Cindy in C-ville Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 With two in college next year, we're hoping, at some point, to park our 12-seater except when everyone is home and we all are going somewhere together. So, what do you think would be the best vehicle for our family? Here are the considerations: *Comfortable seat 5 kids, all teens and tweens *Good gas mileage, daily travel ~ 30 miles *Safe *Affordable *Would prefer to not have a mini-van, but will bend on this if it fits all the other criteria Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddykate Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) I LOVE my Honda Odyssey. It is very roomy; much more than the Yukon XL that we had prior to this vehicle. eta: sorry, I missed the part about not wanting a mini van....but, I really do like it. It is roomy enough for me to sit very comfortably in the back with my children, with plenty of room for knees and elbows. Edited June 6, 2012 by maddykate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstenH Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We love our 2004 Acura MDX. We bought it new, but they can be had fairly reasonably used now, and they are VERY reliable, safe, and comfortable. Gas mileage is great for an SUV, but it does require premium fuel. I've driven the newer generation of MDX, and I still prefer my 2004, honestly. It's been an amazing family car, and I hope it lasts until the kids are driving. (Right now, that looks very possible. It's in great shape even after 8 years.) One possible concern: It seats EXACTLY seven, and there won't be a ton of cargo space with the third row seat up. So if you need it to hold seven passengers and a ton of gear ... you might need something bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie131 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I too like my mini-van, I think they generally get better gas mileage than SUVs, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlylocks Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Chevy Suburban or GMC Yukon XL... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Chevy Suburban or GMC Yukon XL... :) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I love my MDX, but the other poster is correct. Not much room for cargo if all seven seats are full. I have ridden in a Chevy Traverse that has the second row Captain's chairs, which made the third row of seats very accessible. The third row was quite roomy. But, it doesn't look like a mini van. Sorry. Nothing personal. I am just not a fan of the minivan look. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I would think a Dodge Durango would seat 7 comfortably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Well, we love our Toyota Sequoia, and it seats 8, so if you have one extra, you are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 It is by far the most comfortable car on the planet - that being said, gas mileage is not great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We have been looking for the same thing so have been gathering lots of information and recommendations from friends. We have had so many people tell us how much they love their Honda Pilot, that that is what we're going to purchase. The years prior to 2010 are the recommended years; apparently there were some unfavorable changes after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We love our Honda Pilot. It seats 8, gets decent gas mileage, and is very comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I LOVE my Cadillac Escalade! It is my 4th one. Here's why I like it: 1. Big and super comfy. 2. There's 4 zones for temperature control, heat or cold on the bum and back for 4 of the seats. 3. Three separate screens in the back so one kiddo can be playing an Xbox, one a Playstation, and another watching a movie. 4. Heated and cooled cupholders. I use this feature every time I get in the car. 5. Alerts me when someone is in my blindspot, which is small for such a big car, so I won't change lanes. 6. Super easy to maneuver. 7. Roughly 14 miles to the gallon. HTH :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassiemc Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We have a 2011 Chevy Traverse. It seats 7 very comfortably. The back row fits adults! It's comfy and fun to drive. We get 17mpg in the city, not the advertised 20, but it's 4 wheel drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I LOVE my Honda Odyssey. It is very roomy; much more than the Yukon XL that we had prior to this vehicle. eta: sorry, I missed the part about not wanting a mini van....but, I really do like it. It is roomy enough for me to sit very comfortably in the back with my children, with plenty of room for knees and elbows. Another vote for the Honda Odyssey. We love our 07. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Another vote for Honda Odyssey! Ours has 170K+ miles, and we've only had one real repair. The rest has been only maintenance. We get 24-25 miles a gallon on trips and close to that around town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) Mazda 5? No a minivan, more seats than a wagon, respectable mileage. We don't have one but, when we get to a place where we need to replace a vehicle, it will be high on our list of possibilities. I do like our Odyssey, though. My husband is probably going to roll over the 100k mark on his way home this evening, or I get to do it tomorrow :) The only non-maintenance item we've encountered was a wheel bearing that went bad recently. Not surprising approaching 100k. Our MPG is the same as Amy mentioned, though we've gotten as good as 28 highway. (good to know it stays that way!) Edited June 6, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Mazda 5? No a minivan, more seats than a wagon, respectable mileage. We don't have one but, when we get to a place where we need to replace a vehicle, it will be high on our list of possibilities. I think you have to get a Mazda CX9 to get 7 seats. It's what we have, and I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 We have been looking for the same thing so have been gathering lots of information and recommendations from friends. We have had so many people tell us how much they love their Honda Pilot, that that is what we're going to purchase. The years prior to 2010 are the recommended years; apparently there were some unfavorable changes after that. My husband's been looking at the Honda Pilot. Anyone have one that you can talk about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I think you have to get a Mazda CX9 to get 7 seats. It's what we have, and I love it. Nope. 6-passenger. Driver doesn't count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in IN Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We love our Sienna. One of the best things about it is the extra cargo space in the back. And it's super easy to fold the chairs down, which is so convenient when I'm getting tons of groceries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ajexcel Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 With two in college next year, we're hoping, at some point, to park our 12-seater except when everyone is home and we all are going somewhere together. So, what do you think would be the best vehicle for our family? Here are the considerations: *Comfortable seat 5 kids, all teens and tweens *Good gas mileage, daily travel ~ 30 miles *Safe *Affordable *Would prefer to not have a mini-van, but will bend on this if it fits all the other criteria Suggestions? Hi - I'd recommend the Chrysler Grand Voyager or the Ford Galaxy. Although your not keen on the MiniVan many of them have really good MPG and the interiors are great for 7 full sized adults. For good MPG go for diesel. For fuel efficiency you'd need something like a Vauxhall Zafira Tourer or the New Renault Grand Scenic - but they wont have "as much" space a VW Caddy Maxi life or Kia Sedona. :grouphug: Source: www.7-seater-cars.co.uk :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Buick Enclave/Chevy Traverse/GMC Acadia - they're all basically the same car. My ILs had an Enclave and I l.o.v.e.d that car. However, we bought a VW Routan - the minivan was about $15K less than the Enclave, both used with similar mileage. The space and cargo area was comparable in both though. I do love my Routan. It's basically the same as a Chrysler T&C except the seats are way more comfy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.