which suv is most carseat friendly?

[Unregistered]

i'm a nanny looking for a small new suv that will need to fit three across. which of these suvs accomodate mulltiple carseats easily?


(older version, not the brand new body style change)
nissan xterra
jeep liberty
ford escape
jeep cherokee
kia sportage

[wendytthomas]

I have a 2001 Xterra. I've gotten several combos of three across back there. Boosters, rear facing, forward facing, just about anything. But it takes the right combo in the right order. A Radian should definitely be one of the seats you own. The Radian works really well in the Xterra. But I haven't got a shoulder belt in the middle so you're limited if you need boosters somewhere to the outboard seats.

Wendy

[Maedze]

If you can get ahold of an older Saturn Vue, those are an absolute dream for three across.

[MJHY27]

I have a Kia Sportage and I really doubt it would take 3 across even if they were the narrowest car seats on the market. I have a marathon and a true fit installed rfing right now, one behind the driver and one behind the passenger seat, with only 7" of room left in the middle. It was pretty much the same story when I had the marathon and a graco safe seat in there as of a few months ago.

[skaterbabscpst]

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is pretty car seat friendly, excepting the last two or three years.

[bubbaray]

THe Ford Escape is very carseat friendly IMO. And, yeah, definitely get at least one RN in your car seat "supply"

[Unregistered]

thanks everyone! awesome advice! i'll have to check out the saturn vue. and dang! i really did like the kia sportage. thats a bummer. and i'm dissapointed the nissan xterra doesn't have a shoulder belt in the middle! my car would typically have a marathon, booster, booster. i dont like reaching across boosters for a harnessed kid in the middle.. :(

[cookie123]

I don't think the Escape/Mazda Tribute is very 3 across friendly. I've been struggling with boosters/radians and can't get a decent install ff with latch or seat belt in any position with the Radian. It always slips forwards.

I've been unable to fit a Radian and 2 TB in. They don't quite fit outboard, the plastic side of the car pushes the TB outward on the outside.

I have had a MA ff, a Cargo and a Keyfit successfully. I'd personally look at something else. The seat width is only 46 inches if IIRC. I think the Hundyai is pretty wide. I don't know why I can't spell that tonight!

ETA: Make that 49.1. The Santa Fe is 55 inches of rear hip room. That's officially on my list!

[wyomommyx3]

thanks everyone! awesome advice! i'll have to check out the saturn vue. and dang! i really did like the kia sportage. thats a bummer. and i'm dissapointed the nissan xterra doesn't have a shoulder belt in the middle! my car would typically have a marathon, booster, booster. i dont like reaching across boosters for a harnessed kid in the middle.. :(

I have a Nissan (Pathfinder) and an Escape. I can pretty easily get 3 across in a variety of combos in both cars. I've never seen the inside of an Xterra, but our Pathfinder has 3 belts, so I'm wondering if a newish Xterra does too?? They're about the same size across, just the Pathfinder has a 3rd row.

In both cars, I've had:

RF MA, FF NA, RF Snugride
FF NA, RF Safeseat, FF MA
RF MA, FF NA, RF Safeseat

I also had a crappy Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 in the mix at one point, but it fit as well ;)

I love both cars for different reasons, but they both install easy, & handle very well. The Nissan seems a little more solid for whatever reason though :) Both cars have 3 top tethers, and two LATCH for whatever it's worth.

[sparkyd]

We just bought a 2006 Pontiac Torrent (literally bought it yesterday; don't actually have it yet). We got it because we needed a vehicle with lots of front-to-back room in the backseat for two RF seats (DH is 6'3"), and also wanted good cargo space in the back which I find lacking in a lot of SUVs. My car is a Ford Focus hatchback and I swear lots of SUVs have less cargo room than that hatch does. We don't have room in our garage for a full-size minivan... nor do we really want one.

