Need help picking C5 A6 or 02-04 A4?

[Michael McLaughlin]

We've had car seats in our B5 A4 (my sister-in-law has 5-year-old  
twins who we've transported quite a bit since they were infants). The  
first thing we said to each other the first time we had their car  
seats in the car (this is when they were 1) was about how we're going  
to have to get another car when we have our own kids. Rear-facing  
seats barely clear; front-facing one fit but the backs of the front  
seats are easily reachable by toddler legs. (I'm only 5-foot-9, so the  
position of my seat isn't the issue.)

Funny you had a Civic -- when discussing the size of the back seat in  
my Audi I often point out that Civics have more fore-aft rear-seat  
room than the Audi does, by a decent amount.  :-)

-Mike
Spokane, Wash.

On Jul 14, 2010, at 5:06 PM, Eric Sanborn wrote:

> When we had our first kid I was driving my 4ktq and my wife had a  
> CRX Si.  We use Britax car seats which are awesome (especally if you  
> don't have latch), but they are huge.  It fit fine rear facing in  
> both cars.  It did require the middle seat for the Audi.  Once we  
> had our second my wife got a four door Civic (still have the CRX).   
> The kids are now 4.5 and almost 7 and can buckle themselves in so  
> about two months ago my wife went back to a 2 door car.  They are  
> now both in high back boosters and my wife is driving a 2003 two  
> door GTI.  She loves it.  It is easier to reach back at a light and  
> help them if needed, and it is plenty of room for them.  The two  
> door car with flip forward seats is actually much easier for  
> installing car seats when needed.  We can fit 5 in the car if  
> needed, but with as wide as booster seats are it is a chore.  For  
> reference I am 6 ft and my wife is 5-9.  Both our kids are tall for  
> their age.
>
> By all means drive the car you want to have, but resist the knee  
> jerk reaction most people have to get a bigger car when they  
> consider having kids.
>
> To throw my 2 cents in.  I had a 98 C4 Avant for about 10 months and  
> absolutely loved it, but it was butt slow and just too big.  I know  
> you are looking newer than this so may not be helpful.
>
> -Eric
>
> On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 1:53 PM, Michael McLaughlin  
> <mcloffs at mac.com> wrote:
> If space is a consideration at all, especially in the back seat, I'd
> skip the A4. We have a B5 A4 and a B5.5 Passat in our household and
> the difference in rear-seat room is considerable, so much so that
> we're going to sell the A4 in anticipation of having children.
>
> -Mike
> Spokane, Wash.
>