Radian vs. Marathon in an '07 MazdaSpeed3

I posted this on another forum for someone, so thought I would put it over here as well for a comparison of seats in a small car. Let me know if you see anything wrong.

The important thing is to have the base of the seat flush with the vehicle seat BOTTOM. Here is what mine looks like after installing it. You can see there is about a 1 - 2 inch gap between the back of the vehicle seat and the base of the carseat. You need to be careful when tightening the LATCH straps so they don't wrap around the built-in lock-offs. The front of the MA still touches the vehicle's seat back... just the base is pulled away from the bight of the seat.


The seat is installed fairly upright. This is a pic of the seat.


Here is a pic of my DH's legs in the front passenger seat... he tells me he is fine and has enough leg room. He's 6'3". Yes, that is a plate in his hand... I made him come take a pic during supper. Man, I love him!


Here is a pic of Mikkel RF in the MA. He's 22 months, 26lbs, 34in, 13in torso. Mikkel can sleep with the seat installed at this angle. His head rests against the side of the MA and does not slump forward.


This is my RF tether anchor location.


Here's our current set-up... RF MA and FF Radian


Now, the bad news...
There is NO leg room for a front passenger with a RF Radian. Here are two pics. One is the Radian installed RF and the second is the leg room (or lack there-of) for the front passenger.



I can not get the Radian to center install without having to move BOTH front seats up that far as well.

Hope that helps,
Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF MA

I can't get the pictures to open for me. I used to have a Mazda 3, I now have the Mazda 5. My marathon also installed well rearfacing in both vehicles. I don't remember if there was any gap at the base or not. I hope you can repost the pictures so I can see what you took them of. Jen

Dsunny1 said:

I can't get the pictures to open for me. I used to have a Mazda 3, I now have the Mazda 5. My marathon also installed well rearfacing in both vehicles. I don't remember if there was any gap at the base or not. I hope you can repost the pictures so I can see what you took them of. Jen

Click to expand...

Okay, try that. Someday I will figure out this linking thing properly!

Jen

great info! that was my experience as well, when i test-fitted a BV and a radian in my mazda3... the BV had quite a good fit, the radian was a no-no.

your speed3 is the same color as my 3... sunlight silver. cool!