# What's your safe, practical family car pick?



## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

It's time - we need to finally buy a car, preferably a small wagon.
The problem is it needs to be fuel efficient, ultra reliable and above all, safe.
I'm finding cars are either too gas thirsty, too small, don't get good reliability ratings or don't have standard side airbags.
We hope to have a second child soon.
Am I missing the perfect model?


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## Eman'smom (Mar 19, 2002)

I really like the Toyota Matrix as a wagon, it's basically a Corolla with a wagon end (is that too small for you?)


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## newCTmama (Mar 1, 2007)

We got a Honda Fit beforeDS was born and we love it! We can fit our car seat in thee no problem, and the hatchbackaccomidates a jogging stroller!


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## BaBaBa (Jun 30, 2007)

Volvo, if you can afford it.


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## Phoenix_Rising (Jun 27, 2005)

We bought a Matrix but have found that we really dislike not having a real trunk. It just doesn't seem that the fabric designed to hold cargo in the back will actually keep it there in the case of an accident. Other than that we really like the Matrix.


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## WhaleinGaloshes (Oct 9, 2006)

I have an Audi A3. It is all the things you mentioned -- very efficient (I get 35 mpg average and up to 39 on highway trips), very reliable and very safe.

If it's too small (and I have only one child but I could fit two), the A4 wagon is a shade bigger.

I really liked the Honda Fit, too. It's a nice car and a great value, IMO. The Mazda 3 is another to look at.


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

We have a TDI Golf. We've only filled it up five times this year. We get about 1000km per tank. The Jetta wagon is supposed to get 41 mpg highway. A lot of TDI owners get better than advertised mileage. We have.


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## natty529 (May 4, 2007)

we have a honda element and love love love it


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## JavaFinch (May 26, 2002)

I have a Corolla and top of the line tires and I feel it's safe (plus I drive like a Grandma). The 2003 models and newer, IIRC, have a very good safety rating. Pre-2003 got a little lower ratings.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

We have a Pontiac Vibe (which is the Matrix) and LOVE it! I do have a mini-van now but for DD alone, the Vibe was my primary vehicle and we were (are) very happy with it. There is not alot of room for those big rear-facing seats, but it was OK for me, a little tight for DH but he survived!


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## tabrizia (Oct 24, 2007)

We love our Matrix as well, and it works very well for the three of us. I do think it will be a bit tight when bean arrives and we have two rear-facing. We likely won't be able to take a 5th person along, but that is a problem with most sedans/non-minivans. It has been wonderful for us so far though and it should work fine for number 2 as well. It has great gas mileage and it has never had a problem in the past 4 years we've had it.


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## TinyMama (Sep 4, 2007)

We love our Matrix too.
We got a rocket box for the top to add extra storage, and now it's perfect.


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JavaFinch* 
I have a Corolla and top of the line tires and I feel it's safe (plus I drive like a Grandma). The 2003 models and newer, IIRC, have a very good safety rating. Pre-2003 got a little lower ratings.

Another Grandma here







Don't you wish everyone drove like us?
Thanks for all the suggestions, mamas.
I WISH I could buy a Matrix - I can't find a used model with side airbags, sadly.
But I'll check out all the other options.


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## tuppence (Feb 18, 2005)

We've got a Honda Cr-V and love it, although I'm not sure about the side air bags. In another two years, we plan on trading it in for either a Fit, if the family is still the same size or an Odyssey if we need more space.


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## frontierpsych (Jun 11, 2006)

we're looking at a Mazda 5. We've got a Toyota Echo right now, and DS's convertible car seat *barely* fits in there safely.


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## griffin2004 (Sep 25, 2003)

Subaru Outback all the way


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## milkybean (Mar 19, 2008)

Volvo.

It's out of our price range though, so we have our minds set on a Jetta wagon once we're not upside-down on our current used car.


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## russsk (Aug 17, 2007)

We have a Subaru Forester and love it. We might get an Outback next time, though, because it has a bit more leg room. But its Subaru all the way.


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## rootzdawta (May 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *griffin2004* 
Subaru Outback all the way











Especially if you live any place with snow.

Last time I checked, it's safety ratings were as high as the Volvo.


