2017 Mazda 3 Hatchback and 3 across...

Need some advice.

I am looking at trading in my 2011 Ford Flex which currently serves as our secondary kid hauler and has been great in terms of room and ride comfort. I am starting a new job on Tuesday that is a little over 30 miles away and would really like better gas mileage. My search led me to a good deal on a 2017 Mazda 3 hatchback and I am very close to pulling the trigger. My wife, however, has reservation concerning the room we're giving up if we do it.

I understand that the newer Mazda 3 hatchbacks might actually be smaller than the previous style (not sure what year it changed, off hand). I need to know if there is anyone here with the newer style 3 hatch who has successfully fit three across in the rear? We have a soon-to-be 10 year old, soon-to-be 6 year old and an 18 month old. We need a seat that can rear face for the toddler, and already have a Nautilus for the 6 year old and a Harmony booster for the oldest. Is there a good rear-facing seat I can get in the back with those other two things?

We have an Odyssey that we typically use when we all go out together and that generally is what the toddler rides in. My car would be secondary, but my wife would just like to be sure we still have that option if I do the new car. It looks like the True Fit was a popular recommendation for past Mazda 3 models, but it seems that seat is no longer being produced. Any new options to speak of? We recently got the Cosco APT 50 for the toddler for the in-laws and it barely fits in the back of my MIL's Chrysler 300. The front passenger seat is absolutely not usable with it in there and the middle of the back seat is too short to secure it there. It also is very close to not working in a quad-cab Dodge RAM.

Any new ideas?

What car seats does the 6 year old use in the Odyssey? The Nautilus is pretty wide, not my first choice for a 3 across.

You could get a Cosco Finale for the 6 year old and a Cosco Scenera NEXT for the toddler, stay under $80 total, and almost certainly have a workable 3 across. If the Harmony doesn't fit between them, the 10 year old might need a BubbleBum.

I want to say she's using the Graco MyRide 65 in the Ody. The Cosco Finale is different. Haven't come across that before. I've seen the Scenera.....though I will say, it just doesn't come across as being very comfortable.

Oh, a MyRide is great for 3 across. Swap that with the Nautilus. I'd try it in the center.

As for comfort, it's in the butt/back/shoulders of the rider. I've seen examples on here of people who put their Clek Foonf in storage to use a Scenera NEXT because their kid is so much more comfortable in it. My kid was always comfortable in his until he outgrew it.

But if you're going to have a MyRide in the center, the Scenera NEXT might not be the best option to fit next to it. (It might work fine, or it might not fit at all.) You could also try the Safety 1st Guide 65. It's harder to get a good rear facing install with it (you might need some pool noodles) but it should work next to the MyRide.

The MyRide just tends to sit up awkwardly high, which makes getting in and out of it a pain. I'm actually thinking the Finale and the Scenera make the most sense, with the oldest kid in the middle with a backless booster. The middle section in the Mazda 3 is pretty narrow, as with most middle seats in compact cars. It looks like the Finale is a little over an inch narrower than the MyRide. Does that sound right?

No, the Finale is 3 inches narrower than the MyRide. The difference is (as you noted) that the MyRide sits up high on a narrow base. The base of the MyRide is much narrower than the Finale (which is a fairly uniform width) so other seats can puzzle under it, and it's easier to buckle boosters next to it.

Hmmm....okay, that makes sense. Thank you!