From Toyota Camry to SUV...Maybe

I love, love, love my Honda CRV. I am not a minivan person either so I love the sportiness plus all the extra room and it is easy to get kids in and out and strollers in and out. And it gets gas mileage similar to a car which is great. I am also due with my second child in November - a girl named Brie :) Good luck to you!

B.:
I would like to suggest a Plymouth mini-van. It was an excellent van for my children and myself.
P. S

I also thought I would never have a mini-van...the whole "station wagon" of my generation thing...but here is the deal...I LOVE my van. I have a Honda Odyssey. I have leather and a sunroof, and I spend my life in that van and LOVE it. It gets great gas mileage (I get up to 30 mpg on the highway) and everyone fits (I have 4). My van is a 2005. I understand that Honda now has the technology on their Pilot and it also now has an engine that goes down to 3 cylinders on the highway (which is the economical part). But I am also a previous Toyota owner, who was not nearly as impressed with their van as I was the Honda....and I still love it 3 1/2 years and 52,000 miles later.

B.,
From one working mom to another...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 2006 Toyota Sienna!!!! I drove Toyota 4-Runners for almost 20 years and when the AC broke and my daughter was only 3 months old, I made my husband drive it for 2 weeks...my husband then rushed out and bought me a Toyota Sienna all by himself...I know, it sounds crazy because I didn't even see it before I got home, but he bought a fantastic vehicle. We're trying for #2 and I could not imagine having anything else. I drive ~45 miles a day to and from work, it gets better gas mileage than my SUVs and it has all the bells and whistles (playstation, DVD, leather seats, rockin' stereo, 3rd row seats that fold down, 2nd row captain chairs that can be taken in and out or spread apart, spolier on the back (b/c even moms need to feel "cool") and lots and lots of room for all the baby/toddler stuff). I could not imagine a road trip with out it... I love the Toyota product, as you should already know, it's a great, reliable vehicle! Hope this helps! D. H.

Hello B... I am 30 yrs old with three children 9,7,and 4 I too hated the fact of driving a minivan but i did my research and took into consideration driving my mom around since she doesn't drive, and gas of course. I had no choice but to go with the minivan, but let me tell you what kind...the Honda Odessey, it is great. Great on gas, great features,comfortable and very spacious! I have the one with the navigation and the TV for the kids, they love it!! There's also a camera that allows you see what's behind you when you're going in reverse. I love it...thought i'd share that with you.

I drive a Honda Element. It has lots of room and it is really "kid friendly". It only seats four so I'm not certain how you'd "do" the car seat for the "middle" of the back seat. The seats are made from the material used for wet suits -- it cleans with waterless hand soap IF it even needs that. AND floor mats are removal with RUBBER underneath -- you could hose it out if necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know you didnt say Ford or Mazda in that but I drove , as well as my parents have 2 , an Explorer for YEARS. And now I am driving a Ford Freestar mini-Van we got a great deal on used.I never saw my self as a mini van driver either and I loved my explorer BUT having the van is SOO much easier its roomier so when I needed it I could fit all the kids luggage and pack and play and the dog crate in there when we travel. And with the automatic side doors , dont have to close them and can open it with the key chain , and with the slide back doors you dont have to worry about someone parking too close and having your daughter open the door too far and dent someone's car, or have to worry about not being able to open the door far enough to get in. I love it, ( don't tell anyone cause I am still in denial that I'm actually a soccer mom.)

How big of a vehicle are you thinking about? I don't know how much room a double stroller takes up. I bought a CRV that works for me, but might not have the room you need.

Don't automatically write off mini-vans just because you "can't see youself driving one." I always said I would NEVER drive a van but I love having one and am actually looking to replace mine with another. I had 2 SUV's prior to driving a van, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and a Ford Explorer LX. I loved both of thos vehicles but have foung a van has a much smoother ride and are more convienent with 2 kids, especailly now that my son is into sports.

I have a 2005 Highlander w/ a 3rd seat, I love it! These are built on the camry chasis therefore ride like a car rather than a truck. I get about 23 mpg average, the sticker said I should get 27 on hwy, but I've not seen that, I did get 26 on the hwy on a trip coming back from Florida.
I've been told that the Honda Pilot is roomier and the 3rd seat is more comfortable. The Highlander 3rd row seat is better for smaller children when you need the other seats for adults - you probably couldn't fit a large stroller behind the 3rd row, but in normal circumstances that seat would be down and I've never regretted the purchase. It is a little more economically priced than the Honda, Pilot, at least when I bought mine.
Good Luck!

