Fit Three in Prius Advice

[aristotlenova]

Hi there! My wife and I are on the verge of buying a 2013 Prius and before we finalize that decision, we wanted to make sure that we can somewhat easily fit 3 carseats in the back.

Currently have:

5 yo, 45 in, 48 lbs - currently uses the Britax Marathon 70
3 yo, 38 in, 35 lbs - currently uses the Britax Roundabout 55
expecting #3 to join us in August and we need to buy an infant seat since our old infant seat & base expired

So my questions are:

- Is there an infant seat/base that will fit in between two LATCH installs of the britax seats we already have?
- We're open to getting rid of the Roundabout 55 since it's the older of the two seats, so if that was the case, which two seats (one for the newborn and one for the 3 yo who's losing the Roundabout) would you buy? We keep hearing that the Radius is the way to go, but I'm open to other ideas.
- Is the Prius a poor choice given the 3 kiddie dynamic? We're city dwellers, so a big car would be a challenge. Would Prius V be significantly different?
- Any other words of wisdom from all of you 3-in-same-row gurus?

Love all the info I've found already in the many great threads here! Thanks in advance for any advice or insight.

 

[SavsMom]

I would say two Radians for convertibles and no clue on an infant seat. Its going to be tight.

In regards to the PriusV. It is roughly 1 to 2" wider, however you do lose legroom and front to back space. Seems in designing the V they placed more emphasis on cargo room that back seat passenger comfort.

 

[SavsMom]

I would say two Radians for convertibles and no clue on an infant seat. Its going to be tight.

In regards to the PriusV. It is roughly 1 to 2" wider, however you do lose legroom and front to back space. Seems in designing the V they placed more emphasis on cargo room that back seat passenger comfort.

How long do you plan on keeping the vehicle?

 

[EmmaGrace'sMom]

I think 2 radians and a narrow infant seat might work, I'm not sure which one is most narrow. I have a 2010 Prius, which I think will have the same backseat as a 2013. It's probably doable right now, but 2 convertibles and a booster is REALLY going to be a pain.

If you're open to skipping the infant seat you might be able to do 2 radians forward facing outboard and the new baby center in the MA70. (This would probably require the infant insert from Britax, but it's only $10-15 plus shipping)

I would find a local baby store that carries the Radian to try.

 

[EmmaGrace'sMom]

- Is the Prius a poor choice given the 3 kiddie dynamic? We're city dwellers, so a big car would be a challenge. Would Prius V be significantly different?

If I had another, larger, vehicle for traveling I think it would be okay. I love my Prius...but the trunk space is fairly limited, I can't imagine a family of 5 packing enough for a week in a Prius. (Though I've never been good at packing light!) Most strollers are going to take up half your trunk space. And I don't like packing things higher than the seat back, it limits visibility and I don't want too many projectiles in the car, so that buts a damper on space.

 

[creideamh]

I second/third everything these guys said, including the fact that if this will be your only car, eeeek don't do it with 3 kids if you plan to drive long distance at all.
Also, you'll need to use seatbelt installs for 3 across. I would do 2 Radians FF and an infant seat like a Chicco Keyfit, Combi Shuttle 33/35, or perhaps a Cybex Aton.

 

[SavsMom]

I second/third everything these guys said, including the fact that if this will be your only car, eeeek don't do it with 3 kids if you plan to drive long distance at all.
Also, you'll need to use seatbelt installs for 3 across. I would do 2 Radians FF and an infant seat like a Chicco Keyfit, Combi Shuttle 33/35, or perhaps a Cybex Aton.

I agree, if this is going to be your primary vehicle I would look for something else, there are a lot of fuel efficient options out there.

I love my 2010 Prius, its been great with one child, but with another one on the way lets just say I know I will be getting something a bit more spacious when my lease is up.