Need Recommendations For Small Car

xxluckychicxx

New member
I am getting ready to trade in my '99 Intrigue and I am wanting a smaller car that gets good gas mileage, and has a decent sized backseat to hold 2 RFing car seats. I was kinda looking at the Aveo, as it is affordable and very compact but has a big backseat. Any imput on that? I need something around 10 grand or Thanks!
 
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Kat_Momof3

New member
the aveo is tiny, but YES, if you get the 4-door, the backseat is nice.
the same goes on the next bigger car, the cobalt. My dh has the 2-door and we manage to put 3 kids in it, but if the kids had still ALL been in harnessed seats when we got it, we would have had to use Ride Safer Vests for at least one of them or get the 4-door (he wanted a manly 2-door). The 4-door of both the Aveo and Cobalt have so much more backseat space!

What impressed ME and made me not hound my dh into a bigger car were the crash test ratings... the aveo and the cobalt (DH was just too tall to be comfortable in the Aveo) have perfect ratings and are very SAFE little cars.

in fact, I think the aveo rated higher than any other compact car.

I would take your seats and your hubby with you to test out fits, but if everything works, go for it!
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
I believe another poster recently mentioned the Aveo can't do 3 carseats or 3 passengers across the back seat even if they would fit in there due to the way the center and driver's side seatbelt anchors and/or LATCH anchors overlap, but I can't find the post to link to at the moment. :eek:

The Aveo and Cobalt also did not receive perfect/top crash test results in every category, especially in the side impact testing, even when equipped with side airbags. :( You can check out their crash test results from IIHS at www.iihs.org and NHTSA at www.safercar.gov and also view a safety score for each model based in part on those crash test scores at www.informedforlife.org. Car shoppers can also view Informed for Life's list of safety score rankings by vehicle model at http://www.informedforlife.org/viewartcl.php?index=24 to compare different models "apples and oranges" style in terms of safety. The lower the numerical score assigned by Informed for Life, the safer the vehicle model is considered to be overall, basically.

Happy car shopping. :)
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
You absolutely do NOT want to try to do 3 across in the Aveo. There just is not that much space. My SIL has one, and while a RF seat can be done, if you need a newborn recline it can be a challenge.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
she didn't mention wanting to do 3-across... she said she wanted it for 2 rfers and two adults.

I know it could be done in a cobalt, but, as I said, I'd try before you buy with the Aveo.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
True enough, but things could always change over time for the OP, and we do have a large number of lurkers who could benefit from knowing the details of the Aveo for 3 across as well. Presenting the vehicle info. accurately for the OP and everyone's benefit is always the goal here. :)
 

BW1426

Well-known member
I'd check out a Cobalt first. I think that would be a great option.

With two kids and groceries and as a primary kid hauling vehicle, I think the Aveo a little on the small side. I drove a Chevy Metro for a while and I am soooo glad to not have it anymore with the kids.

My top pics would be the Cobalt or the Ford Focus.

The Focus has the most rear hip room out of any of these cars.

This doesn't fit your criteria specifically, but I might also look into the old style Taurus ('07 or older). You can buy a lot of car for your money and it you'd have ample room to do three across.

If you find a car you like, make sure you take your carseats, your kids, and your stroller to see how it all fits and plays out (oh, and preferably another adult to help you maneuver said kids, carseats and stroller :p)


ETA: I looked up the rear hip room for the Aveo and it's saying 52.8". That's more than the Cobalt or the Focus. Hmmm...is there something different in how it is shaped, because it just looks so teeny.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
It really is funny shaped- and with the center position in use it can be impossible to use the outboad positions because of how the lower anchors and seatbelts are mounted. I can install Joy's MA or Regent in there, but I don't recommend it as a regular thing.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
True enough, but things could always change over time for the OP, and we do have a large number of lurkers who could benefit from knowing the details of the Aveo for 3 across as well. Presenting the vehicle info. accurately for the OP and everyone's benefit is always the goal here. :)

Oh, very true.... just making sure the OP wasn't :confused:
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
Another thing I thought of with the Aveo is that if a carseat is installed in the center, the female end of the outboard seatbelt is REALLY hard to get to, limiting use for an adult.
 

xxluckychicxx

New member
Thanks guys! :thumbsup: I really like the look of the Cobalt much better anyways! Anyone know if a TrueFit will fit RFing in it? That is what I'm leaning towards once my DD outgrows her SS1.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
Ooh, that's another point... since the seatbelts lock at the shoulder, when you put a rearfacing seat in, I'd want built-in lockoffs so you don't have to use a locking clip to prevent tipping.

