I love my Land Rover LR2.

 

My I love my 2008 Toyota Prius and my husband loves his, too. Don't know how big your family is, but there is room for 5 and the storage in the back is pretty good. I went from a full size GMC Savana conversion van (and really loved it.....except for the $ for gas). I went from filling up for $80 to around $12 - $15 and from around 16 mpg to 48 -51.
My sister just got an HHR and loves it, too. So, I think it boils down to what you really want. My husband would say try driving anything you are interested in. We also rented a Prius over a weekend and that really helped us get a good idea of how it would be.

 

If you want something to seat 6+, you'll need the Lexus LX470 (I believe it seats 8), not the RX330 or 350 (both seat 5). I've got my eye on a champagne-colored RX350...someday! The GX is another option (5-8 seater). Otherwise, you're looking at getting a minivan. Good luck!

 

We just bought a Dodge Journey R/T. I would have loved to have gotten a Lexus, but couldn't afford it. With the Dodge we were able to get it completely loaded, from the moon roof, to the DVD player, GPS, Sirius, back-up camera, etc. I love all the toys! It does have third row seats, too, so it'll seat up to 7.

We traded in our Grand Caravan. We found with the 4 of us we didn't need all that much room. So far, a huge thumbs up!

 

I highly suggest doing this. My DH and I wanted to get a Jeep so we rented one for a weekend and it changed our minds. Man am I glad we didn't buy one.
This was BC - Before Children

 

We're currently looking at a Toyota Sienna, we have 3 kids and have found that the minivan has more room, is better on gas and is more affordable than most of the SUV's. I say test drive as many as you can and find the right fit for you, good luck!

 

I just bought the Ford Flex and LOOOOOVE IT!!!! I'm not a big "car" person, but I like what I like and the Flex is awesome. Lots of room especially in the second row. My stepson and his size 32 shoes are gonna fit this summer!! LOL It rides soo smoooth. The dog has room in the back and you just gotta check it out. It seats 6 - 7 depending on which 2nd row you get. The 3rd row is even roomy. Good luck in whatever you get. But like everyone else says test drive test drive test drive. These days you gotta be happy with what you spend your money on. Just like Pampered Chef!! lol

 

I have the ES350 & love it but won't hold three baby seats. I love the RX's though. Everytime I take my car in for service I get one as a loaner. The 2010's are out & they are really nice! The LX's have more space than the GS's though.

 

I went from an 8-seater minivan to a 5-seater Pontiac Vibe last summer. We are a family of 4, and we take family vacations in it all the time. I'm spending 1/2 of the amount I spent on gas, and I really like it. You may want to drive one of the 5-seaters that you like and then compare to the big ones. You may answer your own question (ps - my sons are 10 and 7 and sure, they fight sometimes in the back seat, but what kids don't? I don't think you can avoid that one!)

 

It's comfortable for us - we're average height/weight, though, so you definitely have to take that into consideration. I had one as a rental a couple of months ago and really liked it. I called DH and told him we had to get one, but he laughed at me because we just figured we'd get a minivan. When we went to the dealer to pick out a van, I saw the Journey and asked him to test drive it. We got the one with all wheel drive and a V6. It definitely has a lot more pick up than the 4 cylinder that I had as a rental. I've only had it a week and a half but have been quite happy with it. We've had Dodges for many years and have never had any problems, or if we did have a problem it was fixed right away.

 

I have a Saturn Outlook and it seats 8. They also have one that seats 7. I love it with the third row that folds down. You can get it as loaded as you want. We have the side steps but no dvd player since we already had one. Its got a V6, and it does great on the highway.

I've always driven a Saturn- this is my third. Its the same basic thing as a GMC Acadia. Both good, but I admit I love the Saturn more due to our FAB customer Service. Our folks that we've dealt with over the years (over 10 total) have really kept us coming back for more! People ask and I will tell them Saturn all the way!!!!

 

okay... IMO get what you can afford with out payments. I cannot tell how relieve we are that we own both cars outright. I have a Subaru Outback, maybe too small for your needs, but it has over 120K and is still going strong.

 

Love my Buick Rendezvous CXL. Has a third row seat that folds away easily. Good gas milage too!

 

I love love love my brand new Toyota Rav4. It's bigger than previous years and actually holds MORe than my Chevy Trailblazer used to. 60 month warranty, 24 mpg, and so fun. It has tons of room in it.

 

I just bought the Mercedes ML350 on Monday, and while I love it, I think that I'm going to take it back (mis-representation from the dealership is why). I'm not sure what I'll end up getting, so I'm also anxious to see some of the othe responses.

I also have a Land Rover Discovery (well, actually, my husband does), and while it's a nice vehicle, it sits a little high to make getting a child in and out of the car seat a little difficult. I much prefer my old 2002 Explorer over the Land Rover.

Good luck in your new car pursuit!

 

Amen, sister!

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I just bought a Toyota Highlander and love it. It has third row seats that completly disappear for better storage. I like the back up camera and built in navigation system along with bluetooth for hands free phone. I average 23 to 24 mpg.