[Closed] Cars to fit 3 child seats

What kind of seats (eg age ranges) - most cars will just about fit three boosters, far fewer three toddler sized seats.

Oh and stop having kids, of course 😉

1 baby seat, 2 bigger kids seats in the back of my Passat (B6). Baby seat in the middle, booster on one side, booster with back on the other. Fit nicely, some seatbelt extensions really helped with buckling everyone in though.

Can you buy smaller seats? Some are ENORMOUS, and a careful shop with tape measure will lead you to smaller ones.

Our Passat had enough room for Baby seat and two kid seats. At the same time a Mondeo would too.

Most people carriers are also great, and with three of the rugrats, this is a great option... (sorry!)

3 full sized child seats won't fit in most cars I tried BMW , A4, A6 skoda Octavia and superb + passats

likewise 2 full sized child seats + teenager+ wont fit in them either

multipla and the Honda frv only work if your all 5' tall

most 4 X 4's are too narrow as well only when you get up to discovery size is there enough room

the only things which were big enough were the larger 7 seaters

the smaller 7 seaters worked if you split them between rows

it really depends on the age range of the children

We had three kids in full child seats for a while. The only car we could find that:

(a) was not a complete dog to drive; and
(b) would fit three seats across the back

was a Ford S-Max.

We looked around at all the 4x4's but found they were actually pretty narrow in the back seat because of the larger wheel arches etc.

We have a 2008 Mondeo hatch that can take three biggish car seats.
Seat belt extensions definitely a good idea.

Caddy Maxi Life - you're looking at vehicles with split/removable seats to give you the width needed.

S-Max?

Not tried it with 3 kids seats across the middle, but we can easily do it with 2 and an adult or 1 and 2 adults.

Even if you put 2 in the middle row and one in the back there is still plenty of boot space if you keep one seat in the back down.

You don't have to use three if three won't fit. Whether this is acceptable to you I don't know, for me it would depend how close to the age/weight cut offs the oldest child was.

Puegeot 307 SW version has three separate seats in the back. Will fit there kids seats of various sizes. Sometimes with a bit of faffing

1 baby seat, 2 bigger kids seats in the back of my Passat (B6). Baby seat in the middle, booster on one side, booster with back on the other. Fit nicely, some seatbelt extensions really helped with buckling everyone in though.

we have a 60 plate c-max with the same seat combination. but the baby seat is behind the passenger seat, the booster with back behind the drivers seat and the booster in the middle.
they just about fit but once the little one os old enough to go to the next sized seat it'll be a case of getting one that fits the limited space available as getting hands in to buckle the belts is already a tricky job.

would be interested to know where you got the seatbelt extensions from Woody.

Had same problem. Solved it with a Mk2 Galaxy, then this :
[img] [/img]

Now have an SMax.

Was literally in tears when I had to let my Pathfinder go after 7 years. Only car i've ever formed an emotional attachment to....despite the £500 tax bill every year and 24 MPG. Made me feel special every time I drove it.

Our SMAX does it and another 2 in the boot, but that leaves no room for the dog (or just 2 in the boot - they are further away so you can't hear the winging).

3 Full sized seats in the back makes it possible to fit 5 full sized people in the car and 2 further mini people in the boot. Quite a versatile car that you can stuff a lot in too, but I want a van now, especially after going to the T5 show that was 'Ard Rock.

LR Discovery 3

gonzy - search for "Seatbelt Extender Pros" on amazon

Measure the tabs on your existing buckles to make sure you get the right one. Mine was the 21mm wide version "type a"

Folks across the road from us have three kids - one aged 7, one 4 and one under a year old

They have a Skoda Fabia, not exactly a huge car. I can ask what seats they use if that's of any help?

PS, congratulations. odd way to spread the word of course

gonzy - search for "Seatbelt Extender Pros" on amazon

Measure the tabs on your existing buckles to make sure you get the right one. Mine was the 21mm wide version "type a"

thanks for that....did a bit of research and it seems the general consensus is that they're not legal
anyone care to shed any light on this?

T5.....

