Non-minivan Vehicle for 3 Car Seats

I drive a 2002 Tahoe. I can fit 3 car seats in the back seat, plus 2 in the "way back" as my kids call it. Plus, the third row seats (which actually has 3 seat belts, but is made for very tiny butts) come out easily for when it's just us or for a long trip that requires extra luggage space. I love my Tahoe. In fact, I already told my husband that my next car will be a Tahoe...the only change would be to go to an XL for the extra storage that older kids require.

Some of the newer minivans are looking really sporty...they look a lot like larger crossover vehicles...I'm thinking I'm convinced...maybe..of buying one in a year or so myself. I've been anti-minivan my entire life...but like I said, the new ones look nice!

Take look at the 2009 Dodge Caravan for example...

We love our Nissan Armada. It is a massive vehicle, but there is a ton of space and a real 3rd row, not the jump seats. You can fit 4 car seats comfortably if need be.

We have a Honda Pilot and we LOVE it. We have three car seats. My husband refused the idea of a mini van when our baby was born last year. So we went with the Pilot and it is Great. Good luck.

I'm not too familiar with the interior of the Honda CRV - does it have three sets of seat belts in the back? If so, have you considered different car seats? The Sunshine Radian 65 (or 80) is narrower. It is a well designed car seat, but it is heavy because it has a steel frame.

I have a Mazda 5 and I love it. It is much smaller than a normal minivan (also not very tall - I'm 5'2" and can almost see over the top of it), but it has the potential to seat 6 people. There are two seats in the first row in the back and then two additional seats in the far back, but they can all fold down when needed. I have two kids and typically keep the back two seats folded down to use for storage, but can then pop one or both of them up to fit more kids. The side doors also slide like a minivan, which makes it nice so the kids can't open the doors and hit the car next to us. The Mazda 5 is also relatively cheap (I think you can get it new for under $20,000). We got ours with 18,000 miles on it and paid $16,000. I love the flexibility of this car without it being super big. Hope that this helps. K.

We love out Acura MDX. It has a 3rd row, and looks sporty. It also is nice because even with the 3rd row up there is plenty of room in the back for strollers etc. Good Luck!

We too have the Honda CRV (2005) and are discussing a third child. In the meantime, whenever we go on trips to visit family (minimum 4 or 8 hr rides) I sit in the back with the 2 kids. I have them behind the driver and in the middle, so I can sit behind the passenger, (and lay the front seat down flat for more leg room if I want). If you don't have money for a new car (which lets face it, most of us don't), it will be MUCH cheaper to buy new thinner carseats. I am able to put 3 carseats in my CRV when needed, or 2 carseats and myself. And I'm not skinny :)

I have a Toyota Sequoia and love it. There is the 3rd row of seats, but 3 cars seats fit fine in the 2nd row. Before the Sequoia we had a 4Runner and it also fit 3. It was a little tight but not bad if you're not doing it all of the time. If you're looking at an SUV, Toyota's are great for gas mileage!

I saw a lady at Costco with twin infants and a toddler in a Camry. I was impressed! There was no way she could have a stroller (let alone a double) and any groceries though.

I have an older suburban with 2 kids (a hand-me-down car). I could fit 6 car seats if I had to.

The prob with my car is this - My kids sit in the passenger side and middle behind me, but the seat that folds down is under my daughter's seat. If I regularly put people in the 3rd seat, I would have to move her behind me. I know my SIL's Expedition noticed this inconvenience and put the folding seat behind the driver.

I love my Nissan Quest mini-van, but for something more SUV and less van I'd go with the Toyota Sequoia. All the space you need with more than 2 kids without being a van. Happy car hunting!

Before you buy a new car, make sure to check it out in consumer reports. It is mroe accurate and reliable than word-of-mouth. I use consumer reports before every major purchase and it is so worth it!

We just got a 2004 Acura MDX, and love it. Depending on the car seat, you can squeeze a 3rd one in the middle row, or put 2 more kids in the 3rd row.

I love the Saturn Outlook. It is more afordable then other 8 passanger SUVs and rides like a dream. I got mine at Saturn of Highlands Ranch. My sales guy was great and everyone there was so nice to me and my family.

Hi R.!

I got a Dodge Durango that I just love! I needed room for three car seats and I can fit in so much more! It handles great in the snow, has the DVD player in the back (the kids can watch and use headphones and I can listen to music in the car). I just got it in November and I am in LOVE!

Hi, we used to have a honda CRV also and LOVED IT but when my 3rd was about to be born I spent 3 hours at the police station having them discuss various ways to try and get a third seat into the car.... it didn't work! We ended up with the VOLVO XC90 to have the thrid row of seats, its amazing!!! The VOLVO XC 70 also has the ability to fit 3 car seats across the back. We were able to find a good deal on our car that is how we could afford it. We also looked at the Honda Pilot and it was also awesome, but we got a better deal on the Volvo. Happy Car Hunting

The Pilot is also made by Honda. It is a really nice vehicle but it costs quite a bit more. If that is not in your budget, there is quite a few 7-passenger crossover vehicles. I think that the Toyota Highlander or the Mazda CX-7 are an option that I can think of right away. I am sure that the big 3 makes a couple also.

We were able to fit our three kids in their full-sized car seats in a Chevy Impala and we LOVED it! We had it for 4 1/2 years before we upgraded to a van, and in some ways, I really miss it. Plus, the trunk was HUGE - we were able to fit two suitcases, a travel bag, a couple of Little Tikes Trikes in the trunk, plus a pack 'n' play under the boys' feet. But, it doesn't feel or look like a "huge" car. I loved our Impala! Good luck!

R. S.

We were able to fit three car seats in our 2003 Honda CRV. So, if you'd rather get new car seats than a new car, we used two Sunshine Radian 65 car seats - they are the most narrow car seats we were able to find. We were able to fit a Graco Snugride with the base in the car as well.

