avoiding a minivan/SUV with 3 carseats?

[abejita]

I just found out I am pregnant with #3, which means we need a bigger car. I would really love to avoid a minivan or SUV. Right now I have a Britax Roundabout and a Britax Boulevard, which of course makes things tricky. Are there any safe, affordable sedans or wagons that can fit 3 seats across?

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car seat.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

[Papooses]

You just might be surprised with what you've got already

What is your current vehicle year, make, model?
What is each child's age, weight, height?
What is your carseat and/or vehicle budget?
Is AWD/4WD important to you?
Do you have pets to consider?

It was surprisingly easy to correctly fit a Boulevard FF in center between RF Wizard & Parkway in my little Escape Hybrid along with 2 dogs restrained in the cargo area with IMMI PetBuckle harnesses attached to the tether anchors

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	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.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Britax Parkway - Click for more info The new Parkway Booster from Britax builds on their company's reputation as the maker of some of the safest seats on the market today. It's one of the only boosters to offer True Side Impact Protection - the EPS foam-padded headrest and side "wings" aren't just great for naps, they're engineered to provide vital protection to your child in the event of a side-impact crash. (Side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 6-14, making this an issue of major importance for booster seats.)

	Graco CarGo booster seat - Click for more info The Graco CarGo is a dependable and easy to use booster seat. When your child is on the lower end of the height/weight limits for the seat, the 5-point harness is used to keep them safely in place. It features a convenient one-pull snugging mechanism in the front of the seat - making it easy to tighten the straps down after your child has been buckled in. When your child is around 35-40" tall, the CarGo's harness can be removed, so that the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster, using the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt. In this mode, the Graco CarGo will work for kids up to 54" or 100 lbs. Both the Platinum and the Ultra CarGo feature an Energy Absorbing Foam (EPS) liner, a removable, washable seat pad, and a cup holder. The Platinum CarGo is a softer and more comfortable seat than the Ultra CarGo (although still not as comfy as the well-padded Britax booster seats).

[abejita]

Originally Posted by Papooses

You just might be surprised with what you've got already

What is your current vehicle year, make, model?
What is each child's age, weight, height?
What is your carseat and/or vehicle budget?
Is AWD/4WD important to you?
Do you have pets to consider?

It was surprisingly easy to correctly fit a Boulevard FF in center between RF Wizard & Parkway in my little Escape Hybrid along with 2 dogs restrained in the cargo area with IMMI PetBuckle harnesses attached to the tether anchors

My current car is a 2005 Subaru Impreza-- definitely cannot fit a third seat. By eyeballing it, I think there are about 6 inches between the seats. I'm wondering if a Legacy would fit three across, or maybe another Subaru, because we are leasing our car and are way below the mileage limits. We would get a good deal trading up at that dealership. And I like Subarus, except for the mileage.

If a Subaru won't work....
My 6yo is 34lbs (yes, she's tiny) and about 42 inches tall, maybe a bit more. My 3yo is 29lbs and about 3 ft tall, maybe a bit more. They are both forward-facing, since that is the only way I was able to get the carseats installed tightly enough. I doubt I could convince my 3yo to go back to rear-facing, and he will hit 35lbs soon enough anyway.

I like the AWD the Subaru has (we've seen it kick in a few times and felt very safe) but I'm honestly not sure how necessary it is on a sedan. I'm in NC; we have very mild winters, but we do get torrential rain in the summer. Also, I will be a new driver (from NYC, never learned to drive, but plan to soon), so maybe that extra stability backing up my novice skills will be a plus.

We'd like to spend under $25K if possible, definitely under $30K. Closer to $20K and we'd feel a lot more comfortable. Our current lease is $220/month, and if we can keep near that amount for a lease that would be great.

I really want to stick with the carseats we have, esp. the Boulevard since we just bought it a few months ago, but I'd be willing to buy a Radian if I can sell the Boulevard. My dd sure will be disappointed giving up her pretty flowered carseat. :?

So far I am thinking an Accord or a Camry. How do those sound? Any other suggestions?

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	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.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Britax Parkway - Click for more info The new Parkway Booster from Britax builds on their company's reputation as the maker of some of the safest seats on the market today. It's one of the only boosters to offer True Side Impact Protection - the EPS foam-padded headrest and side "wings" aren't just great for naps, they're engineered to provide vital protection to your child in the event of a side-impact crash. (Side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 6-14, making this an issue of major importance for booster seats.)

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	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.

	Graco CarGo booster seat - Click for more info The Graco CarGo is a dependable and easy to use booster seat. When your child is on the lower end of the height/weight limits for the seat, the 5-point harness is used to keep them safely in place. It features a convenient one-pull snugging mechanism in the front of the seat - making it easy to tighten the straps down after your child has been buckled in. When your child is around 35-40" tall, the CarGo's harness can be removed, so that the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster, using the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt. In this mode, the Graco CarGo will work for kids up to 54" or 100 lbs. Both the Platinum and the Ultra CarGo feature an Energy Absorbing Foam (EPS) liner, a removable, washable seat pad, and a cup holder. The Platinum CarGo is a softer and more comfortable seat than the Ultra CarGo (although still not as comfy as the well-padded Britax booster seats).

[Blessed2adopt2]

You may not like this, but get a mini-van. I honestly love the ease of access in mine (a 2000 Ford Windstar with 100,000 miles one it). Yes, it's a mini-van with all the stereotypes that go along with it, but you can do some things...darken the windows , I got mine fully loaded at the time, automatic doors, 2-3 row seats, leather, etc. Well worth it.

Also, my suggestion is to get a 2-3 yr old used one from either Honda (Odyssey) or Toyota (Sienna). That's what I'm looking at to replace mine when it gets too tired!

My husband has an Explorer with a 3rd row seat, and it's just not as user friendly with kids as a van.

[Papooses]

Oh, I'm so sorry, I must have missed your response before abejita!

I personally have not installed the Radian or any 3 across configuration in a Subaru (at least not correctly I had 3 kids improperly restrained in my old Legacy before I became a tech, but by then I had my Escape instead)

I have successfuly fit various 3 across combinations in the Accord & Camry since my certification, though Not with the Radian, but specifically with Britax, Graco & Dorel Juvenile: any up-to-date CPST should be able to help you with making sure you've got them in + used correctly

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	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.

[dimsumdaddy]

I also have an Impreza (06 wagon) but I own it and I'm hoping not to have to trade it in. I'm determined to search all options.

Right now I have an old Evenflo convertable (needs to be replaced) for my 1 yr old, a Costco car seat for my 4 yr old, and a baby on the way. There is about 14" between the two seats.

I got a Fisher Price (made by Britax) Safe Voyage booster which the 4 year old will use when the baby comes. This booster supposedly only occupies 13.5".

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.