Two car seats plus adult in back?- Canada

Hi all,

I'm pregnant, due in June, with #2. My son will have just turned 5 at the time the baby is born. We've lived without a car up until now, but we think having two might send us over the edge.

Husband and I are still undecided on what car, but we don't want a minivan or an SUV (we both liked the VW Golf Wagon until the scandal broke), and we do need to be able to fit an adult in the back with the two kids occasionally. (My sister lives in the same city and MIL will visit from overseas. I will probably be in the back when we have another adult with us.) I've started doing some reading and it seems like this could be a real challenge.

Currently my son is in a Britax Marathon when we rent a car. He's a lightweight (36 lb) and average height (43").

I'm wondering if it would be worth buying him a new seat to gain extra room across the backseat. Was considering the Harmony Defender so he could stay harnessed for at least another couple of years.

We will need a new seat for the baby.

Am I crazy to think we can fit an adult in the back from time to time without going to a third row? Any suggestions for combinations to maximize space would be appreciated!

It just depends on what size vehicle you get. In the small vehicle class, it is a much higher likelihood of not working out. Are you interested in something a bit bigger? Something Mazda6 sized maybe?

TechnoGranola- that's something I have just started to think about- whether a slightly bigger sedan would be a better option.

We live in a big city, and probably 75-80% of the driving would be around town running errands and the like, where having a smaller car would be advantageous, but not if it meant we had to rent a different car when MIL visited...

I've sat beside two harnessed kids in a few different vehicles. We currently drive a Kia Rondo and I've got my passenger side open with two harnesses middle and driver's. I've done the same in a Malibu ('05 maybe?) and an Equinox ('09?) I have a Radian, which is a narrow seat that helps, but right now in our Kia I've got a FF SureRide next to a RF Peg convertible. They're tight together, but the open seat is relatively roomy.