Thanks everyone!

We had a Bugaboo Cameleon for our first who was also a summer baby and I loved the big wheels for getting through fields etc - will see if can go to a shop or borrow a friends and somehow manhandle it in. Would hate to lose my little Fiat as its incredibly economical, good for the environment and easy to park

I think with the Bugaboo bee the baby might be too hot in the summer, and not very flat - Bugaboo Bee3 with a carrycot looks good but blinking expensive

We have a two door yaris with a rear facing car seat (maxi cosi pebble) We have an isofox base to make it easier to get the seat in and out. We have a bugaboo buffalo (bigger wheels than chameleon) and these fit in fine only slight issue is when we go away for weekend, as travel cot and all stuff is a tight fit but not impossible and we don't do it that often. Hope this helps!

There are some sellers of rear-facing car seats (the ones that fit the seats for you), where you can go and see which of their seats actually fit the car, rather than taking the risk of buying one and finding out that they can't fit. I bought mine from Margaret at http://www.rearfacingtoddlers.com/ and she comes to your home with the seats. If you email her, I'm sure she could advise or come to you and try one out.

oh sorry. Didn't realise 4x4s were such a hot topic!

Can people stop hijacking every car post with the eternal 4x4 debate?!! It's really not relevant to the OP.

GardenRosie - we had a small 2 door car with baby no 1 (ford fiesta). We found it too difficult to put a rear-facing car seat in the back and the pram and carry cot in the boot. We've used the rear-facing in the front seat (around London mainly, not long trips), i think that's ok.
However with 2 kids - i am not sure you will have enough boot space!!

Noooooooooo. Please stick to the OP. There have been enought 4x4 firestorms on here. I love the Fiat 500.

it's a fair question. I'm obviously being a bit tongue in cheek but you know what I mean - you need a big car when you have kids in my experience.

On the 4x4 point - the fact - and it is a fact- is that modern SUVs (like mine) are actually not particularly bad. Mine isn't the highest tax band. Old ones - 10 years ago, probably were bad. But modern ones with efficient diesel engines are ok. Ok it's not the most efficient car, but I need the space.

Modern SUVs have the same size engines as estate cars and people carriers and so are not in fact more polluting. In fact my 4x4 is a lot more fuel efficient that my sports car was! And nobody ever had environmental concerns over the sports car. There's just a perceptions that SUVs pollute, but really they don't particularly.

It takes up no more space (apart from vertically!) than an estate car or a people carrier. It looks bigger - but it's actually not longer or wider.

It's also much safer - the extra height and big windows and mirrors mean you can see cyclists further away. I think it's the safest thing for London traffic.

Why have one? It's practical and comfortable and great to drive. Take one for a test drive and you'll be sold on it!

Sorry - and I don't want to start an argument - but I still really don't understand WHY you would need a 4x4 car that is highly polluting/taking all the space/not practical in the London narrow streets/dangerous for pedestrians?

Why not buy a large family car like an estate or an MPV instead? And if space is really a requirement maybe a mini van ?

I strongly feel that 4x4 are not relevant for London - but it is my point of view and I appreciate that we may not all have the same opinion.

When we had a sports car I never understood why people drove about London in massive 4x4s designed to cruise up mountains.

Two children later, with two huge isofix maxi cosis taking up the whole back seat, and each iteration of children loading involving yoga -like upper body contortions, and as every journey now invariably involves bringing a Phil n Teds, two scooters, maybe a bike, certainly a lot of pairs of spare trousers, a potty, mountains of raisins, Peppa, George, Thomas, probably a digger (toy, not actual obvs),- I actually don't understand how anybody with two + kids DOESN'T have a massive 4x4 designed to drive up mountains!

Hi,

I don't have a Fiat 500 (I would love too! ) but a 2 door Yaris.
I did try to put the baby seat at the back when my daughter was born, but found it completely impractical (I had to tilt the baby seat so much to get it out that my daughter was facing the ground!)
In the end, as I could not afford to change car, I did put her on the front seat without the airbag on.
Yes - I was told it is not as safe but it was the only reasonable solution.

The plus points - you don't need to bend and twist yourself to reach the crying baby that has lost its dummy, and my daughter was able to see me so she was therefore much more easy to travel with.
I saw really benefits of having her at the front - but I drove extra carefully during that time.
And soon as she was the minimum size required, she moved in a forward facing seat at the back.

Hope it help

I managed- just about!- with a baby in a Fiat 500.It isn't easy but I persevered- he is now a toddler and can climb in himself so I am glad that I did not change my car. What I did find difficult was taking the baby-seat out as I had to wriggle it around so much that the chance of transporting a sleeping baby out of the car in the seat is near impossible. You also need a very small pram to fit in the boot- I recommend the Bugaboo Bee.

GardenRosie wrote:It is - if I have to bin it am thinking of getting an ex London cab, if anyone has owned/driven/parked one let me know what they are like!

Looks like a good idea but not that practical in reality.

Remember that there is a division between the driver and the passenger department... in any emergency you have to stop , get out and into the back.

... not to mention it is not the easiest to drive!

Oh and Julian ... is the A35 the new Aston Martin?

Genius idea!

It is - if I have to bin it am thinking of getting an ex London cab, if anyone has owned/driven/parked one let me know what they are like!

Ah, good point. I think any 2-door would pose the same issue. Shame to bin the Fiat 500, lovely car.