3 car seats across the back?
3 car seats across the back?
Author
Discussion

tomvcarter

Original Poster:

1,091 posts

223 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
Hi,
I'm in the hunt for a new car as we need more room.
As I have 3 kids under 5 I need to have 3 car seats, are there any cars that comfortably fit 3 across the back, or do I need to look at the 7 seat options such as the X5 or LR Disco?

I'm keen to get into a 4x4 but not sure if I need to rule out cars like the ML, RR, RR Sport, or Toureg.

Any one been though a similar experience?

Shaw Tarse

31,896 posts

233 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all

duffy78

483 posts

169 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
realistically you want to be looking at cars with 3 seperate rear seats a la VW Touran, Ford Smax, Picarse'o, etc, etc.

It's not just about fitting them in, you also need to be able to fasten the seatbelts easily time and again whilst you have a screaming, kicking infant trying to get out of the seat.

thehammer

250 posts

164 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
When times were hard after i got made redundant i bought a mk4 fiesta (3 door) for £150 and that fitted 3 car seats in the back. Not helpful but just thought i would say.

chrisp84

409 posts

243 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
We got a Touran 1.2. It gets three full sized car seats on the back row, at the moment our youngest is still in a baby seat and getting that in and out of the car is fine. Removable seats also make it a fairly decent van for big dump trips too.

excel monkey

4,777 posts

257 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
tomvcarter said:
Hi,
I'm in the hunt for a new car as we need more room.
As I have 3 kids under 5 I need to have 3 car seats, are there any cars that comfortably fit 3 across the back, or do I need to look at the 7 seat options such as the X5 or LR Disco?

I'm keen to get into a 4x4 but not sure if I need to rule out cars like the ML, RR, RR Sport, or Toureg.

Any one been though a similar experience?
I think Zod went through a similar decision process and had to rule out the ML and RR/RRS because the rear seats were too sculpted, making it hard to fit in 3 car seats. He ended up with an X5.

Loving all the suggestions of Tourans and Picassos - have you see the OP's car history?

M3DGE

1,979 posts

194 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
excel monkey said:
tomvcarter said:
Hi,
I'm in the hunt for a new car as we need more room.
As I have 3 kids under 5 I need to have 3 car seats, are there any cars that comfortably fit 3 across the back, or do I need to look at the 7 seat options such as the X5 or LR Disco?

I'm keen to get into a 4x4 but not sure if I need to rule out cars like the ML, RR, RR Sport, or Toureg.

Any one been though a similar experience?
I think Zod went through a similar decision process and had to rule out the ML and RR/RRS because the rear seats were too sculpted, making it hard to fit in 3 car seats. He ended up with an X5.

Loving all the suggestions of Tourans and Picassos - have you see the OP's car history?
Very interesting history! I think most full size cars will take three seats, although if you are looking for Isofix they tend to only come with two sets. It's a squeeze though - I would certainly go for the 6 or 7 seat option, if nothing else to give the option of keeping the kids aqay from each other!

Pothole

34,367 posts

312 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
excel monkey said:
tomvcarter said:
Hi,
I'm in the hunt for a new car as we need more room.
As I have 3 kids under 5 I need to have 3 car seats, are there any cars that comfortably fit 3 across the back, or do I need to look at the 7 seat options such as the X5 or LR Disco?

I'm keen to get into a 4x4 but not sure if I need to rule out cars like the ML, RR, RR Sport, or Toureg.

Any one been though a similar experience?
I think Zod went through a similar decision process and had to rule out the ML and RR/RRS because the rear seats were too sculpted, making it hard to fit in 3 car seats. He ended up with an X5.

Loving all the suggestions of Tourans and Picassos - have you see the OP's car history?
Nope but I've seen his sprog production figures. Sometimes something has to give unless you keep it in your pants or fully bagged up!

Bill Carr

2,234 posts

264 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
Honda FRV? Could even possibly get a fourth in the front too!

-Pete-

2,914 posts

206 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
The law allows an over-3 to sit in between two children in child seats, in the rear, with only an adult seatbelt. The danger is that the belt will naturally lie across the neck of a young child, which wouldn't be safe. If you can adjust this to be across the shoulder (using another strap to keep it lower down) then it should be safe. Here's an extract:

In the Rear Seat
The child MUST use the correct restraint, where seat belts are fitted.

There are three exemptions, where a child in this category does not have to use a child restraint. In each case the child MUST use the adult belt instead. They are -

1) in a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle;
2) if the child is travelling on a short distance for reason of unexpected necessity;
3) if there are two occupied child restraints in the rear which prevent the fitment of a third.

In addition, a child 3 and over may travel unrestrained in the rear seat of a vehicle if seat belts are not available.

It is the driver's legal responsibility to ensure that the child is correctly restrained.

pembo

1,244 posts

223 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
Wouldn't something like this help and then you will have a wider range of cars to choose from?

http://www.multimac.co.uk/home

Slow

6,973 posts

167 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
Nissan Elgrande?

anonymous-user

84 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
I had this same issue 2 years ago. You'd be surprised how few large cars can manage it. In the end I got a Volvo V70.

ridds

8,372 posts

274 months

uk_vette

3,336 posts

234 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
OP,

Why not future proof ?roflroflroflrofl

Buy the 120 series Land Cruiser LC3 (8 seater)

Put 3 baby seats in the middle row, then fit another 3 seats in the back row.

All 6 can have 3 point anchorages.



vette

Edited by uk_vette on Friday 12th April 13:59

monthefish

20,467 posts

261 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
currybum said:
Mumsnet generic answer....S-Max.
PH answer.

M3 + http://www.multimac.co.uk/home

tomvcarter

Original Poster:

1,091 posts

223 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
monthefish said:
Genius!

Thank you all, looks like the only option is a 7 seater! or Multimac


Evocator

227 posts

274 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
Having been in the same situation in the past, I got the OH a VW MPV. The problem with that is the seating has three middle row seats and two in the back. Once the kiddie seats are fitted to the middle row (even if only two are fitted), you cannot get access to the third row. If you fit the kiddie seats in the back row, it becomes impossible to lift the kid in and around to the back.

In the end, we got rid of the VW and purchased a Grand Voyager. As much as I hate driving it, the seating layout of two middle seats and three in the back allows you to walk to the back when the kiddies are small, or allow them to walk to the back once they are old enough to fasten their seatbelts; this can be achieved with the kiddie seats still secured in the middle row.

It's not a choice you want to make, but you do have to choose which MPV suits best wink

irishbloke

75 posts

167 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
3rd seat issue with child seats definitely true but must say wife has a smax and I am surprised at just how nice a place it is in general. Nice toys and trim quality on par with Audi in my opinion. Might be worth looking for a turbo petrol, supposed to be nippy. Depends if you are ready for a mpv though.

Herbs

5,128 posts

259 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
X5 or Q7 would be my choice. I actually miss the Q7 more than I thought I would.