Question for anyone with a young family

[af1]

One of my friends at work has a seat leon and currently has two kids (under 10) and they fit perfectly in the back on booster seats (bit of a crap fit in the front with the standard bucket seats tbh though)
they are planning to have one more child and are wondering if they could easily continue to use the leon or is an upgrade required?
so two will be on booster seats and one in a group 0 car seat

thing is the car is used daily for the whole family so the car will need to fit mummy daddy child child and tiny bubba too!
anyone do this?
i cant see it confortable for mum or dad in the back between two booster seats?

what other cars are an option, did a search on google and the options were dire... like really dire, the kind of cars you would rather eat your own poo then drive
xsara picaso
fiat multipla
berlingo
scenic

what about a 4x4 i know they are about as socially acceptable as walking into a dinner party with your willy in your hand slapping it on the table and saying "dinner is served" but surely they are ok with a diesel engine and have 3 proper seats in the rear
have seen a pretty tasty range rover 4.0 converted to LPG for sale

opinions
Alan

 

[gaRy cupra]

i have a LCR and keep a forward facing baby seat in the middle in the back for my 2 year old and it`s fine can get two average size adults in ther also 1 either side so maybe that layout would be ok, Hope that helps.

 

[af1]

thanks, the thing is its 2 adults and 2 kids and 1 baby

 

[caveo]

yep the options are very dire indeed stick with it mate.

 

[af1]

a lot of people are saying the land rover discovery is a good choice, seats in the back big enough for 3 kids with two extra in the boot?

 

[caveo]

If i had to id go with a volvo estate 7 seater much less hassel getting about and just as practical.

 

[Georgie]

I look after a herd of kiddies.

When i had my Leon the kids i looked after were in 2 car seats (not boosters) and IIRC there was enough room for a small adult but not another car seat in the middle.

It may be different with the 2 other kids on boosters as they arnt as bulky.

Easy option really.. borrow a car seat and just see if it fits.

 

[Willie]

Theres a guy at my work had a LCR, he had to change to a Mondeo to allow space for 3 seats in the back

 

[warren_cox]

My boss had twins a couple of years ago, and has an older son too. With the five of them he tried for about a month to persevere with his 320d, but in the end had to go and by a 530d. The 5 series manages to take all the kiddy seats and means the kids aren't 'sardined' into the back. He really rates it and only paid about £18k for a 53 plate 530d. You can get the smaller engine models much cheaper than that now, particularly as a facelift is imminent.

 

[rhumber]

I tried to get 1 car seat and 2 booster seats in the back of mine and it wouldn't fit (but I have leather which makes it more difficult I think?)

So I had to put one kid on the booster seat in the front which I didn't like doing.

But of course I didn't have another adult in the front.

 

[Willie]

Unfortuneately it seems like the Leon it a 2 adult 2 kid motor
Good excuse to buy a RS6 though, if you ever needed one!!

 

[collapsed sewer]

Aah, I might be the sort of person to answer this. I've got three kids - 5, 3 and 1, and I needed a car that would fit two booster/child seats (they take up the same amount of width) and a proper baby seat in. I used to have a Passat Estate (99/T) and it was a bit of a squeeze in that but could just about be done.

A few months ago it was time to get a newer car and I searched high and low for something that I could still feel good about owning and didn't look like a nanny's taxi, but would do the job.

For my sort of budget, performance and looks requirements it basically narrowed down to an Audi A6 Avant or a Mondeo TDCI (either a Ghia or Zetec S), although I would have considered a Galaxy/Alhambra/Sharan if one with the right engine at the right price came along, minimum 130BHP diesel......(it didn't).

The 7 seaters as mentioned above offered a good compromise between looks and practicality.....the Alhambra with the right wheels isn't a bad looking motor really. They are the only cars that are going to be easy to put all those child seats in for less than £7K ish - although bear in mind that some of the earlier versions (prior to 2001 I think) don't have a 3-point belt in the middle seat.

I ended up with an Audi A6 Avant 130 SE. Always loved Audis and this is no exception. The Mk3 Mondeo Estate is actually bigger in the rear (wider and with more legroom - trust me, I'm anal about such issues) but the three kids still sit happily in the back of the A6. It's a little bit fiddly to get the three belts clipped in but it's well worth it for the quality and refinement of the car itself.

As for two adults plus those three seats in the Leon - forget it

The missus gets the Audi and I've got the Leon - they've both got their own qualities, but strangely enough, my 3 year old lad (who is absolutely mad on cars) ALWAYS wants to go in the Leon

 

[richybigman]

You might need a bigger car:

Yesterday i took out my sister in law with 2 of her kids (one 4 on booster and one 18 months in car seat) and a mate of mine in my leon.

My mate sat in the front with no problems and the kids were in the outside seats and sister in law in the middle. All in all there was not enough leg room behind me (i'm 6ft 2) and it looked a bit squashed in the back.

Hope this helps.

 

[collapsed sewer]

sister in law in the middle - and it looked a bit squashed in the back.

Being your sister-in-law, she was probably quite polite. Imagine if it was your missus sat in the middle - the moaning factor would go up by about 100 times.

 

[richybigman]

To be honest mate she isn't one to mix her words and would quite happily tell me if she was uncomfortable.

 

[wrightman]

Stick one in the boot Job done !

 

[caveo]

Or strap one to a roof rack.

 

[Bainie]

Can you put a baby seat in the middle, I would not be comfortable with that ?


Other option, Zafira GSi / VXR !!!

 

[sheffboy]

Zafira VXR = Midlife crisis or at least it looks that way.

Best people carrier in my opinion would be a toyota verso. Boring to look at but they drive like a normal car and are actually pleasant to drive.

 

[collapsed sewer]

Can you put a baby seat in the middle, I would not be comfortable with that ?

Why not?

Anyway - I looked at the Zafiras. They're actually not that roomy for a MPV and I'd rather a decent estate. Personal taste I suppose.