ok, so which car shall i get to fit 3 rear facing (2 toddler and 1 baby) car seats in???

[luvaduck]

Need a bigger car as dc2 due very soon.

We've got a Britax 2 way elite - rearfacing - for our 2 year old, and are very happy with it. He can be in it until he's 6 apparently, and rearfacing till 4. Theres going to be just over a 2 year gap with dc2.

We're planning to have 3 kids, with about the same gap again (fingers crossed) and don't want to have to buy an even bigger car in 2 years time.

So i reckon the kids might be in two britax 2 way elites, and a baby maxi cosi gp 0 rearfacing, for a while...

Does anyone know of a car which will fit these 3 across the back seat?? Ideally we'd like an estate, but have a feeling we'll have to get some sort of people carrier which i realy don't want (expense, environment etc etc)

can anyone help???
TIA

[luvaduck]

hopeful bump

[luvaduck]

bump - anyone?

[meep]

I think a VW Touran fits 3 accross the back

[luvaduck]

thanks!
I'm going to call the MK in car safety centre so if find out will update

[Verity79]

The 2 Way Elite will allow rear facing longer than forward facing.

With a rear facing car seat the shoulder harness comes from AT or BELOW the shoulder.

With a forward facing seat the shoulder harness comes from AT or ABOVE the shoulder.

Therefore you can be taller and still rear face than you can to forward face. Also you can use the seat until the tips of the ears are level with the car seat shell when rear facing.

In answer to your actual question we have a Mazda Premacy which is now no longer manufactured but it does comfortably fit a 2 Way Elite and a Nordic Secura in (DH is 6'2" and I'm 5'8"). We can also get a Group 0+ seat in the centre too! There is an equivalent which is the Mazda 5 but my DH says the rear seats are differently configured. Try the Car Seat Safety Centre in Raleigh Essex for advice. The ladies there are fab.

[luvaduck]

this is v helpful. presumably nordic secura is a rear facing gp 1 seat as well??

It looks like mazda 5 is an MPV - ideally I don't want one but looks like theres no way round it.

thanks for advice!

[girlsyearapart]

my friend has a ford focus c max which fits 2 x 'proper' car seats and a baby rear facer in the middle

[luvaduck]

that sounds good - just looked it up - is it actually an MPV???
it seems to have 5 seat is that right? (perfect for us don't need a 7 seater)

[Verity79]

Nordic Secura is a Group 1/2 (9-25kg) you can buy it here. It has a lower top harness slot than the 2 Way Elite so would be better suited to a child who is heavier than they are tall (if you get what I mean).

I think the Secura's top slots are about 15" and the 2 Way Elite is 17.5" (measured recently).

Technically the Premacy is a 'mini MPV' i.e. all seats apart from drivers can be removed and you can either have 2 or 3 rear seats but isn't a proper MPV with 7 seats. My friend's got a a BMW estate with fits a Britax First Class, a baby carrier and a Maxi-cosi Priori across the back seat with room to spare.

[luvaduck]

thanks
we love our 2 way elite (from the same place) so will prob stick with that. ds is also tall and light, heaven knows what other dc wil be. good knowledge of rear facing seats by the way very impressed!
they're a bit smaller as well (why we got it in the first place, the recaro didn't fit in our corsa)

i think a mini mpv is a good comprpmise. i like the look of the focus c max as it looks more like an estate.

[moomaa]

We will be going mini MPV and have just bought the Be Safe izi combi isofix rearfacing for our toddler and have the same dilemas as you. We tried putting 3 seats accross the back of a Touran at the weekend and they fit fine but you have an issue with storage compartments and seat legs (not sure if your 2 way elite has a leg? I know the maxi cosi baby isofix seat does, because that's what we have). I belive this can be solved by buying fillers for the storage boxes, we are checking with VW tomorrow. Only two of the spots are isofix too.

Mazda 5 can't fit 3 big seats accross, my friend has one. You might fit a booster inbetween her two rearfacing toddlers, but not a baby seat.

It's all not easy

[moomaa]

I liked the look of the Ford c max but thought it was a bit too big and a bit too expensive. They have storage boxes too, online it says they do storage box fillers but when I asked in the dealership they looked at me like I was mad.

