3 across in a Mazda 3-Canada

[jacqui276]

My sister is going to be watching my son when I go back to work form mat leave and we are trying to figure out car seats for taking her kids to and from school. She drives a 2005 Mazda 3 .. the ages of the kids when she starts watching him will be 1 year, almost 4yrs and 5.5 years. The older two are very small for their age as well (the oldest who is turning 5 in a month is only 32lbs), so all 3 will be harnessed. Our plan is to get 3 Radians and have her 2 FFing and mine (the youngest) RFing. Do you figure that this will work in her vehicle, and if so what is the best order to put the seats in? Are there any other seat possibilities that may potentially fit?

I also have a daughter who will be 8.5yrs at the time (currently 60lbs) that she won't generally have to watch/drive around unless for some reason I am late getting home from work. Her school is about a 3-4 minute drive on residential streets to my sister's house. In the rare case that this would be needed, what are everyone's opinions on having her in her booster in the front seat for the short drive? The car has a sensor so if the front seat has an occupant under a specific weight limit the airbags are disabled (and a light comes on on the dash showing her when it is disabled). I know that the back is always safest and she only ever rides in the back in my car, but in an emergency situation would you consider this to be ok?

 

[aept]

Three radians sound promising (ff, rf, ff) but I don't have a Mazda 3. I have a Prius, though, which is about the same size.

It's nice that the older kids can still be harnessed as buckling in a booster in that set-up would be annoying!

Will your sister have all four kids to drive if she has to transport your older child?
Is your 8 year old short enough to use a radian in booster mode?
I think given the emergency nature and infrequency of that situation I would personally be ok with the front seat.

 

[honeydew]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

I did a 3 across in a Mazda 3 - RF Coccoro, FF Radian, FF Roundabout 50. It was extremely tight but doable. The Roundabout 50 overlapped the Radian just enough to make it work.

 

[honeydew]

I wanted to add that the Mazda I worked with was a 2008 and did not have a top tether anchor in the center position. I did choose to put the FF Radian there for several reasons, 1 being that it performs well without the top tether. I would assume that a 2005 Mazda 3 would also not have a center top tether anchor, so I wanted to mention that.

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

 

[jacqui276]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

Good to know that it sounds promising. I'm pretty sure that her center seat does not have the tether anchor. If it would fit, we would likely stick the RFing one in the middle for that reason and since her kids will be riding in the car more frequently so won't have to climb over seats to get in and I'm sure once she manages to get them all installed, she won't be uninstalling my seat when my son isn't with her.

If my sister has to transport my daughter, she will have all 4 kids. The other option would be a 30+ minute walk with 4 of them. On warmer days that wouldn't be a huge deal, but in the middle of winter it could be miserable.

My daughter is 53" tall right now so would technically fit in a Radian for another few inches, but I'm not sure I want to shell out the $280-$350 for a seat that she will use rarely and will grow out of soon. I have a Graco backless turbobooster at my sister's house for her to use for my daughter in case of emergency. I won't be able to anticipate ahead of time which days she will need to be picked up, so would have to leave a seat at her house all the time. Generally my husband can take my daughter to school in the morning and I get off work about 30 minutes before she gets out of school so picking her up isn't usually a problem for me, but there are rare instances where I may be held up late at work. Her kids will only be in half days in the fall so she will have a fair bit of running around to do with the 3 younger ones. Her oldest will be going to school with my daughter but for a shorter day, her younger one will be at a preschool near the elementary school, and my little guy will just be tagging along for all the pick ups and drop offs.

My sister plans to keep her kids harnessed for as long as possible so the set up should potentially work fairly long-term since I don't see her kids hitting 65lbs or 57" anytime soon. That will help with not having to worry about seat belts in the mix at least. She would also have no issue RFing my little guy until he outgrows the RFing height and weight.

Thanks for the encouragement that this could work! She loves her car and doesn't want to have to replace it so that she can make a few extra dollars watching my kid.

