12-08-2019, 03:55 PM | #1 |
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X7 for family of 7?
I have five kids, the oldest is 10 and the youngest is 4. We currently have a Toyota Sienna as the family auto and it works very well. I had a 2011 X5 35d (with 3rd row seats) for about 5 years and loved it until it started having fuel pump issues over and over. While the 3rd row seats existed, it wasn't something that was practical space wise in my opinion. Yet I know the X7 is quite a bit bigger.
I really want a new 2020 X7 m50i because I can get back that BMW feel I used to love, plus incredible performance, plus a true seven seater! I currently drive a Toyota Tundra (which I love) that can seat 6 and a a Ford Shelby GT350 for my kicks. I want to get down to 2 vehicles and the GT350 is just not practical as it can't haul anybody and it's just too dang low to the ground to enjoy driving it care free if you understand what I mean---it's stressful always breaking hard before any minor dip in the road so you don't scrape, creeping into entries if they are not nearly perfectly flat so you don't scrape, etc. I've decided I am getting the X7 and I'm keeping the Tundra. What I don't know is if I can replace the Sienna with the X7 or not. My kids are small--oldest is 10. Will they all really fit comfortably in it? I know the getting in and out won't be as quick as the Sienna, but as long as it isn't crowded having 3 across the 2nd row bench seat and two in the 3rd row seats, I'd be excited. Is this realistic? I understand 7 adults don't really fit comfortably (from a review I watched anyway). Just looking for some guidance on room expectation. Thanks. |
12-08-2019, 04:09 PM | #2 | |
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12-08-2019, 04:12 PM | #3 | |
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Although the other downside is lack of storage with all 3 rows up. It's very small. MUCH less than we had in our Odyssey. Good luck! |
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12-08-2019, 04:22 PM | #4 |
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We are a family of five and struggled with captains vs bench. There is plenty of room across the back seat of both my 2019 x5 and the 2020 x7 (picking up tomorrow) for three people (in our case, two children on booster seats and my live-in mother-in-law in the middle).
We ended up going with bench, but this was after I made my peace with likely rarely using the third row. I wanted the captains so the kids could easily scoot between them to the back with the armrests taken off, but that meant we had very little luggage space for road trips (just one third row seat down, at best) unless we used a cargo box. Even trips to the airport with a lot of luggage would have been a challenge. We are a long time BMW family and I adore the x7, but the amount of time it takes to access the back row would have been a complete deal breaker for me if I planned on using it all the time, like you anticipate doing. It's ... so....dang.....slow. Which time, similar to the law of relativity, seems to take even longer when it rains and people are getting soaked waiting for the luxurious power seat mechanism to finish its complicated dance. Be absolutely sure you can live with the third row access before you pull the trigger, is my only advice. Other than that, it's a fantastic SUV and I have wanted it even since it was just a concept car. Last edited by davecraze; 12-09-2019 at 08:55 AM.. |
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12-08-2019, 05:03 PM | #5 |
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Car seats are the make or break of this decision. Can you slide the bench forward for 3rd row access with a car seat installed in the 2nd row?
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12-08-2019, 05:35 PM | #6 |
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12-08-2019, 05:52 PM | #7 |
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12-08-2019, 06:34 PM | #8 |
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this is on captain chairs right? I thought the tether on bench was in middle of seat back
Last edited by Chio; 12-08-2019 at 06:40 PM.. |
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12-08-2019, 07:02 PM | #9 |
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12-08-2019, 07:29 PM | #10 |
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I have both. The X7 will never be able to replace the sienna as a family hauler as an equal to equal. The bench seat is good for 3 across, however when we go with more than 5, we almost always take the sienna due to ease of access to third row and storage behind the 3rd row. This assessment is based on my experience.
