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Original poster

fitting 3 car seats in a row - can your car do it?

42 replies

mckenzie · 30/12/2007 13:35

A dear friend of mine is newly pregnant with twins. By the time they are born her first born will still be two and so she will need to find a car that can fit three car seats.

We think that the Ford Mondeo is large enough and designed okay to do it - does anyone else have a car where they can fit three car seats across the back please?

TIA

OP posts:
oooggs · 30/12/2007 13:47

I have a picasso and have dts in 0 seats and ds1 in stage 3, but he was in a stage 2 until the summer. fit fine. dts soon to be in next stage and thet still fits

congrats to your friend

sorry typing with dt2 on lap

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 30/12/2007 13:55

I had 3 stage 2 seats along the back for awhile in MNs favourite motor, the Range Rover.

Whatever your friend gets, just make sure that the middle seat has a proper 3-point seatbelt.

And I'm guessing that she'll also need to fit a double buggy in the boot.

derlorfeelsabout90 · 30/12/2007 13:57

Honda FRV - 3 in the front and 3 in the back, best car we ever bought!

Original poster
mckenzie · 30/12/2007 14:02

thanks for the replies. I'll pass them all on.

OP posts:
DoesntTheFestiveSeasonDragOn · 30/12/2007 14:05

Renault Laguna - no.

I've looked at the Ford S-Max and that can.

throckenholt · 30/12/2007 14:14

beware the first stage car seats need long seatbelts.

It does depend on the seats though - I had 3 of the up to age 4 seats across the back of mine (mazda 2) but annoyingly I can't get 3 of the high backed boosters in the same space - now I have to have one in the front and had to have a switch fitted to deactivate the airbag. Grrrr.

Sidge · 30/12/2007 14:42

Yes, our Ford S-Max has 3 proper seats in the back.

Original poster
mckenzie · 30/12/2007 14:46

the S-max is top of her list so far Sidge - are you happy with it?

OP posts:
Cremolasnowdome · 30/12/2007 14:48

YES a volvo estate

GeekgirlRoastingOnAnOpenFire · 30/12/2007 14:50

mine is ok too - toyota corolla verso

Sidge · 30/12/2007 14:53

Love love love it!!!

It's a fantastic car - we've got the 2 litre diesel which is fab, really great acceleration and economical too. It's really spacious inside, the 2 seats that fold down in the boot aren't proper seats like you'd find in for eg a Galaxy or Espace, but are fine for older children that don't need a car seat or small adults.

With only 5 seats up the boot is massive. As I said the 3 seats in the back are proper seats and move individually (not like the Zafira which has a bench seat, and it's not quite 3 seats, more like 2 3/4).

We've had ours since March and it's great, brilliant to drive and easy to park.

imdreamingofawhiteKITTYmas · 30/12/2007 14:55

Can a Renault Scenic do it too?

For definite, as I think thats what we will be getting.

Will have 4yo DD1 in stage 1 (is that the 9m-4y seats) she's little anyway so best to keep her in it for a while, DD2 (2.6y) in Stage 1 seat and baby in Stage 0 seat then when baby ourgrows Stage 0 seat the plan is DD1 will vacate her Stage 1 the next seat up and the baby will get her seat. I imagine she will be in the middle in a booster.

Does that make any sense? Am I being mad?

This is only whne DP in car I will have baby in front with disabled airbag during the week.

Original poster
mckenzie · 30/12/2007 15:29

not sure about the Scenic Kitty - another friend fo mine had one a few years ago and she says No to three seats in the back row.

OP posts:
1dilemma · 31/12/2007 21:43

Focus can!

tassisssss · 31/12/2007 21:45

Kitty, the scenic can do this easily, great car for a family

StudentMadwife · 31/12/2007 21:49

picasso can!

forkhandles · 31/12/2007 21:50

I second the Ford Focus, we got one when our DTs arrived and DD was 2.5 and it's been brilliant.

coby · 31/12/2007 21:55

My focus can't! Not with any combination of seats from halford and mothercare (we tried them all) - we need 1 x stage 1 and 2 x stage 2

Mondeo can if it is the older model and doesn't have bucketed seats but then mileage is likely to be high.

Citroen picasso will do it and still have 3 x 3 point seat belts as will Renault Scenic.

Then you're on to 7 seater MPVs most if which will have a middle seat with a lap belt unless they are a newer model - for eg post 2002 Seat Alhambra has 7 x 3 point seat belts, pre '02 has on lap belt in the middle, middle seat so if you want 3 x 3 point belts you have to use one of the rear most seats and lose boot space - loads of room for getting children in and out of the Seat alhambra, Ford galaxy, VW sharan type cars or the picasso. The scenic has a smaller boot than most I think.

You can't tell I'm car shopping in anticipation of DC3 can you....

dilbertina · 31/12/2007 21:55

why can't my focus do it then? [pout]

popsycal · 31/12/2007 21:57

my friend can do it in her zafira

baby seat in middle
booster seat with back on one side and a child seat (one of those that can be 5 point harness of booster with back) on the other side

tassisssss · 31/12/2007 21:58

how old's your focus coby? our old one couldn't either

popsycal · 31/12/2007 21:59

just to add...
niether our peugeot 307 or T reg ford focus could do 3 across the back.....even with a booster seat as the middle seat.....

hazygirl · 31/12/2007 22:00

my dp rents cars and he says best new one on his fleet is new renault scenic customers always say great

coby · 31/12/2007 22:02

to clarify on the focus front, I can squeeze them all in but only contrary to the installation instructions and AA (or RAC can't remember which) advice i.e the seats are touching either each other or are too close to the car doors or are sloping due to the slight 'bucketing' of the seats.

We went down to our local halfords when they had a car seat check day in the car park outside - checks were done by the AA I think - we tried all combinations of car seats and monopolised the por halfords chap for ages and the AA said not safe.

Not good, I LOVE my focus

moljam · 31/12/2007 22:02

nope we have a morris 1000 and we put 2 booster seats in back.ds car seat in front,dh drives,i sit in back in middle in tiny space,if i put on any weight it would hurt.i cant actually breath!