Clio - any good as a family car?

[Stu-]

As the title says really. Me and the mrs are expecting our first baby very soon, and we're thinking of changing our cars, does anyone use their Clio as a family car? I'm not fussed about the economy side, just the practically and ease of using it with all the baby stuff..

Cheers, Stu.

 

[kriscwales]

We got a Clio 172 Monaco mate I got 2 little ones 9/6 we find it ideal can even get shopping in the boot you may struggle with a pram IMO but all round good car.

 

[Stu-]

Yeah, I was thinking that. The pram/pushchair thingy she's bought is huge! Havent even tried the baby seat in yet haha. I've been thinking about getting an Audi a4 s line but don't want to get rid of the Clio. I think we'll see how it goes for a little while then decide.

 

[mark smith87]

I had a polo when our two eldest were little. Got everything in without a problem so imagine a Clio will be fine. The isofix mountings are already in for fastening child seat straps.

 

[Daniel]

I had a clio with my first child. It is perfectly manageable. Everything fits inside, they're safe, etc etc.

However, I wanted to make my wifes life easier, so bought a 4 door car.

 

[Stu-]

I had a clio with my first child. It is perfectly manageable. Everything fits inside, they're safe, etc etc.

However, I wanted to make my wifes life easier, so bought a 4 door car.

That's my thinking, but she doesn't like big cars. I had my dads BMW for a little while and she wouldn't drive it. The biggest thing that's putting me off though is that I'd miss the thrill of the Clio too much to get rid and I couldn't really afford to keep it with another car.

 

[Russ_16v]

We used the 182 when we had Cady, only issue we had was the monster push chair we had, the normal sized one fitted fine.

Apart from that it was spot on

 

[BoatNonce]

I know a family who have a clio as a family car - they never had any problems with it.

 

[glowworm105]

if you still want a clio but your worried about space why not look at mk3s? ive had 2 kids in mine before with prams and stuff and they fit fine, really spacious in the back tbh

 

[GoldenMonkey]

I'm expecting my first baby as well and I seriously think the clio will be more than up for the job. They're safe, spacious, have isofix and I'll still have my fun to drive car when the babies at home with mummy lol. Once you got two or more, then think about moving cars lol, maybe a nice scenic .

 

[OliviaDeon]

I agree with glowworm105, the mk3's are bigger and would be more ideal as a family car, if its a mk2 you have you'll be fine with the car seats in the back. I sometimes have my baby cousin and nephew in the back in their seats, they have enough room just dont have any more than 2 kids
With regards to the prams/buggies in the boot they all fit, but some are buggers to squeeze in.

 

[Gally]

More than big enough! Unless you have a 2 seater, changing cars for a child is mental imo.

Not sure why you would buy a pram etc without making sure it would fit in the car first.

I moved house 3 times in my mk2. Easy peasy!

 

[DrR]

Never get this, a car that can carry 5 people, will easily carry 2 and and a midget, just buy a pram that fits, sorted.

 

[jenic]

More than big enough! Unless you have a 2 seater, changing cars for a child is mental imo.

This.

A mate of mine has just found out that he's having a little un and is getting rid of his Focus ST because he now thinks he needs a Vectra/Insignia estate. Mental, it'll only be him, his midget lass and a baby.

 

[Stu-]

It's not so much a space thing. More for practicality. And it'll be the mrs driving it more than me which was why I was considering a bigger car. Purely so it was easier for her to get baby in and out of car. I understand people's comments about the mk 3's but I'd rather get a 4 door car like an Audi or something similar.

 

[GoldenMonkey]

If you can afford it an fancy a 5 door Audi, then I'd go for it. But buying one for the sake of it, I wouldn't. Your clio will be more than up for it!

 

[Stu-]

Still unsure to be honest. I think we're just going to see how we get on for a while with the Clio. I can't see it being a massive ball ache really, just thought I'd see if anyone else used it as a family car.

 

[pastieman]

I don't think I could live with it as a dedicated family car.... That's why we have the focus as a family car loads of from in that!!!

when we go see family the amount of crap we take with us just for the little ones is silly and we would struggle with the clio tbh

Just to make life easier get a bigger car, even I found my R32 a slight struggle, the focus is so much better for the job!!

My m3 was good but not for rear facing seats, forward facing seats perfect and a big boot

 

[Revels]

The biggest thing that's putting me off though is that I'd miss the thrill of the Clio too much to get rid and I couldn't really afford to keep it with another car.

Child > Clio.

You can do it but it's a pain. Just because something is 4-door doesn't mean it's going to be massive.

 

[Stu-]

I know, I've test driven a couple now and to be honest.. there isn't a huge amount of room in the back. Just the ease of having the extra door rather than faff on moving seats forward and the likes. I'm going to borrow my dads car again i think and see if i can get her to use it. Otherwise i'll be wasting my time and money buying something else.

 

[pastieman]

My misses use to have a mk5 zetec s it was such a good little car and she misses it dearly but the focus is so much more practical tbh I can't believe how much space is in it...

I can have the little man behind me and slide my seat all the way back and he still has loads of room.... I couldn't do that in the golf, BMW I had to shorten my position slightly and the clio would just be silly!!!

