The XC90 will be perfect for your requirement. Remember, only the outer seats in the second have isofix for your twins. The 3rd row doesn't have isofix, therefore choose a booster that doesn't need isofix. Your kids will enjoy sitting in the 3rd row, as it is large enough to sit 2 adults.

 

Your third row will be almost inaccessible if you put child seats in both outer second-row seats. Are none of your children old enough to use a seat on its own (over here it's 8 but I don't know what the rules are there)? If so, it is likely to be a pain. We have a 13-year-old and so he gets in last on the passenger side second row.

Assuming you have access through one side or the other of the second row, the third is easy to get to and certainly appears very safe indeed. They are real seats, not just tiny add-ons like some 7-seaters. And compared with a Honda Odyssey the XC90 actually has space in the back even with seven seats in use.

Edit: We only have one rear-facing infant seat but a chance that we will need a second soon. I will almost certainly put both rear-facing child seats in the second row (I know, making the integrated booster a waste of time). Kids of 5 and up can access the rear on their own and do themselves up -- I wouldn't want to be regularly having to put tiny kids into the third row and doing up their belts.

 

Your third row will be almost inaccessible if you put child seats in both outer second-row seats. Are none of your children old enough to use a seat on its own (over here it's 8 but I don't know what the rules are there)? If so, it is likely to be a pain. We have a 13-year-old and so he gets in last on the passenger side second row.

Assuming you have access through one side or the other of the second row, the third is easy to get to and certainly appears very safe indeed. They are real seats, not just tiny add-ons like some 7-seaters. And compared with a Honda Odyssey the XC90 actually has space in the back even with seven seats in use.

Edit: We only have one rear-facing infant seat but a chance that we will need a second soon. I will almost certainly put both rear-facing child seats in the second row (I know, making the integrated booster a waste of time). Kids of 5 and up can access the rear on their own and do themselves up -- I wouldn't want to be regularly having to put tiny kids into the third row and doing up their belts.

Wrong. The Odyssey has 38.4 cubic feet compared to the XC90's 15.8 cubic feet behind the third row seats. Unless you consider having more than twice the volume unusable space. You can argue that the Odyssey isn't as luxurious or as "cool" as an XC90 but you can't say it has less usable space. lol.

 

If the elder two are able to buckle up themselves, you can fold down the middle seat and let them climb to 3rd row, then the kid in middle seat then put twins baby seats in. I think it is doable and congrats to your big family!

Sent from my M470BSA using Tapatalk

 

Remember that the only LATCH compatible seats are the two outer seats of the middle row. That means that only these seats can accept tether, front-facing car seats. You can use the seatbelts everywhere, though, for rear facing seats or boosters.
With more info on the age of your children/type of seats, maybe we could help a bit more ? The key is to leave one of the outer seats of the middle row easily foldable so the third row is easy to access.

 

Well done Skyblue - you indeed heeded God's call commanding us to go forth and multiply! Congratulations.

I suppose you only have 1 set of twins (upcoming) and others are not of the same age? In which case, the older two can be placed in the third row of seats, and your upcoming twins can be in the 2nd row with your 3rd youngest sitting in between the twins' car seats in the 2nd row of seats.

The second row of seats can be moved slightly forward to allow your other 2 kids to go to the back with ease without the need to fold the 2nd row of seats for access to the back.

If your twins will be the quiet type, them mommy can enjoy sitting in the front passenger seat, otherwise, I'm not sure if your laws would allow your oldest of the kids to sit in the front on the booster chair while mommy sits in between the twins in the 2nd row of seats to keep your angels happy and settled. Hopefully, there'll be enough gap between the 2nd row of seats to allow another passenger to sit in between.

Best wishes friend.

 

You're all so sweet! Thank you for your kind words!! My other three will be 4.5, 6, 8.5 when the twins arrive. My infant seat has since expired so I will need to purchase two infant seats. I imagined they will both be latched on the outerboard but if it's really too difficult to access the third row, maybe I'll have them sit middle and side. I know I'm giving up a lot of convenience with the Odyssey, but at this point safety is my top concern.

