Crossover with three separate rear seats

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Wed 20 Mar 2013 14:37
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar

Hi,

I'm looking for a new car, and like the idea of changing from a MPV to a Crossover. However the key feature I want is three separate rear seats as in my Citroen C4 Picasso, rather than two seats and a middle bench that most cars have. (I'm not talking separately moving or flipping, a 66/33 split is fine).

Any ideas - which crossover has that seating layout?

Thanks

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Wed 20 Mar 2013 15:28
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe - although the centre seat is narrower than the two outer seats at 40:20:40 - the Santa Fe is about 8cm wider internally than the C4 Picasso so not exactly short on width.

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Wed 20 Mar 2013 23:46
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Auristocrat

Nissan Qashqai+2?

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Thu 21 Mar 2013 08:10
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar
I don't think so, the Qashqui. Def 2 and a bench. I want three equally sized seats in that second row.
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Thu 21 Mar 2013 08:21
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Happy Blue!

Think you will struggle to find many medium sized SUVs with three separate seats.

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Thu 21 Mar 2013 08:31
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT
I want three equally sized seats in that second row.

The C4 Picasso achieves that with 3 narrow seats, great for carrying kids but not so comfortable for adults - other cars have wider back seats, in total, with 2 normal adult seats and room for a small adult in the middle.

Why do you need equality ?

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Thu 21 Mar 2013 10:34
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar
Why? Three kids!
The middle seat in our Picasso is most popular, great view out of the front, leg room between front seats, comfortable proper seat. We'd like that set up again.
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Thu 21 Mar 2013 11:03
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

Another Picasso then !

There's very little difference these days between 5-seat MPVs and 5-seat Crossovers - as most Crossovers sold are the 2wd option.

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Thu 21 Mar 2013 23:52
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar

Another Picasso then !

It seems like we'll be stuck in MPV World until the kids grow up then!

Shame, I was hoping that one manufacturer would go for the three seats in a crossover, but from all my enquiries and research it doesnt seem to exist.

Of the compact MPVs the VW Touran also has the 3 separate seats as with the Picasso, although I don't much like its box shape or lack of personality. I'm more attracted towards the Peugeot 5008 as it's the newest design of its type, although its larger of course.

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 00:06
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Auristocrat

The 5008 shares the same structure and mechanicals with the C4 Picasso.

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 07:19
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Happy Blue!

I too have three children. Unless you buy a large SUV (as many of my friends have done - e.g. Volvo XC90), you will get far more useable space in a medum sized MPV.

Instead of a Picasso, have you looked at alternative models. The Ford S-Max, or Zafira Tourer or Mazda5? All good cars. I have an S-max and it drives better than about 95% of all cars on the road.

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 10:46
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Auristocrat

The Mazda 5 with its Karakuri seating system doesn't have three full size rear seats.

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 11:41
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Sulphur Man

A Honda FR-V has three seperate adult-size seats in the rear, and the front.

You're post states your looking for a new car, but provided you give up on the crossover requirement, (and the new bit too) then an 09 FR-V will fit your requirement, and is actually narrower than a C4 Picasso too. It's also built like a Swiss watch.

We have one, an 08-reg petrol auto in EX spec. Should aliens arrive on earth looking for examples of human ingenuity and genius, I will offer them a spin in ours (as long as their oversized distended heads fit inside).

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 11:49
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

Honda FR-V - so brilliant no-one ever copied it.

Three front seats is for Transit vans!

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 13:21
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Happy Blue!

Fiat Multipla was so brilliant it was copied by Honda for the FR-V.

Friends have one. Its one of those sleeper cars. You only realise how good they are, once they stop making them.

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Fri 22 Mar 2013 13:38
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

Fiat Multipla was so brilliant .........

that Fiat stopped making it !!

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Sat 30 Mar 2013 23:11
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar

The FR-V has crossed our minds, although surprised its narrowed than the Picasso, it looks wider. However, I kind of think the drivers seat position must be shifted a couple of inches right and slightly smaller to accomodate that third front seat. Nevertheless I do like the idea of the 6th seat and full use of boot, and think the idea is a good one. Madness that it is discontinued, must have had poor sales.

