Question Mazda5 with 3 kids

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tesslouise

New member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #1

We have a 2010 Mazda5, a FFing 4-year-old, and a RFing 1-year-old. If all goes as planned we'll have another baby next year or the year after, so, 3 kids in the car, 2 RFing. Anyone BTDT?

Are there any combo or convertible seats that do or do not work well in the third row? We're going to look at car seats today (DD1 needs a combo seat so DD2 can have her convertible).

Right now both girls are in the second row but if we have a third I'm trying to figure out the best arrangement. I'm thinking:
Fold down driver's side, second row captains chair completely and put FFing DD1 in the third row. Then put RFing DD2 in a convertible next to her and load from the hatch? Or put future baby 3 there in an infant seat and put the convertible seat in the second row? Who would be easier to load from the hatch? Can I fit the 2 RFing seats in the second and third rows like that or do I need to put them both in the third row?

What I need is a large collection of seats to play with, but that I do not have!

 

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teekadog

Active member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #2

I have had 2 RFers and a FFer in my 5. Then 2 rfing and 2 FFing. Currently 1 rfing and 3 FFing. I do not have a lot of seats to play with. My radian won't install ff in the 3rd row. I have an 07 5

 

Aurezalia

Well-known member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #3

I have a '10 Mazda5 and a 7yo, 4yo (in a couple of weeks) and 9mo in mine. 2010 or later models will install pretty much any FF'ing seat in the third row. Honestly, I wouldn't put two kids in the back if at all possible - having both back seats up would mean pretty much NO cargo room. I have the two younger kids in the second row (FF'ing FR90 and RF'ing RN XTSL) and the 7yo boostered in the back row. It works perfectly because then I can place backpacks and such (light gear only) in the folded down half of the third row. My umbrella stroller fits with the one seat down but NOT with both up. The larger half (near the handles) sticks out into the larger part of the cargo bay, sort of diagonally, and then gets tied down so not to be a projectile.

If I were you, I'd put DD2 RF'ing in whatever seat - Probably behind the passenger seat, then the new baby in the other 2nd row seat. 4yo behind him/her in pretty much any FF'ing seat. Install the baby's infant seat base with latch, and that way if you need to you can move that seat forward and tilt it forward to make it easier to help the 4yo buckle if you need to, then move it back and snap the baby's seat into the base.

 

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teekadog

Active member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #4

Does your radian install FFing in your 3rd row? I honestly didn't know they had changed the 3rd row that much. Cool!

 

Aurezalia

Well-known member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #5

teekadog said:

Does your radian install FFing in your 3rd row? I honestly didn't know they had changed the 3rd row that much. Cool!

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They changed it in the 2009 model and then improved it AGAIN in the 2010 model. There was an issue with the shoulder belt back there through the 2009 but I haven't had any issues. I don't think I've actually tried my RN ff'ing back there now that I think about it, though! I'll have to give it a try. Any combination seat should definitely work though.

 

amyd

New member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #6

teekadog said:

Does your radian install FFing in your 3rd row? I honestly didn't know they had changed the 3rd row that much. Cool!

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No, doesn't work in the third row FFing in a 2010 (or at least not in mine). The bottom slips forward a lot. Nautilus, Maestro and Frontier work well in the third row.

I currently have my 6 month old in a Peg infant seat second row driver's side, 2.5 yo in a Frontier CT (Canadian 90) second row passenger side, and my 5 yo third row in a high back Evenflo Amp. I've had 2 RFing at various times. For a while, the infant seat and a rearfacing Radian second row, I've had 2 RFing Radians third row and 2 FFing second row. I tried having 2 in the third row with an empty captain's chair, but it's a pain day to day. We do it on long trips so they boys can both watch the iPad and so DH can sit beside the baby, but I rarely go anywhere during the week with DS1 with me since he's in school and it's too hard on my back to lift an uncooperative toddler (who weighs over 40lbs) into a third row seat. Plus, the cargo issue.

 

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tesslouise

New member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #7

So it is possible to put a FFing child in the third row *behind* a RFer even with the captains chair pushed all the way back? Because I wasn't sure DD1 would have any leg room.

We've decided on a Frontier 90. Good to know it will fit wherever. (We didn't try any seats in our car today, it was pouring rain!)

 

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teekadog

Active member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #8

My second row has always been pushed all the way back with straight seat backs and my kids in the third row in a regent and frontier don't complain. I had to recline the 2nd row seat back to install the FFing radian in the 2nd row and that left no room in the 3rd row so I made the decision to slide the 2nd row seat up a bit and now everyone is happy again.

Slightly off topic to amyd: Do you need an angle adjustor to install the radian 3rd row rfing?

 

Dillipop

Well-known member

• Nov 1, 2013

• #9

I love my radian rearfacing in the third row with the angle adjuster. I load dd through the hatch. I currently have 2 boosters in the middle row. But I've had the Frontier 85 in the 3rd row and second row and it fits wonderfully. The only thing I didn't like about having the ffing seat in the third row was trying to reach around the middle row to tighten the harness and buckle ds into his seat.

 

amyd

New member

• Nov 2, 2013

• #10

Yes, you need an angle adjuster to put the Radian in the third row. I have to slide my second row up a bit for my boostered child or else he wouldn't even be able to get in his seat. I have the baby's seat installed with LATCH so I can do this. The Frontier is in with the seatbelt.

 

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teekadog

Active member

• Nov 2, 2013

• #11

amyd said:

Yes, you need an angle adjuster to put the Radian in the third row. I have to slide my second row up a bit for my boostered child or else he wouldn't even be able to get in his seat. I have the baby's seat installed with LATCH so I can do this. The Frontier is in with the seatbelt.

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I have no experience with the peg. Can you have your drivers seat all the way back with that seat rfing there? I only manage that with the coccoro when the second row is all the way back.

 

amyd

New member

• Nov 2, 2013

• #12

teekadog said:

I have no experience with the peg. Can you have your drivers seat all the way back with that seat rfing there? I only manage that with the coccoro when the second row is all the way back.

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Yes, I can. It's the infant seat, not the convertible Peg. And I can have the second row captain's chair up enough to allow Ds1 enough leg room in the third row.