Which SUVs fit 2 seats + 1 adult in the 2nd row?

BlueBear

New member
I want to be able to put 2 car seats and fit me - a skinny adult - in the back seat or 2nd row. I generally sit back there and read to my 5yo when my husband is driving. I know this would work in a Honda Pilot, but I'm hoping to find something a little cheaper. Car seats are a Graco Nautilus and a yet-to-be-purchased infant seat - either a Britax B-Safe, Chicco KeyFit, or Graco SnugRide Click Tight 35 LX.

Could I do it in a CR-V? Hyundai Santa Fe? Kia Sorento? Toyota Highlander?
 
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gigi

New member
You could do this in most cars, but not with the Nautilus. Also, IME must likely the infant seat will puzzle and fit best in the center seat. I had good luck puzzling the Maestro with the Snugride 35. There are lots of options out there. Right now I have a Britax CT and two backless boosters or one booster and an adult. It might be much more difficult to have the 5 year old center in a car with a smaller back seat than the pilot.

You might try a mid size sedan if you don't need a 3rd row. A newer Camry, Accord, or Subaru Legacy all would allow many 3 across combos and would be less expensive than most mid-size SUVs. They all have huge trunks too.
 

griffinej5

New member
I have an older body style Chevy Equinox. I can do two seats and an adult in there, and we're not thin. I just had a Nissan Rogue as a rental. Something is probably doable in there. I had an adult next to a rf graco clone, and also next to a rf my ride, and most if not all of the 40 portion still open. I thought Toyotas had something funny about the rear belts, but I'll let someone else answer. My dad currently has an escape as a rental. Not sure I could actually get into it to try something out though. He drives a Rav 4, but I've never tried anything in there.
 
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BlueBear

New member
Thanks for the responses. My husband is taking two car seats to a dealership today and is going to sit them in a bunch of makes/models to see what might work.
 

aporthole

Active member
The Highlander has restrictions on 2 car seats plus an adult passenger in specific arrangements. I don't remember the exact details but it is in the owner's manual.

Hyundai Sante Fe has overlapping seat belts center/driver side so would also be out for 2 seats plus adult or 3 across.

CR-V is doable but a bit tight. As long as the adult is on the slim side, it would be fine so long as you replaced the Nautilus.
 

BlueBear

New member
Hyundai Santa Fe won't work at all? UGH. That's one he looked at today. He just sat the car seats in though, didn't install them, and it seemed like it would work?
 

aporthole

Active member
Hyundai Santa Fe won't work at all? That's one he looked at today. He just sat the car seats in though, didn't install them, and it seemed like it would work.

The ones with a 3rd row would work but you can't do 3 across the 2nd row bench model. The passenger side seat is huge and then the center/driver side seats overlap and have seat belt overlap that restricts ability to install seats correctly and seat an extra person.
 

BlueBear

New member
Could the 2 seats + 1 adult be done in a Toyota Matrix or a Kia Rondo? Or are those just too small?
And for the Santa Fe, could it work if the adult is in the middle of the two car seats?
 

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