I'm currently thinking we might just keep the Picasso, as there seems little point changing to similar for changes sake. Although tempted by opening sunroofs currently, so search continues! The Hynundai ix35 caught my eye, but didn't tick the seat layout box.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 17:10
Crossover with three separate rear seats - jamie745

As a 28 year old with no children and a Jaguar S-Type I won't pretend to understand your vehicular requirements, but I am curious as to why you can't just....leave one of the children at home or something?

I'd have thought it rare for both parents and all three kids to be in the car at the same time.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 19:35
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Avant

Before we get a tirade from people with families, we had better assume that Jamie is joking.

If he was like this as a child, I'm sure his parents must often have been sorely tempted to leave him at home....or somewhere.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 19:51
Crossover with three separate rear seats - jamie745

Well I've always felt there must be a reason I never got a younger sibling....

I've never understood people who sell their nice cars upon receiving a baby. You see ads all the time stating 'new baby forces sale.' First off; that's one bossy baby! Secondly I'm pretty sure babies are small, almost conveniently sized. They'd fit perfectly in the glovebox or in those little floor slots you get in the Renault Scenic. All their bulletproof paraphernalia makes a baby take up a space very inverse to it's own size.

My point was half serious though, I would've thought it rare for all five family members to be in the car at once. Even if hubby/wifey is dropping all three off at school en route to work you still only need 4 seats.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 20:05
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

Depending on the age of the children, it may be inappropriate to have any of them in the front - but there are plenty of 3 children families coping just fine with all three in the back even if the seats are more suitable for 2 adults and a child seat.

I agree with the point about "bossy baby" - it should be adults in charge!

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 20:09
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Avant

I rather guessed you were an only child, Jamie.

If it really needs to be spelt out, families go out together at weekends, to see friends or grandparents. They go on holiday. They give other kids lifts. Etc.

And you should never leave children under 14 at home on their own.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 20:15
Crossover with three separate rear seats - jamie745

And you should never leave children under 14 at home on their own.

I firmly believe in personal responsibility and in obeying the law to the letter, so to ensure compliance with HM Governments rules I'd take the decisive, responsible step of leaving the child in a field instead.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 22:45
Crossover with three separate rear seats - unthrottled

And you should never leave children under 14 at home on their own.

Really? Not even if you put them in double high-viz jackets?

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 23:14
Crossover with three separate rear seats - jamie745

Even high-vis jackets aren't enough because you haven't had a civil servant from some huge quango come round to fulfill a health and safety risk assessment for the 13 year old walking to the fridge.

Very important those risk assessment forms.

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Sun 31 Mar 2013 23:23
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

Even high-vis jackets aren't enough because you haven't had a civil servant from some huge quango come round to fulfill a health and safety risk assessment for the 13 year old walking to the fridge.

Very important those risk assessment forms.

High-viz jackets are only acceptable if the parents of children and all other adults responsible for their part-time care have had a full optical test - at a much higher standard than the driving test requirement.

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Mon 1 Apr 2013 02:12
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar

Jamie - I have a solution that you could babysit one of the kids when we go out with the other two? But otherwise, no this would be our family car for all 5 at weekends and holidays.

My second car is a VW Eos that I bought when there were only 4 of us, and I'm keeping that because I'm not prepared to lose my convertible joy, and as you rightly point out there are plenty of times on local trips when not all family members travel together.

Great deals on Vauxhall Zafiras currently BTW, £10.5k for a new 7 seater, is almost quite tempting.

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Mon 1 Apr 2013 10:58
Crossover with three separate rear seats - daveyK_UK

Latebar,

the Zafira's where £9,999 a few months back, im sure you could push a dealer down to £9,999.

They tend to be the 1.6 engine for this price, see if you can get the 1.8, it doesnt sound much of a difference on paper an extra 0.2 litre capapcity but in the zafira you will notice a remarkable difference as the 1.8 is a far superiour engine.

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Mon 1 Apr 2013 16:04
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Avant

I'm not sure what a Zafira can do that another Picasso can't - or maybe you just want a change. If you're buying new, the latest Toyota Verso is worth a look.

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Mon 1 Apr 2013 16:33
Crossover with three separate rear seats - RT

Surely the good thing about the Zafira is that it can seat 7 ?

The OP only needs a 5-seater but has specific needs for the back seat.

