How safe is a Maxi Cosi car seat in the middle?

[Bleuravin]

We're picking up 2 adults from the airport on Thursday and are looking for ways of finding a little extra room in the back of the car for the 2hr drive home in our Prius. What we want to know if a seat can be safely fitted in the middle. The thing is that the seat normally fits into the hollow meant for your bum.. but there's just a lump in the middle which we fear may make the seat a bit less stable. Some reports online said it was fine if you really kneel on it and put it in there tight. It's worth noting that the car seat also fits in there without the base which would give us lots more room, but again we don't know if it's less safe or what...
So, what do you all think? Has anyone tried putting the seat in the middle? What problems have you encountered? What do you think about the safety issues?

you need to see how much sideways movement there is once it's installed. Can you got to Halfords or similar and get them to check for you?

Don't maxi cosi have an on line fitting guide now?

does this help at all? its only talking about the bases and the priorifix

62.45.118.50/php/cflprint/english.php

Looking at the fitting list on the maxi cosi website it is saying no for all seats in the centre rear seat of the prius.

Just fit it as tightly as possible, with straps correctly adjusted, and you should be fine. They are designed to be used in such situations, and in car safety terms it is entirely appropriate to put the adults on either wide and the lighter person - i.e. the baby - in the middle.

According to that list lynniep we shouldn't be able to put it in the middle of our car because it doesn't have a 3 point harness, but it does But maybe it means that it's not safe in that position rather than it doesn't have the fittings for it) . We have had it in the middle before. And it seemed stable, Cargirl, it didn't move (much) back and forth. (I say much because we also have an Aprica seat and that one doesn't move a breath while every other seat we've come across does) We're just a bit worried that it's not actually safe, though we've read that actually it's safer since it's right in the middle of the car rather than close to an 'impact zone.'

Admittedly I have a Renault.
Is an isofix base a possibility?

We were looking at isofix bases too actually, Boffin, but not sure because it's another £100 for the 'secondary' car seat, but if that's the only way it's really safe then that's what we're going to do.

Bleu, I doubt there would be a problem given that you have a proper three-point belt.

I think we're going to do it. Unless I check back and find someone who says 'absolutely not!'

i always use mine in the middle as i have 3 kids all under 5, so i have baby in middle and a high backed booster on either side,
so long as the seat is fitted correctly,it shouldnt move at all,if it does its not fitted properly you might just need to tighten the belt more,
it gives us MUCH more room to do it this way, if i put baby at one side,i have no room for the 2 high backed boosters in the back as well,

good luck x