I'm a mother of four - twins - 26; 18, almost 16, with one 7 year old grandchild. It is great for hauling the children and their freinds around in when extra passenger space is needed.

In a few months we plan on getting a 2009 Subaru Forester. It gets ok gas mileage (26 mpg) which is actually pretty good for an all wheel drive. It has won tons of awards including getting the highest safety awards. I love my Subaru I have now, it has great reliability and it is a really safe car.

I am actually the opposite of alot of these and your posts. I went from an SUV with my two girls to a car. I still have my SUV but I feel I actually have more room in the trunk of my new 08 Honda Accord V6 than in my SUV. I too have a double stroller but I realized in the first month after having number two that I wasn't going to lug that thing around every time I needed to go somewhere with the girls. Its just not practical or easy. So I bought an ergo baby carrier that supports up to 100lbs and I put my youngest in that although her 3 yr old sister likes it as well and since my 3 yr old is only 30lbs she can still sit in it too. Then after putting the baby in that I either put my 3 yr old in my single Peg Perego stroller or in a shopping cart or let her walk depending on where I am at. My arms are free with the baby in this carrier. It puts her weight on my hips so its not painful or uncomfortable at all. I have had her in this for hours on end and even used to breast feed her in it with no one being able to see. I would just unclip my nursing bra and help her find it to latch on and keep on shopping. Now I only use my double stroller for walks or if I am going to a huge store like Costco, or to a fair, amusement park. You will find out that it is almost impossible to manuever around in a normal store or be able to get close enough to anything like say a clothes rack in a mall store. Back to your question, I refuse refuse to ever buy a minivan no matter how many bells, whistles, comfort, car like ride whatever. I have been in them and they are nice but I won't ever be a minivan driver. I do plan on always having an SUV and a car. The SUV is nice for short trips and its good if your kids have motion sickness like my oldest does as it is less aerodynamic than the car and therefore less motion to get sick from. It is also easier to get the kids in and out of it as they are up higher. Gas mileage not as good as the car but that's normal its a heavier and bigger vehicle. If I were needing to buy a new one right now which I'm as I just got the car, I would most likely look into the Honda Pilot, Toyota or and Acura. I wouldn't buy american again due to the reliability. Research on edmunds.com, consumer reports and JD Power. I was looking at a Subaru as well as the Honda when trying to decide on my car(my family has both). What swayed me to the Honda was the ratings over the Subaru, Honda was always higher. Hope this helps. Good luck in your decision.
P.S. Whatever you decide look into the Costco car buying program if you have a membership, it will save you thousands.

I didn't think I was ready for a mini-van three years ago either, but once I drove the Toyota Sienna and saw how nice it was and how well it drove, I got over that sentiment. We had two children at the time who were 3 and 5, and it was very convenient with them since they could open the doors, etc. and help themselves more. We now have a 3rd child, and the mini-van is even better with three! I recommend driving them before you rule them out completely. You may be surprised. I was.

Hi B., I'm a Toyota driver too. I've had two Camry's and I love them. Especially the new ones. I have always loved the Toyota Highlander. They say it's basically a Camry with a SUV body . I love mine. I gave my Camry to my daughter. Every time I see one drive by, I say "that's a nice looking car! Oh! wait a minute, I'm driving one too!" I really liked the Toyota Sequoia too but they are a little bigger and more expensive. Test drive a Highlander, you will be sold, like I was. Let me know what you decide.

Loving my Highlander!!!

I have always said that I would never drive a minivan but previously we owned a gmc envoy which I loved but needed more room. With suv's the doors still swing out instead of on a van. I had hard times getting the kids in and out because of people parking too close, etc... And with suvs's sometimes the only way to get to the 3rd row is bending the seat down which is hard with carseats attached. So we ended up buying a honda odyssey minivan and love it. It is so roomy and the seats can move. The other one we were interested in was the new town and country because of the swivel seats. I can vouch that our gmc was a good suv, they now have the acadia and the yukon is a nice big suv. good luck & test drive a minivan before you rule it out!

ok- so i am in love with my expedition. my husband has had several through his work and i have had mine now for 4 years and still love it. when i get a new one it will be another expedition... i do have three kids (7,5&2) and the oldest 2 play sports, so it is great for hauling thier stuff and also we take friends alot, so there is a lot of room, it seats 8. but the greatest feature is the back row of seats folds down at the touch of a button. so i can go from dropping off a carload of kids to filling the back from costco with just a touch of a button. that has me sold! the other side to that is i stay home, so sometimes a tank of gas can last me more than 2 weeks. my husband drives his 55 miles each way to work and has to fill up at least 2 times a week... good luck!

