Sedans that fit 3 carseats across?

[sara74]

If you look below at my ticker you will realize how soon we need an answer to this question!

I drive a 2004 Toyota Sienna, but DH has a 1997 Camry. Which until tonight he has insisted would fit three carseats in the back. I made him get the infant seat out of the attic - and guess what - I was right. He even said that I was right, which almost NEVER happens!

I PM'd a DISer once who had a picture of three kids in her backseat and found out that she drives a Volvo S80. Any one else out there who drives a car that fits 3 seats in the back, or knows someone that does?

Guess we are car shopping this weekend...

 

[o2bacelt]

Google three car seat sedan and you'll get a nice list of sites, check out the Edmunds one as it has a specific article and gives you a great list of cars.

Hope that helps!

 

[mommy2twingles]

We have a Dodge Intrepid which fits 3 seats.

 

[hentob]

Subaru Outback

 

[NotUrsula]

Depending on what carseats you have, it can be possible to put 3 carseats in a Camry. I've done it with 2 Tourivas and a Snugride (without the base). I find that if you have carseats that are easy to install in aircraft, they are likely to be able to fit 3-across in a full-sized car.

I don't have 3 kids, but I've been known to babysit, and I didn't need to buy a new car when I decided to take the grandnephew and a classmate to the zoo. Even if you had to buy 3, new carseats would be cheaper.Of course, if you WANT a new car, have fun shopping.

 

[sara74]

150,000 miles on the current Camry and counting, so I am ready for him to have a new car, even if he isn't yet!

We don't want to use the infant seat without the base as it is such a pain buckling and unbuckling it, especially since we already seem to never get anywhere on time as it is! And we are looking at new car seats as well that might be narrower. When we tried the seats tonight we needed at least another 4 inches!

Thanks for the responses, please keep them coming!!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I agree with the poster above. Before you give up on the car take it to Buy Buy Baby or someplace similar where they'll let you try out carseats. See if you can figure out a way to make it fit with a different combination of seats.

Also, if DH isn't going to be driving the kids in it too frequently, think about installing the infant seat without the base. It's more annoying that way because you have to install and uninstall it, but it isn't any less safe.

 

[shaylahc1]

You can definitely fit 3 car seats across the back of a Camry. However you need to be choosy about which seats you get. Right now I can fit 3 car seats across my Toyota Echo---2 Britax Starriser Comfys and a Britax Roundabout.

I would do some research about which are the narrowest seats on the market (depending on what style seats you need) and go with those.

 

[Samandmom]

I have one word for you MINIVAN!!!
I only have two kids and love the room with a minivan. Best of luck!

 

[all4fun]

Ahh, 150k is nothing! We have a '98 Nissan Altima with 300k on it (mostly highway miles, though). Still runs great! OK I admit it, we're looking at a replacement car too. But not until this one litterally breaks down past repair, lol.

Just wanted to pass this link on to you:

http://www.carseatdata.org/csnumbers.html

This site gives measurements of different car seats on the market. Of course, not all are listed and some that are have been discontinued but I thought it might be helpful to you.

Best of luck and congrats on the pending arrival!

 

[NotUrsula]

We don't want to use the infant seat without the base as it is such a pain buckling and unbuckling it, especially since we already seem to never get anywhere on time as it is!

I know this is a radical idea, but you *could* leave the seat in the car and take the baby out of it, which might be the easiest thing when you are dealing with that many carseats.

Actually, I always found that it was much easier to just buckle in the seat than try to get it securely clicked into the base, so I ditched the base very early on and never bothered with it again. Of course, it wasn't being mounted between two larger carseats at the time. In your situation, I'd probably just get two infant carseats and keep the extra in the trunk; one for riding in the car, and one for sleeping in shopping carts, etc.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I have one word for you MINIVAN!!!
I only have two kids and love the room with a minivan. Best of luck!

Our next vehicle will be a van, with two not in carseats and one in a carseat its pretty tight in the back of our SUV..

 

[Lisa_Belle]

I have a Toyota Highlander (crossover SUV) that will fit three in the backseat. I think the newer ones come with an optional 3rd row. I like it because it is not big like a regular SUV. In fact, it is built on a Camry chassis.

 

[minkydog]

I have one word for you MINIVAN!!!
I only have two kids and love the room with a minivan. Best of luck!

That's what I was thinking. Why not take the plunge? I think you'll be happier in the long run with more leg room and more rear space.

 

[sara74]

We already have a minivan (2004 Sienna) that we do love, but I think a second van is too much. We knew we would be in the market for a new car this year and already have funds earmarked for it, but we are going to take the Camry car seat shopping tonight in case we can put it until the new year (DH will be able to write some off for business once he is a partner, but not yet)

For those of you that have Camry's how old are they? The Camry has been redesigned twice since ours was new and I know the interior was made larger...I can't find specs for the 97 Camry online but I can for more recent ones!

The Highlander has been added to our list of cars/SUVs as has the Subaru Tribeca.

Thanks for the posts!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

For those of you that have Camry's how old are they? The Camry has been redesigned twice since ours was new and I know the interior was made larger...I can't find specs for the 97 Camry online but I can for more recent ones!

We have an old ('97) Honda Accord. DH swears we could fit 3 carseats in the back, but I doubt it. However, my FIL has a newer ('04 or '05) Accord with much wider interior, so that might be worth checking into as well.

I would take your carseats to the dealership and try to install them to see the fit. That way there's no question. (I haven't done this, but I know others who have.)

And in these times, I wouldn't want to be driving 2 minivans either! We have an SUV and the Accord, and when I quit work to stay home with the kids, we switched cars so DH could use the Accord for commuting. This has saved us a TON of money!

 

[Gillian]

Our 2000 Accord fits 3 across, but not easily, and probably not an infant carseat with a base (or even without).

I think the idea of an installed car seat (not infant, but convertible) is a good one, especially if you typically take the van. It's pretty easy to find extra infant carriers and you could easily keep one in the trunk as suggested for going places. Babies outgrow the infant seats so quickly anyway.

you probably can get another 100,000 miles out of that Camry.

 

[RangerPooh]

This is a nice topic. DH and I are realizing that we will need to consider a larger vehicle as we will have a toddler in a carseat and a newborn, plus his neice who is coming to live with us. My Mazda Protege and his Nissan Xterra are a bit snug so we're in the market for a minivan (something i vowed to never own).

 

[all4fun]

We already have a minivan (2004 Sienna) that we do love, but I think a second van is too much.

I have seen the Mazda 5 recommended on another board as a Minivan alternative. It's sort of a crossover that seats 6.