Now, I can get the Radian in RF (Since I have a 2-door it would be optimal to put it in the center, but I didnt try it there because of the barely tolerable latch install ff there and HORRID seatbelt install there.), but the seat does need to be a bit forward, but it was still fine for DH or me as long as it was the passenger side (lots more spare room there)

and the Radian probably takes up about the same amount of room... of course, the seats are buckety and the 4-door would offer more room, so that helps... (the buckety seats make the seat naturally be more upright and with more room in the 4-door, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to easily fit any large rf convertible.

But again, I would take any seats you have with you... and use those to figure out just what you can fit in there.

Oh... the cobalt has 3 sets of latch, which are very easy to figure out because they are straightforward.....AABBCC, so I guess the lockoffs aren't essential, but sometimes I just find a seatbelt install a little easier, you know??

I was so worried when DH got that car and, except for the fact it is a 2-door making it harder to put 3 in a row, I've just been so pleasantly surprised by it... the room is great, and it just doesn't feel like the small car it is.

Oh... and the trunk is GREAT. I was able to fit the Valco Rad in there with an average size load of groceries.
 

xxluckychicxx

New member
Ooh, that's another point... since the seatbelts lock at the shoulder, when you put a rearfacing seat in, I'd want built-in lockoffs so you don't have to use a locking clip to prevent tipping.

Now, I can get the Radian in RF (Since I have a 2-door it would be optimal to put it in the center, but I didnt try it there because of the barely tolerable latch install ff there and HORRID seatbelt install there.), but the seat does need to be a bit forward, but it was still fine for DH or me as long as it was the passenger side (lots more spare room there)

and the Radian probably takes up about the same amount of room... of course, the seats are buckety and the 4-door would offer more room, so that helps... (the buckety seats make the seat naturally be more upright and with more room in the 4-door, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to easily fit any large rf convertible.

But again, I would take any seats you have with you... and use those to figure out just what you can fit in there.

Oh... the cobalt has 3 sets of latch, which are very easy to figure out because they are straightforward.....AABBCC, so I guess the lockoffs aren't essential, but sometimes I just find a seatbelt install a little easier, you know??

I was so worried when DH got that car and, except for the fact it is a 2-door making it harder to put 3 in a row, I've just been so pleasantly surprised by it... the room is great, and it just doesn't feel like the small car it is.

Oh... and the trunk is GREAT. I was able to fit the Valco Rad in there with an average size load of groceries.

Thanks so much for all the info! It sounds like it woeld definately work for us! I cant wait to go see it IRL!
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
FYI, you cannot do 2 PWs and a MA in the back seat of a Cobalt. We almost bought one, but since we couldn't fit the kids' seats in we didn't.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
I bet you could fit two FPSVB's though... and I bet installing the Radian in the center is easier in the 4-door, making the Radian and 2 pkwys an option.

OH... if you tried the 4-door, did you try the Marathon on one side and the Parkways in the middle and outboard seat where their buckles would be together? that might work... but if you were trying in a 2-door, I can see how that would definitely not work.

I really hate that the laptop will never be revamped and sold, because that seat was PERFECT for putting 3 kids in the 2-door cobalt when both boys were in boosters.

I could fit a backless turbo, hb FPSVB, and the laptop in that order (just had to use a butter knife to take off the plastic button on the belt for the laptop)

Or a parkway, fpsvb, and the laptop, but only while the parkway was short enough to fit... I wonder if it would have had more room in the 4-door.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
We were trying the four door. After having only two for wso many years we were ot interested in keepng only two doors. ;)

I tried both PWs outboard; one outboard and one center with the MA on the driver's side, and then reversed it wth the MA on the passenger side. It simply would not work.
 
I've heard good things about the FIT. We're hoping to get one when our lease runs out in January. Friends of ours have one, and they have 2 backless TB's and a Safety First Interra (I believe) FFing in the back seat. I haven't looked to see how squished the boosters are, but they do fit their family of five into the FIT.
 

essnce629

New member
What about the Nissan Versa? It's really small but has a huge backseat. You could easily get two rear-facing seats in there no problem. We test drove one a while back and there was plenty of room in there for installing seats and plenty of legroom even with rear-facing seats. The backseat is definately bigger than the Honda Fit.
 

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