Family car for first child

maynooth_rules

So my partner is expecting
Anyway, for the first time I have to start thinking of 'family' cars and what car will have room for buggies and such.
I only recently bought a car, an i30.
She drives a little Yaris so we will be updating her car.
What would people recommend? We also play golf so a decent sized boot is important.
I was originally thinking of an estate but maybe Im getting ahead of myself with how much space is needed

Del2005

maynooth_rules wrote: »

So my partner is expecting
Anyway, for the first time I have to start thinking of 'family' cars and what car will have room for buggies and such.
I only recently bought a car, an i30.
She drives a little Yaris so we will be updating her car.
What would people recommend? We also play golf so a decent sized boot is important.
I was originally thinking of an estate but maybe Im getting ahead of myself with how much space is needed

Once a baby arrives you can never have too much space. Any estate or soft SUV will do, why do you think so many people are buying them, MPVs can have small boots unless you go big.

James Bond Junior

Whats the budget like? A relative with a 1 year old has an ix35 and it seems to swallow all the bits with relative ease. Tight in the back though if you're carrying more than one passenger.

bazz26

I'd look at something like an Octavia. The boot size is what legends are made of, should be able to fit a set of golf clubs or a buggy. Personally I think a MPV for one child is a bit ott unless you plan to have more children in the short term and hold on to the car for many years.

Sam Kade

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd look at something like an Octavia. The boot size is what legends are made of, should be able to fit a set of golf clubs or a buggy. Personally I think a MPV for one child is a bit ott unless you plan to have more children in the short term and hold on to the car for many years.

True, most mid sized cars have plenty boot space but for some reason people think they need a massive suv if they have more than one child.

billbond4

Go for an estate, you will have loads of room in boot then.
I got a passat saloon and while it's boot is massive an estate would be better.

Del2005

Sam Kade wrote: »

True, most mid sized cars have plenty boot space but for some reason people think they need a massive suv if they have more than one child.

The height of the SUV makes it more ergonomic when putting a baby/toddler into their seat

Lisha

I second the skoda octavia. Have 2children and I'd no complaints re car seats, boot space, buggies (often had Phil n teds buggy plus Quinny or a stroller and loads of room for shopping) etc.
The suv types often have smaller narrower boots.

Sam Kade

Del2005 wrote: »

The height of the SUV makes it more ergonomic when putting a baby/toddler into their seat

Hardly a reason to buy an suv, unless you are a stiff 70 year with a toddler.

monkeysnapper

I bought a Audi avant in 2008 when we were expecting our 1st child, it was a 2003 ( 5 year old)

It was very disappointing size , 2 years after number 2 child came and we changed car again.

We bought a Citroen grand Picasso , a bit higher and way easier to put children into , saves your back a bit .

We now have three and grand Picasso was a better fit .

I loved Audi, she really flew but size wise it was disappointing .

colm_mcm

My missus has a Yaris and the buggy fits in the boot.

Never understand this rush to get a massive car once a baby arrives. You still have the i30 if you're stuck.

Fair enough a Yaris isn't massive, but you certainly don't need an estate as a replacement.

maynooth_rules

Sorry the budget is around 9-10k.

grogi

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd look at something like an Octavia. The boot size is what legends are made of, should be able to fit a set of golf clubs or a buggy. Personally I think a MPV for one child is a bit ott unless you plan to have more children in the short term and hold on to the car for many years.

What is brilliant in having an Mpv or an SUV is the increased height... With kids you constantly bend over to put the car seat at first, but later to fasten the seats belt.

Back is sooo much less stressed with an Mpv, and it was worth every penny, despite being an overkill in seat capacity department.

James Bond Junior

Skoda yeti would fit the bill but cheapest I can see is 12k.

Del2005

Del2005 wrote: »

Once a baby arrives you can never have too much space. .

Can I disagree a bit with this? I've seen some MPV's etc just cluttered with baby stuff. Sometimes, the more room you have the more you use and the car just becomes a dumping ground.

Clever design (hatchback/estate/ergonomic etc) would be better for the OP than just "big".

colm_mcm

Yep, and not getting a ridiculously sized travel system is a big help too.

jca

I'd she having triplets or what? It's one tiny baby for feck sake. The i30 or the yaris will both be perfect. God be with the days when the six of us and the Ma and Da used to head to the grandparents in the Hunter.... You can forget about the golf for for a while too. Seriously though, you'll have enough expense without changing either of those cars.

slave1

We had a CMax when we had two, excellent ingress (sic?) and loads of space, great car to drive too

wandatowell

My bro in law has a Skoda superb. Massive car. Good value to be had too.