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## lotus.blossom (Mar 1, 2005)

We just got the new VW Tiguan. Its AMAZING! The gas mileage is better than advertised (I think 28mpg) more in the low 30's. Its very roomy in the backseat has all the bells and whistles and is AWD. The roof is one big sunroof, has a refridgerated glove box, sirius satellite, heated seats, ambient light over all the controls, and I could go on and on. Truely a great crossover.


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## AnnieA (Nov 26, 2007)

If we just had one child, we would definitely go with a Nissan Versa hatchback. Great leg and head room in the back seat, good storage area in truck, EXCELLENT safety ratings and good gas mileage.


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## Meems (Jan 8, 2007)

My picks would be
#1 Volvo
#2 VW Passat wagon
#3 VW TDI Jetta wagon

And I really like the Honda mini van...

If only I could buy one of these


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## Porcelain Interior (Feb 8, 2008)

If you want reliability and safety....

You cannot beat a Subaru.

I have an Outback (I've had two) and I've had a Forester. I've loved them all. I've never had any issues with any of my Subaru's. We usually just upgrade because we lust after various Subaru models, but we're sticking with the one we have now.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

My car is not what you're looking for, but I love it, and it's safe. I have an Acura MDX (same as the Honda Pilot, less one seat, slightly more power).

If I were looking for something with all of your requirements I'd totally look at a Subaru Outback. I'm driving a Legacy sedan as a rental right now and it's alright, but I don't love it as much as the Outback. Subarus are super reliable and will last for EVER!


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## Twinklefae (Dec 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Porcelain Interior* 
If you want reliability and safety....

You cannot beat a Subaru.

I have an Outback (I've had two) and I've had a Forester. I've loved them all. I've never had any issues with any of my Subaru's. We usually just upgrade because we lust after various Subaru models, but we're sticking with the one we have now.

I had heard that it's really hard to install car seats in Subaru's? Have you found this to be the case?


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## rootzdawta (May 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Twinklefae* 
I had heard that it's really hard to install car seats in Subaru's? Have you found this to be the case?

There's a hump in the middle of the back seat that may make it difficult to install a car seat in the middle position. I've heard that if you find the right car seat, you can get a good install. Installation on the outboard seats (which is recommended by Subaru) is quite easy using latch or the seatbelt. I only have two kids so this is not a problem for me.


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## BaBaBa (Jun 30, 2007)

Beware of toxic interiors in Volkswagens...
healthycar.org


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## BaBaBa (Jun 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *easy_goer* 
I have an Audi A3. It is all the things you mentioned -- very efficient (I get 35 mpg average and up to 39 on highway trips), very reliable and very safe.


Cool! DH is looking at that for his next car.


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## jenniferlynne (Jun 17, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *griffin2004* 
Subaru Outback all the way

Totally agree. We have an Outback and we love it. It gets good mileage, has plenty of room for us, is extremely reliable, and has one of the best safety ratings out there. We were deciding between an Outback and a Volvo V70 wagon and went with the Outback because of the better reliability. We're very happy with it!

We just have two kids, so the car seats are in the outboard positions, but I have been able to fit DDs Roundabout in the center position, no problem, so that we could fit a 3rd adult in the back. I've heard Britax seats fit well in the center position because they sort of "straddle" the hump. The Roundabout installed easily and was rock solid.


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## Porcelain Interior (Feb 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Twinklefae* 
I had heard that it's really hard to install car seats in Subaru's? Have you found this to be the case?


No. We use that cinch down thingy that gets the seatbelts SUPER tight, and we've never had an issue.


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## momma-d (Feb 2, 2007)

Another Subaru Outback fan here!
It has very high safety and reliability ratings and you gotta love the all-wheel drive if, as another p mentioned, you live anywhere that gets snow...
and there's plenty of room for our Britax Marathon in the back.


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## TefferTWH (May 13, 2008)

I wanted a Vibe/Matrix, but we have a minivan since we onlyhave one vehicle and often need more cargo room. I REALLY liked the style of those two.


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## Alison's Mom (May 3, 2007)

We have a Honda CRV and think it's a great family car. We had considered a Jetta or Passat wagon, plus the Volvo V50, but found the V50 to be quite small in the backseat. We needed something where I could fit in between the two car seats for when we needed to pick up MIL. I ended up not getting a VW because Hondas (and Toyotas) just have the reputation of being the most reliable cars on the market.


