Smax - 4 children seating arrangements

[Circlesroundandround]

We have an smax. I really like it and I am not about to change it. We have three children and one due in the spring. I can’t quite figure out the best way to have the children arranged in the car. The older two children are teenagers taller than me. Them sitting in the rear seats for anything other than a super short journey is not doable owing to the limited leg room. I could put the four year old in the rear seats but there only appears to be one car seat that is made for use in the rear seats. Plus she still needs help with doing the straps up as she is too young to be able to ensure the belts are done correctly. I don’t fancy clambering in the back of the car every time to do the belt up.

For those with smaxs and four children ranging in age how do arrange the children in the car? Just trying to figure options.

We have an s max and 6 kids now.
Eldest 2 (16/11) go in front or middle row, 3rd (9) in middle row. Currently have baby in carry seat so she goes in middle row either passenger or driver side, when she moves to next seat up she will be in middle seat of middle row.
Our twins were in middle row when they were small but we moved them to back row when 2nd was tall enough not to need a carseat (around 2 years ago), they are 6 now.
I think the twins will be fine in back row until they no longer need carseats, not ideal for leg room without carseats in. We currently have a galaxy as ours is in for repairs, that has much better leg room in the back row but the sacrifice is boot space differs (not as deep and our pram takes up the lot, can fit shopping next to it in ours).

Oh and the twins have the high back booster seats using the car seat belt. When they struggled to clip in we would reach through the boot rather than climbing in from the back doors. I imagine it being much harder with the 5 point harness seats, we kept those in the middle row.

Thank you. That’s food for thought although it sounds like car Tetris 🤣.

Wow 6 kids in a s max.
I couldn’t deal with 4 in a zafira thought I could and when baby was a month old went out and bought a Hyundai i800. Love it 😂

Is there another adult regularly travelling? If not on the day to day then older two take turns in the front (mine would swap for the return journey) and then three across the back seat with the eldest non car seated child in the middle.

When there is another adult doing in front passenger then one teen in 3rd row but have both seats up so can spread out a bit more, then 3 in same configuration across the back.

I didn't think I'd swap from my smax either until i wrote it off and thought I'd see what was out there and whether i liked it more. Turned out the VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra (same engine/chassis) is awesome. Much prefer the 3rd row room and is higher seating and is slightly wider so everyone feels like they have more room. And when they dislike each other(!) its one in the front, 2 across the back with no one in the middle and one in the 3rd row.