Question Hyundai Accent--We can't find a convertible that fits!

Hi everyone. I did a google search through the forums and saw similar questions before posted about Hyundai Accents, but I'm really hoping for some fresh advice. We're trying to find a convertible car seat that fits rear facing in this car. We don't even know who we can call and ask about this. I'm really hoping someone out there owns this car and can tell me what convertible fits into it.

My husband and I are expecting our first child in about 2 months, and are shopping for car seats to fit our itty bitty hatchback. We don't live anywhere close to a BRU, but just happened to be near one while travelling over the weekend. We took some time to look at car seats in person, and a store clerk took the floor models out to the car for us so we could test some out. We were extremely disheartened to see just how few actually fit in our little car rear-facing.

We didn't bother trying the Britax 65 models (I can't remember the actual models that were there) because they were all $399. $350 is our limit. The only models that BRU had in store that were within that limit that fit was the Guide 65. I was really unsure about this seat. Although it fit, we wanted to read some reviews for it when we got home. Most of the reviews we found online were not good, so we're still shopping around.

We're strongly considering the (the much more expensive) Primo Viaggio Convertible car seat. I read the reviews for it right here on car-seat.org and was impressed. I noticed it was mentioned that it can safely be installed rear-facing at an angle between 35-45 degrees which I believe would give us a lot more room! Has anyone got this to fit in a Hyundai accent? It should fit if we installed it outboard (though truly, we'd prefer to install any seat that would fit in the middle). My husband is quite tall, though.

In desperation, we've considered taking out the front passenger seat altogether and getting whatever car seat we think is best. We're just so limited on what we have available here in our town to try out in person, so we're a bit dependant on purchasing online. It's a pain (and possibly not cost-effective) to purchase car seats from a website, try them out, and return them if they don't fit.

Thanks in advance!

Hi! Are you looking for an infant seat ( carrier) or a convertible? If you want an infant seat, the chicco keyfit takes less room front to back thAn others. If you want to go straight with a convertible, they will all take a lot of room because you need the 45 degree angle for a newborn until the baby can sit by his own.

I also have a really small car, a Toyota echo hatchback. I have a britax b-safe installed on the passenger side and the passenger seat is usable, but uncomfortable (knees in the glove box)...

On a side note, i have a britax convertible and love it!!!! The Marathon is less than 350$ and will not take much room front to back for an older baby. They will let average kids rear facing until 2 or 3 yo and forward facing until 5 yo. My oldest is 4.75 yo, 41" and 42 lbs and I just moved her to the top slots.

Missed the Canadian forum.

The op is in canada, so no cco!

Mary_Ann said:

Hi! Are you looking for an infant seat ( carrier) or a convertible? If you want an infant seat, the chicco keyfit takes less room front to back thAn others. If you want to go straight with a convertible, they will all take a lot of room because you need the 45 degree angle for a newborn until the baby can sit by his own.

I also have a really small car, a Toyota echo hatchback. I have a britax b-safe installed on the passenger side and the passenger seat is usable, but uncomfortable (knees in the glove box)...

On a side note, i have a britax convertible and love it!!!! The Marathon is less than 350$ and will not take much room front to back for an older baby. They will let average kids rear facing until 2 or 3 yo and forward facing until 5 yo. My oldest is 4.75 yo, 41" and 42 lbs and I just moved her to the top slots.

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Yes, convertibles only

Now that I look online, the Britax convertibles are less than $350. I'm not sure why the BRU had the wrong price (but we saw two other car seats had the wrong prices there too). Good to know the britax may fit.

anyone else have any other convertible car seat recommendations?

Does anyone know if the peg perego primo viaggio convertible will fit?

which year accent? I think the newer ones have more room in the back than the older ones so that could influence the recommendations.

We have the Peg convertible and have had it in a few small cars and it does fit, im not sure about the angle I have it at, remember our canadian version has the anti rebound bar so it takes up a bit more room than the US version. We love this seat and it looks like it would fit an infant well. DD was around 8 months when we moved her to it.

We have an evenflo tribute as a spare seat and it doesn't take up much front to back room either. Do you have a walmart near you or canadian tire? Would help to know options of ones you could see in real life?

biddyk8 said:

which year accent? I think the newer ones have more room in the back than the older ones so that could influence the recommendations.

We have the Peg convertible and have had it in a few small cars and it does fit, im not sure about the angle I have it at, remember our canadian version has the anti rebound bar so it takes up a bit more room than the US version. We love this seat and it looks like it would fit an infant well. DD was around 8 months when we moved her to it.

We have an evenflo tribute as a spare seat and it doesn't take up much front to back room either. Do you have a walmart near you or canadian tire? Would help to know options of ones you could see in real life?

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Our Hyundai is a 2003 accent

We've got a walmart and a Canadian Tire close by. Those are the only two stores in town that carry car seats. But, I just realised that we'll also be driving through Burlington in two weeks so we could stop by a Snugglebugz!

Britax are cheaper online and thosebtake up a lot less room than most. They also have a newborn insert that's provides an internal recline so the seat doesn't need to be so reclined.

My cousin has a hatchback accent (an '08, I think?), and I've had a variety of seats in it, most recently the Britax Marathon they're selling at Target (classic?). It fit great, and if you have a Target near you it's a decent price. I've also had the Tribute from Canadian Tire, an Evenflo Triumph Advance and a Scenera.