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## noobmom (Jan 19, 2008)

Another vote for the CR-V!

1) Low on the toxic interiors list:
http://www.healthycar.org/vehicle.searchname.php?q=cr-v

2) Highly rated for safety (top safety pick)
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=307
--and importantly...all the safely features are standard (such as side curtain airbags), not something you have to pay more for. So even if you get the lowest model, you still get a very safe car.

3) Decent gas mileage. I get 21 mpg tooling around town and 25 highway driving. I have the 4WD so it doesn't get as good gas mileage as the 2WD version.

4) A bit roomier than Subarus, esp for my tall husband.

Also, I didn't know this when I bought it, but you can use latch in the middle position in this car. One anchor is shared with the side, so if you have two in carseats you can't do it, but if you only have one child it's nice.


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## leerypolyp (Feb 22, 2005)

We have a 2006 Honda Civic, and it may be smaller than what you're thinking of, but there is an astonishing amount of room in the trunk, you can fit two carseats easily in the back, and the gas mileage is amazing. It takes us half a tank to drive from Philly to Boston! It's really worth a look.

Good safety and reliability (they're designed to more safely crash with taller cars like SUVs). You can get a hybrid version of the same car, but honestly, you lose some room in the trunk and you don't get all that much better mileage (because it's so good to begin with).

That said, someday I would like something slightly larger (and if we have more kids we'll need it), but I refuse to buy another gas-powered vehicle. I'm holding my breath for a plug-in electric minivan!


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Leery polyp,

You're a mama after my own heart.
I'm actually vacillating now between a Mazda5 (too big) and a Honda Fit (maybe a wee bit small for two kids).
I wish I could buy a low speed electric vehicle - they're about $18,000 from a company near Montreal - but our city hasn't yet passed the bylaw needed to allow them on the roads and we'd have to switch to a clean power company because much of our grid is on coal. Hybrids just seem like way too much $$$ for marginal fuel savings when you have a small car to begin with.


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## odenata (Feb 1, 2005)

We have a Volvo XC70, and I really like it, but the gas mileage is so-so. When we bought it, we lived somewhere with lots of snow, and the all wheel drive was essential, but now it just wastes gas.

We went with Volvo over a Subaru because of the size and comfort of the backseat, for one, and the general handling. However, I do really like my parent's Subaru Forester.


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## gretelmom (Jun 22, 2005)

VW Jetta makes a turbo diesel which would get insane milage and the new diesel is cleaner than gasoline.


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## DandeCobb (Jul 20, 2006)

I had an 01 chevy impala for 5 years and LOVED it, tons of room, great driving car. I totaled it on the freeway going 65 mph a year ago, hit the retaining wall twice and the guard rail, it was smashed 6 ways to sunday. Ds and I walked away without a scratch. (obviously he was in a properly installed car seat). we had very little mechanical problems with it and it had about 110K miles when i wrecked it. tell us what you pick!


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## mackinsiesmom (Apr 3, 2004)

We have a Jetta TDI which we we do love. Its a 2005 so the car has probably changed a bit. We just got back from going on a trip. We live in Colorado Springs and drove to Hagerstown MD and only had to fill up 3 times and one of those times we were only at a half tank. We were getting 46/47 miles to the gallon. I drove it during the summer while dh was deployed and I love driving it.

The only thing I don't like is the back seat is small for my taste. DH is 6'6 so he has to have the seat all the way back so dd has to sit where I am sitting. In order for her to have leg room (she is 5 and is 43 inches) I have to have my seat up closer to the front which I don't like because of the air bag. She can't fit in the middle (she is still in a harness carseat) because there isn't enough room for her legs to be comfortable.


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## theretohere (Nov 4, 2005)

We have a Hyundai Elantra. I think it comes in a wagon. We LOVE it.


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## Past_VNE (Dec 13, 2003)

Another vote for the TDI (turbo diesel) Jetta. We have an 01 and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. We normally don't keep cars long, like 6 months to 2 years. But, we've had this Jetta since 2003 and we don't plan on getting rid of it until it either totally dies or is so outdated, safety-wise, that it would be prudent to update. We had a performance chip installed (in its computer) and so we get more torque, more HP and get this, better fuel mileage. We avg 47 mpg, but can eek out up to a roadtrip avg of 58 mpg on cold days with 60 mph speeds on the expressway. We went from St. Pete, FL to Philadelphia, PA on 2.25 tanks of fuel. We have put well over 100,000 miles on her and she's a fantastic animal. I could on and on for days about her.

