Kia Carens v Galaxy/Alhambra/Sharan

dg647

Does anyone have any experience with a Kia Carens? We need to upgrade the car for an expanding family.

We need a car that will fit 3 kids under 3 in the second row (a baby seat and two seats for 1-3 year olds). We will need to be able to carry an adult in the back from time to time. It also needs to be able to carry a double buggy when carrying the 6 people (3 adults and 3 kids).

Would a Carens be able for this or do I need to go for a Galaxy or similar? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pkiernan

dg647 wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with a Kia Carens? We need to upgrade the car for an expanding family.

We need a car that will fit 3 kids under 3 in the second row (a baby seat and two seats for 1-3 year olds). We will need to be able to carry an adult in the back from time to time. It also needs to be able to carry a double buggy when carrying the 6 people (3 adults and 3 kids).

Would a Carens be able for this or do I need to go for a Galaxy or similar? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I looked at all the models you mention.
I don't think the Kia will do it for you.

I went with a Ford S max, and I'm very happy with it.

ShamoBuc

dg647 wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with a Kia Carens? We need to upgrade the car for an expanding family.

We need a car that will fit 3 kids under 3 in the second row (a baby seat and two seats for 1-3 year olds). We will need to be able to carry an adult in the back from time to time. It also needs to be able to carry a double buggy when carrying the 6 people (3 adults and 3 kids).

Would a Carens be able for this or do I need to go for a Galaxy or similar? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Got a Carens a month ago. Fine car, impressed if I'm honest, much better than the Verso I had. In the vast majority of 7 seaters, an adult in the third row is really not advised, but probably ok for short journeys. The outside seats in row 2 are isofix but I don't think the middle one is. You will get a double buggy in the boot with only 1 of the seats in use.
The 3 you mention are a bit bigger than the Carens, the Smax is certainly a better option than the Carens, it's fantastic,but it does come with a bigger price tag.

dg647

Thanks for the info. I think I will have to consider the smax again. It's time to go for a few more test drives!

Oafley Jones

dg647 wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I think I will have to consider the smax again. It's time to go for a few more test drives!

Our three kids are almost the same ages and we went for a Sharan. What sold us: Sliding doors and integrated boosters. The S Max's third row seats wouldn't be great for adult passengers. You'd need the full size seats of the Galaxy, Alhambra/Sharan.

Pkiernan

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Our three kids are almost the same ages and we went for a Sharan. What sold us: Sliding doors and integrated boosters. The S Max's third row seats wouldn't be great for adult passengers. You'd need the full size seats of the Galaxy, Alhambra/Sharan.

That's a very good point. Sliding doors are brilliant, shame the S max doesn't have them.

ShamoBuc

Pkiernan wrote: »

That's a very good point. Sliding doors are brilliant, shame the S max doesn't have them.

The grand cmax, 7 seater, has sliding doors but would be too small for the op, great drive though.

pah

There are only a few models that will take proper kids seats 3 abreast in the middle row. I think these are the main ones

S-Max | Galaxy | Grand-Picasso | Sharan | Grand Scenic | Touran | Alhambra

I went from a 06 S-Max to a 132 Zafira Tourer and I can't wait to change back. Zafira is a fine car but so much smaller than the S-Max. Hands stuck between the car seats trying to belt the kids in and a useless boot. I would recommend the s-max all day and night as it's great to drive for a family wagon too. I'll be moving back to one in the next 12 months, can't fault it. (5 kids by the way)

NinjaTruncs

We were looking at a Carens and ruled it out as it was tiny. I sat in the back row even with the middle seats pushed all the way forward I was very uncomfortable in the back, I wouldn't want to be there for any length of journey. I concluded the back row would only be suitable for children and not adults.

dg647

Thanks for all that. I think I will go with the S-Max. I think I will bring one in from the UK, 2012-2014 would be the price range I will be looking at. 2L diesel rather than 1.6 I think.

dg647

Just to update this thread, I went with the Kia Carens in the end and we are happy with it. I went to the UK and got a good spec and a good deal. The Alhambra etc was just out of my budget. With only the 3 kids in the back there is a very big boot, and if I need to carry a third adult I will put one of the kids in the back seat. Thanks for the advice.