RF seat behind driver in 2010 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab?

[attachedmama]

Hi all! I'm researching which carseat to get for my new baby (April 2013).

Our current set up:
Husband's car: 2010 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab (4 doors) with Cosco Scenera FF in middle for 2-year old.
My car: 2008 Honda Odyssey with Diono Radian RXT FF in middle seat for the same 2-year old.

I'm planning to put the new baby behind the driver in both cars, and as I'm tall- 6 feet- I can't really move seats forward. In the Ody, this isn't really a problem, but in the Taco things might get tight with RF carseat.

I'm open to either an infant or a convertible. I'm really eyeing the Britax B-Ready as my double stroller option, and we previously had a Britax Boulevard 70 CS for my daughter- I love the Britax seats. (So basically I'd like to stick with Britax, but wondering about RF fit.)

With the Boulevard (which we had to toss after major projectile vomiting, gross) the RF was tight even in the Ody. No way it's going in the truck without moving forward.

Anyway- long post. Ideas for RF infant/convertible that will fit behind driver? I'm eyeing that Marathon Classic on sale at Target today...

Thanks!
Amy

 

[bubbaray]

Is it an Access cab (extended cab, suicide doors) or a Double cab (crew cab, 4 full sized doors)?

My DH had a 2009 Double cab Taco and it was a PITA for any RF seat (we are both tall tho). Plus some models have bolstered seat bottoms. It is a tricky truck to install in. If you decide to install centre you will need to use seatbelt not LATCH.

FWIW I was unable to get a decent RFg install centre or outboard with a classic MA. The front seats were very far back and we had the funky bolstered seat bottoms tho.

 

[ebp913]

We have a GMC Sierra double cab and the only 2 seats we have found so far that will fit behind my tall husband while driving are the Combi Coccoro and the Britax convertible seats. The Britax seats were so tight though I wasn't happy and felt they were far too braced.

Our Chicco Keyfit 30 will not fit there and I think you may have a hard time with other infant seats too. The Combi could be good because it's truly a convertible that can be used from birth and I think it's the smallest one (front to back) on the market.

 

[wendytthomas]

The classic Marathon won't fit a newborn, but it'll fit your older child rear facing, probably. I'd highly encourage you to rear face your two year old again, at least in the Odyssey. Remember, at two a newborn angle is not needed, so the Britaxes take up very little room.

With the infant positioning wedge the Boulevard 70 you have will fit newborns, so if you like the Marathon classic I'd go ahead and buy it, buy the positioning wedge, put the baby in the Boulevard 70 with the wedge and the older child in the Marathon classic rear facing, then switch them later. That will make it work with the seats you want.

The truck may be difficult to fit kids in rear facing, but in your Odyssey you have more than enough room for two rear facing kids. In the truck, even though it's likely a pain, make sure the seats are top tethered. It is vitally important to top tether all forward facing seats, but even more so with young forward facers, and then again even more so when you have a front seat directly in front of them that you'd really rather they not hit.

Wendy

 

[bubbaray]

My DD2 was 2 when I was trying to install a classic MA RFg in that truck. Still no go. But like I said, we are tall and our truck had those funky bolstered seat bottoms.

I do not miss that truck. Much prefer DHs F150. Can fit anything in it.

ETA. It's no harder than other trucks to top tether FFg seats in the Taco. Clear instructions in manual cant remember if its a cable or clip behind the seat but I do remember it was in the vehicle manual. IIRC centre shares a tether location with outboard. Not 100% sure tho on that. Also I never found a RFg tether location because I gave up on the RFg install. Also OP needs to check manual re bracing and advanced airbags.

 

[attachedmama]

Thanks- that Boulevard met its maker in the sky.

The Cosco Scenera is top tethered- which is actually darn easy in the truck. I top-tethered the Diono all the way to the rear tether in the Ody- it reaches fine- since apparently there isn't a plus-one tether in the 2nd row? Bizarre. The fit is great, tho, love that narrow base on the Radian.

Crap, I'm starting to think that there isn't a good solution for the truck- that's bad! I suppose we could install on the passenger outboard, but all I've read about driving is center is best, with 2 kids put FF in center, and RF in outboard on driver's side since the driver instinctively protects their side of the vehicle. There must be something rear-facing that isn't so long!

 

[attachedmama]

Oh yeah, and it's a true double cab, normal 4 doors. In pretty much every car I've encountered I've used the seatbelt in the center because no LATCH. I'm fine with that- I can get just as good of a fit and it's just as safe.

 

[amyd]

Thanks- that Boulevard met its maker in the sky.

The Cosco Scenera is top tethered- which is actually darn easy in the truck. I top-tethered the Diono all the way to the rear tether in the Ody- it reaches fine- since apparently there isn't a plus-one tether in the 2nd row? Bizarre. The fit is great, tho, love that narrow base on the Radian.

Crap, I'm starting to think that there isn't a good solution for the truck- that's bad! I suppose we could install on the passenger outboard, but all I've read about driving is center is best, with 2 kids put FF in center, and RF in outboard on driver's side since the driver instinctively protects their side of the vehicle. There must be something rear-facing that isn't so long!

I've never seen any data to support that the driver's side is safer. Any side impact data I've seen appears to indicate that incidence of crashes is statistically pretty equal on either side. I generally recommend installing passenger side so parents don't end up standing in the street strapping kids in or with their back to traffic on the side of a highway if you have to pull over. I'd think giving the driver enough leg room would afford a better measure of safety than which side you install on.

 

[bubbaray]

A Coccoro may work. I've never worked with one but IIRC Wendy has. A True Fit without the top headrest also, but that is a short term solution.

If you have the bolstered seat bottoms they are also very sloped.

That truck is definitely a "try before you buy a car seat" truck. If you are short you have more options. Also if you have a model without the bolstered seat bottoms. There is someone here who was able to do RFg installs and we sorted out that her seats were further forward because they were short and she had flat vehicle seats.

 

[bubbaray]

I had an expert give me a opinion at trial that drivers side was safer for that reason. I've never seen data to support it, but that was his expert opinion.

 

[attachedmama]

Thank you! Good to know I'm 50-50 on either side- that may make install better. I don't want an install where the carseat pushes on the front row seats, right? Is any pressure acceptable, or none at all? Thanks for the all advice!