Question Car shopping!

aedevore

New member

• Mar 4, 2014

• #1

We need an SUV (preferred) that has great latch and tether options with easy access to the third row. We have two kids, 6 mo and 2 yo both RF, and plan on at least one more in the next couple of years. Right now 6 mo in a MyRide 65 and 2 yo in a Diono. Eventual plan is for all RF kids to be in radians. We are planning on #3 to arrive as the 2 yo is around 4, so he should be FF by then. We would move the oldest to be FF in the third row and have two RF in the second row (preferably captain's chairs)---but not sure if 2 RF radians would allow us to get the oldest to the back seat? I *know* a minivan would be a good fit, but with our snowy winters we prefer having 4WD or AWD. Ideas? Purchasing used and on a budget and we are open to multiple ideas bc we are trading our escalade and have a lease ending next year. I was surprised the third row of the escalade isn't car seat friendly. No latch, no tethers but it is an '05 so maybe that is why? And our lease will be up on our car next year so we are trying to research best options now.

 

Pixels

New member

• Mar 4, 2014

• #2

Minivan with AWD?

A 2005 was made well into the LATCH era. LATCH was fully phased in by 2003.

 

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Mar 4, 2014

• #3

Pixels said:

Minivan with AWD?

A 2005 was made well into the LATCH era. LATCH was fully phased in by 2003.

Click to expand...

LATCH doesn't have to be in the third row, though, and it was the third row that the OP was referring to. Some cars have even gotten worse with their car seat friendliness over time -- taking out tether anchors and lower anchor positions -- so it's age could be a good thing or a bad thing. I don't know anything about the escalade...

I know the honda pilot has Lower anchors in 4 positions (one in the third row and three dedicated in the middle) and top tethers in every position (except the front seats of course!) In the carseatblog reviews of the 2012, I think Darren was impressed with the legroom too, so maybe that would speak well for a Radian install?
[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m4CqNb8wjts[/ame]

 

Last edited: Mar 4, 2014

J

jjordan

Moderator

• Mar 4, 2014

• #4

A 2006-2010 Toyota Sienna (minivan) with AWD would probably be a good option for you. Most minivans do not come in AWD, though. I'm not sure exactly where you live, but you might also think about whether or not AWD is really a necessity, as the world of minivans will be your oyster without it. We live near Buffalo and do not have an AWD minivan. Many people get snow tires for winter driving in lieu of AWD. (We don't even have that... long story there...)

Anyway, if you've never tried a minivan, I would give one a shot. You generally get more for your money in terms of passenger and cargo space and gas mileage compared to SUV's.

 

Pixels

New member

• Mar 4, 2014

• #5

Personally I am not a fan of AWD or 4WD in snow, for safety reasons. AWD and 4WD help you go but they do nothing to help you maintain traction or stop. I see far too many people out in their AWD/4WD vehicles when they should have stayed off the roads entirely, or going faster than conditions warrant, simply because they can go.

I've lived in snow country my whole life. I was in Western New York, driving in snow, for eight years. I never had anything more than FWD until this year. I only have 4WD now because the vehicle that was otherwise the right vehicle happened to have it. I keep it in 2WD mode for the reasons in my first paragraph and for fuel economy and emissions.

I'll step off my soap box now. There is a thread a few posts down in this forum titled something like "tethers in third row." I'm mobile so I can't link. That thread contains a comprehensive listing of vehicles with more than one tether anchor in the third row. Lower anchors, of course, can be replaced by installing with the vehicle belt instead.

 

aedevore

New member

• Mar 4, 2014

• #6

Thanks for the ideas! This year has been excessively snowy here, reaffirming our desire for 4WD (or AWD) bc hubs and I are both emergency personal and have jobs where getting through snow is a must, that's a big push for a snow capable vehicle. I've always driven in the fluffy stuff but doing so in a small car this year back and forth to work was not something we want to repeat if possible. We need two vehicles that can both get through snow, which complicates things. I am looking into crossovers as well, but I don't think there are many options for 2nd row captain chairs, multiple third row tether options, AWD/4wd, etc.

 

S

smileyblue4

New member

• Mar 4, 2014

• #7

I don't really know much about 4WD, but as far as LATCH and car seat seating options, Honda seems to be winning these days. I would start with them. I can't believe some of these "family" vehicles that seem to have little to no consideration for the fact that those families they're trying to sell to need to use multiple car seats regularly...

 

C

cantabdad

New member

• Mar 5, 2014

• #8

This recent thread has a nice list of vehicles with more than 1 top tether in the 3rd row:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=263756

Most don't have AWD and many are on the pricey side, but I can see at least a few that might be suitable for you: Honda Pilot, Toyota Sienna (up to model year 2010) and Subaru Tribeca.

 

AK Dad

New member

• Mar 7, 2014

• #9

Pixels said:

Personally I am not a fan of AWD or 4WD in snow, for safety reasons. AWD and 4WD help you go but they do nothing to help you maintain traction or stop.

Click to expand...

I agree mostly with this, however AWD with proper dedicated winter tires is a great combo as long as you know your limits. We live 2100' up a hill in Anchorage, and so we literally need both to make it to and from our house, but Pixels is right - lots of people can "brute force" their way up our hill with AWD and "all-season" tires but are completely out of control on the way back down. Unless you've got steep hills you absolutely need to climb, I do agree that FWD with proper dedicated winter tires is fine for most people.

 

AK Dad

New member

• Mar 7, 2014

• #10

Also, in the past I've been a bit luke-warm on our 2011 Pilot, but after doing some research and driving a couple of other vehicles recently (Ford Flex I was considering and '13 Highlander we had as a loaner while Honda was getting body work) I've gotta say the Pilot is pretty solid. In fact, I'm not sure there's a much better 3-row SUV out there. (Although there are more that are more refined, quieter, and more fun to drive)

 

aedevore

New member

• Mar 7, 2014

• #11

AK Dad does the pilot have a second row bench or is there the option of captain chairs?

 

AK Dad

New member

• Mar 7, 2014

• #12

It's only bench, but it's nice and wide and flat with 3 dedicated LATCH positions. I actually do 3-across the middle row rather than dealing with the 3rd row which I mainly use when moving extra kids just because of ease of access. I have a RF Britax Multi-Tech (about average width for convertible seats) behind driver, RF Foonf middle, and Parkway SGL passenger and it works great. The "60" portion of the 60/40 split bench is plenty wide to get a couple of RF seats on and you could then leave the passenger "40" portion empty for access to the 3rd row.