[dimsumdaddy]

I'm sorta like the OP. I'm not against a van, it's just that I don't want to have to buy another car if I don't have to. I just bought a Radian 65 for my Subaru Impreza wagon for my rear facing daughter, but because I'm 6' tall and have the driver seat pushed all the way back, the rear face doesn't work because the Radian is SOOOO TALL. I missed that point in the research. =( This necessitates I put that chair behind the passenger side.

The radian is indeed narrow at the base of 13", but the side bolsters are 17". And yeah, the radians are HEAVY because of the steel inner frame; and thus SOLID. The material is plush suede and comfy padding.

But back on topic, the radians are clearly the most narrow seats possible. But the height is REALLY TALL which makes rear facing frustrating. My take is if you have a car big enough for rear facing radians, you have a big car.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Sunshine Kids Radian 80 or 65 - Click for more info If "the Sunshine Kid's Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need," the "probably" part of this statement comes into play when you directly compare the Radian 80 with the Britax Regent. While the Radian 80 has a very high weight capacity, the seat width is only 10" vs. the Regent's 14" seat. The Britax Regent may be a bit wider, but it is very bulky, is only forward facing, and does not fold like the Radian 80. Because the Radian 80 is so narrow, you can potentially put three of them side by side in the back seat. Three Regents side by side? Impossible.