# Three across third row of an Odyssey.. experience?



## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

I am expecting #5 in September and I drive an 06 Honda Odyssey. I'm looking to replace it with a 2010 soon but before I do I want to be sure I can find a good combination of seats for it.

My kids and their current ages, weights, and seats-
almost 7yo, 43lbs, Sunshine Kids Monterrey
5yo, 43lbs, Safeguard Child Seat
3yo, 25lbs, RF Britax Marathon
17mo, 23lbs, RF Britax Marathon

I am not opposed to buying new seats but obviously I would like to buy as few as possible. The seats are all newish, with 08 or 09 manufacture dates. I have a Britax Companion for the baby. I would prefer to keep the two youngest in the middle row.

Help?


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

*bump*


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## umsami (Dec 1, 2003)

We have an 07 Honda Odyssey. The only thing I wonder about for the third row is the weird (IMHO) middle shoulder belt. I don't think it's an issue when you're using a LATCH system.... but I'm not 100% I'd be comfortable with it along with a booster for an older kid.

We're expecting #4...and our plan is simply to put the two eldest in the 3rd row (because they are both in boosters and can buckle up themselves)... and the two youngest in the 2nd row. We've never used the mini-seat that goes between the two seats in the middle row.

I do know that if you need to buy the seats, the Sunshine Radians are supposed to be very safe, yet narrower than most... so you can fit three across in the back seat of a "normal" sedan. I'm sure an Odyssey would work just as well.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

I can say that I highly doubt it will work with your current seats.

It will be easier to do with 3 harnessed seats, since it's hard to buckle a booster when you're pressed for room.

I would consider:

3 Radians: FF 7yo, RF 3yo, FF 5yo

or:
RF Radian (3 yo), RF Blvd (18 mo), FF Radian (5 yo)
That way you only have to buy 2 Radians.

The Radians tend to play very well with Britax convertibles, but only when they are facing the same direction. Having 3 FF Radians is actually very wide because the widest part of the Radians is the shoulder area.


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

Thank you both! I am not opposed to turning my 3yo FF, he already rides that way occasionally and he will be almost 4 when the baby comes. I was hoping to get an 8passenger Sienna and having my 3 RF kids across the middle row for ease of getting them in and out but they changed the interior configuration for 2011 and you can't use the middle seat for a carseat any more. I am going to go out and mess around with my current seats and see if I can get a better idea of what might fit..


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Why not buy an 09 or 10 used Sienna instead?


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
Why not buy an 09 or 10 used Sienna instead?

I have definitely considered this, but I am having a very hard time finding one. I can find plenty of seven passengers but the 8pass Siennas don't seem to come up very often and when they do they are fairly far away and go quickly. Plus I haven't found a single one with dual power sliding doors, maybe it's just not an option, and that's a really important feature for me.

I did try a few different combinations with my current seats, I knew I wouldn't be able to get 3 across with any of them but I can get a FF marathon in the middle and then squeeze the Monterrey on either side. Obviously this isn't ideal for a few reasons but I think that means there would definitely be room for two radians beside the Marathon.


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## dfw_dad (May 5, 2010)

Three across front-facing in the rear seat!

Just successfully installed three Radian XTSL seats in our 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring.

The trick is to install the left and right seats first using the locking clip and shoulder belts. Then install the center seat last using the latches. The new XTSL "super latch" seats will be safe for kids up to 80 pounds.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/...740ef5f0_o.jpg


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dfw_dad* 
Three across front-facing in the rear seat!

Just successfully installed three Radian XTSL seats in our 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring.

The trick is to install the left and right seats first using the locking clip and shoulder belts. Then install the center seat last using the latches. The new XTSL "super latch" seats will be safe for kids up to 80 pounds.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/...740ef5f0_o.jpg

Doe the Ody allow the use of center LATCH? I know Honda does not in most of their cars.

And, not to nag, but that child in the middle would be MUCH safer RF


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Doe the Ody allow the use of center LATCH? I know Honda does not in most of their cars.

The only set of lower anchors in the third row is in the middle, though (in mine, at least) they are sort of off center so I'm not sure that I could use them for installing a seat in between two seats. Works great for putting two bigger seats side by side though.


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