[soledoc]

I currently have a 5 year old boy who's 48" and 60#. He's in the Britax Monarch
http://www.britaxusa.com/products/product_detail.aspx?ID=6

How do you think this car will do with this setup. It's only me driving but I pick my kid up a lot at daycare (next year kindergarten). I was considering the '09 A4 because of this, but I like the looks of the A5 much better. What do you think? Hold out for the new A4 or get the coupe? I had an '01 Volvo C70 MT that I loved but traded it after my son was born. But at least now he's mobile and can get in and out of the back seat himself. Thoughts, dads? (I doubt there's too many moms on this site)

 

[TuffLittleUnit]

Try this thread for my thoughts on car seats in the back:

http://www.a5oc.com/forums/showthread.php/front-seat-back-2692/index.html

It's also worth having a browse around the Audi Lounge for people's thoughts on the A4. If you're under the impression that externally it resembles a 4 door A5 then forget it. Out on the roads it's almost indistinguishable from the old A4. Inside the front of the cabin is pretty much identical to the A5 (a little wider which is welcome) and in the rear there is significantly more space.

 

[soledoc]

Thanks. I'm new on this site. I usually hang out at swedespeed.com and have for years.

I know the A4 externally is different completely. My only thought there was that it would be easier with a kid to have the A4, but I'll definitely make a "sacrifice" of 2 doors to get the A5 as it's a much sharper car, albeit smaller.

 

[ccompton]

FYI, I have fit my daughter's booster (she is 6) with no problems, it isn't has big as the Britax though.

 

[soledoc]

FYI, I have fit my daughter's booster (she is 6) with no problems, it isn't has big as the Britax though.

Do you have the seat on your side or passenger side? Can your daughter get in and out and buckle up by herself or do you have to help her?
If you were me, would this be a big turnoff to getting this car? i.e. having a kid that I would transport in this car 4-5 days a week.

 

[doubledoom]

My 10 year old has just stopped using a booster and my 6 year has just moved to booster after a stage 2 chair (which is far bigger than the booster) and both were able to get in and out and have ample leg room.

I do the daily school run and its the main car and no problem at all.

 

[TuffLittleUnit]

Thanks. I'm new on this site. I usually hang out at swedespeed.com and have for years.

I used to have a Volvo S60 D5 SE ... absolutely fantastic car. Apart from the A5 I have now this is by far the best car I ever had. Got it in 2002 and at that time it beat the pants off both the 320d and A4 2.0TDI in my opinion. I think Volvo get really bad press when they build excellent cars that IMHO give the German cars a real run for their money. It's just a shame they're not keeping up with their engines (esp diesel) and some of the more recent styling (V70) isn't to my liking at all. I guess it all went downhill when Ford took over.

 

[soledoc]

I used to have a Volvo S60 D5 SE ... absolutely fantastic car. Apart from the A5 I have now this is by far the best car I ever had. Got it in 2002 and at that time it beat the pants off both the 320d and A4 2.0TDI in my opinion. I think Volvo get really bad press when they build excellent cars that IMHO give the German cars a real run for their money. It's just a shame they're not keeping up with their engines (esp diesel) and some of the more recent styling (V70) isn't to my liking at all. I guess it all went downhill when Ford took over.

Interesting. So you came from a volvo S60 to an A5. That's the exact move I'm thinking about making. I'm in an '06 S60R manual, sonic blue/nordkap. 18" rims. I love this car, but I've been in an S60 (previous was an '04 S60 T5) for 4 years and want something new. I'm curious to hear your thoughts coming from the S60 to the A5. I agree that volvo did get bad press back then...but unfortunately now I think they are deserving of it. They have discontinued the R which is mainly why I'm leaving them. The R is a real sleeper and a decent performer on the drag strips here in Indianapolis.

 

[TuffLittleUnit]

I know I didn't post the detail, but I didn't come directly from the S60 to the A5. I got the S60 when my first son was born but when son 2 was born I found the boot a bit impractical for all the kid stuff and wanted a hatchback or an estate ("wagon" in the US?)

Changes in my position at work also meant I was no longer doing long journeys so I opted for an Audi A3 2.0TDI, primarily because I could get it with DSG and the Open Sky roof.