On the other side of things ye just had a kid so maybe stay as ye are. Give it a few months and see how the two cars ye have suits ye.
As you well know buy a car is expensive and if ye can manage as ye are why change?

fricatus

colm_mcm wrote: »

My missus has a Yaris and the buggy fits in the boot.

Never understand this rush to get a massive car once a baby arrives. You still have the i30 if you're stuck.

Fair enough a Yaris isn't massive, but you certainly don't need an estate as a replacement.

+1

If you want an MPV or SUV, grand, that's your choice, and it's your own money you're spending. However you shouldn't feel you need to do so just because you have a baby. Our little lad is nearly 4 and has pretty much gone everywhere in his mother's Yaris or his Nanny's Corsa. Occasionally he's been in my Honda Accord, mainly for longer trips up the country, to the airport or the ferry.

Getting the buggy into the boot of the Yaris is a tight enough squeeze, but it's not impossible. Whatever you do though, a hatchback or estate is best; although my Accord has a big boot, sometimes I've had to play luggage Tetris to get everything in, and use the space in tight to the rear seats. With a hatchback, you just place everything in and shove down the lid.

Things may change of course if and when you have a second one, and probably then you might need something bigger. There's enough expense around having a baby without adding a car into the mix, so I'd advise against it for now. Good luck with it all anyway!

Oafley Jones

Sam Kade wrote: »

Hardly a reason to buy an suv, unless you are a stiff 70 year with a toddler.

I used to think people were exaggerating this point, but they're not wrong. Besides, It ain't for the off roading people are buying them for. A high vehicle makes a huge difference when trying to get a baby seat locked in and out of its base. Both myself and the missus yanked our backs fighting with a maxi cosi. And that's in the relatively palatial space of a superb.

fits

Oafley Jones wrote: »

I used to think people were exaggerating this point, but they're not wrong. Besides, It ain't for the off roading people are buying them for. A high vehicle makes a huge difference when trying to get a baby seat locked in and out of its base. Both myself and the missus yanked our backs fighting with a maxi cosi. And that's in the relatively palatial space of a superb.

Its very nice to have the height when pregnant as well. I actually just dont get into my husbands car, i wouldnt be able to pull myself out of it.
(preexisting bad back +expecting twins though)

OP how about one of the more compact estates, eg fabia or golf? They're a nice handy size.

H3llR4iser

jca wrote: »

I'd she having triplets or what? It's one tiny baby for feck sake. The i30 or the yaris will both be perfect. God be with the days when the six of us and the Ma and Da used to head to the grandparents in the Hunter.... You can forget about the golf for for a while too. Seriously though, you'll have enough expense without changing either of those cars.

You don't even need to go back in time, all you need to do is go to continental Europe to find plenty of families going around in cars even smaller than an i30 with two kids.

Do not get into the habit of cluttering the car with pointless stuff that doesn't belong in a vehicle (check the "Cardrobe" thread ) and you should be fine with the cars you have.

irlrobins

Was in the same situation earlier this year. First child on the way, current car was a three door Golf, so completely impracticable.

Looked at the Qashqai, really liked the high ride position and overall feel but the boot relative to the size of the car was quite small. You could fit a travel system in, but not much else. Ended up getting an Octavia Hatch and couldn't be happier. Plenty of boot space for travel system, shopping, luggage etc. Plenty of Octavia's available second hand. You'll probably start seeing MK3 PCPs returns available at dealers shortly.

Went on holiday to France and had an Avenis Estate. My hatch actually had more boot space than it.

As to what car is best for kids, comes down to individuals' preferences, needs, budget etc. What works for one family might not for another. If we all had the same needs, we'd all have the same car

Jen44

we have a nissan qashqai got it when i was expecting my first! Fit the bill perfect and is a lovely car to drive the extra height is brilliant too

kkhornet

In a similar spot myself. Wife is pregnant with our first and I'm looking to change the car. Meaning to for a long time now but this gave me the extra push to get rid of the lancer.
I'll be looking at an 08+ 520d estate in the near future. Comfortable, practical and a whole lot nicer than than current lancer