I carried my True Fit around a couple of car lots sticking it in different vehicles (including minivans) to see where it would fit RF with a tall driver (not even at 45 degrees, more upright), and the Pontiac Torrent (which is the same as a Chevy Equinox) was really the only one that did so comfortably, much to my surprise. The amount of room in that vehicle is surprising. The back seat actually moves front-to-back, which is what gives it so much room for a RF seat. Cargo room is great too, even with the back seat pushed all the way back.

As for 3 across, I don't think it is doable with seats I currently own (True Fit and a SnugRide), but I do know someone that has a RF True Fit in the middle, with a harnessed FF seat on the passenger side (sorry, don't know which one), and a backless booster on the driver side, so it can be done depending on what you need. I'm sure that with a Radian or two in the mix, it would be no problem. My only beef is that in the 2006 we got there is no headrest in the middle back seat (why is that legal?), but I think the newer models have headrests in all 3 spots. There is LATCH for all 3 positions, although you can't use all 3 sets of lower anchors at the same time.

You might not need that front to back space like we do, but for anyone else with tall folk sitting up front, this is a great option to look into.

[karlatta]

I had a 2004 Saturn VUE until recently, and it was great. It was actually easier to install 3 seats in than my Toyota Sienna.

[Unregistered]

thanks everyone! awesome advice! i'll have to check out the saturn vue. and dang! i really did like the kia sportage. thats a bummer. and i'm dissapointed the nissan xterra doesn't have a shoulder belt in the middle! my car would typically have a marathon, booster, booster. i dont like reaching across boosters for a harnessed kid in the middle.. :(

Lurker here, I have a 98 expedition (its has a 4rd row seat, but I need that room in the back for all my junk, lol) and it doesnt have a shoulder strap in the middle. I also have 2 boosters and a MA (RF'ing). I put the MA in the middle so that the boosters can both have the shoulder straps. My 7 year old sits on the side where I put the baby into the MA, so he has to wait to get in til i get the baby in. My expo isnt a short vehicle so I have to stand on my tip toes to get her into her seat, but it works out fine.

[tracee877]

Hijacking here, but does the Saturn Vue have the option of a 3rd row?

[Jeanum]

No third row available in the Vue, it's a 5-passenger model only. If you'd like a Saturn with a third row, the Saturn Outlook crossover has a third row option and so do its other GM branded counterparts, the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave.

[Maedze]

Hijacking here, but does the Saturn Vue have the option of a 3rd row?

FYI, they changed the design in 2008 and it is now no more car seat friendly than any other midsize SUV, unfortunately. It was the PERFECT car for three across...and they ruined it :crying:

[TXAggieTech]

My mom has a Ford Escape and it is great for 3 across, as long as you have at least one Radian.

[dtkkrlf]

FYI, they changed the design in 2008 and it is now no more car seat friendly than any other midsize SUV, unfortunately. It was the PERFECT car for three across...and they ruined it :crying:

OK, I'm highjacking also...Does anyone know the width of an older Saturn Vue? I need 56-58" with the seats I currently have.

(I have 2 TrueFits (FF), 2 GN (FF), 1 Graco Snugride (RF)) I can do any combos of seats.

[Maedze]

I bet you could get two forward facing True-Fits outboard with a Graco Snugride between them with minimal difficulty.

The old version has a completely flat bench, wide, with three full sets of LATCH.

[dtkkrlf]

I bet you could get two forward facing True-Fits outboard with a Graco Snugride between them with minimal difficulty.

The old version has a completely flat bench, wide, with three full sets of LATCH.

I am SO happy to hear that might be an option! I really like the Vue's but never considered it because I thought it would be too narrow! #3 will be here in 5 weeks and I am stressing out about our seats not fitting in my current vehicle. We have my husbands full-size truck as an option until we find something but I don't want to drive a 3/4-ton truck 60+ miles everyday! I'm going to check some out this week. There are a ton for sale in my area that are in our price range.