Prado/Kluger/Territory

[~breeze~]

with the backrow of seats in Kluger, Mazda Cx9 and Territory none have anchor points, so legally all you are allowed in that back seat is a foam booster only with no anchor point or tether, and no H harness is allowed to be used either, only the normal seatbelt.

The only car we have found that has anchor points in back row is the Kia Carnival. Which Im not sure how will go on your dirt roads?

Just wanted to point out that my territory DOES have anchor points in the back row It came that way, we didnt have them put in.
I agree with the space in the back of the territory with the back seats up, there isnt alot which sucks. I hired a kia carnival once on a holiday (I know alot of people dont like them) but I actually really liked it, it was comfortable to drive & comfortable as a passenger. There was HEAPS of room in the back behond the back row of seats, I could fit the P&T pram in plus heaps more at the same time.
Anyway, just wanted to add that

[*Belle*]

Just wanted to point out that my territory DOES have anchor points in the back row It came that way, we didnt have them put in.
I agree with the space in the back of the territory with the back seats up, there isnt alot which sucks. I hired a kia carnival once on a holiday (I know alot of people dont like them) but I actually really liked it, it was comfortable to drive & comfortable as a passenger. There was HEAPS of room in the back behond the back row of seats, I could fit the P&T pram in plus heaps more at the same time.
Anyway, just wanted to add that

Really? the 2 seats right at the back? mmm maybe the reason why we didnt chose it then was only due to the fact we couldnt split the seat and couldnt fit our pram in when we tried to fit it in. Sorry, or maybe the newer territorys dont have the anchor points right at the back? sorry for the misinformation but I can confirm for sure the Kluger and the Mitsubishi outlander doesnt have the anchor points at the seats right at the back row.

ETA - Breeze how do you fit teh P&T in the territory if the back seats(ie 3rd row of seats) are up and being used? cause we tried with our P&T and hubby wasnt happy with it.

[~breeze~]

Its hard fitting the P&T in the territory with the back seats up. I have to take the back wheels off the pram which only takes a second & isnt hard at all BUT then I have to stand it on its side to be able to close the door which is a real struggle! I think that was one of the reasons I really liked the carnival, because it fit so easily!

I have a maclaren stroller which fits easily (obviously) when all seats are up.... so much easier!!!!

Also, with the anchor points for the back row.... it took me a while to actually find them lmao They are right at the back, down the bottom in the grey plastic area near the hook thingy for when the door closes, they have a picture there showing the anchor point but its all the same colour plastic so it was hard to catch my eye. Cant remember if they had a plastic cover u have to remove or not but I think they did, which is why I missed them for so long!! LOL

[lissy]

We've just bought an early 09 PRADO turbo diesel & IM IN LOVE WITH IT!! I can't speak as to how it handles a large family, but the car itself is really quite roomy with it being 8 seater (3 in the far back) so I wouldn't imagine it would be a problem.

It gets my vote for handling. We also live out of town on property & so far I've found it fantastic to drive! We've had major rain recently with quite a few washouts & wet roads but you hardly even feel them in the Prado. We recently did a 6hr round trip to the coast & back & it was a seriously comfortable drive & seems really good on fuel too. Now at 28 weeks Im not comfortable sitting at any time, but it really didn't seem to worry me in the Prado lol.

The only thing Ive noticed is that compared to our Nissan Navara we upgraded from, the Prado seems to have smaller rims & tyres??? But if we find it to be a problem we will look into it when we replace the tyres next time. The other thing that was a huge consideration for us was getting bogged, not sure if you're the same? But I really think the toyota's can't be beaten in the off-road aspects. Out of all the cars you've mentioned above I really think the Prado is the more capable '4 wheel drive' vehicle, that's what they're made for.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Ok ladies i have a few questions for anyone who owns a Kluger.
DP and I are possibly looking at an 07 model.

We will be upgrading from our little subaru impreza sports wagon so anything will be bigger but the main points i was wondering about were:

1. We have 2 children, 1 in a maxi-rider AHR and the other forward facing in a turn-a-tot (quite bulky), we would be putting DD2 in an AHR aswell eventually, is there plenty of room for an adult b/w 2 carseats?

2. We are looking at getting the 7 seater, when the seats are DOWN, is there plenty of boot space? ie we have 2 dogs we take away camping who normally go in our subaru hatch/boot, there would HAVE to be heaps more room right?

3. Are they OK off road, i'm not talking about using as a 4WD vehicle for huge inland trips but for getting through some bumpy tracks on our way to camping spots is it ok? I mean my subaru got through a HORRID spot last week, the height on the Kluger would be of great benefit but how stable is it?

