To want to put 3 car seats in the back of a normal car?

[bonzo77]

Because it seems I’m the only one. It appears that the options are:

7 seater: what we are currently doing but don’t want.

Or: compromise on car seat safety (we currently use 1HBB for 8yo, 1 ERF to 25kg but using it forward facing for 5.5yo and 1ERF to 18kg for the 2.5yo. I could theoretically use 2 booster cushions plus the 25kg ERF, but I feel that’s quite a compromise. 2 HBB plus the 25kg ERF would only save us about an inch but I think would be acceptable in terms of safety.

Or: put a child in the front meaning either I or DH have to go in the back if All out together.

The reason we want to downsize is to get a car that will be free in the London ultra low emissions zone by September 2021. I know we are planning silly early and if we leave it later then the car seat requirements will have changed due to children growing. But I think we will find it increasingly difficult to Sell on our current non Euro6 diesel.

Today I tried the seats in various combos in a Skoda Octavia, roomster and yeti. The last two were hopeless and the Octavia would have worked with booster cushions + 25kg ERF.

Seriously. What do people do?

Update (I’m the OP).

I tested some cars and here’s what I found:
Skoda roomster no good at all.
Skoda yeti: middle seat has no head rest so no good if I wanted to put an adult there.
Skoda Octavia: no good

Toyota verso: perfect with the TWE and 2x HBB.

Mazda 3: just doable with the same comb but access to buckles very difficult.

Ford CMax: fine. Not quite as roomy as the Verso. I’m 99% certain we’ll get this as the exact spec we wanted is available locally and bang on budget. In fact I’m part ex-ing the SMax which is older, higher mileage and had significant damage (massive dent in door panel, trashed alloys, other scrapes) and only paying an extra £200 ish. Also lower insurance and we can use the car seats we already have.

We need to change car because of the ULEZ thing. I really wanted 3 decent sized back seats, because as the 3 DSs grow, even once out of their car seats, they will be more comfortable if not squeezed into 2.5 back seats. Using a Multimac wouldn’t help with this. I’ve got a (probably unfair) prejudice against Citroen (I had one years ago and DB one very recently that was nothing but trouble).

Skoda Superb?

The Diono radian car seat is narrow and designed to fit 3 across standard cars and goes from birth to 12 including erf.

In the U.K. it isn't isofix....but overseas uses latch isofix straps and both seats are pretty much identical (we used it with belt plus latch so cover both bases)...

Nor can an adult fit in the middle between two car seats - I've tried and I can't do it and I'm not big

^This

We get three across a kadjar, two large high backed boosters and a rear facer. Also a grand scenic and an s max.

There are also big seats for multiple kids, will look.

We went down the bubble bum route but I regret it as it didn't wear well. At the time Halfords did a slightly smaller hbb which would fit in the middle of our car.

We ended up with. Citroen C4 Picasso - 3 proper seats in the back etc - any good with your car seat needs?

Mercedes b class. Fits all three seats in thr back, lovely hight to strap them in no bending. Big boot but smallish car. Love mine. If you want to put one kid in the front you can buy the matching cat seat which disconnects the front air bag automatically when it's car seat is attached. Great little car .