Coming from the Volvo S60 the A3 was better in terms of the interior layout and the DSG is superlative. The S60 also seemed to have the turning circle of a supertanker whereas the A3 was very nimble and great fun to drive.

On the other hand the pumpe duse diesel on the A3 was very noisy and unrefined compared to the common rail engine in the Volvo and the seats and stereo (even with the Bose upgrade) in the A3 just couldn't get close to what Volvo had in the S60.

The A5 on the other hand is a world apart. I've got the "little" 1.8T engine in mine and other than it needing a little more gear work in the mid range it simpy trounces both the S60 and the A3 in every respect.

 

[ccompton]

Do you have the seat on your side or passenger side? Can your daughter get in and out and buckle up by herself or do you have to help her?
If you were me, would this be a big turnoff to getting this car? i.e. having a kid that I would transport in this car 4-5 days a week.

Hey Soledoc,

It is behind the passenger seat, she is able to get in and out just fine and she buckles herself. It wasn't a big turn off for me to get the car, I don't have a second car to drive so the S5 is it. If your child is 5-6, they should be fine. Actually, the way the seats are setup in the back...she was able to sit in the rear seat and was properly fastened with the seat belt (across her shoulder) during the test drive. The belts seem to "ride" lower on the shoulder in the back seat compared to my previous cars (BMW 3 series and Volvo S80 - latest). STILL, she won't be riding anytime soon (again) without the booster, but it works and fits well.

Hope that helps.

C.

 

[doubledoom]

I think the age of the children when it starts to become a bit awkward is around 12-13. More to do with leg room than anything else.

 

[wrx_xb9r]

I have a 10 year old and a 5 year old.
The 10 year old fits fine in this car without a booster. He still needs a booster in the MINI. Different seatbelt placement in the car and therefore across his body.

The 5 year old sits on my side. She can get her belt done about 25% of the time. However each time I still check to make sure it is snug across the waist and chest. Most of the time I just put my left foot in the rear seatwell and duck my head and shoulders in the back. Very quick and easy to do.

We use the car daily with the whole family and it is not an issue. I find that it is easier to buckle her in this way coming at a 1/4 front angle than reaching across in a sedan (saloon).

The boy is starting to get to the height and foot length where his feet want to contact the back of the seat but legs are not long enough to get the feet under the seat. I can see in 1-2 years it being a big problem. However most of the time the seat is far enough forward as my wife is 5' 0".

 

[doc7string]

I have 2 britax seats in the back when my kids travel with me (we usually go in the wife's LX 470 if all four of us are traveling). They do fine back there, but I wouldn't use it for a very long trip. The problem is that the kids feet hit the back of the chair (very little room between the front of ther seat and the back of mine). It is actually easier for an adult to sit back there because your feet can go under the seat rather than bang into the seat. Nonetheless, for a trip of less than 150 miles its fine. BTW my kids are 6 and 3.5 years and I am 5'10". As noted by others ingress and egress is not an issue (unless you have a bad back and need to do the buckling in.

 

[soledoc]

Excellent info. I'm 5'11" and my wife is 5'9" and my son is 48" and 5 y/o. From what I'm hearing, it seems like this will work as this as my daily driver during the week hauling him to/from school. I'll make it work. Looks like I won't have to get the A4. Yea!

 

[doc7string]

Excellent info. I'm 5'11" and my wife is 5'9" and my son is 48" and 5 y/o. From what I'm hearing, it seems like this will work as this as my daily driver during the week hauling him to/from school. I'll make it work. Looks like I won't have to get the A4. Yea!

For that use, you are more than good. Plus the little one's love the acceleration. My 3.5 year old girl giggles furiously when I floor it.

 

[wrx_xb9r]

For that use, you are more than good. Plus the little one's love the acceleration. My 3.5 year old girl giggles furiously when I floor it.

I totally understand this one. My daughter at 1.5 was making Vroom, Vroom sounds when she wanted to hear the turbo spool up and go faster. Now at 5 she still loves it.

I figure from 0-6/7 years old it is easier for the child to be behind you. Then it is easier for them to be on the passenger side. When they can buckle/ unbuckle easily, open and shut the door easily then they can move over.