4. Do you LOVE it.. i love my dad's Prado but DP's not so keen and we both like the Kluger, am yet to go and test drive but were in dreaming stages at the moment while we work out some financials and before my poor Suby dies

[megs]

Sorry can't help you Zarava, we went today to look at a Kluger but they didn't have one on the lot, I was very dissapointed. They had a Prado which looked good but really is a totally different vehicle.

I think with the Kluger's you can get either 2wd or All wheel Drive, maybe that might be something worth looking into for your camping trips.

[Bathsheba]

We have a Kluger Grande. I don't drive but my husband loves it... any excuse to go for a drive these days. We have 3 children. Two are in car seats (my 7yo is still in a booster) and a teenager. But it still feels so roomy. DH says it handles really well on dirt roads... it's All wheel drive. I've heard the fuel economy is better than the Territory. From my perspective i love all the little extras that makes long journeys comfy (we have just moved up to rural NSW). Love the leather seats, large screen reversing camera, DVD screen/player, something like 12 cupholders!!! Blue-tooth so that you can talk on your mobile and hear the person through the main speakers using steering wheel controls. DH loves that the third row of seats fold down totally flat so that you can load furniture/boxes etc efficiently. The seats also have internal heating and the aircon can be zoned so that I don't have to have my area as cold as everyone else.

We are currently teaching our 16yo to drive in it and she loves it. I find it a bit big... but that's only because I'm inexperienced.

[Amity]

I have a 2009 Kluger and I absolutely LOVE it.

1. We have 2 children, 1 in a maxi-rider AHR and the other forward facing in a turn-a-tot (quite bulky), we would be putting DD2 in an AHR aswell eventually, is there plenty of room for an adult b/w 2 carseats?

I have two in HiPods, in the captain's chairs. Easy to fit an adult between them if I had to . But I have the seven seater, so any extra adults end up in the back-back IYKWIM!

2. We are looking at getting the 7 seater, when the seats are DOWN, is there plenty of boot space? ie we have 2 dogs we take away camping who normally go in our subaru hatch/boot, there would HAVE to be heaps more room right?

It's massive. Seriously massive. Much more room than my parents' Forester or my old Commodore sedan. Even more than the Commodore wagon.

3. Are they OK off road, i'm not talking about using as a 4WD vehicle for huge inland trips but for getting through some bumpy tracks on our way to camping spots is it ok? I mean my subaru got through a HORRID spot last week, the height on the Kluger would be of great benefit but how stable is it?

I have the 2WD version, but have taken it on dirt roads and it's much nicer than my Commodore was. Haven't had any issues with body roll or suspension.

4. Do you LOVE it.. i love my dad's Prado but DP's not so keen and we both like the Kluger, am yet to go and test drive but were in dreaming stages at the moment while we work out some financials and before my poor Suby dies

I absolutely LOVE it. No question. My parents bought a new Forester just before I bought my Kluger, and my Mum is kicking herself because mine is much nicer. I test drove so many different 4WDs, but the Kluger was the best for me. It's blue and is named "Cookie Monster".

Good luck!

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Thanks ladies, we are looking at getting a AWD is the 2WD are front wheel and DP doesn't want that
Might just have to take one for a test drive, prob get an 07 base model or something.. do they all come with the drop down screen?

Awww DIV thanks so so much hun, i thought you ahd one but couldn't quite remember.. exactly the info i needed... hmmmm should come test drive yours

[Amity]

You're more than welcome to come and look at mine anytime, honey! Let me know...

[Miss.September]

LOL, Divvy, I saw one today on the highway, bright blue, and thought of you!

[Amity]

Coulda been me, PKMG... Eastern Freeway?

[megs]

Divvy could I please ask a question re the middle seat. Is that comfortable for someone to sit on. I was really hoping to look at one today so I could get the kids to try it and to get a proper look, but being in the country they are hard to get into the showrooms.
Everything else about the Kluger I really like that is just the one thing that I think is holding me back. I will be having 3 across the back and then one child in a booster in the 3rd row. The new cars have the split fold rear seats so I will only have one up.

[Miss.September]

Was the Hume, Div, out past Seymour.

ZF - You won't know yourself if you get a Kluger. Or any 4wd/Awd for that matter. The whole not bending to put kids in and out of the car is totally worth it

[*suz1*]

Ok ladies i have a few questions for anyone who owns a Kluger.
DP and I are possibly looking at an 07 model.

We will be upgrading from our little subaru impreza sports wagon so anything will be bigger but the main points i was wondering about were:

1. We have 2 children, 1 in a maxi-rider AHR and the other forward facing in a turn-a-tot (quite bulky), we would be putting DD2 in an AHR aswell eventually, is there plenty of room for an adult b/w 2 carseats?

2. We are looking at getting the 7 seater, when the seats are DOWN, is there plenty of boot space? ie we have 2 dogs we take away camping who normally go in our subaru hatch/boot, there would HAVE to be heaps more room right?