My brother & his wife just had a 3rd baby and my sister-in-law flat out refused to consider a minivan, so they checked out a few of the newer cars and found a Ford Taurus X and they LOVE it.

It's kind of like a modern day station wagon, but it doesn't look as big and clunky. Plus, it's got all of the bells & whistles that come with a minivan or SUV.

Good Luck!

We just bought a Ford Taurus X (replaced the Freestyle) for this very reason. The key is to get the model that has the Captain's chairs in the middle row. That allows you access to the third row seat without having to remove carseats or fold anything down. We got the AWD version for snow, too.

Hello R.!

When I was pregnant with my third, we starting looking for a new car. I'm with you...I did NOT want a minivan!!! I had driven my Mom's and it felt like I was driving a whale around so I said no way to that! I new when I went places with friends, we had to leave one kiddo home with Dad because we couldn't fit three car seats in most people's cars. We had a 1990 Ford Taurus at the time that fit 3 car seats but we knew we didn't want another Taurus. When we went car shopping, we brought an extra car seat to test in the cars. The car sales man tried to get us into a Chevy Caviler(sp?) and I said there's no way that would work. He said it would and so I put my car seats in, he said, "Look! I told you they would fit!" I slammed one door shut and a car seat flew out the other side. He walked over put it back in, slammed the door, and said, "See! They DO fit!". They were unbuckled and crooked, two of them facing each other sideways on the seat. That's when we noticed the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. They fit great in there! So we bought that car and have loved it ever since. It's just wider than most cars. The foot room is great, too. No one is kicking my seat or my husband's. Not only do the car seats fit but we have been rear ended twice and both times, the car acted like a tank. One time we were at a complete stop and the driver that hit us was going 7o mph. We were sore and I expected to have my trunk in my back seat and then saw that there was only a tiny dent on the bumper. I REALLY love this car for it's safety. Also...since we got it in 2005, we have spent a total of $1,100 on maintaining it. So nothing big has happened...just the normal stuff needed to keep a car going. We have about 140,000 miles on it, too. I don't know about the newer models but I would definitely look into car seats fitting in one. I do know that there was a model a few years ago that had a horrible blind spot, so watch for that. Also...look at the Saturn Vue. My Mom has one...those are great! Not a minivan, not a car...more like a small SUV. It drives more like a car...it has a very tight turning radius so it's super easy to park. Happy car hunting!!!

We have a Dodge Intrepid that easily fits three carseats in the back seat. We didn't buy it for that reason (it's my husbands car for driving to work) but it's been really nice on occasion to be able to fit three of them in the back. I don't know much about the safety or durability of the car, we got it six months ago mostly cause it fit in our budget and had low miles on it. It has a huge trunk, and three seat belts in the front seat, too, for added versatility in seating. It feels like a boat when driving, but actually handles pretty good, better than my minivan, anyway.

I once swore I would never have a mini van. Then I had my second child and my old Cherokee was on it's last leg.
I got a 05 Honda Odyssey. I did a lot of research. It is sad as the lease is up and due to my divorce and credit issues I have to turn it back in, I am actually very sad about this. I LOVE THIS vehicle.

I took the middle console out and it fits five children in a breeze, TONS of room for traveling, groceries and all that. I like if you are traveling the back seats lay down, perfect for changing diapers or extra luggage. It has super high safety ratings.

I have had it four years and had to do NOTHING other then change the oil. It only has 17,000 miles so someone is going to score because it will be the used vehicle star! They will jack up the price and someone will pay it as my pay off is not that much compared to the value. I am so depressed giving this up. It was a great car and think long term, like when your boys get just a big older, need to have friends go with them, if family comes into town as the back is very comfortable even for a grown up.
With the middle console it can seat 8, however I just didn't like it and the kids are so safe in the middle.
I highly recommend when you are thinking, think in two years both boys wanting a friend to go along somewhere, getting a mini van will help you out big time.

Not to mention they get better gas mileage then SUV's.
Just my two cents. I am having to buy an older model sedan as I have to pay cash and I honestly cried at the Honda dealership when they wouldn't let me finance the van. Lesson learned we should have dealt with a higher payment and bought it, but that was before I got divorced.

It sucks as I will miss it so much. It has been the best car I have ever driven!! :) I have had Pathfinders, Cherokee, smaller cars and it was far best the most awesome. I know, it is a car but I felt so safe, loved all the features, how well it drove and know like you with a Honda it can go forever if you take care of it.
Good luck.

The 2009 Subaru Forester is touted to fit 3 car seats in back.

I have a Toyota Sequoia, and I LOVE it. Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with mini-vans, but I really didn't want one- so this has been great for me!!!!!!!! We found a used one on craigslist & got a really good deal!! My 2 older ones I put in the 3rd row, & 2 infant seats in the middle ( with plenty of room for a 3rd in the middle row)! Good Luck!!

We love our ford freestyle with the 3rd row.

I have a Tahoe and love it, but it's definitely huge. I probably wouldn't go that big if you don't get the back-up camera.
Some other options are the new crossover cars. The new Taurus has 3 rows or their is the Honda Pilot (not quite as big as the Tahoe but still pretty easy to access the back row. Good luck, we went through the same thing a few months ago... at least now everything is super cheap!

I had 3 carseats in back of a chevy malibu for almost a year before my husband bought me a tahoe for my birthday. I LOVE IT!! there are older modles to fit up to 6 in the back, but my newer modle can fit 5 and it is easier to get the kids in the very back. Fitting a stroller in the very back is tricky and wont fit a double without folding a seat down, but we make do. It is by far the best car I have owned and it doesn't feel like I am driving a huge van or bus.