A Boulevard/Marathon fits in both RF and FF, and we'll be adding a new baby to it in February. We've hauled two kids at once before and it worked fine. DH is 6'3", I'm 5'9" and it's tight fit, but we can put a Boulevard in the middle, two rear adult passengers, a front passenger and DH driving. We've driven two hour trips like this and it's tight, but not uncomfortable enough to haul out a bigger car.

I love the Subarus, but I think their gas mileage is piss poor, for what they are. That's what stopped me from buying one a few years ago when I was looking to replace an Explorer. (Instead, we moved, bought a farm and got a giant work truck.)

I have driven numerous Sonatas as rental cars and have always really enjoyed them. I think if I was looking for a Jetta-ish car and the Jetta did not exist, I would go for the Sonata. As a really big car buff, it was very hard for me to get past the Hyundai badge and realize how very nice that car really was.

An early 2000s BMW 5 series would be killer, if you're into some luxury. Safety is phenomenal, size is GREAT inside and in trunk for a midsize sedan...it feels huge in there. We had the hotrod version, a 540i 6 speed and I would highly recommend any 5 series. Carseats were a little tricky, but not impossible. The only downfall? Cupholders suck. However, the cult car market has good fixes for this, so you can pick up replacement inserts for the stock cupholders. BMW has fantastic road feel and is great for car enthusiasts. If you like all the luxury, but want a fluffier ride feel, look into the early 2000s Benz wagons. Some can be had for a tiny fraction of their original value. (Ex. our 01 540i was $18k. Originally, she was over $60k the way she was decked out.)

I have driven the Matrix/Vibe on several occasions and felt like it was turning fuel directly into noise...as you'd press the accelerator and it would get louder, but it didn't have much 'go' to it. It also had a surprisingly cheap build quality feel to it, for a Toyota project.

I think the Volvos are great wagons, but am only mostly impressed with the sedans and am not elated with any of Volvos MPG ratings. If Volvo would up their MPG, they would have the perfect car for families, IMO.

I ADORE the Honda Odyssey and the ugly, but lovely Element. The sticker shock on the Odyssey is not easily gotten over and the Element is perfection for rough and tumble usage, if only they'd add a fifth seat. It's four place only.







Both these Hondas have iffy MPG. The Element would do best as an automatic, in my opinion, as the manual is not a pleasure to drive, at all.

I'm a longtime car nut who spent a LOT of time in rental cars until this year. So, I have an opinion on an awful lot of cars!









I can give good advice on F-250s and other 3/4 ton trucks if you're in the market for one of those, too.


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## Ruthie's momma (May 2, 2008)

We went with a Volvo S40. For us, Volvo's safety ratings were most important. It is a very high quality make and our model gets excellent gas mileage!







:


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## pumpkinhead (Sep 15, 2003)

I love Hondas and Subarus. Love them. We have a Ford Focus wagon. It's fine. It's not fun to drive and I don't love it. It's bare bones, but it's reliable and has good safety ratings. Not excellent, but good. It's our little workhorse. I'd rather have a Subaru or a Honda, but this is fine for now.


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## dogmom327 (Apr 19, 2007)

I love my Honda CR-V (new style). It's got great room, good MPG and since it's a Honda it's reliable and holds its resale value. You can also get one fairly cheap if you are willing to get a 2WD and no cloth interior.


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## KarenEMT (Aug 10, 2002)

I love our Matrix. I still can't believe how much I can cram into that little car. We plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Porcelain Interior* 
No. We use that cinch down thingy that gets the seatbelts SUPER tight, and we've never had an issue.

Are you using the Mighty Tight? If so, please stop. It is an aftermarket product and shouldn't be used. It can also damage the seat belts, weakening them, as well as giving you a false sense of security.


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## Megan73 (May 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dogmom327* 
I love my Honda CR-V (new style). It's got great room, good MPG and since it's a Honda it's reliable and holds its resale value. You can also get one fairly cheap if you are willing to get a 2WD and no cloth interior.