 

Maybe go test drive the XC90 with those car seats and cushions to simulate your next life so you could finalise your purchase decision.

 

I think it is a must for an adult sitting with the infants. I hope your elder kid is allowed to sit in front passenger sit.

 

We have an odyssey and xc90 with 3 kids. In the Honda the oldest sits in the 3rd row and the the younger in captains chairs with the middle chair out. I could not imagine 5 kids in the XC. I would keep the Odyssey and put up the third row seating for ample and comfortable space. plus, with the third row up the xC90 space in back is tiny compared to the huge space in the rear of the odyssey. We don't feel the 3rd row in the Honda is any less safe then the 90


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

+1 on the test drive.

We had the Volvo 740 wagon when my youngest was born (newborn daughter, 2 year old son, 6 year old son and 8 year old daughter), so we had the boosters in the rear facing third row that was accessible through the trunk and 2 car seats in the second row.

The vehicle was pre teather and the rear facing third row is sacrilege now although the children loved it, so times have changed.

I'd suggest the 4.5 and 6 year old children with the boosters in the third row and teach them to buckle their own belts (or have them help each other), the dash of the XC will tell you if the seats are buckled. Then the 2 infants in the outboard seats (I'd also suggest the removable cradle type of infant seats to avoid constantly fiddling with the seat belts or isofix straps) with the 8.5 year old in the center booster (you can keep it folded as a pass through for the third row occupants then fold it back for the 8.5 year old).

With some cooperation and some practice, I'm sure it'll go well but a test drive with the whole family would be ideal.

If you need more room, I think the Chrysler Pacifica scored well on crash tests and has many comparable convenience and safety features. Unfortunately it doesn't have an all wheel drive option at this time, which knocks it out of consideration for many including myself.

Best wishes to you and your family. Please let us know your progress:beer:

 

Hi Skyblue,

I can't comment on some of the US models being discussed, however if I planned to use all 7 seats continually I wouldn't select the XC90. I would look at something like the Land Rover Discovery 4, which is far more room, especially in the third row. Luggage space isn't as plentiful but hopefully sufficient.

I would also check out the large range of Mercedes out there like the Vito Tourer..........for someone with a large family these are probably ideal. No way near as plush as the XC90 but they can take up to 9 people, have lots of luggage space and multiple seat configurations for the kids.

Good luck....

 

Keep the Odyssey. You can't beat it for practicality. And for safety, its one of the safest cars out there, in fact its one of only 9 cars that has had ZERO fatalities along with the last gen XC90. So don't use that as a reason to get rid of the Odyssey. If you wait until spring, the new generation Odyssey will be out with lots of safety features that the XC90 has.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/29/record-9-models-have-zero-highway-deaths-iihs-says.html

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/50/1/1

 

Congrats on your growing family! Maybe I'm being short sited (as I have just one child), but I think you're going to be cramped with 5 kids in the xc90. Yes you could fit all 5 at once if you had to but if you did, wouldn't you presumably also need space in the back for a stroller? And I assume a double stroller? Coming from a very functional odyssey, I think it wouldn't be very long before you'd be missing its practicality. If you're intent on an SUV, I'd find something larger.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

I agree that the XC90 is a great second car for a large family, but day-to-day it isn't a great choice for 5 kids. The minivan is going to be far more useable. Getting in and out of that 3rd row with car seats in the second row is tough.

 

Seems to me that 5 kids in the XC90 is going to be possible but not advisable. With young kids, I am just not sure you'll be able to get the bags and strollers in. Unfortunately, IMO, the minivan is made for such use cases. While they aren't as cool or as nice, it's going to be a lot easier on you I think.

 

Minivans are also extremely rare in AWD, most do not have the safety features, the driving dynamics or the refinement of the XC90. I'm sure a test drive will be more informative than a generic ideal vehicle for given parameters. For me, the XC90 was the only way to go and it's been 15 months of smooth sailing.

If we all made our decision based on parameters, we'd be in a world of Toyota Prius and Ford Transits.

