Question Buying new car to fit three seats across. What model to buy?

[Unregistered]

We are going to be buying a new car to fit three cars seats across. We currently have a VW Golf and we think fitting three seats across will be too tight. Our kids will be a 6 yr, a 3 yr, and a newborn, of standard height and weight for their ages. We are planning to get 2 Radians and one Chicco Keyfit. We live in a city and, for a variety of reasons, we don't want to buy a minivan (e.g, we don't want to buy a Honday Oddisey or the like). That is, we are inclined to go for a two-two car instead of a three-row car.

We were thinking of getting something like a VW Tiguan, but after some research it looks like the backseat of the Tiguan is not much wider than the backseat of a Golf. Is there a car like the Tiguan that is a better choice for a three-across situation? Thanks.

 

[cantabdad]

Since you're considering the Tiguan, it sounds like you're looking for a small SUV or station wagon?

We have done a 3-across (of one form or another) in a Subaru Outback, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota Prius V, and there have been discussions on this forum recently about getting 3 carseats across in a Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and similar vehicles.

I'm not familiar with the Tiguan and VW's website doesn't seem to provide some of the dimensions that other automakers do (e.g. rear hip room) so I cannot say anything for sure about the relative size of the backseat.

2 Radians and a KeyFit does sound like a good combination for getting 3 seats across. When your oldest child outgrows the Radian, you'd also have to think about which booster will fit best -- many of them are wider than the Radian, at least in spots -- though at that point perhaps the youngest will have moved from the KeyFit to the Radian.