Once your kids are out of child seats the clio would be ok but not before

 

[domjolly]

I have two kids one is 2 1/2 years old the other is 4months old and I fit them in the car easy with the Phil and teds pushchair, I only use my car with them when I take them out on my days off (I refuse to use my other halfs "family car" citreon xsara Picasso) the only 2 issues with a 172 and 2 small kids is that after a while it will f**k you off and destroy your back putting them in the back and with a large pushchair its hard to do a weeks shopping and get it in the car with the kids....hard but not impossible. My oldest boy loves my car apparently mummys car is sigsting (2 year old speak for disgusting lol)

 

[Gally]

Maybe something like a 5 door A3 sline or something.

In this day and age you can have fun/fast and a family barge. St170 etc are all bigger cars that can be fun when it's only you in the car.

 

[Christopher]

Get a Vee. They have a special child compartment in the front?

 

[pastieman]

Maybe something like a 5 door A3 sline or something.

In this day and age you can have fun/fast and a family barge. St170 etc are all bigger cars that can be fun when it's only you in the car.

Yes that's what we looked at the st170 but try an find a good one there is not many out there if any at all. So we settled for the slightly less powerful 2.0 focus good enough for what we want to use it for

 

[Stu-]

Get a Vee. They have a special child compartment in the front?

Nice 200, and in red? When did you get that? :rasp:

A3 s-line isn't a bad call. Never driven one yet though.

 

[leeds_182]

4 doors required IMO. You'll soon get bored of having to dislocate your shoulder to get the kid in the back.

 

[Stu-]

Lol! We'll see soon enough I guess.

 

[Chris n nic]

We had the Cup with Abi and then the 182 with Sadie and had no problems at all. Door open, slide the seat forward and you can just lean your back on the rear of the front seat while putting the baby in the car...piece of piss imo. The only issue we had was the pram taking up almost the whole space in the boot...when they get a little older you can just get a stroller and you will be fine

Keep it m8 and see how you get on but I think you should be ok...erm..pet

Chris

 

[Stu-]

Cheers for the heads up pet. FIFA tonight?

 

[baynton1991]

More than big enough! Unless you have a 2 seater, changing cars for a child is mental imo.

Not sure why you would buy a pram etc without making sure it would fit in the car first.

I moved house 3 times in my mk2. Easy peasy!

ye i jus had to do this, shopping round for a tandem pram to fit in the boot was a ballache tho, but worth it!

 

[andywa]

I use my 182 as a family wagon. I've got a 5 and a 2 year old in the back. To liven things up the missus is due or third (and final) at the beginning of July. I've already got the right combo of seats to go in the back as tested out on a few occasions at Mothercare. The only problem we will have and have at the moment is that we have a Phil and Teds buggy which is huge. In order for it to go in the boot I have to take the back wheels off, 2 second job. You'll be fine and let's face it you have enough expense on at the moment without creating more. Good luck.

 

[Stu-]

I use my 182 as a family wagon. I've got a 5 and a 2 year old in the back. To liven things up the missus is due or third (and final) at the beginning of July. I've already got the right combo of seats to go in the back as tested out on a few occasions at Mothercare. The only problem we will have and have at the moment is that we have a Phil and Teds buggy which is huge. In order for it to go in the boot I have to take the back wheels off, 2 second job. You'll be fine and let's face it you have enough expense on at the moment without creating more. Good luck.

Thanks. 3 in a clio, that should be interesting lol. Yeah I'm sure we'll cope just fine. I was looking at 200's but that went out the window when we found out we were having a baby. Then we moved to a bigger house. Hard work these woman folk haha !

 

[andywa]

I know what you mean mate. Ha. 3 will be tight but hey ho. I used the clio back on march to take the wife and kids toWiro Disney including the buggy. I didn't have to put anything with the girls in the back it all went in the boot. A bigger car would make more sense of course but its more expense. Which works well for me as I live my 182.

 

[Stu-]

Just an update to anyone else wondering how they are..

My daughter is coming up to 6 weeks, and had no problems at all carrying stuff around. Can even get the mentally sized pushchair thingy in the boot which was a surprise.

Overall i think i'm glad i haven't bought another car, and can't see keeping the clio an issue now.

 

[Richardc9052]

Good man! when my little one was on the way everyone was pushing for me to get a diesel 4 door saloon.. so i bout an fto gpx instead and got on fine! easiest way to get your kid into the car seat if your driving a coupe or 2 door hatch is from the drivers seat whilst you have the child seat behind the passnger side

 

[Stu-]

It's not as bad as I'd anticipated tbh. I've got my Dads BMW at the min as he's on holiday.. Granted its easier to get in and out of the back, i just couldn't justify spending money on something that really isn't needed.

 

[T. 12 E E D.]

I found it pretty hard imo getting my daughter in and out the back trying to shop with pram in the boot found it even worse taking a trip to our caravan trying to fit travel cot and everything else at first it was ok but bit the bullet and bought a new Zafira granted it handles like a boat and has zero street cred lol.....

 

[Stu-]

Mr mrs is quite short so there's quite a bit of room behind the passenger seat, which helps ALOT. With the pushchair in the boot, we can still fit a few bags on top of it so it's not too bad.