Thanks to all the mamas who suggested the CRV - it's a model I hadn't even considered. After almost a year of car-lessness, that's what I've FINALLY decided to buy - and I've found a great deal on a 2007.
It has super reliability, great crash test ratings, standard ESC, fuel efficiency similar to a Subaru wagon with a much lower price tag and putting DS in his carseat will be a snap because it's tall.
Thanks for all the great advice!


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

if i had not really wanted a 3rd row, i would've bought another Subaru in a heartbeat. i used to have an Impreza wagon, which i loved and had a very hard time trading in for my Toyota Highlander. Though i love the Highlander, and i'm impressed with the gas mileage i get for such a comparably large vehicle. You might want to consider a Toyota Rav 4 if you don't need a 3rd row of seating for anything. They get awesome gas mileage and Toyotas are pretty well indestructible, as well as holding their value exceptionally well. we tend to to stick to Toyotas, Subarus, and Hondas - they're all reliable, safe, and retain their value well.

i do have a friend who just got a Mazda 5, and i think that would be a great car if you didn't need to frequently use the 3rd row - with it up, though, there's basically zero trunk.


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## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

Our second car is a Volvo wagon, which we love. It gets great gas mileage, it was used, so very affordable, it'll run forever, and it's very safe.

Dh commutes in it during the week (better gas mileage than our should-get-me-kicked-off-MDC-Suburban), but we use it as a family car on the weekends.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

While I love my Subaru Outback, if you ever think you'll need to do 3 across, don't get a Subaru! It's impossible!


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## mimie (Mar 7, 2003)

I would respectfully recommend against the Honda Fit, Toyota Corolla or Matrix, VW Jetta or Golf, or Nissan Versa due to the small size of the backseat. You have very young children, and it is best to keep them rear facing as long as possible. I've found that keeping DD RFing is sooo much easier in a car with a roomier back seat!









I would definitely recommend the Subaru Outback. If you get a 2003 or newer, you can install your seats in the outboard positions with LATCH, which is super easy! The Outback isn't huge, but the backseat is spacious enough for carseats, and the trunk is good-sized as well.

My other pick, if you can go for a sedan rather than a wagon, is a Honda Accord. Great mileage, reliablility and safety, and a really comfortably-sized interior.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mimie* 
I would respectfully recommend against the Honda Fit, Toyota Corolla or Matrix, VW Jetta or Golf, or Nissan Versa due to the small size of the backseat. You have very young children, and it is best to keep them rear facing as long as possible. I've found that keeping DD RFing is sooo much easier in a car with a roomier back seat!









I would definitely recommend the Subaru Outback. If you get a 2003 or newer, you can install your seats in the outboard positions with LATCH, which is super easy! The Outback isn't huge, but the backseat is spacious enough for carseats, and the trunk is good-sized as well.

My other pick, if you can go for a sedan rather than a wagon, is a Honda Accord. Great mileage, reliablility and safety, and a really comfortably-sized interior.

The outback started putting the lower anchors in in 2001.


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## dearmama22 (Oct 20, 2008)

We have a honda CRV and no kids yet- due March- but we got it because of the safety and because of the features that I liked. However, after two kids we'll probably have to get something bigger! I suppose we'll cross that bridge when it comes.


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## Pernillep (Jan 2, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChetMC* 
We have a TDI Golf. We've only filled it up five times this year. We get about 1000km per tank. The Jetta wagon is supposed to get 41 mpg highway. A lot of TDI owners get better than advertised mileage. We have.

We have a Jetta Wagon TDI (diesel) and get about 45 miles to the gallon.
we are adding a 2nd baby to the family later this year so we will see how that goes as DH has really long legs and need a lot of space on his side. DS is behing me right now.

It is a good size. They did stop making them for a few years but have just re-released them for 09 models i think.


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## Aka mommy (Feb 25, 2005)

If Dh had his way it would be a subaru outback. If money were not an option, i would be getting a hybrid Chevy Tahoe


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## Adventuredad (Apr 23, 2008)

I'm boring so I drive a Volvo V701. I don't drive it much, it gets pretty good mileage, is reliable, has tons of space, and is also safe. I think it's a good combination of different features but it might be too boring or large for others


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