7 seater / 2 car / child seat dilemna
Discussion
I have the need now to occasionally carry 4 adults and 2 kids (baby and 3 year old)… my mind initially went to 7 seaters like Discovery, Q7, Sorrento etc. But two things bother me - firstly I suspect with two child seats in the back no-one will be able to access the third row seats (?) and secondly the third does look largely useless for adults and don’t seem to ever have isofix (?).
Is this mission fruitless? Any useful thoughts welcome. Also… does an MPV thingy solve these issues?
Is this mission fruitless? Any useful thoughts welcome. Also… does an MPV thingy solve these issues?
Edited by JD82 on Sunday 1st January 07:43
There's always going to be a compromise of sorts when there are two child seats occupying the middle row.
The discovery has the best space, with 7 proper adults able to sit in relative comfort (if you didn't have any child seats obviously). The other consideration is whether you're going to have to transport a buggy behind those 7 seats when they're all in use. Most don't give a reasonable amount of space when you need to do that.
We ended up with an XC90 which had a slightly poorer third row configuration, but still had useable boot space when they were up.
Even though grandparents are all closer by, in two and a half years I think we've maybe used the third row three times, so definitely ask yourself how often it'll be necessary.
The discovery has the best space, with 7 proper adults able to sit in relative comfort (if you didn't have any child seats obviously). The other consideration is whether you're going to have to transport a buggy behind those 7 seats when they're all in use. Most don't give a reasonable amount of space when you need to do that.
We ended up with an XC90 which had a slightly poorer third row configuration, but still had useable boot space when they were up.
Even though grandparents are all closer by, in two and a half years I think we've maybe used the third row three times, so definitely ask yourself how often it'll be necessary.
Another XC90 owner here, but only went to one when our third child arrived. The third row access is tricky with car seats in the middle row, but what we do quite frequently is just have the sixth, but not seventh, seat up, and then that can be accessed fairly easily from the boot. It also leaves a good bit more space for carrying luggage, etc.
I have hired on a few occasions a VW Sharan or a Seat Alhambra, essentially the same car.
We didn't need all 7 seats but a decent boot and space for two kids and three adults. We expected to need to use at least one of the rear seats but actually we could put the two car seats side by side in the second row and an adult could sit comfortably in the spare seat in that row.
This gave access to the rear seats as the end seat was kept child seat free and allowed access to the third row.
By comparison my other half has a Merc ML and with two car seats, only a child not in a car seat would fit in the middle. The VW/Seat was wider across the three seats. Very practical car and drove fairly well too. Didn't feel like a van like the Ford Tourneo did that we hired when our third little one came along!
We didn't need all 7 seats but a decent boot and space for two kids and three adults. We expected to need to use at least one of the rear seats but actually we could put the two car seats side by side in the second row and an adult could sit comfortably in the spare seat in that row.
This gave access to the rear seats as the end seat was kept child seat free and allowed access to the third row.
By comparison my other half has a Merc ML and with two car seats, only a child not in a car seat would fit in the middle. The VW/Seat was wider across the three seats. Very practical car and drove fairly well too. Didn't feel like a van like the Ford Tourneo did that we hired when our third little one came along!
Probably no good but will mention anyway, we’ve a Honda FR-V which has 2 rows of 3 seats - ISOFIX in front centre and 2 x rear outers. It’s very practical and reconfigurable without being very big (4.3m long).
Shame this layout is not more widely available - Fiat Multipla, latest Discovery plus some van based vehicles is about it.
Wasn’t sure what we’d replace ours with but was lucky that another newer/ lower mileage/ better FR-V came along, unfortunately they are getting on a bit now - newest are 2009.
Shame this layout is not more widely available - Fiat Multipla, latest Discovery plus some van based vehicles is about it.
Wasn’t sure what we’d replace ours with but was lucky that another newer/ lower mileage/ better FR-V came along, unfortunately they are getting on a bit now - newest are 2009.
Edited by danp on Sunday 1st January 09:57
Disco 4 here. 7 seats used fairly often but mostly as I’m a footie coach so it’s usually stuffed with a gaggle of 10 year olds.
We struggled with 2 car seats in the middle row in n the odd occasion we needed the 7 seats. They are just too wide at the top to move over and allow one of the seats to fold. The solution for us was narrower car seat that doesn’t flare out at the top. And I have to say the way the seats split/ fold in the disco is ace, access to the rear is easy.
Ultimately, the bigger kid grew out of their car seat early cos we couldn’t be arsed with the juggling all the time.
We struggled with 2 car seats in the middle row in n the odd occasion we needed the 7 seats. They are just too wide at the top to move over and allow one of the seats to fold. The solution for us was narrower car seat that doesn’t flare out at the top. And I have to say the way the seats split/ fold in the disco is ace, access to the rear is easy.
