Question Best convertible for 2009 honda civic sedan - center position

Hello,

I'm looking to transition my son soon and hoped for some input on what convertible car seat will fit well in my smallish car.

My child is probably about 18 pounds, not sure how tall these days but has been around the fifteenth percentiles all along. I'm not in too much of a hurry to move out of his Graco Snugride 35 but think he might be more comfortable in a convertible. It's getting harder to carry him in the infant carrier anyway.

I've liked the snugride so well that I'm naturally interested in the Graco Myride 65 but have had recommendations to go with the Britax Marathon 70 as well. How do these higher limit seats do in small cars? I'd like to keep him rearfacing in the center as long as possible. We have not had problems with the snugride fitting in the middle position and my husband and I still fitting comfortably in the front seats. Are there other seats that we should also be considering? I don't mind spending money to get the best seat for our circumstances. Also note that the snugride is installed with the seatbelt - not the latch system (due to center installation).

Thank you so much for your insights!

Kendra

Both those seats will be great, with the MR being less $$ and offering a bit mre leg room. The Britax has slightly taller top slots but a slightly shorter shell. Both would fit the Civic just fine. I have the MR currently RF in my 2007 Civic (so same body as the 2009) outboard behind driver's side (I am 5'2" and have approx 4" clearance) and also had it in the center on Friday and that fit fine as well. Good for you for remembering to install using the seatbelt in the center since Honda does not allow borrowing outboard latch anchors for a center install. :thumbsup: These convertible seats are actually likely to take up less room in the car than the infant bucket, especially since I assume your son is older and again assuming developmentally typical head control can ride with his seat installed more upright than 45 degrees (as upright as 30 degrees from vertical; still in full mechanical recline mode!).

You can continue to use the SR35 until he has 1" of shell left over his head, and remember that you can just leave the seat in the car, no need to carry it with you. My DS2 outgrew the SS1 (older version of SR35) at ~18mo, by height.

You could also look at the Sunshine Kids Radian (I have had this at least trial-installed both RF and FF driver's side and center). Teh Safety 1st Complete Air is another option, I have not tried it in the civic but it should fit similarly to the Radian but maybe a bit easier to get more upright.

I would skip the TF since he is not that tall and the TF has a lower RF weight limit. The Evenflo seats (Triumph65 and Momentum) also have lower RF limits here in Canada, if you are in the US maybe someone else can confirm the limits.

thanks so much mommycat. this info is very useful especially since we have basically the same vehicle. my son is eight months old so definitely able to sit more upright. do you find either the myride 65 or marathon 70 in the center position harder to see over (rearview)? or is one or the other harder to get your child in and out of? i've already bonked my son's noggin on the ceiling a couple of times getting out of the snugride - doh!! also, would the marathon be tethered to the front seat structure somehow in the center position?

we definitely do still have some longevity in the snugride - just trying to be educated and prepared to move forward in the coming months.

thanks again so much!

Kendra

My parents have an 07 Civic and they have a MyRide for my DS - it fits very nicely in the center or behind the passenger, I know I have a pic of it outboard somewhere....



I only have to move the passenger seat up like two clicks to put it outboard, it' fits back there very nicely. And in the center it leaves lots of visibility too, you can kinda see the height from that picture.

The MyRide *is* a VERY deep seat though, it can be a little bit awkward to lift a toddler in and out of. That's the only thing I don't really love about it... in vehicles like the Civic without a lot of headroom it can be a little cumbersome getting the child in and out, and you have to kinda dig the harness straps out from underneath the child every time you buckle and unbuckle. It's not a deal breaker for me by any means, but just one of those minor annoyances I find when I'm using that seat.

I don't usually have the seats in the center because it doesn't leave enough room for my older son's usual seat(s). For this one short trip I threw the MR in the center and used a backless for DS1, and had a 14yo in the seatbelt on the other side. I meant to get pics but, well, it didn't happen. I don't recall thinking that my visibility was at all reduced though, so I think it was fine. The MA is very similar so I think it would be fine too.

I choose not to RF tether my seats, so I have not looked for locations. It would typically be wrapped around the seat track where it is bolted to the floor.

I like the harness system better on the MR than my classic MA; haven't had the pleasure of playing with a new Britax. If you like the SR35 harness, you are almost guaranteed to like the MR harness (and the Nauti harness) since they are essentially the same. In fact, when I first got the MR I had the impression of a "Safe Seat on steroids" (the SS1 was the SR35 precursor).

For a center seat, I would typically hold the baby cuddled towards me (on shoulder) and slide in to the back seat and sit to put them into a RF seat. No head bonking aside from maybe your own required. LOL Alternate method that I use for outboard, but would work centre with a knee on the seat, is a "head'n'bum lift" and swing them in in a bit of a swoop, dipping head down under the door frame then lifting upwards then lowering. I still do this with my 3+ foot 3.5yo when we are in a hurry, so it definitely works to avoid the door frames (the lowering at this point is a bit of a toss - just need to make sure the buckles aren't pointing up under his back, hah). It's a bit like this below but for a 3yo I wrap the bum hand in the opposite direction to the head hand and load in a wonky L shape. Am I making any sense? I need to go to sleep.

Thank you both so much for the info - very helpful and much appreciated.

Emma - thanks LOADS for the picture. I'm in Boulder too by the way - do you do inspections locally?

Thanks again for everything!

Kendra

FWIW--I have a 2009 Civic LX-S and we were given an Evenflo Momentum as a shower gift. I think the LX-S may have different seats from the other Civics. It does NOT install well in the center. We had it tech installed and it still ended up tipping and she was not satisfied with the results. It was VERY difficult to see around. We have it outboard now (LATCH) on the passenger side. It fits fine there (not a TON of leg room for a front seat passenger, but my 6'2" hubby doesn't complain unless we're in the car more than an hour).

Unregistered said:

Thank you both so much for the info - very helpful and much appreciated.

Emma - thanks LOADS for the picture. I'm in Boulder too by the way - do you do inspections locally?

Thanks again for everything!

Kendra

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Kendra - yep, I work in Lafayette so I'd be happy to go over your seats with you! I'm in the shop Mon/Weds/Fri, sent me an email and we can set something up! emma (at) stansautomotive (dot) com

Thanks so much Emma - I'll call when we're ready for inspection! Thank you for your input too Cricktina!

Since your post was from June, you maybe have gotten a seat arleady, but I thought I would reply anyhow. I have a 2008 4-door civic. We put a Britax roundabout in the center rear-facing with no problems. I must have researched dozens of car seats to see which would fit. the top of it fits through the space between the 2 front seats. You won't be able to recline either seat terribly far though, just as an FYI. You can actually go to Babies R us and take the display models out to your car to see how it would fit. If I recall correctly, and Evenflo titan would fit as well, and the graco comfort sport.

I would personally recommend the Britax though, they are one of the highest safety rated time and time again.

thanks!
Mandy

MandyS29 said:

I would personally recommend the Britax though, they are one of the highest safety rated time and time again.

thanks!
Mandy

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There are no safety ratings. The Britaxes have passed the same exact nationally standardized testing as the Comfortsport and Titan.

Wendy