Vw touran. Berated on here by many for being boring, I loved ours. No it wasn't an inspiring drive nor was it quick and it didn't attract the opposite sex. But it was blooming great as a family car and would fit three kiddie seats across the back with loads of room in the boot for all their associated stuff.

We have a Seat Alhambra

VW T5 Kombi FTW.. so easy to throw everything in the back.
You can wheel a buggy straight in, chuck several bikes in and still have room for all the other carp you have to sherpa around with 3 kids

Go big...As a parent of three, growing and active boys, the Touran was great, but the space and load carrying of the Galaxy has been just fabulous.

This is two weeks worth of holiday, canoeing and cycling gear in the boot. Yes that is a bike in there, with room for another.
[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4raNbadA2B27NrabxHxAaBfQJYMiwlbRHVvzLIT-lYA=w1098-h657-no [/img]
[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wsZhZA0DI_jzHLK3Bp0enEkCe9MhvfTRfRKq1BZXtr8=w394-h657-no [/img]

The lads lost a few inches of leg space, but with mrs_oab driving, they have a metre(!) still...

Toyota verso works well bit like the Touran ie dull but practical. The 2 pop up seats in the boot are really useful for occasionally taking kids friends along

We bought a Renault Grand Scenic when number 3 was due ( 1st 2 kids were 2 and 4 years old) the only other car we tested that was wide enough for 3 high back or rear facing car seats was the Honda FRV. My wife wouldn't touch the Multipla because of the ncap safety rating. Good luck car hunting, best advice I can offer is just to turn up to the car dealers and ask if you can try to fit the three car seats you want to use, I found all were happy to oblige.

PS, congratulations. odd way to spread the word of course

Jules; no. Just no. This is simply planning ahead. Waaaay ahead!

My old man has a C8 (sister of the Pug 807, FIAT Ulysse and Lancia Zeta) which would do what you ask, all except the middle seat are ISOFIX and you get a huge boot. That's about as good as it gets though as you need a satnav to drive it (the speedo is in the middle facing the back windscreen so difficult to see what speed you're doing), the electric doors can be somewhat unpredictable (will it re-open when it hits something, usually a body part, or won't it?) and it's pretty rattly. He was after a Galaxy and still has buyers remorse.

My wife wouldn't touch the Multipla because of the ncap safety rating.

Are you sure that was what she specifically meant when she said "I wouldn't be seen dead in one of those"?

Mate has three across in a Peugeot 5008.

Thirteen years ago we had three girls under the age of two. Thought our Volvo v70 would do the trick but no - ended up with an XC90 which was most excellent for family travel.
Only replaced it in February.

Any recommendations?

CR-V.

Vw touran

Your child seats must be about half the size of ours then, I looked at a vw touran and immediately sacked if off as a bad joke.

With our 3 and associated stuff we had to go large 7 seater, so Galaxy it has been. I'd rather a combi van but my wife preferred a car.

Your child seats must be about half the size of ours then,

Having said that, with three growing teen/tweens, they love the full size seat approach in the Galaxy - but then in a year, I will have the smallest foot size in our household. 😕

My nephew has the same problem. The Torygraph's Honest John reckons that the Peugeot 308/3008 & a Citroen are about the only cars to do it well.

Coincidentally I have a 2nd-hand 308 SW for sale.... see my ad in the classifieds

get an extended test drive before you buy. loading and unloading the little ones will show any issues....

we found the peugeot had dire build quality and the storage boxes in the floor collapsed when trodden on, ive seen better quality tupperware

^ we felt the same last year buying a people carrier, and this year buying a small car...! Pug's just felt like they were cardboard and Kinder egg toy build quality compared to most others.

FWIW my mate had 4 kids in quick succession - he drives a doblo MPV, never seen him using it in anger (cos he lives 200 miles away) but he rates it

Thread resurrection. We were in a similar situation. One 12 year old a 6 and a 4 year old, both in high backed booster seats. Tried a Skoda Superb and that didn't have enough width. In the end we had to go for an S-Max which is only about 5cm or so wider, externally, than the old Honda Accord that it replaced. However it has loads of extra space, width wise.

Also just done this and ordered the new Seat Alhambra. Wanted the S Max but got over ruled. The Alhambra is just huge inside while the new Galaxy seems to have shrunk.