Ultimately, the bigger kid grew out of their car seat early cos we couldn’t be arsed with the juggling all the time.
Axeboy said:
I dont know if it resolves all of your issues but another option could be a Van.
I ended up in a Vito Tourer and to be honest love it. Similar issue to yourself in terms of kids etc, but for me only 1 child, dog, old family members etc.
Thanks - part of me really likes this but my partner might struggle with a van I think. Though I haven’t checked the footprint… maybe not bad compared to Disco 4 etc.I ended up in a Vito Tourer and to be honest love it. Similar issue to yourself in terms of kids etc, but for me only 1 child, dog, old family members etc.
Leins said:
Another XC90 owner here, but only went to one when our third child arrived. The third row access is tricky with car seats in the middle row, but what we do quite frequently is just have the sixth, but not seventh, seat up, and then that can be accessed fairly easily from the boot. It also leaves a good bit more space for carrying luggage, etc.
I think ULEZ means I’d need a petrol one (budget is £15-20k but happier at the lower end). Thought the petrols weren’t well received? Mileage is only 6-7k a year so not hugely fussed about economy. Have you looked at a Ford Galaxy? When we looked around at all the 7 seater it came down to an Alhambra and Galaxy. Bought the Galaxy as it's the biggest space wise and was better to drive. Had it 5 years now, 3 kids have plenty of room, used the rear 2 seats more than expected.
I'd say go for the best spec you can find.
I'd say go for the best spec you can find.
JD82 said:
I think ULEZ means I’d need a petrol one (budget is £15-20k but happier at the lower end). Thought the petrols weren’t well received? Mileage is only 6-7k a year so not hugely fussed about economy.
The Mercedes GL500 is the answer but you'll have to check if this has isofix on the (I know they do on the later cars) final row of seats.https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210100...
danp said:
Probably no good but will mention anyway, we’ve a Honda FR-V which has 2 rows of 3 seats - ISOFIX in front centre and 2 x rear outers. It’s very practical and reconfigurable without being very big (4.3m long).
Shame this layout is not more widely available - Fiat Multipla, latest Discovery plus some van based vehicles is about it.
Wasn’t sure what we’d replace ours with but was lucky that another newer/ lower mileage/ better FR-V came along, unfortunately they are getting on a bit now - newest are 2009.
We had an FRV and thought it was brilliant, especially with the centre seats all sliding back about a foot so you could take 3 adults in either or both rows in surprising comfort. The folded down centre front seat made a great emergency changing table for babies and it was nice being able to have three people in the front on long journeys so you could chat easily. The boot was a decent size all the time as a result of not losing it to a third row of seats and if there's three of you, it's massive as you can fold the back seats. Brilliant for mountain bike trips and stuff like that. Shame this layout is not more widely available - Fiat Multipla, latest Discovery plus some van based vehicles is about it.
Wasn’t sure what we’d replace ours with but was lucky that another newer/ lower mileage/ better FR-V came along, unfortunately they are getting on a bit now - newest are 2009.
Edited by danp on Sunday 1st January 09:57
Ours got written off and we replaced it with a Zafira, just couldn't find one new enough at the time, otherwise we'd have had another. I suspect they stopped making them as they wouldn't pass the newer NCAP tests well enough with such skinny doors, I would have had it 4" wider, but I suspect many would have decided it was too wide for the roads and it probably wasn't a massive seller anyway. Big shame.
I have a Zafira Tourer now, significantly bigger boot, but only 5 seats with the full boot space. We have two kids now, which softens the blow losing the third front seat as it would have caused massive arguments anyway! We have a roof box so can use it 7-up with enough luggage space and it'll take 4 bikes on the back and 2 on the roof, so will do a 6-person bike trip maybe slightly better than the FRV.
Anyway, 2 kids seats in the back and there's just about enough room for an adult to sit in between, not enough room for a third kids seat and I would describe it as tolerable rather than comfortable. The three seats slide independently, so you can move the middle seat back for a bit more shoulder width. But on a longer journey we would put both kids seats in the boot instead, it's perfect for that. For 6 adults you can fold the middle back seat and use that space as leg room for the boot seats, again tolerable rather than comfortable. I've had 7 adults in without complaint, not for long journeys though. Access is decent really for what it is, getting into the boot seats is easy enough generally, though kids seats do get in the way. If you just have one boot seat up, it's easier to just get in through the boot rather than move the kids seats.
I think you really need to try lots of these though and work out what will work for you.
Mercedes R500 may be an answer. Petrol and 6 or 7 seats, I'm not entirely sure what determines the difference but sometimes the middle row as 2 seats sometimes 3.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Mercedes-R500-Spor...
sold but gives you idea. Will have isofix at that age too.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Mercedes-R500-Spor...
sold but gives you idea. Will have isofix at that age too.
Edited by DKL on Monday 2nd January 17:09
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