How to configure car seats for 4 children in an Smax?

[KBwan]

Just that really. I figured here was a good place to post because I know I can't be the only person to be faced with this!

I was planning on putting the 6 and 4 year old in the back row on high back boosters, with the 2 year old and new born using the isofix fittings in the middle row. But having had a quick look at the Maxi-Cosi website, they don't recommend using their car seats in the back row. So are any car seats recommended / safe for use in the back row?
I'm always a bit underwhelmed by the knowledge of car seat 'specialists' at John Lewis and Halfords, so thought MNetters are most likely to hold the answer - one of you usually does!

Hmmm, that's interesting. We have an smax, brut on the basis that they are full bucket seats at the back and would hold a car seat. We have two high backed booster maxi cosi's for 8 and 4yo and our 6yo is in a high back booster seat in the middle, and 3yo is in a forward facing maxi cosi.

I'm sure we looked this up and there wasn't an issue. V annoying!

Hi there,
We only have three kids in our s max so we don't use the last row, but--
A couple of years ago when I bought a new car seat for DS2, I looked through that leaflet which comes with the seat and the s max was not listed in their 'approved vehicles' list or whatever that's called.
I emailed Maxi Cosi and they told me the seat is indeed not approved for the s max (despite it being an Isofix seat, and the s max having isofix fittings), as they haven't tested that seat in this car model.
So really, the only reason why they said "Don't use that seat in that car" is because they hadn't tested it.
I think the same is the case here - they probably haven't crash tested the seats in the back row.
If the seats are safe enough to use for a regular passenger, then they must be safe enough for a car seat secured with a seat belt.

Gee Joan, that's made me vaguely recall that perhaps no 7 seater has been tested in the uk for the back row of seats. I'm sure it is actually on mn that I discovered this??? I hope I've recalled this correctly as we did really agonise over which car to choose.

Agree with imip - that the car seat manufacturer's don't generally test their car seats in the 3rd row. Again it is somewhere on here possibly car seats section.

I have 3 DCs and an SMax but when we've had extras in the car I've put my 3 & 5 year old in the back row ,older one on normal booster ,other one on high back booster.It's never actually crossed my mind that it might not be safe?
Alternatively,for 1 parent trips as most of mine seem to be, can you deactivate the passenger airbag and put the newborn in a baby seat with an isofix base on the front seat and leave the older 3 in the middle where they are now?

I think the worry with the back row is that in a collision from behind the back of the car can crumple in making them much less safe than the middle row.

Having said that, the boot space behind the back row in an smax is significantly bigger than a lot of other 7 seaters and many small cars so I would/ will be happy to put my older two in the back row when/ if we have a fourth.

Yes, furry hat that was my definite conclusion when I saw the small cars my neighbours were putting their 2 dcs in. When I actually looked at it,mthe back crumple zone (or lack thereof) appeared to be the same...

I would consider putting my 8yo in the front seat if I didn't think my 6yo would go bonkers!

The In Car Safety Centre will know. I would phone them.

incarsafetycentre.co.uk/contact/milton-keynes/

An interloper here - not. Large family or now car seat user....

But we had a rear end shunt RTA at half term. It was significant- new back door bumper fuel tank and fuel pump etc and " the bars" underneath that take the Impact were bent.

BUT the boot lid still worked and there was no deformation of the boot inside at all. I was very impressed.

We had a wheelchair laid flat in the boot and if the boot had been crushed the middle row passengers would have been seriously hurt. But all was well.