I drive a Dodge Grand Caravan with the Stow and Go seating. OMG, I love it! The stow and go compartments are great for hiding stuff you "have" to have with you and the seats are so simple to stow. The trunk space is large and deep. And it's good on gas. Cant tell you right off how good, but I know I can drive for about 15 hours and only fill up twice. I never thought I would be a minivan driver, but now I dont think I'd drive anything else.

If you settle for a small SUV keep in mind how much room your children’s car seats are going to take up. We have a Nissan Pathfinder and my booster seat and front facing car seat takes up so much space that we can't fit any friends or our 50lbs dog in the car with us.

We now wish we had a mini van.

If you decide to go forward with the purchase (I agree with another responder about thinking that through--you can do 2 kids in a Camry, I did it for years), you might reconsider the mini-van. I had a Camry for several years that I loved, but as my kids started getting bigger, I found that we really did need another vehicle. I did months of research, comparing JD Power and Associates quality ratings, crash ratings, costs, features, etc etc and I just could not get around the fact that dollar for dollar, the Honda Odyssey offered the best value. I was like you and could not see myself driving a mini-van (I am so NOT the minivan type--my whole family giggled when I told them we were buying one). But I am extremely practical and the Odyssey was just a darn good automobile. We also looked at the Honda Pilot too, because it has the 3rd row seat, but it just doesn't have the same creature comforts and family-friendly features that the Odyssey does, like powered sliding doors, a zillion cupholders, etc. So we went and test drove the Odyssey and both my hubby and I were hooked. It was awesome and drove more like a car than a van. It looks really nice too. So we ended up getting the Odyssey and haven't regretted it for a moment. My hubby was so against getting a mini-van, and I think he likes it more than anyone in the family, lol. My kids love it too; they each have their own captains chair (helps them keep their hands off each other, woo hoo, trust me, this will be important to you as your kids get a little older), and own cupholders, and there are separate driver, passenger, and backseat climate controls so no arguing over the heat and A/C.
Anyway, if you've got your heart set on an SUV, the Honda Pilot is a good one to look at, as well as the Toyota Highlander. We didn't even consider a Chevy because the quality ratings are so low. If I were you though, I'd just try to stick it out a couple more years with the Camry, until your kids are bigger and you really NEED a larger vehicle. I stuffed a double stroller in my Camry's trunk for 2 or 3 years with no problems. Good luck whatever you decide!

The Toyota Highlander has almost the same comfort as a Camry. It is built on a Camry frame, so you have almost the same smooth ride. It is also not all that bad on gas either. I have enjoyed driving both cars. You also have more room in the Highlander.

My husband suggest before purchasing a new vehicle and consider renting the type you'd like to purchase for a week to see if you like it before the commitment. We did that to see if we liked minivans or not it was a great experience without the stress of making up our minds on just a test drive, living it for a week was a good idea. Best of luck to you on what you decide. I have 3 children I like my mid size van (Dodge ram) the best.

Hi B.!

I know the feeling! We did the same thing when our second came along!

We moved from the Altima to the Saturn Outlook and LOVE it! We looked at Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and GMC and landed on the Outlook due to its safety rating (5-star), MPG (16 city, 24 Hwy), options, and cost.... Out of all we looked at, it had the most space - third row seat can fit two adults with plenty of leg room (I'm 5'11" and fit easily) or three children easily!

The Outlook being a "crossover" as opposed to a true SUV made its wheelbase lower so roll-over is less likely....

We do not regret our decision at all!!!

Good luck with your search!

There is a great web site called www.motherproof.com and it is a mom who actually ranks and gives feedback on all cars/SUVs about the things moms care about and need. Check it out!!