The scenera is not a long lasting convertible, but from what I've heard, it fits little ones well (someone with more knowledge will hopefully come along and turn my 'I've done this' into more practical advice). It's cheap, but it doesn't always install great (although once I figured out a few tricks, I found it to be really, really simple, and the accent was probably one of the simpler installs).

The Marathon offered a fair amount of front passenger room, and the price is decent at Target. However it's my understanding it's not a very long lasting convertible either.

The Tribute was an easy install and a front passenger could still ride, no problem. Seems to be a decently lasting convertible, but I can't say I've head how it fits little ones.

the Triumph is what I have in her car the most (as it's the main seat I use for the LO right now). It probably takes up the most room front to back, but it still leaves a fair amount of room for the front passenger. I doubt most people would willing choose to take 8-hour car trips in front of it, but it probably wouldn't be the end of the world. Also, I've never tried, but I could probably get more passenger room in the front by putting it in the centre.

Also, by making sure the front seats were less reclined, I could get a fair amount of leg room for all seats.

I will have her car at some point this week and am probably going to be trying a true fit in it (for my own info) and a myride, so if either of those interest you/you haven't tried them yet, I can happily pass on the info.

Jessica61624 said:

Britax are cheaper online and thosebtake up a lot less room than most. They also have a newborn insert that's provides an internal recline so the seat doesn't need to be so reclined.

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We don't have good online deals in Canada. The prices are always the same unless there is a sale that Britax puts out & it only happens about twice a month

OP, did you try a Graco MyRide?! The Britax Marathon is only $299 regular price which would fit your $300 budget

The Classic Marathon does not fit infants, and currently Britax doesn't make an infant insert for it.

If you want to use an infant/child seat from birth your best bets are going to be a Britax seat, possibly a TrueFit, or a MyRide. I honestly don't know about the Peg. Of those my favourite for newborn fit is the Britax but it's not the longest lasting seat when rear-facing. Certainly it will get all but the largest of kids to age two (like my daughter who also has a long torso) but most kids will likely last to age three rear facing.

When fully reclined for newborns it's possible you'd need to sacrifice the front passenger seat for a time until the baby is older and can sit more upright.

I do also really like the MyRide for compact cars, and it lasts longer rear-facing than the Britax seats, and it's often half the price on sale. The fit for newborns isn't as predictably good though.

It is also possible that you might end up with a small newborn requiring the need for an infant seat (they fit small one much better).

If you were considering sacrificing the use of the front seat anyway you might go with a $50 clearance (at Walmart) Comfy Carry Elite infant seat, use it until it's outgrown, and then get an infant/child seat that can be more upright once you know your child's build and have lots of time to shop for a sale.

Pixelated said:

The Classic Marathon does not fit infants, and currently Britax doesn't make an infant insert for it.

If you want to use an infant/child seat from birth your best bets are going to be a Britax seat, possibly a TrueFit, or a MyRide. I honestly don't know about the Peg. Of those my favourite for newborn fit is the Britax but it's not the longest lasting seat when rear-facing. Certainly it will get all but the largest of kids to age two (like my daughter who also has a long torso) but most kids will likely last to age three rear facing.

When fully reclined for newborns it's possible you'd need to sacrifice the front passenger seat for a time until the baby is older and can sit more upright.

I do also really like the MyRide for compact cars, and it lasts longer rear-facing than the Britax seats, and it's often half the price on sale. The fit for newborns isn't as predictably good though.

It is also possible that you might end up with a small newborn requiring the need for an infant seat (they fit small one much better).

If you were considering sacrificing the use of the front seat anyway you might go with a $50 clearance (at Walmart) Comfy Carry Elite infant seat, use it until it's outgrown, and then get an infant/child seat that can be more upright once you know your child's build and have lots of time to shop for a sale.

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We'll definitely take a look at the MyRide then too. We tried to test one out but both Sears and BRU didn't have any floor models to try out when we were there last. I know snugglebugz does though, so we'll try that model out when we're there.

Just make sure you remember that you do need a full 45 degree recline for a newborn to protect airway (until they can hold their head up).

There is a tech here who posted pics for me of her newborn in a Britax Roundabout with the infant insert used (it goes under the cover of a Britax convertible and increases the recline angle without reclining the seat a full 45 on it's own). The insert also lifts baby to get a good harness fit. Let me track down the link for you!

Snugglebugz does sell the Roundabout too so you could check it out when you go there http://www.snugglebugz.ca/roundabout-55-g3.html

Here is the link by Shannon with her newbie: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=225601

Update: We just went to sears to try out the Myride 65. It didn't fit, unfortunately It would have fit in the middle if my husband were as tall as I am (5'6") but he's 6"2. Then it didn't fit on my side when it was outboard, even when I tried adjusting the recline of my seat.

So if we got this seat we'd have to sacrifice the passenger side

Can't wait to get to Snugglebugz to try out some of their seats! I'm sure we'll find something there.

Update number 2:

The Peg Perego Primo Viaggio fit (and in the middle, no less)!! We were about to try out the Britax Marathon which looked almost identical in size, but saw that the Britax Marathon and Peg were the same price ($315 right now with the car seat sale at BRU). So we decided to go with the Primo Viaggio. I'm so happy! It feels like such a weight off of my shoulders to have a car seat.

Thanks for your help everyone.