3 across in Kia Spectra - 8 yo/4 yo/newborn??

U

Unregistered

Guest
We own 2 Kia Spectras, a 2002 and a 2007. We have baby #3 due in the spring. I am hoping we can work out a way to get a used minivan, but we don't have a solid plan for that at the moment, so I'm trying to plan for worst case scenario and figure out how to fit all 3 in the same car for a while if necessary. It probably won't be very often that I have to transport all 3 kids in the car at the same time, but I definitely need to be able to have the ability to do so.

My son is 8 years old, and I think about 51 lbs and very short for his age - can't recall his exact height, but probably in the 1st percentile. He rides in a high back booster using the seat belt in my car and a backless booster on the rare occasion he rides in the older Spectra.

My daughter is 4.5 years old and currently 34 lbs and 41 inches tall. She rides in a Guide 65 Sport (which is about to expire) in the newer Spectra and a different convertible (don't recall the name of it) in the older Spectra.

Just learned today that my sister is planning on gifting us a Chicco KeyFit car seat for the new baby, so I'm really hoping I can figure out a 3-across configuration that that will fit into. If not, we can use it in the other car.

So I feel like it's a tall order, but does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fit my very short 8 year old in some type of booster, my average-height 4-almost-5-year-old in a 5-point harness convertible or combination seat, and my newborn in either a Chicco KeyFit or some other rear-facing infant seat? Preferably in seats that won't cost an arm and a leg -- Cleks are probably not in our budget. We might be able to swing a Radian if we need to. Any chance that a miFold be a feasible option for my oldest?

Any and all suggestions are welcome! Even if it's "buy a bigger car"! TIA!
 
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vthokieche

New member
mine were a little older, but I had 10, 5, and a newborn. We mae it work with a backless booster for my son - the cheap kind from target, a frontier for my daughter, and the diono ranier for the baby. 3 across in both a subaru impreza and a volkswagen gti.
Good luck! It's going to be tight, but it is possible :)
 

aporthole

Active member
If the Spectra has head restraints in the center, a Bubblebum booster in the middle should work with the Guide 65 and KeyFit. The KeyFit is one of the slimmest infant seats so hopefully you should be good. Depending on how soon the Guide expires, when you need to replace that, a Cosco Finale ($45) should work really well for the almost 5yo.

The other option for the 8yo would be a Ride Safer Vest. If there aren’t head restraints in the center, the vest would let him sit lower directly on the vehicle seat. With either option, just make sure he has head support from th seat back or adjustable head restraint up to the tops of his ears.
 

aporthole

Active member
Oh, also try installing all seats with the seat belts instead of lower anchors as that can often buy you a bit more width to shift the outer seats a hair closer to the doors.
 

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