Skoda Octavia - 3 car seats

[Grinchinlaws]

I’m pregnant with DC3. DCs will be 6.5 and 4 when he/she arrives.

Atm DC1 is in an Axkid Mini and DC2 is in a joie 360 isize (both still rear facing).

I think by 6.5 DC1 (90th for height) should be ok to move forward facing, and then DC2 can have the Axkid and the baby the joie (probably actually a little portable one in the newborn stage).

So my question is - has anyone got 3 car seats across the back of a Skoda Octavia and/or can recommend a slim high backed booster suitable for a 6.5yo?

@bertiebotts I think you’ve given great advice before!

Just to add, I can actually currently fit in the middle between the two seats we have (am quite slim) so one option would be to put a child in the front but im not keen on that.

Just bumping this. Skoda Octavia is such a good family car I feel like others must have been in this situation??

I have a skoda octavia ,and 2 car seats as my oldest is in their teens. I'm not sure if you'd fit 3 seats in the back , although I can fit in between 2. We have an minikid and a joie trills ( which is a fairly slim hbb) I do think at 6.5 , dc1 will be fine to forward face as their bones will be more mature now

The 360 seems bulky so you might not fit that in with other seats. I'd recommend an infant carrier for the newborn . This could last till nearly 2 years old. Which would by you some time .The newborn could travel in the front with the airbag off.

I think you'll struggle with the Joie 360 because the isofix places it closer to the middle seat and it's a fairly bulky seat. See how you go with the Axkid plus a baby seat and a slim HBB. Remember that you can fit the Axkid in compact mode (closer to back of car) or legroom mode (closer to front seat). This helps with tesselating.

Check the car manual to see if you can use a support leg in the middle seat - that means you can put the Axkid there.

There are also some infant seats with belt fitted bases which can help a lot. Joie do one and some of the cheaper brands too if you're less bothered about pram compatability. Again you need to check support leg requirements. Joie Tilt/Graco Extend are slim rear facing seats too but typically only last up to about age 2.

It is a smaller middle seat so you might want to look at changing the car longer term - thinking about when this is likely to be viable might factor into any decisions.

If you are going to have one child in the front, the Axkid might be a good choice as you'll be able to turn the airbag off permanently. It is harder to remember to turn it on and off depending on whether you have the baby seat or an adult there.

Thank you.

We had a Maxi cosi cabriofix for DCs I and 2 that was belt fitted so will just get a new version of that this time round, and hopefully it will last for another year or so. I really don’t want to have to get a new car before that point.

We live in London and rarely drive - mainly just for U.K. holidays and the odd shopping trip.

Sounds like we should be able to get 3 across the back if we go Axkid, infant carrier and slim HBB - can anyone recommend a slim HBB?

I dont know how slim they are sorry but the ones I am looking at for when DC1 is old enough are

• britax kidfix
• besafe flex fix
• avionaut maxspace (though I think this is quite wide)

@Grinchinlaws I know this post is quite old, but we're probably having a lift from the airport when we fly back to the U.K. at Christmas in a 2018 Skoda Octavia and I'd need to sit between our two car seats (Graco 360, and a Graco fwd-facing HBB) for 1.5hrs. I'm a size 8-10, do you reckon I'll fit ok, from your experience as a slim rear passenger? Thanks if you read this!x

You will be fine. We have the Skoda Superb, rather than the Octavia, but a quick google has just told me the rear seats are 7.5cm wider on the Superb in total, and I'm a bit of a chunk and can fit between our two car seats comfortably, so a slimmer person will fit just fine in the Octavia x

We have an Octavia and I have to sit in the middle of a bulky Joie rear-facing seat with our 3yo, and a Cosatto HBB with 6yo. Newborn goes in the front in infant carrier, we couldnt fit them all cross the back sadly. I'm about a size 10 atm and it's ok, but I'll be honest that I wouldn't want to do it for long journeys. We had a 45 min drive for an event recently I was definitely getting uncomfortable by then. Could I cope with longer if absolutely necessary? Yes. Would I want to? No.