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12-08-2019, 07:39 PM | #11 | |
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Comfortable enough, at least much more space than 17 GLS450 I used to have before. |
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12-08-2019, 07:57 PM | #12 |
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I love the x7, but a cousin was asking today what he should do as he is having a 3rd child soon and was changing vehicles because of it. He was asking about the big Infiniti suv which I had years ago. Ultimately my advice to him was also a minivan. The x7 is nice, but as others have stated, the 3rd row mechanism would drive me crazy if I used it daily. Luckily I have a second row bench and my 3 kids fit fine there. I would say you’ll be happy with it if you aren’t constantly lugging that many people around bc it is a really awesome vehicle in all other aspects except the 3rd row access
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12-08-2019, 08:03 PM | #13 | |
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12-08-2019, 08:18 PM | #14 |
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Can we just take a moment to pause and reflect on how awesome minivans are?
Granted, you'll never look cool in one. But for comfort and sheer practicality? Man... if it weren't slightly creepy for someone with no kids like me to own a minivan, I'd consider it. For reals. This past year, I had to travel several times to Texas with a bunch of video production gear for work, and each time I'd rent a Chrysler Pacifica to get there. Every one of the rear seats could fold completely into the floor. I fell in love a little more with that thing with each trip. Not to say that I wouldn't have taken an X7 instead on those trips if I'd had one at the time, but... I definitely had no complaints with that Soccer Mom's Chariot. <gazing wistfully into the distant highway> Anyway. Back to your regular X7 discussion. |
12-09-2019, 05:29 AM | #15 |
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We are only a family of three but I loved the look and upgrades of the 7. It's also nice when you have two other couples and you can all ride together.
We have a bench seat in the middle. My four year olds car seat is on the side of the bench that maneuvers by itself. She still has a regular 5point harness seat for another year probably. But I will tell you that when the seat is installed you can't get back to the third row from that side. Pressing the button to move the seat makes it move slightly and then it just moves back. It is installed with a seatbelt, which is the safest. Since we don't have to get to the third row much at all this is fine. But honestly if I had kids getting back there every day not sure If that would work. You literally have to go to the other side of the car. Now it won't be an issue once they are out of a car seat but it is an issue for now. The third row seat also doesn't lay down right behind where the car seat is. It's a great car and I love driving it. It just has some quirks you should be aware of. |
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12-09-2019, 06:49 AM | #16 |
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Tough love time. Don’t do it.
With so many kids at your kids ages, a minivan is exactly what you need. You are where most of us are when our youngest kid turns 7 years old. I know it’s hard, but be patient. Wait another 3 years. Lease the very best and most luxurious minivan you can find and prepare to get an X7 in 2023. |
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12-09-2019, 09:54 AM | #17 |
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I wonder if the car can be coded to move the second row seats with the remote before the door is opened? I will check with my guy. That would make the wait a little shorter and would help especially in rain or cold weather.
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12-09-2019, 01:33 PM | #18 |
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Never going to happen. It could crush a second row passenger still in the car, and a toddler in a car seat, I don’t even want to think about it.
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12-09-2019, 01:41 PM | #19 | |||
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The seating is fine with 7 in the car, but the cargo space using all 7 seats is too small in my opinion. We kept our odyssey. |
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12-09-2019, 03:56 PM | #20 |
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For 7 people, you need something like the Navigator, Escalade extended or a Suburban. There is no way you can take a trip of any kind with 7 people in the X7 even with a carrying box on roof.
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12-09-2019, 04:33 PM | #21 |
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You'll love the X7, but I dont see how you could travel in it with 7 people, even with a luggage box on the roof. My wife and I just drove 1k miles each way on a trip and we had the 3rd row down filled with luggage and stuff in the 2nd row too.
Also, dont discount the 40i unless you really want that extra acceleration to replace your gt350 and have two vehicles in one. The 6cyl scoots the X7 pretty handily. I also have a mustang gt, forged rods/pistons, procharged on pump gas mid 600's wheel and my X7 40i does not bore me to drive it. My last X5 was 50i model and it was a beast, but the 40i is more than adequate. The X7 are governed to 132 if that matters to you. |
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12-09-2019, 04:38 PM | #22 | |
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also my kids can't get into the x7 because of the M moldeing there is NO step bar rail running boards. The Infiniti qx80 has a running boards, so even my 2 year old gets in with 0 problems. |
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