petitefrancaise

I loved my Ford Galaxy in Europe - the back seats were all full size seats and I would love to find something similar here, any ideas anyone?

I like to go camping and with 3 kids I need the boot space for camping stuff but I have 3 biggish kids too so they need real seats to sit in. World war 3 breaks out each time they get in the car at the moment because someone has to seat in the tiny middle seat.

What do you guys do? Any recommendations? I don't really want a huge SUV, maybe Honda Pilot/Ford Explorer size but they don't have the 3 seats in a row....

Pulaski

Your assertion that the Galaxy has three "full size" seats is a little odd when it is based on a Mondeo floor pan, and therefore a cousin to the Ford Edge. At most I would concede that the Galaxy has three "equally sized" seats.

I can't think of any vehicle that has three equal sized rear seats with headrests, and even the largest SUVs, which have plenty of width don't seem to lay out equal sized rear seats. Either your children need to come to terms with the lack of a headrest for the center seat, or someone needs to sit in the third-row seat. The Explorer has fairly good third-row seats, and a respectable amount of space in the back. The Expedition has more space as it is Ford's largest SUV. Generally speaking Ford makes wider vehicles than GM. If you're prepared to consider a truck, after after all you do live in Texas , the Ford F250 crew cab has a huge rear seat with ample width for three adults and a massive amount of leg room. I honestly think you'd need to buy a limo to get more leg room.

username.exe

My SIL drives a Toyota Sequoia (SUV). She can get three kids' seats on one bench.
Here's some pics of the inside.

Ford Flex is less SUV-ish.
Interior pics.

petitefrancaise

We rented a sequoia for the last camping trip and it was lovely for that but it's a bit big for me to drive around everyday.
A truck!! Not in our neighbourhood darling! Hubby wants me to get a Honda Odyssey but I am sick of mini-vans, that galaxy lasted us 11 years so I think I've done my time in one of those...Ford Flex looks ok but it's soooooo ugly :-(.

Last summer in the UK, we rented a peugeot 7 seater (5008) and it was perfect. Peugeot 5008 | 7 Seater Compact MPV and Spacious Family Car
Seats down in the back meant plenty of luggage room and then the seats for the kids were fine and loads of legroom. I was kinda hoping for something similar here...

Suz16

We have an Infinity QX56, it has 3 full sized seats in the back, with the potential for a further 3 if you use the third row. Using only the first 2 rows gives us a huge boot space- to give you an idea of the space, we have had 6 full size suitcases in there.

I absolutely love it and it's great for when we have family visiting from the UK, as we can take up to 8 people in the one car.

petitefrancaise

Cheers Suz16! I'll investigate that one. When I google it the images are showing me that the 2nd row of seats has this enormous storage thing between the seats and not a seat. Is that just an option? I'd rather not have that and have the seats as you describe.

Mr Weeze

We have an Expedition EL - maybe the standard size Expedition? It is pretty big though.

Pulaski

(i) the QX56 has been replaced with the QX80
(ii) it is even bigger than the Sequoia, by a full 5"!
(iii) it is also almost 50% more expensive than the Sequoia, so I suppose it is more likely to pass muster with your HOA.
The EL is the long wheelbase version, which was introduced when Ford discontinued the Excursion. The regular (length) Expedition is 2.1" longer than the Sequoia, and 2.9" shorter than the QX80. The EL is almost one foot longer than the QX80.

Suz16

Ours is the older model, from 2010, so not sure if they've changed it? I think that storage thing can be folded up to create a seat. We have 2 kids but when my sister comes to visit from the UK we have had 3 car seats in the second row which fit comfortably.

Pulaski

They have. See #8 above.

Weeze

Re. The Expedition EL. The main three rear seats are pretty spacious. We have a largish baby seat still for the mini mini weeze and a regular car seat for weeze. An adult Inbetween is ok for shortish journeys but I wouldn't fancy it for longer journeys. A regular car seat fits fine there though and the kids don't seem squished as I do it for play dates.
The extra third row is genius. On my newer version is is automatic for the seats to fold and unfold. When they are folded the trunk space is massive. Handy as I can always leave the buggy in there and still fit in anything I buy.
Yes it's big, but it doesn't feel big driving it. I wasn't a big driver at all in the UK and have got use to it very quickly. I like having a bigger car in Houston as it always feels like it gives the awful drivers chance to see me.

sir_eccles

I see several of those QX things at daycare. Make my Outback look like a Mini. When I take the Towncar they even make that look small!

Leslie

No need to roll your eyes. She probably fell asleep while reading your post.

petitefrancaise

I don't really get why Pulaski thought that Suz16 post was so funny, ah well.

My galaxy was also an old model which we kept because the newer ones weren't so wel-designed and spacious. I could take out all the seats in the back. 5 of them, all the same size, all big enough for an adult to sit in for a long journey. Without them, the car became a van with windows and a carpet...

I don't need 7 seats anymore but it seems to me that the MPV as sold in Europe would be perfect for us right now. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to exist here yet.

Maybe something like a Ford Explorer/Honda Pilot would work for us but I'll need a trailer for the camping trips. Thanks everyone for your help/advice.

Bnet36

OP I have a Volvo XC90. Love this vehicle one of the safest and not overwhelmingly big. 3 seats in the middle row with the middle seat having an in built booster seat (it converts to normal or rather the other way round). It has 3rd row seats too although when up it does limit your boot space.

Good on petrol too - not to worry for now but prices will go up eventually.