Question Convertible seat for a Mazda 3 hatchback

U

Unregistered

Guest
My son will outgrow his infant seat within the next few months and I'm looking into buying a convertible car seat for him.
Stats:
son is on the small side: 27.5 inches at 1 year, 18 lbs
we have a 2008 Mazda 3 hatchback
I always sit in the back with him so we have no issue with having to move the front passenger seat forward

Please help me figure out which seat will fit best our car, that we'll be able to use rear facing as long as possible comfortably for everyone involved. I'd love it if the seat could be put in the middle but if I remember correctly there is no latch in the middle in this car.

Let me know if I missed something that could be useful to know. Thanks!
 
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M

momof12010

New member
No one has a recommendation for me?
I've been looking at the Evenflo Symphony 65 and the Graco Smart Seat but maybe there's something better for us?
 
Defrost

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
I don't have any recommendations, but you can still install a carseat in the middle seat. You just use the seat belt instead of the lower anchors. :)
 
canadiangie

canadiangie

New member
Britax fits nicely in your car, as does the TrueFit by learning curve.

The Radian does not fit as nicely, nor will the Complete Air since it requires a 45 degree angle for rf'ing.
 
K

KaiLing

New member
I had a RF radian outboard behind the passenger seat in our Mazda 3 for years. Ours is not a hatch back but i think theyre the same car? We didn't use the passenger seat, it was that simple. It drove me crazy by the end, so if you're not giant like we are (I call my son North America's Largest Baby, we are 5'9" and 6'9"), I really don't recommend it. Our MyRide fit fine behind the passenger seat, and I would wager a Britax would do well as well. I'd also like to see if the Triumph Advance 65 fits, so let us know what you try out!
 
M

momof12010

New member
I will look into the MyRide and the Advance, thank you for the recommendation.
Both my husband and I are short, 5'6" for him and 5'2" for me so the front seats don't need to go too far back.
I have a friend who's going to let me try her Radian in our car so we'll see how that goes.
 
M

momof12010

New member
canadiangie said:
Britax fits nicely in your car, as does the TrueFit by learning curve.

The Radian does not fit as nicely, nor will the Complete Air since it requires a 45 degree angle for rf'ing.
Click to expand...

Is [ame="http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Premier-Convertible-Stripe/dp/B002WN20GK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top"]this[/ame] the TrueFit you're talking about?
 
K

KaiLing

New member
Before I say what I'm going to say, I think it's fantastic that you're trying different things, and please, do try a Radian! If you both drive at the same place you could even brace it on the driver's seat: a tech who is Radian-savvy could help you with that.

BUT: I could not get that passenger seat so that anyone but the dog could sit there. My mother is so short that she sits too close to the airbag and she didn't fit.

In my opinion, the difference between the Radian and the Britax in terms of outgrowing it for a regular child is not worth losing the front seat for years. If I wanted to have a Radian for the 45 lbs RF and extra shell height in the Mazda I would spend another $50-$100 dollars and buy a different car seat (Scenera, say, or MyRide) for the period where the kiddo fit in it, and only when he outgrew it switch to the Radian. Just my 2 cents. (I do love the Radian in my honda, though, don't get me wrong.)
 

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