Best car seats for very small cars

[cosmicdenmother]

Hello all,

My dearest and I are planning to start a family in the very near future and as I always like to be prepared, I have started doing research about car seats. At the moment, we have a vintage Volkswagen Squareback, think of it as a very small station wagon. We are also planning on buying a vintage VW beetle to serve as my "mom mobile". Most likely the car seat will remain in my car with the occasional switch to the Squareback for long trips. As you all know, a Beetle's back seat is rather small and after looking at car seats recently, I can't imagine how most of them would fit in the back. Although the Squareback is a little roomier, it is still a small car. I won't be driving too much as we walk and bike most everywhere, but I still need a safe and reliable seat. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for which are the best car seats from small cars. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

CosmicDenMother

 

[singingpond]

Hi,

I don't have experience with your particular vehicles, but thought I would comment a bit. I have a '96 Corolla, which is small, although probably not as small as the vehicles you describe.

Small cars really have two kinds of issues with seats. It can be hard to fit multiple carseats next to one another, which is why people end up agonizing about how narrow seats are, how seats 'puzzle' next to each other, etc. in the ongoing 3-across discussions you may see. However, since you are thinking of a first child, this is not really your worry at the moment.

The other issue, which you probably do have, is the front-to-back space required by a carseat -- i.e. does it even fit behind the front vehicle seats, does it force you to move the front vehicle seat(s) up too far, etc. In general, I've found that seats without bases are easier to fit into limited front-back space. For example, our very first carseat was a Cosco Alpha Omega, which comes on a huge base, and we initially thought it was hopeless in the Toyota. This particular seat can be removed from the base, though, and then it fit very nicely, even at the necessary recline angle for a newborn (we did not buy one of the infant 'buckets' with our first child). There are a lot of reasons not to recommend the AO, by the way -- it definitely is NOT the only seat your child will ever need -- but it works well for us as a rear-facing seat in a confined front-back space. The other thing to keep in mind is that kids don't need that 45 degree recline angle once they have better head control, and then your options expand. The Britax Marathon/Boulevard/Decathalon can be installed more upright (there are tricks to doing this, which are not immediately obvious if you just plop the seat into your car), and many people have fit them RF (rear-facing) into small vehicles. I know some people buy the Britax Roundabout because it requires less front-to-back space, even though it won't last the child as long as the larger Britax seats. Depending on how your vehicles' front seat backrest(s) look, you may also be able to fit one of the taller seats in reclined position in the center, with the carseat's reclined backrest sort of coming forward a bit between the front vehicle seatbacks. Also keep in mind that with most RF carseats, it is OK for the carseat backrest to touch the front vehicle seatbacks -- this is called bracing, and is actually seen as a good thing by some carseat makers.

The best thing is probably to go to a store like Babies R Us, which allows customers to take the carseats out to the vehicle for trial fit, and see how it looks in your car. Don't just set it lightly on the back seat, but really mash it down in an installed position to see how it fits, and try not to worry about the BRU associate hanging over your shoulder wondering why it's taking so long -- true installed fit is often very different from uninstalled trial fit. Not sure if you're planning on using an infant seat (the click-into-the-base 'buckets'), but try some of those also -- although they often take as much (or more) front-to-back space as a reclined rear-facing convertible seat.

Good luck, and I'm sure other people will chime in.

Katrin

 

[Patriot201]

KAtrin gave you some excellent advice!

The other issue, which you probably do have, is the front-to-back space required by a carseat -- i.e. does it even fit behind the front vehicle seats, does it force you to move the front vehicle seat(s) up too far, etc.

:yeahthat:

The other thing to keep in mind is that kids don't need that 45 degree recline angle once they have better head control, and then your options expand. The Britax Marathon/Boulevard/Decathalon can be installed more upright (there are tricks to doing this, which are not immediately obvious if you just plop the seat into your car), and many people have fit them RF (rear-facing) into small vehicles.

:yeahthat: As Katrin said, this is true once babies are a little older. Newborns do need a 45* angle, but older babies do not. At one time, I had a Britax BV sitting practically straight up (not really, but it looked like it!) in my small car. I believe the angle on my seat (at one time- it has now been reclined more) was 29*.

I know some people buy the Britax Roundabout because it requires less front-to-back space, even though it won't last the child as long as the larger Britax seats. Depending on how your vehicles' front seat backrest(s) look, you may also be able to fit one of the taller seats in reclined position in the center, with the carseat's reclined backrest sort of coming forward a bit between the front vehicle seatbacks. Also keep in mind that with most RF carseats, it is OK for the carseat backrest to touch the front vehicle seatbacks -- this is called bracing, and is actually seen as a good thing by some carseat makers.

:yeahthat: Just be sure you check your carseat manual and your vehicle manual to make sure that both allow bracing or for the seats to touch.

The best thing is probably to go to a store like Babies R Us, which allows customers to take the carseats out to the vehicle for trial fit, and see how it looks in your car. Don't just set it lightly on the back seat, but really mash it down in an installed position to see how it fits, and try not to worry about the BRU associate hanging over your shoulder wondering why it's taking so long -- true installed fit is often very different from uninstalled trial fit. Not sure if you're planning on using an infant seat (the click-into-the-base 'buckets'), but try some of those also -- although they often take as much (or more) front-to-back space as a reclined rear-facing convertible seat.

:yeahthat: ABSOLUTELY! You definitely need to go try out seats in your vehicles. As Katrin said, INSTALL them to see how well they fit.


If you primarily walk and/or bike, you will need to get a good stroller or baby-wearing device (for walking) and a good bike contraption for biking. Do you need help with those purchases, as well? There are some very knowledgable people on this board! Just post questions you have about those items in the Coffee Break or Strollers forums, depending on the nature of your question.

Good luck!!

 

[cobbergal]

I have a 2003 VW Jetta (not sure how it compares to your car!), and I have loved my Britax Roundabout. My son is very tall for his age, and he has nearly outgrown the seat (he has about a 1/2" to go) -- he is FF at 3 years 2 months old.

I know the Marathon would have lasted us a longer time, but my backseat is very small and my husband and I are tall, so the RA worked best for us because it took up less room when rearfacing. But like the pps said, try it (and others) out in your car! Good luck!