I am in the same situation you are in B., however I made a new car purchase over 2 years ago and LOVE the decision I made. Let me start out by stating the fact that I never liked mini-vans! I never wanted to own one and never saw myself as someone that would ever be caught dead driving one. However, I am a proud owner of a 2006 Toyota Sienna and love it! Just before my daughter was born I went out looking at SUV's, but discovered that mini-vans are a better value all around. The conveniences that come with the mini-van by far outway the fact that they are just not as sporty as I would like. I am due with my second child within the next two weeks and have already found that this mini-van will be a life saver when it comes to hauling the double stroller, gear, other passengers, etc. All I have to say is just think about it before you convince yourself that an SUV is the only way to go :-)

Best of luck!!
M.

Yikes! I'd hate to have to get an SUV with prices the way they are now. My best advice is to look at two things: one, a stroller that doesn't take up that much space. I have an INstep jogging stroller, and I've used it since my daughter was only a few weeks old. It's wonderful-- steers well, absorbs shock well, you can take it anywhere, and best of all, it folds up small so you can fit it in most car trunks. The other thing you might want to look at is a car with a hatchback or a small wagon. My husband has a Ford Focus wagon, which has more than enough space for even a giant stroller, and it's not a huge traditional station wagon. And it gets decent mileage! There are several "crossover" vehicles out there-- small wagons that are shorter than the traditional ugly station wagon but not quite as big as even a small SUV. My mother has a Honda CR-V and she loves it, but we've found that we can get more into our wagon than in her car, and we get better mileage. Audi and Subaru make ones that are a little pricey, but are a little cooler looking, and I know the Subaru comes in 4WD, and they're very reliable. I, too, am a Honda/Toyota person because of price and reliability, but I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised with the Ford. I'd look at Consumer Reports' Auto issue and see what they say about cargo space, mileage, and safety, too. Good luck!!

I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I did the same thing as you. I thought I needed a third row seat, something bigger. I ran out and bought 1 year ago a Chrysler Aspen. Its huge, all the bells and whistle, dvd playe, 3rd row, navigation, leather, rear sensor. Well its a gas guzzler and costing me a fortune. No one will buy it from me or take it as a trade b/c of the gas prices. I also work and drive approx 15 miles each way to work. Its great on road trips but thats about it. So i started researching, the most fuel efficient small suv is the honda crv. It has great reviews from moms, and gets excellent gas mileage. Check out www.fueleconomy.gov to find out what kind of mileage any vehicle gets. then check out edmunds reviews for the the top 10 compact suv's to buy etc. Hope this helps.

Hi, I too was looking for a SUV/crossover vehicle and discovered the Ford Freestyle...it's now called the Ford Taurus (not the car...they kept the name but changed the vehicle for some reason...confusing!)

It has 3 rows which will be great when you have a lot of kids to tote around or grownups in the car and it has more room it seems than the Explorer! I LOVE it! AND...it's pretty decent on gas! Check it out. It was the LAST place we went to after Chevy, Toyota, GMC and Saturn.

Good luck!

Hi B.

I came from a Mazda Millenia to a Nissan Armada and the space is incredible. I love it !!! The gas is not that much of an issue for me. I love all of the features that come with my car, I opted to get the one with the DVD and it really keeps my girls calm especially during long rides.

Toyota has come out with a larger Highlander which is good on gas. Chevy has the mid-size SUV, the Equinox, which is also good in gas. Honda is only good for their cars, SUV's and trucks arent that great in retail value and quality.

Check out the toyota highlander--it's roomy, safe, and good on gas b/c it's a crossover. Also, the new saturn suv's are very attractive and saturn has always been known to be very safe. Have you thought about a station wagon--they probably have better gas mileage than an suv but aren't as mom-ish as mini vans--Volvo makes great ones and the vw passat wagon is nice too.

hi,
here's a suggestion...if you're planning on keeping this next car a while, look for one with a third row. and make sure the third row goes up and down easily, like with a button...you may find yourself in the next couple of years carpooling to pre school, and it will come in handy. (double strollers don't fit very well with the third row up, but if you keep it down most of the time, you'll have plenty of room.)

The smaller SUVs that are on a "car base" instead of a "truck base" are much safer as far as roll-overs.

Many people think the larger SUVs are safer for their families, but recent research is showing that they may actually make our roads more dangerous overall b/c they are harder to handle, harder to stop, and they demolish any other car they hit.

I love my Saturn Vue -- easy to drive, easy to get in & out of, lots of space, good gas mileage -- and they now have a hybrid version. American made & very safe!

Toyota Highlander also has a hybrid version.

Support hybrid technology! "We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children."