 

Minivans are also extremely rare in AWD, most do not have the safety features, the driving dynamics or the refinement of the XC90. I'm sure a test drive will be more informative than a generic ideal vehicle for given parameters. For me, the XC90 was the only way to go and it's been 15 months of smooth sailing.

If we all made our decision based on parameters, we'd be in a world of Toyota Prius and Ford Transits.

Again, safety isn't a concern for minivans, why do people have this misconception? Minivans are designed for families so the manufacturers are keenly aware that safety is a high priority for shoppers. Sure they aren't as luxurious (and not as expensive either) or maybe not as "sporty" but they aren't ill handling either (lower center of gravity, car based handling), that's part of its safety. Nothing wrong with choosing an SUV over a minivan but don't spread untruths about it to justify your choice.

 

Is it at all possible to fit two infant car seats and 3 boosters (including the integrated booster) into the XC90? What about 3rd row access?

Hire au pair and buy a Sprinter van.

Where will you put all the strollers, bobs, pack n plays, snacks and how will you possibly find enough plugs for all the leapsters & iPads?
And that's just the kids stuff...
Sprinter all the way!

 

Great timing you have. Last night I packed the car with 7 individuals, including myself and I can tell you first hand that I would never never want to do that on a daily basis. The biggest problem is what others here have said, which is the third row access. You'll either have to remove the booster or fold down the center seat each time you load passengers in the third row. We tried both and it was a royal pain in the arse! The seats in the XC90 are so heavy and hard to move or fold. They're not as easy as some other cars. I really wish they had power folding seats. Second biggest issue is you're not going to be able to fit a double stroller with the third row up. For your needs, get a minivan and don't look back. This is coming from a guy that said he would never get one. After last night's debacle, I'd get one in a heartbeat.

 

It's difficult to fit a large stroller with the 3rd row up. You'd need to figure out that arrangement and for that a visit to the dealer is in order. I think your best bet is a Suburban. If you decide to make some compromises, it's an awesome car.

 

Wow. Thank you all for your replies! I do love my minivan for its convenience! Was really hoping you'd all say the safety of the XC90 beats the convenience of the Odyssey, but I guess we'll be a one Volvo family (my husband's car) instead of two. Maybe I'll upgrade my Odyssey to the newer model instead, hoping newer safety feature have come out since my 2011 model. Thank you all for your help!!

 

I just traded a 2014 Odyssey Elite for a 2017 XC90 a month ago. And we just got home from our first trip in the Volvo.

2 adults, 3 young kids, all forward facing.

It is no contest how much more convenient the Odyssey is compared to the Volvo. Yes we can all fit, but ingress/egress and cargo capacity is significantly tougher in the Volvo.

You trade the convenience for performance, luxury, safety, and efficiency. As most of the miles would be my solo commute, it's a fair trade. But on school runs and long trips, I did miss the van when loading people and stuff. The kids missed the entertainment system too.

 

Same here. I was going to wait a 1-2 years on the new XC90 but my lust got the best of me and I went for a test drive. As you mentioned, on performance, luxury, safety, the XC90 wins hands down. I took all 4 kids (8, 6, 4, 1 1/2) and car seats/boosters for the test drive. The older kids loved the 3rd row seats but complained about the tight leg room and "closed in feeling" on just a 30-45 minute test drive. The first question was "Where is the dvd/movie screen?". Oops. Getting into the 3rd row was also more of a chore and I immediately noticed the lack of cup holders, USB/2 prong outlet stations you get with a van. The cargo area is better than the previous generation but if you're hauling strollers and sports gear or carpooling for sports teams, forget it. I know that my van isn't on par with an XC90 but I also don't feel it is unsafe. Until Volvo makes a van or large SUV, there is no other practical choice. The hybrid Chrysler Pacifica is currently high on my list.

 

I'm still dreaming about a Volvo AWD minivan...
Pacifica looks like a good, safe car. Not as much as the XC90, but what you lose in safety/active protection/driveability (is that a word ?), you gain in cargo and easy of use. Like a trade-off.