3. Are they OK off road, i'm not talking about using as a 4WD vehicle for huge inland trips but for getting through some bumpy tracks on our way to camping spots is it ok? I mean my subaru got through a HORRID spot last week, the height on the Kluger would be of great benefit but how stable is it?

4. Do you LOVE it.. i love my dad's Prado but DP's not so keen and we both like the Kluger, am yet to go and test drive but were in dreaming stages at the moment while we work out some financials and before my poor Suby dies

Hi ZF,

We have a 2009 Kluger Grande.

1. Unfortunately, unless you're a really skinny adult you wouldn't easily fit between 2 child restraints in the middle back seat of the Kluger. We have the Maxirider behind the driver's seat and a S&S Meridian behind the passenger. Plus DH and I are tall so we have both front seats back as far as they'll go. We can squeeze a foam booster seat in between the 2 child restraints when we need to. There's plenty of legroom for the front seats when the S&S Meridian is rear-facing, but it's not easy for an adult to climb in to sit between the 2 child restraints with the seats so far back. If we've had to take an adult passenger I've temporarily moved the Maxirider to the middle. Othewise, the middle seat is comfy to sit on, just the seat doesn't come out as far as the others. It's deep enough to fit the bases of both our child restraints, but better for an upright seat and helps if it's an older child so you don't have to stretch so far to put them in.

2. With the seats down there is loads of room in the back. I have a bulky Swallow Beema pram and I have packed it along with eskies and heaps of camping gear with no dramas.

3. They are surprisingly good off road. We've taken it in snow and down seriously 4WD dirt tracks. The hill descent feature and the stability control are really good. DH says you can actually drive it flat out off-road with no concerns. He's a serious dirtbike rider and also takes his 4WD Hilux turbo diesel out to some crazy places so he knows what he's talking about. It's really stable, but having said that we do know some people who rolled their Kluger (the whole family walked away without a scratch).

4. Yes, we LOVE it. We test drove the Mazda CX9 (I previously owned a Mazda3 SP23 and LOVED it) and the Ford Territory and felt like both were missing something. The Kluger definitely has it with bells on.

Good luck with your decision ZF and I hope your Subi holds out for as long as possible

[Peta]

Hi Megs
We love our cars and research all to the nth degree when buying one. We actually chose a 07 Nissan Pathfinder Ti (diesel auto). Yes they look like a box, but It is a 7 seater with a massive boot (big enough we had our baby, 3 teenagers, DH & I plus the 3 kids luggage & our reasonably large pram in the boot & it was still comfy), airbags right down all 3 rows & great features. It gets about 12.5L/100kms round town which is not bad for a 2 tonne truck. Tows 3000kgs braked. As for 3rd row anchors, no it doesn't have them, but as someone said previously you can get these fitted & have an engineering certificate put on the car. We didn't choose the Prado because they were just way overpriced for a similarly specced vehichle (don't get me wrong they are brilliant cars, but dollars talk). We also looked at the Pajero's which we didn't choose as the diesel seemed very noisy. We have never had a problem with any of our Nissan's (had 2 Pathies previously and 2 Patrols). We have upgraded our suspension but purely because we want to do more offroading & DH wanted a lift kit too.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents, but from what you've said I actually think out of the ones you mention the Prado will be best & possibly get the best fuel economy too if that was an issue. All this is of course if the child who's to sit in the 3rd row can climb in themselves because none of the 3rd rows are easy to get to in a 4wd. If not, I'd tend to agree with someone else up above & maybe look at a Tarago or Voyager type thing.

[megs]

Peta, funny you right about the Pathfinder, we have actually looked into those, unfortunately the dealership closest to us are crap, and I really can't stand dealing with them. But must say you have made me re think them because I was pleasently surprised by the amount of bootspace once the 3rd row seats were up and like you mentioned you do get excellent value for you money.

Mmmm I might just have to go back to those. Can I ask do you think you could get a Safe N Sound Meridan, Maxi Rider and booster all across the 2nd row of seats? Must update my sig, I'm expecting No 4 so will be needing all those plus a seat in the back.

We didn't mind the Pajero but I prefer to have the split fold 3rd row seats as it gives you more bootspace. And yes my eldest who is coming up 6 is dying to be the one who gets to sit in the very back, lucky he's a nimble little thing.

[Peta]

Megs
I reckon you could get 3 seats across the back. It really is quite roomy in there. Plus in ours being the Ti we have a DVD player on board (which would be great to amuse 4 kids!). I guess you might have to see if you can get the crappy dealer on a good day & see if you can try the seats across the back. I know it will be heaps of fiddling, but such a big purchase might be better. We have our DD in a S&S Meridan in the middle & there is still heaps of room for the people sitting on the sides & you can still fold down the two outside seats without moving her seat, so I can't see why the other 2 seats wouldn't fit.
Let me know if you have any questions!