 

[Jeanum]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

2004-2011 Mazda 3 models are all listed with 3 top tether anchors in the LATCH manual and should be capable of top tethering up to 3 FF carseats. Sedan versions have 3 tether anchors on the rear filler panel/shelf behind the back seat. In hatchback models, the center tether anchor is located on the rear tailgate sill, while the outboard tether anchors are located on the back of the vehicle seat. If it's a hatchback the center tether anchor may have been missed/overlooked due to its location back there on the tailgate sill.

 

[honeydew]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

2004-2011 Mazda 3 models are all listed with 3 top tether anchors in the LATCH manual and should be capable of top tethering up to 3 FF carseats. Sedan versions have 3 tether anchors on the rear filler panel/shelf behind the back seat. In hatchback models, the center tether anchor is located on the rear tailgate sill, while the outboard tether anchors are located on the back of the vehicle seat. If it's a hatchback the center tether anchor may have been missed/overlooked due to its location back there on the tailgate sill.

Thank you, Jean. The Mazda I worked in was a MazdaSpeed 3 hatchback. There definitely is no center tether anchor in this hatchback.

I need to get myself a LATCH manual.

 

[Ali]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

I have a 2010 Mazda 3 sedan. I have easily fit a RF MA classic in the center with 2 turboboosters outboard. They fit - but it was a pain to buckle.

I know during my tech class I got our Nautilus center and a RF Radian passenger side outboard. I'm sure we could have fit another one driver's side too.

You should easily be able to do 3-across, especially with Radians or another narrow seat.

 

[Jeanum]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

Thank you, Jean. The Mazda I worked in was a MazdaSpeed 3 hatchback. There definitely is no center tether anchor in this hatchback.

I need to get myself a LATCH manual.

It wouldn't be LATCH/UAS compliant if it didn't have 3 top tether anchors including a tether anchor for the center rear seating position, weird. Maybe there's a plastic access cover or cargo carpet flap of some sort that hid the center top tether anchor from view on the rear tailgate sill? ETA: Aha, there appears to be a small plastic cover that has to be popped off to access the center tether anchor in the 2005 Mazda3 hatchback per the diagram in its online owner's manual at https://www.mymazda.com/MusaWeb/pdf/manuals/2005Mazda3OM.pdf on the pdf's page 40/printed out version's page 2-27, and also shown in the 2008 Speed3 hatchback's online manual at https://www.mymazda.com/MusaWeb/pdf/manuals/2008_Mazdaspeed3_OM.pdf on page 52 of the .pdf version/printed out version's page 2-39. The cover and the center tether anchor underneath it are shown on the inside edge of the hatchback's tailgate sill facing toward the rear seatback in the diagrams, and the square or rectangular shaped cover is shown as fully removable to access the center anchor, whew, not so straight forward to spot and access compared to the outboard tether anchors. Three factory equipped top tether anchors are required by FMVSS/CMVSS, provided that it's a vehicle with 3 rear seating positions, and not a tether anchor exempt convertible vehicle model, or LATCH exempt larger weight vehicle weighing over 8,500 lbs., exemptions which wouldn't apply to the Mazda 3 or the zippier (or zoomier in Mazda parlance, lol ) Speed3 version.

 

[KaiLing]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

I drive a 2005 Mazda 3. I basically won't do the radian RF in that car. Flat out not compatible in the passenger seat with my big kid if you need to use the front seat (the front seat can not be touched). It *might* not overrecline with an angle adjuster (but I'd bet it'll still be back at 45 degrees making the front seat un-doable). I used the radian RF for a small child (4 months-12 or so months, under 30 lbs of kid), but we didn't use the front seat. It doesn't fit between the seats for me, either, so center RF I have the same problem with touching the passenger seat. I can get it braced on the driver's seat, but I, at 5'8" with shortish legs, am not entirely happy driving like that. If you've got two different height-ed drivers bracing can be difficult, but the wheel goes in and out which helps a bit.

