xB2 as family vehicle?
 

We're considering purchasing an xB2 to replace our Xterra for a couple reasons including wanting FWD when we hopefully move back up north next year, better gas mileage, and a lower payment. Ideally I'd just pay off the Xterra, but we've decided to have the wife quit her job much, much, much sooner than we were expecting and be a stay-at-home mom for a couple years. We currently have a 19 month old son who seriously kicks a$$. So, here are the questions I have:

1. Compared to an SUV like the Xterra, how is it getting kids in and out of an xB2? At some point I'm going to check one out in person, but I like doing research ahead of time.

2. Is it a car that will do well with dogs in the back? We don't do it frequently, but we do transport our 2 75 lbs mutts to the vet/grooming. What I like about the Xterra is that there is plenty of room in the hatch for them.

That's it for now; if y'all could share your experiences I'd appreciate it!!

love the new xB. From time to time I take my nephews out and they have no trouble getting in and out.... My parents also went out and got one, they too have a dog, but nothing compared to two 75 lb dogs lol.....The back seats do fold down to allow more space when taking them to groom or the vets...

i don't know, i don't think the xB would be good for dogs, i'd maybe consider a subaru wagon instead.

I wouldn't think it would be great for dogs either. I have no reason for believing this, but that's the impression I have. I've never tried. The xB is great for kids though. It has the pressure sensitive seats that disable the airbag so you can put small kids in the front in their car seats.

While the Subaru Forester has more trunk space, the back seat has almost no legroom. My parents have a Forester XT. The back seat of the xB is very spacious and I think would make dealing with kids pretty easy. With the seats folded I have had 2 English Setters and 1 Shiba Inu at the same time with no problems.

I haul my English Bulldog around every now and then, she weighs 55pounds, no problems. I think if you had both dogs at the same time, it would get really cramped/chaotic. But one at a time I think you'd be fine. That's all assuming you mean hauling the dogs with the seats folded down. With the rear seats up, even my dog would be pretty cramped. Just make sure you put the window lock on. Can't tell you how many times my dog has stepped on the window switch and down it goes LOL.

As for kids, and a child seat (I'm guessing since you said 19 month old), I have no idea. But there's a ton of room in the back seat. I'd say there's just as much back seat room in my xB as there is in my wife's Pilot.

This was a big concern for me as well.

I have a 4 year old son who is tall for his age, and a 15 month old daughter. The XB is our only car right now, and it it excellent. It's easy to get them in, and easy to get them out. They have pleanty of leg room, and so do I at 6'3".

We love our xB.a

hey adamzxb, i have a 4 year old son and a 3 month old daughter also and wanted to know if a third person would fit back there with the booster and the baby car seat?

Cheech, I've had three fat guys in the back seat if that helps :P To the OP; I have a 125 pound American Bulldog and he fits great with the seats folded down. He was one of my main concerns when I bought the xB. I got the cargo cover, it's a slick material that doesn't pick up hair, and it keeps all the hair off my cloth. If all the further you're going is to the vet/grooming, you should be fine. I'm taking my dog with me Sunday on a 200 mile trip with no hesitation.

hahaha yea that does help. Thanks. How much did those dudes weigh?

before i got the wifey a CR-V, we used my 2nd gen as the family car...two car seats, one for my 3 year old and another for my 1 year old...worked fine :D

as far as having a third person along with the two car seats, it works, but u might have trouble with bigger people :P


JC

yea to chime in i have a six year old and a two year old daughter and we take it all the time if we are not in the wifes rav 4

Car seats get chicks!

I have a 6 month old and the car seat fits good. I have the headrest monitors and you have to move the headrest up so it doesn't hit them. I use to drive a Yukon but bought the xB right before we had him. I was worried about the room for the car seat. Just the other day we put our car seat in our friends Expedition and you have the same leg room in the xB as you do the Expedition. You have to move the seat a little forward in both vehicles when you have a rear facing seat like mine. I would assume yours is forward facing now. I have owned several cars in my time and the xB takes the cake as far as size,mpg,driveability. We have a 20 lb Jack Russell that fits no problem but to fit 6 of them in there would be difficult (to equal the weight of your 2 dogs). hehe

Amazing for kids; a ton of room to reach in and mess with the car seat, even compared to an SUV. Definitely get a cargo liner to spare the hair from the seats. Those seats by default are a magnet for hair, and it's not easy to get it all out.

We finally used the xB on a trip to Tahoe and back with a week's worth of clothes, games and stuff for me, my wife, and my almost-3-year-old daughter. With the 60 portion of the backseat down, everything fit great, but my daughter in the 40 seat was somewhat isolated from us, since a big suitcase was blocking everything else from falling on her.

Great family roadtrip vehicle, but you do need to focus a bit on not bringing so much. If you have to take a big stroller with you, good luck getting much more in there.

Sold my 01 Tahoe and got the XB 2 kids and a dog, works good! Got a tow hitch and a cargo box on back for long trips.

i don't think that is very good advice, scions aren't rated for towing, the gross vehicle weight isn't that high, so a full load of people and cargo is pushing the maximum allowable carrying capacity. adding a trailer and you'll really be taxing your brakes and suspension.

So...... you think my 30ft. Toy hauler would be too much? LMOA

Isn't a cargo box a little thing that plugs into the hitch & just sort of hangs off the back so you can put stuff in it? Not a trailer, but a place to put more crap, like coolers & luggage? If that's the case, I don't see a problem using the hitch for it. Still have to consider overall weight, but technically not towing anything.

Back to the OP - the xB2 cargo area is fine for one dog...even a big one. Would be cramped for two without putting both seats down, though. LIke others have said, may want to consider a wagon - more space behind rear seats.

don't know about the dogs, but i can have the driver's seat all the way back and still comfortably fit a 6'3" adult behind me without their knees even hitting the seat. i fully plan on using the xB as a family vehicle when it comes time, and i can't see how it won't be perfect. tons of room, pretty easy to get into and get out of, good mileage, and all the amenities you need.

Mike