3dr coupe as a family car - will it work?
Discussion
I tried this with a 6 and 2 year old and a Mercedes 2door coupe and it was a nightmare, even in parent and child spaces you will not be able to get the doors fully open. Trying to lean inside the car an strap the kids in kills your back. Also check the headroom in the Hyuandai coupe. i was looking at them a while back and heads get very close to the boot hatch glass, when it gets closed you need to duck in the back
I wouldn't. The 5 door Leon was bad enough for strapping the kid in. It's a breeze in the Picasso, she can stand up in the back and walk to her seat, and you can sit next to her when you strap her in - no bending, no trying to reach her, no messing. It's also got enough boot to allow us to bring things like her bike on holiday if we/she wants to.
We did have the Sportka when she was tiny, and she did go in the back a few times, but it was a total pain.
We did have the Sportka when she was tiny, and she did go in the back a few times, but it was a total pain.
Gaz. said:
Got a young lad, a load of nieces, cars owned in that time are all 2 and 3 doors:
Supra, Getz, 944 Turbo, 3 series, Golf, Celica, S2000.
Loading & unloading isn't an issue but I wouldn't park any of them in a P&C space as everyone thinks you need a Picasso to move a child and give you a load of verbal or some kind of retribution because they think a coupe shouldn't be parked there, despite a pair of child seats in the back.
Really? I've seen all sorts parked in parent and child spaces without child seats in, and I've never once heard anyone get any abuse for it.Supra, Getz, 944 Turbo, 3 series, Golf, Celica, S2000.
Loading & unloading isn't an issue but I wouldn't park any of them in a P&C space as everyone thinks you need a Picasso to move a child and give you a load of verbal or some kind of retribution because they think a coupe shouldn't be parked there, despite a pair of child seats in the back.
You don't need a Picasso to move kids, but they are popular because it's a lot easier to get them in and out of an MPV than it is a normal car.
You can get kids in anything that has seats. How comfortable it is for the child, how much hassle it is for you, what the car looks like and how it handles are all variables.
I would also add that the Leon had naff all rear leg room and so the kid could and sometimes did kick the back of the seat - sometimes out of boredom but generally she was just trying to stretch her legs. I think having a car with more rear legroom is more comfortable for both of us.
Idontdrinkrsmoke said:
Thinking about buying a Hyundai Coupe Siii as our only car but with 2 kids aged 5 and 2 is it a bad idea?
Would appreciate all thoughts but especially from folk who have a coupe and young kids. Thanks.
Logically a 3 door coupe is not likely to have less room in than most compact 3 door hatchbacks do. In fact it could have more.Would appreciate all thoughts but especially from folk who have a coupe and young kids. Thanks.
The trade off is usually less rear head room, but you might gain in boot length. My Nissan 100NX had a much longer boot than my Pug 106 and similar rear seating room.
Idontdrinkrsmoke said:
Thinking about buying a Hyundai Coupe Siii as our only car but with 2 kids aged 5 and 2 is it a bad idea?
As others have said, you can manage with only 2/3 doors, but it's a lot more hassle. Even some modern 4/5 door cars have narrow door apertures which make access tricky. Putting our 2 year old in a childseat is a lot easier with our 2004 CR-V than with our 2007 3-series.I don't know your budget or annual mileage, but how about an RX8 (with regular oil top-ups and a large dose of bravery pills) as an alternative to the Hyundai?
I've got an e46 Coupe and the wife has a Galaxy. Whilst there's plenty of room in the back of the BMW, getting them in and out isn't as easy as I'd like. The eldest has a booster seats and climbs in himself, though I then have to climb in and reach for the seatbelt. The youngest still needs lifting into his seat which due to the angles involved is quite awkward. Once he's in though it's quite easy to do up the belts on his car seat.
90% of the time that we all go out together we take the Galaxy. I'm quite happy to sacrifice a bit of driving enjoyment for the extra ease that the big bus provides.
90% of the time that we all go out together we take the Galaxy. I'm quite happy to sacrifice a bit of driving enjoyment for the extra ease that the big bus provides.
blugnu said:
What's your budget OP? For a mid-price Hyundai (£6k?) you could get a decent Picasso and a decent Alfa GT-V ...
Budget £5K. Yeah, I've thought about getting 2 cars at £2500 each - 1 sensible family job, 1 sporty thing and it is tempting but the drawbacks are the running costs of 2 cars and lack of parking near my house - bit of a bun fight between the neighbours at times for the few spaces.excel monkey said:
As others have said, you can manage with only 2/3 doors, but it's a lot more hassle. Even some modern 4/5 door cars have narrow door apertures which make access tricky. Putting our 2 year old in a childseat is a lot easier with our 2004 CR-V than with our 2007 3-series.
I don't know your budget or annual mileage, but how about an RX8 (with regular oil top-ups and a large dose of bravery pills) as an alternative to the Hyundai?
Thought of the RX8 too but I've read too many horror stories unfortunately and I do 14k miles a year so 20mpg would cripple me. Hyundai Coupe (apparently) gets 35mpg average. I do Like the RX8 though.I don't know your budget or annual mileage, but how about an RX8 (with regular oil top-ups and a large dose of bravery pills) as an alternative to the Hyundai?
Meths said:
Subaru impreza or legacy would fit the requirement of sporty family car.
Impreza isn't my cup of tea but like the legacy - although the only version that I really fancy is the spec b which again would kill me in terms of mpg. The other legacy's seem a bit dull in comparison. Decisions decisions.
tinoproductions said:
I will do my best not to succumb (read: give up in life) and get something 'practical' just because of kids. 
When you're bent double with a bad back caused by having to bend down and post your quite-heavy-but-lacking-in-motor-skills child through a tiny gap, then do up their fiddly seat belts, then post yourself back out of the narrow hole, you may come to rue that attitude 
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