's probably true of most suggestions)

Something like this: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1975856.htm

[siscar]

Jules360 said:

It depends on whether you want to use the Isofix mounts. If you do then you cannot get 3 kiddie seats across the back of a RR. We had a Sport and could squeeze my wife in the middle, and put the eldest in the front (she's 4 on a booster seat.) Not ideal so took delivery of a Q7 yesterday. Bloody massive but still has a decent boot when using the third row and even better if you just use one of the third tow seats.

Edited by Jules360 on Thursday 2nd September 23:43

A Sport isn't a Range Rover though, it's a rebodied Discovery.

[Thorny]

My wife finds our Disco 3 easy to use in central London, took a bit of getting used to but is now fine.

Not much room for dogs with all 7 seats in place though but you can have one up, one down etc...

[5potTurbo]

My Ford S-Max can fit 3 car seats in the 2nd row, and another 2 in the 3rd row.
It's not an SUV, but it's more practical than most SUVs.

[jbi]

scared of driving a discovery because it's "too big"?

your kidding right?

It's a midsize SUV with a wheelbase shorter than your average family car

[_Batty_]

Nissan Qashqai ?
Lexus Rh400?

[Deerfoot]

jbi said:

scared of driving a discovery because it's "too big"?

your kidding right?

It's a midsize SUV with a wheelbase shorter than your average family car

Midsize compared to a Chevrolet Surburban perhaps. Remember, a Discovery 3 weighs around 2.5 tons. Hardly small are they?

[jbi]

it's officially classed as midsize.

The range rover is fullsize

It's not a small car, but I would not call it vast by any means, it's only 190" long. It's heavy because it's a body on frame vehicle with full time 4wd, not due to it's dimensions

Edited by jbi on Friday 3rd September 10:01

[Ranger 6]

Godzilla said:

...Discos are just offensively big IMO. 2.7 tonnes and they must be a 'mare to park.
Q7 is a dainty supermini in comparison....

That's what I thought until I drove one - it's just a perception due to the height of the Disco - much easier to drive and park than you'd think.

If you do go for a Disco then please, please test it first. I found the 2.7 woefully slow and wallowy - however the D4 3.0 is like a different car. With decent pace and handling for it's weight it would be the one I would buy. Also with the glass roof it's light and airy with a great feeling of space. The boot seats are very useable which was a complete opposite to my old ML.

I found the space inside the Q7 didn't translate to the exterior size - I expected it to be much bigger.

Godzilla said:

....Want to retain 4x4 for snow and floods we occasionally get out here....

Lightwater, snow & floods? I live just down the A30 from you and in 10 years have only ever experienced significant floods once and the snow last winter was a bit of a one off too(tongue in cheek as I too have a 4x4 which helps in deepest rural Berkshire ).

Disco opinions are not from ownership I hasn't to add - extended tests and the LR experience

[Thorny]

We have a Disco 3 and 4 in the family and whilst I do agree that the 3.0 engine in the 4 is a lot better than the 2.7 in the 3, the 2.7 isn;t toooo bad as soon as you accept that it ain't no sports car. It will happily cruise at 90-95 leptons. The only time I notice its sluggishness is going up long hills.