Getting a new car :) - advice??

Hello!

We currently have 3 little ones (8, 4 1/2, and 1 1/2 year olds) and I will be babysitting my sister's new baby (6 weeks) when she goes back to work. We live in the city and my sister doesn't have a car so we will often be 7 people in the car. We also live in Hungary and there are only 3 cars available that are large enough for all of us with some trunk space. The VW Sharan, Seat Alahambra, and Ford Galaxy. Can you guys help me choose?

The Sharan and Alahambra are basically the same thing, just different luxuries and price points. Same seats, same safety features, etc. The bonuses from my inexperienced point of view is that the seats are all individual (no bench seats) and each one has it's own shoulder belt, LATCH, and headrests on all 5 back seats. The problem is that the seats in the back are harder to get to as you have to fold the middle row seat over to get kids in and out, they don't slide forward. Another negative, is that in the models we can afford (2006+), the back seats don't fold flat, you have to remove them if you need lots of cargo space.

The Galaxy has lots of luxuries like sky roof and built in sun shades, LATCH in the middle row only, adjustable headrests, and the 3rd row folds flat for times when it's just my family of 5 and we need cargo space.

Most of the time, I would leave all 7 seats up and in use but there are times when we need more trunk space for the little ones bikes, big shopping, etc. Also, I'm wondering about the safety in the 3rd row for my 2 older kids. I'm thinking that the babies and my sister would go in the middle row so we can get people in and out of the back seat and the 2 older ones (8 and 4) would climb back there and buckle themselves in.

How does all this sound? Which would you choose if you were us? The VW/Seat? Or the Galaxy?

Additional info: My 8 year old is currently in a Cybex Solution X fix (has latch but can be used without), my 4 1/2 year old is in a Classic Marathon, and my little one is in the new Marathon G3 70. The baby is in Peg Perego baby carrier for now. We also have a spare Marathon, Graco Turbobooster, Bubble Bum, and backless booster (for friends of the 8 year old).

Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions you may have for us before we actually buy something.

No suggestions I just think it is awesome that I am in Chandler Arizona In the US & you are all the way in Hungary !!!

Oh and I am wondering why there are only 3 cars to choose from that are big enough? Like are there no suv's there?

Oh and have you always lived in Hungary?

Oh, here is a short video on the interior space of the Galaxy: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec9YXReBSL8"]2009 Ford Galaxy Interior Space - YouTube[/ame]

Here is a link to a photo of the Sharan with the 3rd row folded down: http://www.km77.com/marcas/volkswagen/sharan_01/1gra/3filaasientos.jpg

Thanks!

LOL, my mom lives in Phoenix I'm from MI originally but have called many places home. I've lived in Hungary on and off for about 12 years but have also lived in London, Istanbul, Philadelphia, Stamford CT, Eisenstadt Austria..

No, there are not very many big cars here in Hungary. SUVs have recently gained in popularity but primarily as a status thing. Normal people drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars. Gas here is about $8+ a gallon if I remember correctly? Also, those 3 cars are the only large, family friendly ones with a bigger crumple zone (and trunk space!), latch, and are somewhat fuel efficient. There are a number of 7 seat cars but they are TINY so the 3rd row is not for every day use, imho.

Based on what you've said and what I see in the video and pics, I would choose the Galaxy.

Put the 8yo in the 3rd row, the 1yo and 4yo in the 2nd row side by side, and the new baby's infant seat in the remaining 2nd row seat. If the infant seat can be installed baseless (or do you even have a base for it? I know lots of Euro infant seats are sold baseless) then do that for easier fold-down access to the 3rd row. Or, maybe even with the base installed you'll be able to fold the seat forward enough to access the 3rd row. Or, worst case scenario (which isn't bad at all) is that the 8yo loads through the hatch - you would just keep one 3rd row seat folded flat.

I know when I was in Holland I noticed how few large family vehicles there are. People seem to make do with tiny little commuter cars - Fiat 500's and such. It's interesting and humbling, and also the reason I literally laugh outloud at all if us North American people who think we need MASSIVE vehicles to get the job done. And that even the biggest of SUV's "don't have enough room!". :spit: (I have three kids, sometimes five, and drive a full sized SUV and cannot imagine requiring more space, in fact I ponder downsizing to a mid size SUV on an almos weekly basis).

Anyway, hope you find a good vehicle for your family. The Galaxy looks really good to me.

My aunt had kids of similar ages to you. She had an alahambra for a week and returned it for a galaxy which they loved. They were always recommending it.

Wen it was stolen they replaced it was with a citreon Picasso or similar not sure wat name it currently has. But out of the 3 you listed id get the galaxy. It was super comfy and from wat I remember u could remove captains chairs when you didn't need them.

canadiangie said:

(I have three kids, sometimes five, and drive a full sized SUV and cannot imagine requiring more space, in fact I ponder downsizing to a mid size SUV on an almos weekly basis).

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The Pilot is a mid size SUV. Full size are the Sequoia, Expedition, Armada, Tahoe etc. Honda doesn't make a full size.

Hum, interesting.. I guess I had better get to a local dealer and test drive these Galaxies! I like the functions of the Galaxy and the extras like the panorama roof cause I think it would also be nice for a passle of kids stuck in a big car to have that open feeling. Silly but if you live in your car shuttling kids to different events, comfort matters. Of course, safety first which is why I was wondering about the 5 latch seats over just having 3 (cause nobody in my family besides me seems to remember to buckle in the booster so it doesn't become a projectile - grr).

We had a VW Sharan as a company car in 2009 and I didn't mind driving it. The only problem was that you can't see the "nose" of the car at all and it takes some getting used to backing, etc. It had good power though but that depends on the engine, right?

And yes, being an American that has lived abroad for almost 13 years, it amazes me how much Americans have become almost dependent on having lots of space - in cars, yards, houses, etc. Now I look at big cars and think about gas, pollution, the environment, maneouverability (sp?), parking instead of how much space I "need". Same with houses.. a friend with 2 kids recently bought a gigantic house because she felt they "needed" all that space and all I can think is why? More to heat, more to air condition, more to clean and for what? Most families spend all their time in their living rooms and kitchens. Not many need giant bedrooms with private baths for everyone, you know? Or rooms for playing, rooms for studying, rooms for movies. Kids like to be where we are, which, let's face it, is usually the kitchen or family room. Anyways, different strokes for different folks!