Re: Convertible for Toyota Matrix - in Canada

Re: Convertible for Toyota Matrix - in Canada

Hi there,

Not sure if I should have started a brand new thread but thought I would hop on to this one as my question is very similar. I am just so overwhelmed with car seat information and need some advice to help me choose. My due date is in a month and so I really do need to get this figured out soon.

Here is my story:

I drive a 2005 Toyota Matrix.
We are both 5'10" and like our leg room in the passenger seat.
My stepson is occasionally in the car but not a frequent rider. He's 8 and in a backless booster which he'll likely be out of soon.
Baby is not born yet but I suspect will be 8lb+ at birth, no idea how s/he will grow after that.
I would like to skip the infant bucket seat and go straight to a convertible. We live in an area with mild winters and park underground, and I'd rather not get into the habit of lugging the bucket around just because I can.

So ...

What would be your suggestions for a convertible seat for us?
We live in Canada - not sure if some seats are not available here.
I need something that fits a newborn well and hopefully doesn't take up too much front-back space in our not-so-big car.
I understand that the Matrix doesn't have LATCH in the center rear so we'd have to install with seatbelt there or with LATCH on the outboard.

From looking at old threads like this
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=68894
and this
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=180733
I've seen suggestions for:
TrueFit (but maybe not available here without a rebound bar that gives it a longer profile?)
Graco MyRide
Marathon

Does anyone have experience with these seats in a Matrix, or have thoughts about them in general? Any other seats I should be looking at? Thanks in advance for your help!!

Re: Convertible for Toyota Matrix - in Canada

I have an 05 Matrix also. Toyota does not allow bracing, which means the child's car seat is not aloud to touch the Toyota's seat.

Out of those three I would try the Marathon if you want the seat that far back. Though, not sure about the new MAs, know the old ones didn't fit little babes well, so you'll have to wait for a teach to answer that. Thought the new ones had an infant insert that solved that problem, but have not looked into it. We had the classic style (no longer sold here) and I loved it. It fit great. Seat almost all the way back. The MA does not RF as long as some of the other seats. It says 40#, but my ~30# 2yo was too tall when I tried him awhile back. He still ERF in our RN.

I've never had/tried the MR or TF in my car. Would geuss that the TF installs similarly to the MA, but would try before I bought it...

I have a Radian outboard passenger. It's been there for a few years with out the Angle Adjuster, though I prefer it w/ the AA in there. My dh is 6ft 2in and is the one that has always sat in the passenger seat, with out problem. We had the seat a couple clicks forward from back and one click upright. You can not use an AA until a child is one year old. The RN is *really* hard to install in my car, I need a friend to help me. I can't get it seat belt installed in the middle, but know someone else that has no problem doing that. I would try it before I bought it.

tam