3 seats in middle row of large SUV?

rvtprincess

New member
We want to try for a 3rd kiddo in a few months so the Toyota 4Runner would not be enough room for 3 car seats! So, we were thinking of a Suburban or Yukon w/ a third row. Does anyone know if we would be able to fit 3 seats in the middle bench? I have 2 Triumphs, a Radian, and a FPSVD so would any combination of these 3 work? My DS would be ff by then most likely (he's 28 lbs now) but the other 2 would be rf.
 
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UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Are you sure there's not enough room in the 4Runner? That's not exactly a tiny vehicle. I'd be quite surprised if you couldn't fit the Radian front facing between the FPSVD and one of the Triumphs.

Regardless, I had a Honda Pilot for a couple of years, and there was PLENTY of room for two Marathons and a Roundabout in the 2nd row of that vehicle. It's not as wide as a Suburban, I don't think, and there were inches to spare on either side of the seat.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I agree...you already have the car and the seats...give it a try and make sure it doesn't work before you buy a much larger car :)
 

1girltwinboyz

New member
We had a Suburban and fit 2 MA both RF and FF and a Graco Turbo Booster across the middle bench seat. It was TIGHT getting everyone it though.

My friend has a Honda Pilot and she said it could not fit her RA, MA and Booster across the middle seat. Her oldest who is dd's age 7, has to ride in the 3rd row in her booster. The 5 and 2 year old are in the middle row with LATCH.

ITA that a Toyota SUV is narrower than a Suburban I et:whistle:
 

rvtprincess

New member
Oh yes the Toyota is much narrower than a Suburban. With 2 car seats in the back seat of the Toyota (both rf) I can't sit in the middle and I'm not that wide (I think). :p Anyway, another minivan (definitely not DHs first choice as he hates driving our Odyssey) or a bigger SUV are the options. I just can't decide!! Also, there are middle bench seats and middle captains chairs. So many choices.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
I aven't actually tried it, but I'm fairly certain I could fit a Regent/MA/other narrow convertible in the 2nd row of my Suburban, but you should have no problems fitting 3 narrow convertibles.
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
I have a Tahoe but with caption chairs in the 2nd row. Just last month I installed 2 ff'ing MA's and a Snugride in the 2nd row of a Tahoe (same as the Suburban just not as long/less cargo area) with no issues. The 2 ff'ing MA's were side by side too (center & driver outboard) with the Snugride pass outboard.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
If you are going to get one with a 3rd row, I say get either the Suburban or the Yukon XL. After that OC crash, I want all the room behing my kids in the 3rd row that I can get, plus I like the space for cargo behind the 3rd row.
That said, yes, you can get all those seats in the middle row, bench seat. I had 2 Regent, a Marathon and another seat, a friends I think it was FP that was rearfacing in the middle row of my Yukon XL. The only issue with this is that it blocks any access to the 3rd row, where DS#1 rides, so he had to climb over the seats. But if definetly can be done. The middle row is wider than the 3rd row, which would really on work for 2 seats.
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
If you are going to get one with a 3rd row, I say get either the Suburban or the Yukon XL. After that OC crash, I want all the room behing my kids in the 3rd row that I can get, plus I like the space for cargo behind the 3rd row.
That said, yes, you can get all those seats in the middle row, bench seat. I had 2 Regent, a Marathon and another seat, a friends I think it was FP that was rearfacing in the middle row of my Yukon XL. The only issue with this is that it blocks any access to the 3rd row, where DS#1 rides, so he had to climb over the seats. But if definetly can be done. The middle row is wider than the 3rd row, which would really on work for 2 seats.

I do agree about getting the Suburban (or the cousin verisons) over the Tahoe. While I LOVE my Tahoe I wish I had more cargo area behind the 3rd row esp when it's in use (which really isn't very often).
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
After that OC crash, I want all the room behing my kids in the 3rd row that I can get, plus I like the space for cargo behind the 3rd row.

