Third row questions

Hazelandlucy · Apr 23, 2014

How do you access your third row if you have two rear facing carseats in the second? Can you walk behind the seats if captain chairs? Or just put both together on a 70/30 bench and leave the outboard seat free - if so what SUVs have a wide enough center seat to allow that?

Is the third row even safe for kids? I have read the USA Today article about "killing your kids" back there due to weak seat structure, but not sure how old that article is and if there have been any improvements since. Are you able to rear face in that row and is it a big hassle getting back there to strap the kid in? My DD1 is two and can't do it yet.

For two kids, is a third row worth it? I feel like I would be happy just getting a car like the Volvo xc70 wagon that allows an adult in the backseat with the carseats, but don't want to end up regretting it and getting another car in 2 yrs again! But, I rarely have more than 1 -2 other passengers. Does that change quite a bit when kids get older?

sunnydayz · Apr 23, 2014

I don't think I would get a third row if you're only planning two children. You're giving up a lot of mpg and money for that.

Getting to the third row really depends on the vehicle. Past age 5 or so , I just send the kids back and they navigate buckling in their seats.

I do find I drive friends around a lot more as they get older, but I wouldn't plan my vehicle size around that personally.

sunnydayz · Apr 23, 2014

Additionally, I believe that article is at least a decade old. I am perfectly comfortable using the third row of my Odyssey.

Hazelandlucy · Apr 23, 2014

sunnydayz said:
I don't think I would get a third row if you're only planning two children. You're giving up a lot of mpg and money for that.

Getting to the third row really depends on the vehicle. Past age 5 or so , I just send the kids back and they navigate buckling in their seats.

I do find I drive friends around a lot more as they get older, but I wouldn't plan my vehicle size around that personally.

How would an adult get back there? Can you around rear facing carseats in captain chairs?

amyd · Apr 23, 2014

What vehicle are you asking about? I drive a Mazda 5 and I have one harnessed FFing child in the third row (50/50 split). I keep the other side folded and load him through the hatch. I usually lean over my DD's rfing seat to buckle him in because it's a small car and I have long arms and I can easily reach that way. I have one rfing and one booster in the captains chairs.

sunnydayz · Apr 23, 2014

Maplesmom said:
How would an adult get back there? Can you around rear facing carseats in captain chairs?

I personally could not contort myself around rearfacing car seats to access the third row.

We have an 8 passenger Odyssey. I only have on rear facing seat, so we access the 3rd row via the opposite captains chair. In minivans you can also access via the rear hatch, and many captains chairs now slide/tumble with a forward facing car seat installed. If you have two rear facing car seats you could put them in the middle and side seat of an 8 passenger van and leave one captains chair open to access the third row or use for an adult.

Hazelandlucy · Apr 23, 2014

sunnydayz said:
I personally could not contort myself around rearfacing car seats to access the third row.

We have an 8 passenger Odyssey. I only have on rear facing seat, so we access the 3rd row via the opposite captains chair. In minivans you can also access via the rear hatch, and many captains chairs now slide/tumble with a forward facing car seat installed. If you have two rear facing car seats you could put them in the middle and side seat of an 8 passenger van and leave one captains chair open to access the third row or use for an adult.

That is my hope - to put both rear facing seats on the bench part and leave the last outboard seat to free up access to the third row. However, I tried the Infiniti QX60 and took my Foonf and did not feel like I could fit another one next to it. Maybe that car has a particularly small center seat, it did seem awfully narrow.

I do have the option of using a Corroco next to the Foonf, but DD2 is tall and it won't last all that long. But I could give her the Foonf when she outgrows it and move DD1 to a combination seat or booster - she would be around 3.5 yrs. Is it safe enough at that age? The Infiniti allows you to move the passenger outboard seat forward with a FF carseat in it so that would solve the problem of needing to fit something next to the Foonf on the bench part. I could put them both outboard at that stage.

Are there any other third row SUVS that allow two RF carseats and also a 2nd row actual passenger?

soph's mom · Apr 23, 2014

My daycare kids can climb under the rf seats to get to the back and I usually stand on the floor in the doorway to buckle the third row... Occasionally I do it from the hatch tho. I will add that I'm only 5'3 and I have a much easier time with that than my 6'4 other half bc he's just too big to reach over the seats... All but one day I just have one ff kid in the third row so it's not too bad. I contort myself a little more when the rf kid is there too...

I'm going to be in for it this fall when I'll regularly have 5 in there with at least two rf in the third row... My kids will be in the captains chairs...

tl01 · Apr 23, 2014

sunnydayz said:
I don't think I would get a third row if you're only planning two children. You're giving up a lot of mpg and money for that.

Getting to the third row really depends on the vehicle. Past age 5 or so , I just send the kids back and they navigate buckling in their seats.

I do find I drive friends around a lot more as they get older, but I wouldn't plan my vehicle size around that personally.

I have an odyssey and only two kids... But have four car seats in all the time. Today I had 4 kids in the car with me. Between having my parents, in laws, and friends.. I would be lost without my third row. That said.. We access the third row differently all the time. Through the trunk for myself and dh if we sit back there... Sometimes kids climb in that way too. We climb over the middle 2nd row seat sometimes or sometimes we flip a captains chair to permit access. It all depends on which seats are installed where and how they are installed.

sunnydayz · Apr 23, 2014

Have you looked at the Acura MDX? It would offer a third row as well as two rear facing seats side by side.

kathysr98 · Apr 23, 2014

I have a Flex even though I have one child. My BFF has two children close in age to my dd, and I frequently drive all three kids. My car is also large enough for both families to take a day trip in.

For daily use, my dd is in the middle of the second row. The other two are in the third row. I fold the short section of my second row, load kids, and reach back to help buckle, if necessary. Even on the side that I don't fold, I can reach to buckle seats, and I'm about 5'3".

Hazelandlucy · Apr 24, 2014

kathysr98 said:
I have a Flex even though I have one child. My BFF has two children close in age to my dd, and I frequently drive all three kids. My car is also large enough for both families to take a day trip in.

For daily use, my dd is in the middle of the second row. The other two are in the third row. I fold the short section of my second row, load kids, and reach back to help buckle, if necessary. Even on the side that I don't fold, I can reach to buckle seats, and I'm about 5'3".

Are the kids in the third row rear facing? I have about two years left of two RF seats in the car.

kathysr98 · Apr 24, 2014

Maplesmom said:
Are the kids in the third row rear facing? I have about two years left of two RF seats in the car.

Not currently. When I had rear facers in the third row I buckled from the rear hatch, but generally I put my RF ones in the second.

sunnydayz · Apr 24, 2014

Maplesmom said:
Are the kids in the third row rear facing? I have about two years left of two RF seats in the car.

For only 2 years of 2 rear facing seats, I think either of your original preferences would work (Infiniti or Volvo). You could use a Cocorro for 1.5 years of that for the youngest, and I would be ok forward facing at 3.5+.

I would base the third row decision on how often you currently transport passengers.

keri1292 · Apr 24, 2014

When I had three kids and two rear-facers, I put one in the third row captain's chair and 1 RFing in the third row next to the harnessed FF-er. It wasn't hard to load them because I just folded the extra captain's chair.

Third row questions

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