Car seat arrangements

[t&n's mummy]

So we have a ford focus, t is due to move into the next size car seat, he is four but quite lightweight, n is in her maxi cosi Tobi, say we wanted to put a third in a baby maxi cosi, could we fit and what sort of seat would t have?? There is a proper seatbelt in the middle but can we use that with a car seat?

Nb this is not an announcement, trying to figure out logistics!

[Mummyto1]

In my experience three in car seats in one car is impossible. I genuinely don't know why more cars aren't made for three children given it's not that uncommon!

We had to go for a seven seater (VW Touran). The lap belt size middle seats can't take a safe booster I don't think - the high backs are too wide.

We fitted the baby size maxi cosi in the middle seat of our Touran (the middle seat being a proper seat).

Now we have issues as three kiddi seats don't fit all in a row so now DS2 is out of the maxi cosi we basically don't have a boot as DS1 has to go in one of the far seats.

ETA sorry I didn't read your post properly - a proper belt can hold the baby maxi cosi but it's more the width of all three seats that is the issue.

[cloudcuckoo]

You can use the middle belt for a car seat, assuming it goes over the shoulder. Does the car have IsoFix in all three back seats? It might be worth going to Kiddicare/ Halfords to talk it through, they will be used to the logistics. I have taken to putting the baby seat in the front passenger seat day-to-day, but I am often unloading the kids on a busy road and want to be able to do it all from the pavement.

I can get all the seats across the back of the Citroën C4 grand picasso (7 seater MPV) but it's difficult for the kids to all clamber across to one side. For longer journeys I have them all in the back, where IsoFix is a saving grace. I am about to get a high back booster for Z, and the model E has is discontinued in favour of one with airbags in the headrest. Great from a safety point of view, but it looks considerably wider than the old model.

[Heidi]

The only cars you have even a vague chance of getting 3 seats into are those with 3 individual seats in the back I think. We have a Renault Scenic which has 3 seats, and can fit 2 x kiddys and a baby seat but not 3 x kiddys (as the shoulder bits are too wide) and not even 3 x boosters without the highbacks (as the seats are too wide).

We did the same as Mto1 and went for a 7 seater so we can put a 3rd (and 4th) child in the back when needed.

[Kitcameron]

Is that a normal scenic or a grande scenic Heidi? We've just bought a grande scenic to put two kids in but regularly pick up a friend and her little boy, was wondering if it would still be possible to put two toddler car seats and an infant car seat in the back when baby D comes along?

[gingerbreadhouse]

We have a CMax and can get the three sats across the back, I know the Cmax is based on a Focus but can't remember if it's wider or not? We have had a baby seat and stage 1 seat (both Britax, both isofix) with a high back booster in the middle seat using the seat belt (Graco hbb, narrowest we could find). We currently have two hbbs and a stage 1 isofix seat across the back seat, works for us. No issues with buckles.

[Pics]

It is really hard to get 3 across the back - whihc is why we had to sell a car when Merryn came along and get a new one. We did discover that Elodie at 6 (I'm not sure what age it starts at) could go in the middle of the back with no booster in a car where 3 were not able to fit in - so we did that for a while.

We looked at loads of cars and were surprised how many family cars including MPVs wouldn;t fit 3 across the back. We ended up buying a Dacia Duster and we have a highbacked 5 point Recaro seat, a britax stage 1 baby seat and either of our 2 standard booster fit in the middle and Elodie can easily do it up herself as there is loads of space for her to do it. It's a bench seat.

[SharkiesMum]

You should try it in your focus if you can borrow a carseat. I used to have a focus and as the back seat is flat I could get my 3 nieces carseats in, but they were a booster, a high back booster and ff 5 point big carseat. The booster with no back went in the middle fine.

I know lots of people say you need a big 7 seater but the focus could fit much more across the back than my new much bigger car!

[Rahgamuffin]

B is in a booster seat, and we can get any combination of other seats either side of him (In a focus). We can't get anything other than a booster between any other combination of our car seats.

[weasley]

The Toyota verso easily gets three across the back. My Mazda 5 does too, though it's more difficult now I've had to give my easy fix base back. I have a maxi cosi cabriofix, a britax 123 and a high back booster in the back. The kids can't do their own straps though.

[gingerbreadhouse]

I know lots of people say you need a big 7 seater but the focus could fit much more across the back than my new much bigger car!

Yes, this! DH's work car is much bigger (Seat estate) but the back seat is all buckety (pretending to be sporty!) so the middle seat doesn't really exist, although there is a seatbelt. The CMax is much more practical because the seats are flatter.

[Spanner]

In our grand scenic we have 1 high back booster, 1 basic booster and an isofix rear facing baby seat. We couldn't put the high back next to the isofix but otherwise they fit fine. Not sure this answers your question though as my age gaps are different.

[Kitcameron]

Thanks Spanner, we'll have to have a look but it'd probably be ok I reckon. None of ours fit with isofix though so I suppose that might make a difference. Our old car didn't have it so we didn't buy car seats that needed. Well, the infant car seat can be isofixed if we buy the base. Maybe the maxi cosi priori can be too, I never bothered to check. Anyway, we have no base units ATM.

Would people bother buying the base units if they can be used or just stick with fastening them in with a seat belt?

[Spanner]

Like you we didn't have isofix before. A friend gave me her old seat and base and I am a total convert! Just one click to get it in or out. I have the travel system wheels too so it is great for the school run or going round shops when I have the car. I wouldn't bother for the bigger seat though.

[Tintin]

I've got a Peugeot 5008 and I've had two Maxi Cosi Tobis and a Maxi Cosi Rodi in it. I've also had one Tobi, the Rodi, and a Maxi Cosi rear facing baby seat.