What is the "OC crash?" We're considering a new vehicle to replace our van, and I don't like how close some of the third-row seats are to the back window, but I don't know WHY I don't like it. Is it related to that? It seems to be very common in a lot of the newer vehicles. Particularly the ones that get better gas mileage and are in our price range, of course. :rolleyes:
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
What is the "OC crash?" We're considering a new vehicle to replace our van, and I don't like how close some of the third-row seats are to the back window, but I don't know WHY I don't like it. Is it related to that? It seems to be very common in a lot of the newer vehicles. Particularly the ones that get better gas mileage and are in our price range, of course. :rolleyes:

3 child died when a semi rearended I think a minivan (was really hard to tell what the vehicle was) with 3 young kids in the vehicle. But, I must say 2 of those children were in the 2nd row. The only seating positions in the vehicle that were left were the front seats.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
What is the "OC crash?" We're considering a new vehicle to replace our van, and I don't like how close some of the third-row seats are to the back window, but I don't know WHY I don't like it. Is it related to that? It seems to be very common in a lot of the newer vehicles. Particularly the ones that get better gas mileage and are in our price range, of course. :rolleyes:

The crash in Orange County that killed the Coble children ages 5, 4 and 2, a week ago last Friday. There is a thread about it in the coffee break forum. I actually just posted a link to a memorial video on youtube, with some hard to see footage of their new minivan after the crash.
What you said is the EXACT reason I don't want me kids that close to the back of my vehicle.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
3 child died when a semi rearended I think a minivan (was really hard to tell what the vehicle was) with 3 young kids in the vehicle. But, I must say 2 of those children were in the 2nd row. The only seating positions in the vehicle that were left were the front seats.

DH and I were talking today about this, and possibly the only vehicle they could have been in that they might have been saved in was a pick up with an 8 foot bed. Would have given that semi 8 feet of vehicle to crunch before hitting the occupants.
 

cryswilkins

New member
I think that 3 across is doable in a 4 runner.

I have a 01 CRV and fit a turbo booster, a RF RA, and FF AOE no problems. You should try to be sure, I think that you can do it!:thumbsup:
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
DH and I were talking today about this, and possibly the only vehicle they could have been in that they might have been saved in was a pick up with an 8 foot bed. Would have given that semi 8 feet of vehicle to crunch before hitting the occupants.

That I think would have been the only way. Makes me kinda glad dh has a long bed (8ft'er) truck now. But, A Suburban or larger SUV's wouldn't have mattered in that crash.

Not to scare the OP rear end collisions are the least common and least severe. This was just a sad case that is not the norm at all.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
That I think would have been the only way. Makes me kinda glad dh has a long bed (8ft'er) truck now. But, A Suburban or larger SUV's wouldn't have mattered in that crash.

Not to scare the OP rear end collisions are the least common and least severe. This was just a sad case that is not the norm at all.

My DH also has a long bed on his Dodge truck. He keeps trying to tell me I should trade in my Yukon XL for a Crew Cab or Mega Cab.

And in most rear-end collisions, they are not at this high rate of speed.
 

musicmaj

New member
I think three across is doable in lots of vehicles - you just have to have the right seats. The triumphs are super wide - I don't think that you will be able to get a good combination with those, but I would try it before deciding to buy a new car or new seats. If the triumph doesn't fit next to your radian and fp, then I would try a ff radian in the center, a fpsvd rear facing outboard, and a safeseat 1. There are also cosco regal rides which are only 16 inches wide and make good rearfacing seats. It could work for a newborn I think.

Whatever you decide to try, you may have to try them in different orders in your vehicle since they may puzzle together differently. For instance, you may have to put the ff radian outboard instead of middle.

If I can get three across in my toyota corolla that is 17 years old and very narrow, then I am fairly confident that you can do it in your suv.
 

strollerfreak

Senior Community Member
I've installed a Britax Husky, Britax Marathon & Graco SnugRide in my Suburban's 2nd row before....also a Husky, Marathon (RF) and Wizard (FF) before.

there is PLENTY of room in the 2nd row of a Suburban to do pretty much any installation you want.

:thumbsdown: to the Radian though...I couldn't get it installed FF with the seatbelt in any seating positions.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Thanks, I checked out the posts about the crash. It's too awful for words.

I'm still completely stuck as to what vehicle to get - the options when you need to seat six are pretty narrow.
 

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