Prius for a Growing, Single-Car Family?

Speaking from hearsay -- some of today's baby car seats have become enormous. You may wish to check that two of what you want can fit in the car. Beyond that I see no problem at all with a four person Prius family. My twins grew up in a Mitsu Mirage which is a sub-compact quite a bit smaller than today's Prius. My wife and I didn't think it was a big deal, but since the car did not have rear doors we sometimes found it convenient to 'load' the kids through the hatch

 

Well they're used as family cars over this side of the pond. You might be a little pushed with the size of the boot/trunk with all the bags and pushchair/stroller etc but I use it as a family car. My kids are 5 & 7 now and there's enough room for them in the back. In fact the leg room is pretty good so no knees in your back. The other car in our household is a Honda Civic (Euro version) Hatchback.

I guess everything's a compromise and the Prius is just a tad on the small size but you can't have it all. It's a personal thing and I suppose only you can decide if it'll work for you.

 

There is tons of room in this vehicle! If you are looking to go camping rent a big SUV but for most everyday stuff the Prius has so much space that it should be fine. I agree with the poster that talked about the size of you current baby stuff.....I can't believe the size of strollers and car seats these days...I loved my old umbrella stroller that I had for my daughter 32 years ago!

 

The car should do fine. it has a lot of back seat and hatch space. The only time it could be an issue that I see is if you need to haul 2 pack and plays plus a ton of luggage.

My wife & I and our 6 month old son took a trip in my Trans Am for a WEEK to Virginia from NY. The pack and play was on the back dekc, everything else on the seat next to him (buckeld up) or in the trunk and I had full visiblity out the back. It was tight but worked. My wife and I can pack for a week in 1 suit case. We had more baby stuff than anything.

The prius has way more room.

 

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your decision making. Maybe I can offer some perspective.

With a wife and one 5 year old in 2000 we decided on a minivan to handle all possible requirements, hauling stuff, hauling extra passengers, potential family growth, etc. I lived 2 miles from work and the grocery store was around the corner. Not many miles got put on our car, about the same as you. In 2008, now with another kid, we moved to a more rural area and started to feel the pinch of having only one car. So this spring we added a used Prius for a 2nd car.
The minivan spends a LOT of time parked now. Only time we use it is when we need to haul our 3 dogs along, or some other extreme cargo needs. 90% of the time the Prius hauls our 4 member family and stuff (book bags, shopping) just fine. One child is 8, almost out of a booster seat. The other is 13 and 5'9", she sits behind me just fine and I'm 6' tall.
Our Prius was purchased used and I strongly recommend going that route. Avoid paying for new car smell. Also a good "eco" choice. I do occasionally have new 2010 envy but then I remind myself of the 10K extra it would have cost me.

- D

 

You're going to need a baby seat so get one early (or suggest it to the in-laws.) Take the seat with you when you try the car. That will get you to the first 5-7 years and toddler seats thereafter.

I would like to suggest looking at the Ford Escape hybrid. I test drove one several years ago and it has a lot of space and drives very nicely. It also is EPA rated at 32 combined with modest towing capability. They used to offer an AC inverter, very nice in a power outage.

Bob Wilson

 

I had a 2006 Outback. It seems like my 2010 Prius has just as much leg and head room (if not more).
I am 6'5", my 2 daughters are 5'10" and 5'8" tall. The 3 of us have no problems commuting for distances in the Prius. We are a 1 car family.
I am constantly amazed at the interior room in the 2010 Prius. Plus I am getting 46 mpg's with 250 miles (in the winter cold). I can't wait to see what kind of mileage I get in the spring.

 

We just exchanged a Kluger (Highlander) for the new Prius. used to love the Kluger for the sheer amount of junk I can fit in. Wish I had had one when my kids were in car seats etc. Its not the car seats that take up the room its the bags of nappies, food and toys you seem to carry. Back then we solved it by getting a VW Kombi van.
Now they have grown up and moved out it is just the 2 off us so Prius should be good for commuting and holidays.

So along comes Christmas day and I drive my two daughters ( a little taller than GreenGuys) plus Paula and I to my sons for Christmas Lunch. They had plenty of room and the luggage area absorbed the spare gas cyclinder for the BBQ, a couple of folding chairs, presents and an icebox with drinks and a couple of cheese cakes as our contribution to the festivities.

Very happy with the interior space in the Prius. February will see paula and I driving North for holidays with the usual collection of suitcases and golf clubs and room for a few cases of wine we might buy on our trip.

David

 

Hello DV:

I agree with Don: buy a used Prius.

I often travel to Boston, and when there, I often rent a G2 Prius from Hertz at Logan. You could go to Hertz, rent a G2 for a few days, and get a "feel" for it.

