New Car or Not

A.,
Can't really offer advice on car type, but I think it's very wise that you look into getting a bigger car. Not necessarily for safety reasons (I understand them), but for space reasons. Two kids (or family of 4) and their needed items everytime you leave the house (not considering any special trips) take up a LOT of space in a car. I would especially consider it if a possible 3rd child is in the mix! We have 3 kids, we have a mini van, and there are days when I still need more room! :)

Only advice I can give on car is more related to what they can do. Remote locks because anything that takes only 1 hand is great! Sliding side doors, even if they're manual because sliding doors are (to me) easier to open with one hand and you don't have to worry about hitting another car in the process (especially if you have kids that can open the doors themselves - we do). If you allow drinks in the car and have smaller kids I'd pick a car with a darker interior carpet so that spills aren't as obvious (red Kool-aid really stands out on tan interiors)! If you have children in car seats I'd recommend a fabric seat as oppossed to leather. Leather is nice, it also tears easy (edges of carseat punctures easily and if you have to move carseat sliding it across the seat can rip it too).

Good luck with your possible upcoming "new" car purchase! :)

~A. C

Hi A., I had the same concerns. I drove a Honda Civic when my first child was born so we naturally needed something a little bigger and 4 doors. Then I traded for a Honda Accord. I with my second child. (had a 4 runner in between and hated it) I jsut got tired of bending over to put them in so I traded up for the Odyssey and I really wish I had this car a long, long time ago. I love it. I also work at home. Send me a message about what you do!!!

I also wanted a bigger car. I had a Nissan Xterra and loved it but bought it before we had Ben. It didn't have power windows/locks or anything. That really didn't work with a baby, as I am sure you know. So, I test drove a mini van but it just wasn't me. If you like your Kia, they just came out with a new car this year called a Rondo. That is what I got. It is great. I got power everything and a sunroof and it has a third row. The trunk space isn't huge when you have the third row open but it is good to have if you need it. I usually leave it down. They space in most SUV's that have a third row is pretty small in the trunk. But with the Kia rebates and warranty you can't beat. They paid off my car and I got a better interest rate which meant a smaller payment. I love it! Good Luck!

I have 2 kids myself and my husband and I only have 1 car which is a dodge neon...it only holds us 4.....now that calls for a new vehical....but we are waiting until we can afford the payments each month. Honestly it sounds like you have enough room as it is and you have to remember that with the new baby comes great finacial duties also. So if you are ok enough to feel comfortable with being able to pay this new car without causing stress later on then why not? But if you can't honestly say that this will be a reach to pay for ESPECIALLY with the new baby, I say wait. As long as your kids are seat in the back seats and the car seats are installed correctly then you should be fine. My kids both have to sit on each side of the window due to the both car seats being large.

Hi A.. You are not crazy! I currently have a crossover SUV with a folding 3rd row (seats7) and have two kids (3yo and 10 mon old). Mine is probably not much bigger than your sportage. Recently me and my husband have been searching for something bigger. We searched SUV's but then started searching for a minivan. I am not a minivan person but I really like them. I had a rental van for a couple of weeks after someone plowed into my rear and I really enjoyed how easy it was getting the kids in and out and how much room I had with or without the back row of seats up. We are going to be buying an Odyssey minivan as soon as we sell our current car. It has a lot of safety features and has great reviews. With a minivan it doesn't feel like your driving something huge and you don't have to stand on anything to get your kids buckled in. My son can actually open the door himself and climb in which he really likes. In a SUV with the 3rd row if you don't get the expanded version there is not a lot of room in the back and is sometimes difficult to get in. With two kids if you've got it in the budget to get something bigger I say go for it. Research, research, research any vehicles your thinking about and shop around for price. You also might want to consider looking on ebay. I bought my current vehicle from EBay and found a dealership within 200 miles that will sell me the van for over $4,000 cheaper than anyone local. If you would like any more input please feel free to contact me back. Good luck with your purchase and sorry this was so long.

Hi A.,
I was actually going to post something similar to this. I feel just as crazy into thinking that we need a new car. I am expecting our second child in April and we have yet to find something suitable for our little family of 4. My son is about 18mths(well almost) I still dont feel safe placing him on the side w/the car we currently drive(Chev Malibu 01). We are trying to trade it in for a Sequoia, or Explorer w/3rd row, or Expedition w/3rd row. I have looked at the websites and w/the explorer and the expedition the 3rd row folds down w/a push of a button! Which is great! No bending, which actually helps out our backs! I think you should look at different websites. Then you can defenetly narrow down what vehicle works for you. Good Luck and Once I finally find mine Ill let you know! :-)

Hi, I had to also get a new vehicle when my daughter was born. And boy did i love my truck! I would take a look at Consumer Reports if i were you. You can sign up for $5 a month (and I actually use the website quite a bit), but they have info on new AND used vehicles. The thing I found surprising? as much flack as SUV's get, they have better gas mileage than minivans- at least the new ones. And if I'm not mistaken, you can buy some SUV's with 3rd row seating (and it folds down!) No, you aren't crazy, but you may be after searching for the right car. good luck!

Hello! When we found out we had a second child on the way with the first being 1, we considered our options. SUV's are a waste. Minivan all the way. We traded our Nissan Pathfinder in for a Ford Windstar. Not brand new, no "maxed out". It's perfect, an 03. Better gas mileage than an SUV. More space than a car, and not some unnecessary design. I'm happy and very much content with a simple minivan. Just a little personal opinion. Hey, you asked!