[Bibithree]

We've got a Toyota Corolla Verso, fits 3 car seats across the back - when we bought it we had newborn dts and a 2 year old, now a 4year old and 2yo twins, so bigger seats fit just as well. AND as people carriers go, it's one of the neatest size-wise. Honest.

[slalomsuki]

When you have 3 kids believe me you will want a bigger car so my suggestion is get the biggest you are comfortable with now and then use it when you have 3

Mine are the same age difference as you are planning but are now older and all forward facing but still have 3 booster seat/car seat combinations.

I have managed with a 5 seat scenic until now but in the next few weeks I am trading it in for a 7 seat smax. Its the boot space and also the flexibility of being able to take their friends after school and to parties that has swung it.

[luvaduck]

hmmm yes - will prob trade for a 7 seater at some point but prob not for another 4 years.

toyota one sounds good. the 2 way elite doesn't have a leg so hopefully not an issue..

thanks!

[thatsnotmymonster]

we have a vw touran and love it. We easily fit 2 maxicosi tobis and a maxi cosi priori in all forward facing. DD2 is now 16mo but we used to have her in a maxi cosi cabrio infant carrier with base. All fit no probs.

We love the car and it has 2 fold to the floor seats in boot. The boot is huge too.

[madamy]

We have a Citroen Picasso which fits 3 child seats across the back. In fact, the 3 back seats are all individual and adult sized.
It's got quite a small engine (1.6) but drives well fully loaded and they are quite cheap too.

[jocie]

i have a senic and although only have 2 lo went out with a friend last week so had a maxi cosi rodi, maxi cosi priori and britax first class(rf). Th middle seat moves independently of the others so moved it forward slightly to fit them all in. Need to have a small hand to strap in the elsest though!(maxi cosi rodi). Lo's were 4, 2 and 1. Not sure if 3 rear facing would fit in though.

[girlsyearapart]

the c max also has a massive boot. We fit my phil and teds my friends mclaren and lots of shopping etc with room to spare

[moomaa]

luvaduck, wanted to update you today because I am excited about our new car, after thinking on Tuesday we would have a Touran, we test drove a Toyota Verso today and bought it, we will be putting one toddler forward facing, one rearward facing (long story) and hopefully in about a year or so a baby

[luvaduck]

is verso a 7 seater???

other ones we have thought of are scenic and picasso - do you like driving them?? reliable etc?

they are also mini MPVs I think

moomaa good luck with the baby and have fun trying

[lowrib]

I've just bought a Britax 2 Way Elite (the only thing which we could safely get our 13kg 7mo into for under £200).

Buying the car to fit the carseat - is this a glimpse of my future?!

My DP suggests an old Saab.

[dubbletrubble]

We have 3 children in all car seats, and invested in a Chrysler Grand Voyager (used) when no 3 arrived. This car enables all kids to have their own seat and therefore makes securing their car seats a doddle. The car has 2 front seats, 2 separate seats in the middle with an aisle to walk through to the rear bench with 3 seats. The newer versions (not ours) have all rear seating folding into the floor!

We have a 'triangle' formation in the car with eldest son sitting in middle in back of car, younger son and toddler daughter sitting in middle row. I can see all three clearly from my rear mirror, they have loads of room each and there is never any chance of anyone encroaching on the other's space. This is clearly the best thing, however another very important factor is the boot - yes you still have one even with all 7 seats (with adult legroom) up. I can still get a 2 part pram, 2 bikes and 2 scooters in the boot easily and take along gran and grandad too.

I know it is more expensive than your run of the mill 7 seater - but we couldnt do without it. Had to make a journey recently in husband's saloon and blooming nightmare trying to get all 3 car seats in!

[moomaa]

yes verso is 7 seater, I was telling DH we better get on with the trying now we've got the car to fit the family

dubbletrubble - your car sounds fab. I tried my hardest to get the absolute smallest car possible, a lady in my street has the Chrysler and I am in awe of her parking skills.

[dubbletrubble]

I can park it on a postage stamp - and don't have parking sensors either! Forgot to mention another crucial factor it has over others - sliding doorss and flat floor for kids to run abt car whilst you are trying to secure infant car seat. Trying to get baby into car seat without sliding doors I find diff now as so used to the ease of facing my child at my height when strapping in. I should be on commission ;) hope you find best car for you.