If you decide to buy used, you might even look into Hertz's used car sales. They maintain their fleet fairly well, and turn their inventory fairly frequently. And you're practically in their backyard.

Best wishes,

 

My wife and I bought a used Gen2 Prius when our daughter was 4 months old, and used for a year it until we moved across the country (at which point we sold it to my inlaws).

For the 3 of us it was plenty of car, despite the fact that we don't pack light.

For 4 it would not have been enough room for road trips. Kids' stuff nowadays is awfully bulky.

But the easy solution is to get a rooftop box for trips. In my view that's the best approach -- the box does clobber your fuel economy, for sure, but only when you actually need the capacity, rather than all the time.

 

Obviously there are a lot of things about your situation I do not know. But if money isn't an issue and waiting isn't an immediate issue there are rumors of a 2011 Toyota Prius Station Wagon but I suspect you don't want to wait until the infants are walking into 2nd grade....

I don't know I've been interested myself in the Jetta Sportswagen TDI. It has station wagon size and 30 mpg city and 40+ Highway. You are dealing with diesel and all that means as far as availability and local access to filling stations.

It's also leaving the rarified air of Hybrid emissions standards, although the clean diesel technology isn't bad.

If you are coming from a Toyota Corolla I'd think the Prius as/is would seem an upgrade.

Something I have to remind myself is that nothing is actually set in stone. You could buy a Prius today, used or new, and once you have your nuclear family intact and growing re-evaluate. By then you might have better options in the Station Wagon sized Prius and/or better knowledge about the success or failure of vehicles such as the VW TDI Sportswagen.

My opinion is at least out of the gate, for a couple that is coming from a Toyota Corolla, The Prius would seem an ecological and utilitarian upgrade.

Good Luck.

 

No kids here but can't help but wonder- how does the 60/40 rear seats work for baby carseats? Can you put 2 carseats side-by-side in the 60 part and fold down the 40 for longer stroller storage?

 

The Prius is pretty big inside. The issue for us is that of room between the rear and front seats for rear facing car seats. You cannot install two seats in a Prius and have them be level and still be able to sit in the seats upfront. If its one it goes in the center and thats fine, but if its two its not going to work.

It might work in the Outback, but I doubt it. Not a lot of vehicles short of a minivan or big sedan where it does work...

That would be my concern more than space...the Prius has plenty of space.

 

I am new to Prius with the Gen III, however my previous car was a 2001 Honda Civic. I feel that the prius is much roomier than the civic in all ways - front, back seats, and trunk space.

When I was pregnant with my son in 2005, I bought gear knowing that I had a small space to work with. So the stroller, car seats and other gear were not the fanciest, but well rated, very safe and compact. The car seats fit well rear- and forward-facing (Graco Snugride and Britax Roundabout). I had no problem fitting baby, gear and luggage.

I think you would still would be able to fit even with a second child. It might be tight, but if you are conscious of your space limitations and pack accordingly, you will easily be able to make it work.

Have fun!


iPhone ?

 

@bighouse: No way. Each child seat uses the complete space of an adult person.

We have three kids and only one car. There is no way to put three child seats in the Prius and have two adults seated in there as well.

No the children use raised seats, so the middle rear seat is usable. Two month ago we got the Prius and it works out well even with 5 persons.

2 kids are possible for sure!

Greetings from Austria
Martin

 

Do you have the Isofix child seats in the USA? I know my Prius is compatible and I assume it's something that's built in to them all. I'm pretty sure you can get two in the rear of a Prius. They're just soo easy to use and fit.

 

Bike seats would work well, though of course they only carry one child at a time. A trailer will carry two and extra stuff, or one child and a surprising amount of groceries. When the kids are old enough, they could graduate to trail-a-bikes, and eventually their very own. With proper training and careful selection of routes, the whole family will be safe and fit. Now, what were you asking about a car?

Yes. We've driven it across the country and back, with all our camping gear for four inside...tents, sleeping bags and pads, pillows, cooler, stove, barbecue, books, games, teddy bears...the Prius is a very roomy car.

 

I suggest against it if you plan to have two kids. Kids have big toys and big strollers. Two adults, two strollers, two kids, and supplies will fill up the car. This will make it difficult for you to do shopping for the week, or pick up supplies at home depot. There are times when you want have space to pick up a used crib, changing table that your friends are giving you and you won't have enough room. You can work around anything, of course.

So maybe you think that, of course, one parent can stay home while the other pick up the crib etc. I find that a big part of being a family is doing things together. My kids want to follow me wherever I go and "help" - they cry when I don't let them. So we end up doing a lot of things together, like food shopping or buying a garden hose. Yes, it is a hassle, takes 3 times as long, but they are so happy. And isn't being with your kids what life is about? And if you car forces you to leave the kids at home, what's the point? I rather be less green.