I have the Honda Pilot and love it. There is a little blind spot though, I am not sure how the other stack up in the blind spot area. I love the nav system and the back up camera. I have owned an Acura for the past 9 years and love the service I get!!!! That is worth it's weight in gold.

Chrisitne

B.-
I have read all the other posts, lots of great advice. I have a 2007 Chevy Tahoe, 3rd row seating, flex-fuel, 20 MPG, blah, blah, blah. I have 3 children and have been trying to down size because of gas prices. I fill up 1-2 times a week at $75 a pop. PLEASE reconsider buying another car, especailly an SUV.

Let me say that the value of SUV's have drop drastically because of fuel efficiency, that is not going to change. I paid $36,000 and dealership are offering $12,000 for a trade-in.

Your Toyota is a great car that will hold its value. Hold off, wait till you really need to upgrade for size in a couple of years and things will have advanced in the auto industry as far as efficiency in gas mileage and alternatives to fossil fuels.

Congratulations on the new addition to your family, may you be truly blessed!

Hi B.,

The only advice I would like to share on top of all of these other wonderful suggestions is to please be careful getting into another vehicle because of wants versus needs. I help people at our church with their finances and I can't tell you how many people get into "too much" car. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate and I would hate to see you put yourself into what appears to be a good thing but it turns out to be bad financial situation. The best thing you can do is take your time in researching cars and verifying your budget can handle the upgrade. While its not as easy to get a double stroller into a sedan, its doable. My husband had a Nissan Maxima and we could get the duoglider in there plus diaper bags etc. So I say all that to say don't feel rushed. Make sure you do what is going to make you comfortable from a long term perspective.

I have the Honda Pilot now for 5 years (yes 5 years) and love, LOVE, love it. I did all the research, I should say my husband did. I feel like it is one of the most mature decisions we have ever made. It wins best car in class every year. I have friends that have Pilots and love them too, one friend is on her 2nd Pilot, but due to high milage driven, not anything wrong with it. She also wanted to update some features. If you go minivan, I have an equal amount of friends with both the Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna. You can't go wrong with either, they are great...I just promised I would never drive a minivan and went for the SUV, just personal preference. Best of luck.
C.

I have a Honda Element and it has a carbon footprint about the same as yours. The next sizes larger. the Pilot and Odyssey both get slightly worse gase mileage but boast a 3 L (bigger and stronger) engine. I have been contemplating upgrading to an Oddyssey since my Honda will retain its value on trade in.

I was faced with the same decision (even though my kids are a little older). I chose a Chevy Trailblazer with third row seating. I am very happy with my decision. I can fold the third row down and use that as extra storeage space; as well as the second row for bigger hauls. Then I have room for friends that spend the night, or other members of our family for trips. And, then I have the rack on top that I can tie larger items to. It is only a V6, so I get pretty good gas mileage; but it is a strong V6, so I can pull out in traffic. I could go on and on about this vehicle! I love it! Good luck with your decision!

I can't help but smirk at 17 mpg being "good". I would 100% recomend looking into other strollers before paying a ton for a SUV when the industry is FINALLY starting to make them more fuel efficient. In few years when your kids are bigger and require more space there will be so many more options out there! My husband and I are going to breakdown and probably buy a used mini-van, we like to camp though and go on road trips... my Malibu will still be the everyday car because of the gas mileage!

Look for this stroller at the store or online. I had one when mine were little, and I LOVED it. It folds up to about the size of a golf club bag, so it will fit in your camry's trunk leaving plenty of room.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2901132

I was in the same situation as you and I went from a four door Acura to a 2004 Honda Pilot. I bought certified used since it was not practical for me to buy new. Although the new Pilots are pretty amazing, I still love my Pilot. It has plenty of room for everything you need to travel with 2 babies. My favorite part is the third row seat that reclines to make more room in the trunk. It seats up to eight people which I have done on numerous occasions with two carseats in the middle row. Plenty of room for strollers and extra baggage such as groceries. I live in a small condo on the second floor, so it's not ideal for me to remove my stroller from the trunk everytime I need to make space. Plus, after loading two children and all the stuff you need to bring, who wants to go and retrieve the stroller when you can just leave it in the car? If I chose to drive a van, I would definitely go with the Odyssey. Hondas are very safe, economical and long-lasting vehicles.

