Looks like I might have to upgrade my sedan to a larger car. I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for an SUV that has plenty of room, great for baby/toddler seats and has good safety features. I'm kind of scared of driving a larger vehicle since I'm used to always driving a compact car. I'd like to have some safety features that include a rear camera, lane assistance, etc. We were looking into a few possibilities: Infiniti JX35 (has awesome safety features), the BMW X3 (nice but I worry it might be too tight for a baby, dog and groceries), and the Volvo XC60 (has booster seats for children).
Any experiences with these SUVs or additional recommendations? TIA!
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I don't have much experience with that yet, but I have given this some thought too! My friend had a Toyota Highlander and it was awesome except it was WAY too tall (we're shorties) so it was hard for her to get in and out of with the kids and stuff. They've upgraded to a Sienna and love it! I would definitely take the height into consideration when shopping!
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I have always driven small cars and I was resistant when we bought me a Honda CR-V a few months ago but I LOVE it. It feels like driving a small car because it's built on a Civic body. Plus, we're a Honda family anyway. The newer models are very fuel efficient and have lots of the newer safety features too.
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@zippylef: We love our CR-V too!! Unfortunately it's not big enough for 2 kids + guests so we have to upgrade again.
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I just downsized from a Nissan murano to a Nissan Altima! I miss having an SUV! I have heard great things about the JX35!
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I just got a Subaru outback limited and love it!!! Tons of room in back seat and trunk, back up can, leather, xm
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I love my Nissan Murano. The LE trim level has backup cam, nav, Bluetooth for your phone and power lift gate which were all essentials for me. The only thing I don't like is that there is no LATCH in the center seat. NBD since we can use the seatbelt but it's just odd since there is LATCH on both the outer seats.
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I drive a massive SUV so can't really comment on smaller ones. However, my friend had a BMW X3 and they weren't a fan of it due to BMW's design for hugging the road. The suspensions were stiff so you felt every little bump in the road.
Regardless, new cars are always fun, and good luck!
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We have a Toyota 4runner and we love it. Fits our lifestyle (baby + 1 big dog who sits in the very back + 2 lil dogs) perfectly!
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We have both a Volvo XC70 (the wagon) and a Volvo XC90 (the SUV) and I love both of them! The XC90 has a third row of seating, which is nice if you plan on having several children. Right now, we have two Britax Advocate convertible car seats (one forward facing, one rear facing) in both cars, and they fit just fine. Additionally, we also have built-in booster seats once the kids get big enough, which is really nice. Volvo also has fantastic safety rating and some great optional safety features (like Blind Spot Indicators and Parking Sensors). Also the 5th door has automatic open/push button close fatures, which is a huge help when I'm out running errands with the kids, and there a speical interior you can choose that was desinged specifically for use with children (stain/tear resitant, flexible, etc...), if you don't like leather. We love our Volvos, and since they're pretty long lasting cars, we think we'll be able to use them until the kids are in high school (at which point we'll upgrade and give the old cars to the kids :).
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I'm super super happy with my CR-V
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I had an Acura MDX and loved it! It drove more like a car than a SUV/truck, it definately had go.
I now drive a GMC Acadia and it is nice. It is loaded so it is hard to compare the two since my Acura wasn't. The best thing about the Acadia is that the second row is bucket seats. So much easier to use the third row and the kids have a space between them = no touching:)
With both vehicles we use the third row with one seat up and a cover on it for the dog. Which is really nice so he isn't right on top of the kids.
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I just upgraded from a car to a Mazda CX-5 and I love it! It has plenty of room, drives like a car and it is getting 33MPG highway. I LOVE the gas mileage.
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