Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

I had a Chrysler 200 when DS was born and my DH had a pickup.

The 200 had tons of room and we loved it. I would not go run out and buy a new car until you have the baby and live with the car situation for a few months. Why take on an expense when you really don't need to.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

You definitely do not NEED one. My sister has a 4 month old and drives a Chevy Cobalt.

My DH and I both drive Mazda 3s and are not planning n getting new cars.

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

with one child you are fine with your 4 door car
imo, a 2 door car would be annoying - hard to get the baby in and out of the carseat
but if you just use your car as the "family car" you should be fine
enjoy not having the car payment for now!

i am expecting #2 and moving so we are looking for a new car. we currently had an suv that i LOVE but am going the crossover/mini van route for the second car. the thought of having to open the car door for my youngest while carrying the newborn in my arms is going to be a pain - the automatic doors will be a nice touch. plus the mileage on an suv does stink! in the beginning its not so bad, but after a few years i am now down to 16mpg huge expense

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

Message edited 12/27/2013 9:19:04 AM.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

I had a hyundai elantra and DS had a hyundai accent hatchback when we had DS. It was fine. When we went out as a family we took my car (although sometimes we took DH, although very infrequently). Now, I am expecting number 2 and have a rogue, dh still has the accent although he also has a chrysler 300 (but he won't let kids in his new car )

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

Need no...is it easier yes

We do a lot of traveling by car and it would have been tough space wise with a car but I had twins

I also despise bending to get the kids in dh's Honda accord. It's so low and it hurts my back.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

No - you don't NEED an SUV.
But I do prefer to have 4WD w/ the kids in bad weather.

We bought an Acura MDX when we had our first, and I drove a Toyota Corolla -

My second is 2.5 now and we just recently traded in the Toyota b/c it was only 2 years old and giving me SO many issues -
We bought an Audi A4 .......so now we have both w/ 4WD -

I am much more comfortable driving a smaller car. I CAN drive the SUV, obviously, but I feel safer in a car b/c it's what I feel more comfortable driving and handling.

The Audi is bigger than the Toyota, but not by much - I easily fit both 2.5 and 4.5 year old boys and all of there junk in there w/ a double stroller ........you don't NEED an SUV.

Message edited 12/27/2013 9:54:12 AM.

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

No, you don’t need one. I am currently driving a 4 door Acura tl with 2 kids. I don’t have any issues. I am even able to fit our double stroller and groceries in the trunk with no problem

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

I would say you definitely don't need an SUV with a baby. I've always had one and it certainly made life easier, especially when I became a 2 under 2 mom, but I could've done just fine in a car. You make do with what you have.

I will say that an SUV is a must for me, now that I have school aged kids. Between sports equipment and carpools it's a life saver. If you're the type to keep a car for the life of the car, I'd suggest getting an SUV now. Otherwise, you're fine.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

You don't NEED an SUV. for that matter, you could make due with a bicycle if that's what you want to try and do. Its all a matter of how much inconvenience you are willing to live with and for what cost.

Lots of people are chiming in about how its easy in a sedan... I definitely have a different experience. Especially with the current car seat recommendations your child should be rear facing until 2.

We had a 2003 Honda accord as our primary family car, it got old very quickly having his seat behind the passenger seat and basically eating the dashboard. I'm 6'2" I could not sit in the passenger seat when he was out of the infant seat. Target, food shopping trips etc. were a real problem finding places in the car to stick things. we had to borrow a car to go on vacation for a week, we just couldn't fit everything.

we broke down and bought a minivan. we were/are still planning on having a second. It makes things very easy. A small/mid sized SUV would have worked, for 1. but for 2, we would be looking at a larger SUV or minivan, and figured lets just do it.

Our second car is a Mustang. it works.... now that he's over 2 and front facing, but it wouldn't take a rear facing convertible seat and a passenger. we didn't have that at the time. However, we just don't take it with him in it 95% of the time.

you can definitely try it with a 4door sedan, but don't imagine its going to be all sunshine and rainbows if you're following the rear facing guidelines and keep a stroller in the trunk.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

Thanks for all the responses! We would definitely keep my car. If we're going out together just the two of us now, we always take my car, never DH's. Now that I'm thinking more about it, the baby would probably only very rarely go with DH in his car so it may not be much of an issue.

Thanks again!

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

We had a maxima wiht just 1, and I had no issues what so ever. The stroller fit, car seats fit. I just traded it in for a pathfinder bc we are having another baby, but I totally could have gottten away with my maxima..

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

definitely not with one child. a 4 door would be fine. I actually had an SUV when DD was born and I traded it in for a 4 door because is was so much easier getting in and out and the trunk was much bigger.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

You do not NEED an SUV for a baby. We had a very safe 2 door coupe and sold it just before baby was born ONLY out of convenience. We did not want to strain our backs getting DD into the back of the car.

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

No. I have 2 kids in my 4 door sedan.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

I had this argument with my sister. . . she thinks having an SUV is easier getting the stroller in and out, but I have had no problems with that in the trunk of my 4-door sedan.
We are expecting #2 and are back and forth on getting a crossover/SUV. But in the long run I am more comfortable in a sedan.

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

Nope.... I actually bought my sedan (Mazda 6s) for the idea of having a kid. Then got my SUV as a back up for snow (not the kid). She's fine in both. Not necessary at all.

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

No you don't. We have had our SUVs before we had DD and it was a preference of type of car we both wanted. I've actually considered getting a sedan when I need a new car.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

I have two kids 4.5 and 1.5 yrs old in a four door honda civic. It's fine. I don't see why you would *need* an SUV because you are having a baby. I think you could make it work with what you have.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

Definitely not. We have a Honda Civic and a Subaru Forester (SUV/crossover). Neither one is better than the other with the baby. When we go out, we just use whichever one happens to be at the end of the driveway.

Check out the square footage / storage space of SUVs - they're often not any bigger than sedans. My friends have a super expensive Audi SUV and they HATE it because there is so little space. With the carseat installed the person in the front seat is squished all the way up near the windshield. There's more room for everyone in my little Civic. The only real advantage to the SUV is when you go to a place like IKEA and it helps that the "trunk" area extends up to the roof.

Re: Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

honestly... with one child NO.
with two- preferable if you take car trips, but regular day to day no.
with three -YES

Do We NEED an SUV with a Baby?

We bought our suv ( CRV) when ds was 3m. Before that I was driving a Nissan sentra and I would have panic attacks whenever ds was in the car with me because the car was small and his car seat was at the door.