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Tue 2 Apr 2013 08:42
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Happy Blue!

A number of things cross my mind here as the father of three children: -

1. The OP wants to keep his EOS but has got an issue with the Picasso in the family. Why be so selfish. Sell the impractical car and buy something that really suits your family - perhaps an S-Max; without doubt the best driving seven seat car on the market. I know, I have one and most regular cars are not as nice to drive as it.

2. Those of you without three kids do not understand that sometimes, a seven seater is a very practical way to travel five up. You can separate the kids, put bags required for the journey in the middle of the car where everyone can reach them (food, entertainment, wipes etc).

When our third child was arriving we arranged our cars that made the most sense, so the large Volvo saloon was sold, the newer CRV was kept and a seven seater was acquired. A few years later we did not need so much space we both ended up with five seaters until the kids grew some more and a new seven seater was desirable. We shall probably keep a seven seater now until our eldest (now 15) has left home.

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Tue 2 Apr 2013 14:48
Crossover with three separate rear seats - LateBar

Hi, I'm the OP.

I started looking at this conundrum because I fancied moving away from pure "MPV" functionality to a Crossover, really from a styling point of view. Crossovers, which only really only existed in their pure "SUV" guise 5 years ago have improved greatly in recent years, partly to cater for customers like myself who want a half-way house.

I agree that the S-Max is a class leader, and is probably as good to drive as any Crossover. Getting 7 seats wasn't really a criteria for me, getting 5 good seats was, but I can see how utilising the 7 seat layout for 5 persons can give extra space, provided you don't need all the boot space. The issue I would have with a seven seater is that the 5th member of our family is a baby, so we need the boot for the pram. That would add an attraction to a 6 seater option like the FR-V into play, so you can separate the kids when you want to, and keep the boot.

As for the Eos, we need two cars, and as noted not every journey needs 5 seats. I use it for commuting and for the pure joy of convertible driving. It's not a selfish keep, there is no need to replace it. Life's too short not to enjoy a convertible, and having it as the second car is ideal.

Anyway, for now we're sticking with the Picasso for another year. It may not be a S-Max to drive, nor as funky as a crossover but it has the 5 seat layout we like and is paid for.

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Tue 2 Apr 2013 16:11
Crossover with three separate rear seats - unthrottled

2. Those of you without three kids do not understand that sometimes, a seven seater is a very practical way to travel five up. You can separate the kids, put bags required for the journey in the middle of the car where everyone can reach them (food, entertainment, wipes etc).

I was one of three children and think the five seater is the best choice. When travelling with a full family there is usually luggage involved, and the seven seater doesn't have a useful boot. You can pile luggage on individual seats, but it always ends up falling on to someone's lap.

Much better in the boot out of the way.

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Tue 2 Apr 2013 17:41
Crossover with three separate rear seats - daveyK_UK

The Citroen Berlingo Multispace come with 3 seperate seats in the back with the exception being the base model (VT) which has a 2 and a 1.

under-rated vehicle the berlingo multispace/partner tepee

Had quiet a few in our old business, so good we got one ourselves until we fancied a change.

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Tue 2 Apr 2013 18:41
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Bromptonaut

The Citroen Berlingo Multispace come with 3 seperate seats in the back with the exception being the base model (VT) which has a 2 and a 1.

The previous version (to 2008/9) had three full seats in the rear. It also has the same boot capacity as a medium/large estate.

We're normally a family of four but did several hundred miles round France a few years ago with the daughter's then 17yo beau on board. No hardship except that arising form our model's lack of aircon.

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Tue 2 Apr 2013 23:17
Crossover with three separate rear seats - Avant

"I was one of three children and think the five seater is the best choice. When travelling with a full family there is usually luggage involved, and the seven seater doesn't have a useful boot."

It does if you get a 7-seater whose rearmost seats fold down flat into the floor, as most modern ones do, I think. And 3 children don't always want to sit in a row: as Happy Blue says, it's nice to have the option to change around.

Anyway, Late Bar, your Picasso sounds as it's doing the job as well as any, and I'm absolutely with you in wanting to keep the convertible. I'm about to flog my old Z3, but if SWMBO didn't have a Mini Roadster I think I'd be hanging on to it. Even so I'll still miss the sound of that straight-six.

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