best vehicles for Radian XTSL?

I would like to keep our kids rearfacing as long as possible, so I would really like to get a Radian XTSL. We bought a 2001 Subaru Forester last year when I was pregnant as our family car, not realizing the issues it has as far as fitting carseats. We are now in the market for another vehicle, so I would like to get something that will fit a Radian.

I have two questions:

1. Should I bother trying to get a Radian into the Forester or would we be better off getting a MyRide or Safety 1st Complete Air?

2. What should we buy as our secondary vehicle?

A little about us: We are currently a family of 3 -- me, my husband and an 8-month-old. My hope is that we will eventually be a family of 5-6 (that's me, DH, DS, another child and 1-2 bulldogs). I would like a vehicle that could comfortably fit all of us in it for car trips (and ideally some luggage as well), including my 6-foot-tall DH. That means we're primarily interested in SUVs, crossovers, wagons and vans. We pay cash for all our vehicles, so we'd like to buy a used car for less than $10K.

So far, these are the vehicles we're considering: '01-'02 Acura MDX, '01-'02 Chevy Tahoe, '02-'04 Ford Escape, '01-'02 GMC Yukon, '01-'03 Honda Odyssey, '03 Honda Pilot, '02-'04 Hyundai Santa Fe, '05 Hyundai Tucson, '00-'01 Lexus RX, '05 Mazda 6 wagon, '05 Mazda MPV, '02-'04 Mazda Tribute, '03 Nissan XTerra, '01-'02 Toyota Highlander, '02-'03 Toyota Sienna and '03 Volvo V70.

I can't advise you what vehicle would work best for the Radians, but I am impressed that you are buying a vehicle to work with the child seat and not vice versa. That's hard core child passenger safety!

Thanks! I think after buying the Forester as our family car and now realizing that it can't accommodate our family, I don't want to make that mistake again.

not on your list, and not the best of crash test ratings but i have always gotten an awesome fit in chevy trailblazers. the extended ones should give you the room you need. i hear they are great to install in the acadia as well, although those are probably too new to be in your budget.

01 Forester + RFing Radian = no go. With the front seat moved all the way up, it won't even lock into the most upright position, which isn't safe. Not to mention you wouldn't have a usable front seat.

Why not get a different carseat and keep the Forester for the next year or two, and when you need a bigger carseat, get a different vehicle then? Even with the added cost of an additional convertible, it's probably cheaper in the long run to get more use out of the car you have now. Plus, if you have #2 in the next couple of years, #2 could use the smaller convertible when #1 goes into a Radian (or whatever is the seat to get then).

I am going to give you a what NOT to get example. I drive an '06 Jeep Commander and thogh my RF Radians fit like a dream the vehicle is incompatible with FF seats due to it's supid angled fixed not removable headrests! The only place you can put a FF seat is in the center of the middle row because there isn't a headrest there. We will be new vehicle shopping in the next 2-3 years.

Pixels said:

01 Forester + RFing Radian = no go. With the front seat moved all the way up, it won't even lock into the most upright position, which isn't safe. Not to mention you wouldn't have a usable front seat.

Why not get a different carseat and keep the Forester for the next year or two, and when you need a bigger carseat, get a different vehicle then? Even with the added cost of an additional convertible, it's probably cheaper in the long run to get more use out of the car you have now. Plus, if you have #2 in the next couple of years, #2 could use the smaller convertible when #1 goes into a Radian (or whatever is the seat to get then).

Click to expand...

Sorry, I didn't explain myself fully. We are keeping the Forester. We are getting another car in addition to the Forester. But thanks for the info on the Forester.

hrice said:

I am going to give you a what NOT to get example. I drive an '06 Jeep Commander and thogh my RF Radians fit like a dream the vehicle is incompatible with FF seats due to it's supid angled fixed not removable headrests! The only place you can put a FF seat is in the center of the middle row because there isn't a headrest there. We will be new vehicle shopping in the next 2-3 years.

Click to expand...

Thanks. This is helpful. I've been so concerned about finding a car that fits it rearfacing that I didn't even think about it not fitting forward-facing.

gecikuh said:

not on your list, and not the best of crash test ratings but i have always gotten an awesome fit in chevy trailblazers. the extended ones should give you the room you need. i hear they are great to install in the acadia as well, although those are probably too new to be in your budget.

Click to expand...

Thank you! I will look into those.

Also not on your list but I LOVE our 2000 Ford Windstar for practically all car seat installs...

That 3rd row bench is a DREAM to install almost any seat on RF'ing or FF'ing...the only incompatible I've come across (or heard mentioned) is the Radian FF in the captains chairs with a seatbelt install (installs fine w/ LATCH in those chairs).

Add to it that this van has FOUR complete sets of LATCH and SIX anchor points for top tethers...every rear seat as well as the front passenger seat have anchor points for top tethers and this is a dream car seat vehicle.

I can also get 3 across in that 3rd row bench and therefore I can get 5 car seats in the vehicle. I love that the 3rd row bench can be put where the 2nd row captains chairs go...when we need extra cargo space we just put all 3 kids across in that bench and have the entire back of the van for cargo.

The only thing I don't like is that like most of the older vans, there is no headrest in the middle of the back bench seat which is lap belt only...so not able to sit adults/older kids there, but with the car seat versatility in it, its never been a practical problem for me, and I typically have 2 adults and 4 car seats in the van at any given time.


ETA: My hubby is 6'5" and can comfortably drive the van with almost any car seat installed RF in the captains chair behind him...those chairs and the 3rd row seat both slide forward/backward to make things super easy.

I have an '03 Malibu, and it is a perfect match for the Radian! I can quite easily get a 30* angle, no problem And it even fits rear-facing behind my DH:thumbsup:

Good luck in your search, one quick thing to remember is to keep the dogs safe in the vehicle by crating or harnessing them too

featherhead said:

I have an '03 Malibu, and it is a perfect match for the Radian! I can quite easily get a 30* angle, no problem And it even fits rear-facing behind my DH:thumbsup:

Click to expand...

you are a saint! Wanna come show me how you do it? I fought with my XTSL and DH's car for nearly an hour to get a good install (finally went in the center)

I don't see it on line up, but my Grand Caravan ('09 - but I'm certain older models are similar) is *very* compatible with RF, LATCH installed Radians (in 2nd row captains chairs). I was able to get a rock solid install in about 2 minutes...the RF tethering point (under the front seat) is easy to get to as well. My install was checked by a tech and no adjustments had to be made (other than I took took it out and reinstalled it again).

ETA: This is with a 80SL.