Small car - Chevy Optra5 RF seat ?

I drive a Chevy Optra5 and am looking to get my son out of our current infant seat. He is 3 lbs away from the weight limit at 5 months old.
I tried to install an Eddie Bauer 3 in one deluxe last night, but the passenger seat becomes useless.

The Eddie Bauer seat will fit once I FF, but I hope to ERF.

Would it be best to get a convertible or an infant seat with a higher weight limit? I live in Canada, my boy is a little pork chop (5 months old & 19 lbs). He does have short legs, but a longer torso.

I don't know the model of the safety 1st seat I am using, but it is almost too big as well.

Seat recommendations are quite welcome

Thank you!

How tall is your son and how long is his torso?

I have the sedan version of the Optra, which I'm guessing is pretty similar in terms of the seating configuration, although since it's a hatchback, I'm guessing the seatbacks fold. Do they also recline?.

I'm currently using a TFP without the headrest for my 16 pound 6 month old daughter. The front passenger seat is comfortable for my partner, who's 6' and skinny. He would, I suspect, have it more reclined if he could, but it doesn't give him any real problems.

I have some concerns about fitting it in once the headrest goes back on since it's limited to the 35 degree recline, but I figure that, for DD, that won't be until after I've gone back to work and replaced the car. So if you decide to try the TFP, try it with the headrest on and at 35 degrees; try it somewhere you can actually install the seat, since the seats do compress a fair bit and the fit you get just putting it in is significantly different than the fit you get when it's installed tightly.

I also tried the Radian; in the Optra sedan, it naturally falls at about a 40 degree angle. Since the Optra5 has (I'm guessing) seatbacks that fold, I don't know what it'll do in your car. Since I was at Safety Superstore, and they won't actually install the seat, I don't know if it's possible to get it installed more upright. I do know that if you tilt it to a 45 degree angle, the front passenger seat is unusable.

Those were the only two I tried. I was happy enough with the fit of the TFP that I didn't try the CA, which was the 3rd on my list. The MR wasn't on my list.

The way I did it was to find a range of carseats that fit my criteria for RF height and weight, and then fit DD into each of them to see how they fit her. From there, I left her at home and fit the ones on my list into the car. So it's a three step process: research, fit child, fit car.

I haven't tried any high weight buckets in the car.

Sorry OP, I don't have any advice.

Just wanted to comment on this though:

hel said:

The way I did it was to find a range of carseats that fit my criteria for RF height and weight, and then fit DD into each of them to see how they fit her. From there, I left her at home and fit the ones on my list into the car. So it's a three step process: research, fit child, fit car.

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I think this is the *perfect* way to find a car seat! Good job & thanks for sharing!

Melissa