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Car seats

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here. For Mumsnetter-approved essentials, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails here.

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Original poster

Three car seats in a Honda Jazz?

14 replies

BeeMyBaby · 20/06/2015 17:37

Is it possible and if so how? Recently found out we are expecting dc3 but really can't afford a bigger car, so DCs will be 6,4 and 0. Just now DCs are both in the 9month-4year car seats... So do I have 3 car seats in the back, or does one of them use a car seat in the front? If 3 in the back, then what kind of booster seat would fit between a rear facing and a 9m-4y one (preferably with a back)?

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ChilliCrouton · 20/06/2015 17:45

I'm afraid its not looking good for you and dh... We had to put 6yo in the front, and 4 and 1yo in the back with DH wedged in between! We have very slim high back Brittax seats, which have no wings at hip level but there was still not a hope of fitting two in, with a baby seat. Sorry... But that said, it might be worth taking your car to a seat specialist shop and see if there's any combination of seats that fit, since that will still amount to less than the cost of a new car! And congrats on your pregnancy!

Original poster

BeeMyBaby · 20/06/2015 18:08

chilli thanks for your reply, so your 6 year old was in a high backed booster seat in the front then? ( I wasn't sure how old children have to be to sit in the front) - at the moment I can just squeeze between the two car seats in the back as I'm short so I suppose it will give me the motivation to lose some weight.

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Iggi999 · 20/06/2015 18:14

A bigger car isn't necessarily more expensive than your present car though, if it was older.
I wouldn't be happy with a 6 year sitting in the front if I'd any choice at all.

Iggi999 · 20/06/2015 18:15

Is probably prefer the baby in the front in a rear facing seat (though you need to check air bag situation)

Original poster

BeeMyBaby · 20/06/2015 19:46

iggi a bigger car would be more expensive with regards to petrol and if it's older, trying to get it to pass an mot, hence why I'm trying to work out how to fit three children in the back. I'm not sure if the 4 year old could perhaps go I a high backed booster seat too? She is currently 3.5 and about 14kg so easily over 15kg by 4yo...

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Iggi999 · 20/06/2015 20:32

Yes I think four is the minimum places like mothercare say for those seats - I just don't think you'll get two of them and a baby seat in the back. There aren't many cars designed for that unless they have three individual seats in the back,rather than a sort of bench bit. I think your car is too small for three really (though like many I was made to sit in the boot as a child, changed times!)

Ihateparties · 20/06/2015 20:32

I think you will be okay. What you can fit varies massively with the specific car seats you are using. When we had dc 3 we got a new set of seats rather than a bigger more expensive to run car.

Atm we have 3 in a seat Ibiza, the seats have obviously varied over time as the dc got older. When they were 4, 2 and newborn we had a britax baby safe, kiddy group 1 seat and a high back booster, can't remember which model. More recently we have had two Jane montecarlo hbb and a joie tilt 0+/1 for youngest.

The tilt is a very narrow group 1 seat, there is more choice of narrow hbb - the montecarlo, britax adventure, graco jnr maxi (sip not fantastic) etc. Halfords do an own brand hbb that's very slim too. The babysafe is a good infant carrier for fitting alongside other seats due to the handle position. If I was starting again I would probably use something like a tilt from birth though and bypass the removable infant carrier bit.

Fwiw two halfords hbb and a joie tilt also fit in my hyundai i10 in a pinch, compared to that the Jazz will have a fair bit of extra width. Sometimes the belt buckle position and shapes of the car's bench seat is more relevant than the actual width of the car.

MrsToddsShortcut · 20/06/2015 20:35

Be really careful. I have a Honda Jazz, although quite old, (2004) and there is no way you can get 3 car seats in the back I've tried.

The reason I say be careful is that in my model you can't disable the front air bags so it would be illegal not to mention dangerous to have a child seat in the front.

I don't know if this is the case with older models though

MrsToddsShortcut · 20/06/2015 20:35

Newer models! Doh!

BerylStreep · 20/06/2015 20:46

If there are already 2 car seats in use in the back, legislation states that you don't need a car seat for the middle.

Whether you would be happy with the 6yo sitting in the middle with a seatbelt is for you to decide, but it would be illegal.

BerylStreep · 20/06/2015 20:46

Sorry wouldn't be illegal

MrsToddsShortcut · 20/06/2015 21:01

Oh, I didn't know that! (Not that there's much room. The position of the seat belt clips mean that there's hardly any room in mine with two high back boosters)

Original poster

BeeMyBaby · 20/06/2015 21:25

I know it wouldn't be illegal for the 6 year old not to have a car seat but I wouldn't really be comfortable with that if I can avoid it.

ihateparties thank you for giving me hope!

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AliceMum09 · 21/06/2015 13:58

Also it would be a lot safer to keep your 4 year old in a 5-point harness right up to 18kgs rather than moving her to a high backed booster at the 15kgs minimum.

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