Sounds to me like it would be a cheaper option for you to look for a more compact double stroller than to look for a new car. Also, you might look into the possibility of adding a bike carrier to the back of your car to carry the stroller you have, but again, a new stroller would be less expensive there, as well. If you think you simply need more room and a bigger car despite the cost and can afford the change, smaller vans such as those made by Honda and Toyota are fairly gas economical and safe and will hold your family for a long time to come, friends and all -- when the kids get older, you will be hauling them around sometimes, as well as your own. I had a Toyota van and do not like them very much because they seem to be made for short people -- I was constantly hitting my head when I got into the van. Honda makes a good van -- I would recommend those.

I would try a Saturn Vue. I have had mine for over a year now and it is awesome, its not huge, but very roomy. I have 2 kids and it works great for me. The new ones come in hybrid models too. Just check it out. I have a 2003. It is a great vehicle for the price.

I also have 2 children (a 2.5 year old and a 8 mth old) and I currently drive an SUV. I purchased it for the same reasons that you mentioned. Though if I had it to do all over again I would go for the mini van (or at least an SUV with 3 rows of seats). I know they are not the most glamorous vehicle, but they are very practical for a family with more than 1 child. There have been a million times when we could have used more seating. If I ever want to go anywhere with any other mommies and their child/children we always have to drive 2 cars. Or if we have family in town and want to go out to dinner again we have to take 2 cars. There are many things that come up when extra seating would be ideal. It's easy to think that because you only have a family of 4 you only need seating for 4, but that can be very restrictive. Two car seats totally eat up your back seat! Another think that stinks about an SUV is that lifting a double stroller high up into the back of an SUV is back breaking! While there is more room in an SUV for the stroller it's a bear lifting it in. Where as in a mini van the back is lower to the ground and it's not as difficult to put it in. I envy my friend's with mini vans!

Having said all that I do love my SUV and if I only had one child it would be perfect. I drive a Jeep grand cherokee. I purchased it because I got such an amazing deal on it. At the time I purchased it the dealership was very willing to deal and we got a total steal. I imagine that most dealerships are very willing to deal on their SUV's right now so you too will probably get an amazing deal. I would highly recommend a Jeep. I have never had any problems with mine and the gas mileage is not too bad either (around 20 in the city and 25 hwy). My grandparents had one before me and they drove it with no problems until it had 250,000 miles. Another SUV I would highly recommend is the Toyota Rav-4. My mother has one of these and it gets good gas mileage and sits lower to the ground so the stroller issue isn't so bad. I also think a Toyota Highlander would be good, plus they make a hybrid highlanders.

Good Luck making your decision!

I too had a Camry when my daughter was a baby, but I recently purchased a RAV4. It is a small SUV and I could get it with a third row seat and a 4 cylinder engine which helps with the gas mileage. It is not as comfortable as the Camry but it does give me the room needed to cart around kids. I love it.

I have been there. When my first was born we went from a little car to a 4 door. I still didn't feel safe so we went to a Suburban. You can't get any bigger than that! Well, a Hummer maybe. I absolutely REFUSED to get a minivan! I didn't want to be a soccer mom. Well, my second came along and it was so hard to get him in and out. Not to mention I only got 13 miles per gallon. Well, I did A LOT of research on cars, suv's and vans that were safe AND good on gas. Guess what I just bought this weekend? Yep, a minivan. It's a Honda Odyssey. I can't tell you how much easier it is on me. They also get better gas mileage than any midsize suv. I'm not telling you to buy a minivan, but I went through 5 years of more trouble and money going down the drain than I had to. I finally bit the bullet and I'm so glad I did. At least drive one so you have all of the information you need on what's the best for your family. Good luck! And I recommend used- you'll save a lot of money.

Do you plan on having more children after this new one? IF not, I love my Honda CRV! Mine is a 2000 and I have loved it! I have not had any problems with it and it is 8 years old already. It holds way more than most smaller SUVs, plus it gets the gas mileage of a Honda civic. I have the old model, the first one, and I love it.

HOpe this helps!

I would think the natural move for you would be a RAV-4. It's actually built on a Celica platform, believe it or not, so it would drive much like your beloved Camry. (I had a Camry and I remember an ENORMOUS trunk -- a double stroller wouldn't work?) Well, anyway, a RAV-4 would be a good choice and you'd still be a Toyota girl and you'd still be relatively fuel efficient. I got a CRV (Honda's equivalent of a RAV-4) after I totaled my beloved Camry (sniff) and am happy with it.

Consumer Reports is a wonderful resource when car shopping, btw! Good luck!