In other words, if I had three radians, the only way I'd be willing to try is with the RF one behind the driver's seat. And if I were buying new for a small kid anyway, I'd just buy a coccoro for the small RF kid to save myself the headache of RF radian and mazda 3. If there were a child in the front seat there's no way I'd want anything messing with the airbag sensor, and it's such a tiny car I'd really like that seat ALL the way back, so a FF seat really would need to go behind the passenger seat. Also I'd put the child behind the passenger seat who can be absolutely trusted not to rest his feet against the seat, potentially messing up the airbag sensor.

Britaxes do fine RF (nice and upright), the coccoro is a nice RF option for a little kid, and the Radian fits very well FF. There is a tether anchor in all 3 positions, and in mine (not a hatchback) there is a plastic thingy to pop off.

ETA: also, note: NO HEADREST in middle! So long term a taller kid in a NBB can't go there.

 

[xursusmaritimusx]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

if you want to get 3 radians they will def fit especially if one is rear facing in the configuration someone else mentioned FF/RF/FF

having 3 harnessed seats is def the way to go because in that car once you start messing around with a booster its such a pain to get it buckled.

our recent rental was a mazda 3 and i was able to get a graco nautilus in booster mode, graco turbobooster and a combi cocorro all in the back in that order.... but buckling the boosters was a PITA. it was only for 1 day so i made it work.

if you wanted to purchase a cocorro thats always an option with the radians but obviously it will be outgrown at somepoint.

ETA pic

had to put the turbo center because there isnt a headrest in the center position
otherwise i would have put the turbo outboard

 

[jacqui276]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

Thanks for the advice everyone! I will look into the Coccoro as well. It may do in the meantime while my son is RFing. I am willing to buy new seats as he grows if need be, instead of sticking with one forever. He is a very big baby so far (above the 97th percentile for height and weight) but still has a ways to go before hitting 40lbs.
I'm not sure if either of my sister's kids can be trusted to not put their feet up on the seat in front, potentially messing up the air bag sensor. I checked her car tonight and it does have the tether hook for all 3 back seats so I could potentially have my seat behind the passenger (if it doesn't interfere completely with the positioning of the passenger seat) and her two kids in the middle/behind the driver.

 

[jacqui276]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

I guess I should have put this in the Canadian/International section. I just discovered the sub-categories a moment ago.

Scratch the Coccoro, it's not available in Canada.
I saw on another thread the Cosco Scenera mentioned as being on the narrower end. I do have one of these seats (found it at Zellers during a liquidation sale a couple weeks ago and couldn't pass up a great deal). I was originally planning on installing it in my husband's vehicle as a secondary seat, but if it would potentially work as 3 across with a couple of FFing Radians, this could be doable as well. It only goes up to 35lbs rear-facing, which could eventually be an issue but it could work until he hits the weight limit. Any opinions on this seat and whether that combination would work?

 

[canadiangie]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

Hello neighbour,

I'm just chiming in to say that if you ever want to try some Radians, and/or some Angle Adjusters, or just need help in general figuring this out, you can pm me.

Can I ask which Zellers and what you paid?

 

[jacqui276]

Re: 3 across in a Mazda 3

Hello neighbour,

I'm just chiming in to say that if you ever want to try some Radians, and/or some Angle Adjusters, or just need help in general figuring this out, you can pm me.

Can I ask which Zellers and what you paid?

Thank you! I will definitely give you a shout if I need to give some a try.

I bought it at the Deer Valley Zellers (having close-out sales right now) and I paid $50 + GST, originally it was selling for $99.99.

 

[Nimommyof2]

What about 2 radians outboard FF than a Graco MR center it may puzzle well and fits nice front to back. I have no idea if it'll fit though. Or you could do a Graco MR and see if you can get two maesto's to fit or two of the evenflo 400s though I think they look the same size as the maestro. or maybe you could do a radian one side maestro the other graco mr center, plus I think with the RF in the middle it gives you the option of putting the passenger seat all the way back for the other child riding there.

 

[Nimommyof2]

Chiming in again noticed your in Calgary as well. I was at Cross Iron and saw they have the evenflo 400s on display so you could try going to toys r us and playing with some options. Such as the Graco MR, radians, maestro, evenflo 400s even the evenflo generations might work since the kids are so small its nice seat for smaller children and is on sale right now.