# Anyone have a non-giant vehicle that fits 3 carseats?



## Hazelnut (Sep 14, 2005)

May as well ask this now, even though 3rd baby is still only wishful thinking. I have been wondering about this, because our Subaru Forrester only fits our two giant Evenflos in the back. And one evenflo will soon be replaced by a Marathon or possibly even larger Britax (The regent is it? I'm told that will last much longer, but that it's huuuuge, truly I'd almost rather waste some money and save some space, I figure he still won't be 65 lbs for a long time).

ANYWAY, I'm already wondering what kind of car I'd be limited to. I don't want and can't afford a big SUV, and I'm not especially fond of minivans only b/c they're just so darn big. All the big sedans seem to be luxury vehicles. Maybe some affordable four doors are big enough for an evenflo, snugride, and britax? Maybe some minivans are not so big or are really nice to drive? I haven't actually gone as far as to look into minvans in size or price, although I did notice that the Nissan one is not quite so bad looking compared to some others.


----------



## mamajody (Jul 3, 2004)

At the moment I have room in my Volvo wagon for 3 seats. Granted 2 of them are rear facing infant seats, but I will be moving my DD to a booster before they go forward facing. I had to have them installed by the professionals, but we are all in safe and sound.


----------



## fromscatteredtribe (Mar 27, 2003)

for a month or so at a time i have had four car seats in the honda civic and no place for dh

it was tight though...... car doors smooshed the seats and the kids had to have hands in the air to make sure they were not pinched.....one rear convertible fort small infant; one forward convertible for toddler and two boosters (one had to be upfront which i hated but our other car had no steering and was overheating)

i like my kia sedona now but it gets the worst gas mileage







i needed a car for four kids and my dh .... or me and my four and my sister and her daughter to carpool to the gym and community center classes


----------



## Hazelnut (Sep 14, 2005)

ooh yes I should check out some wagons. I guess b/c the outback and my forrester seems sorta small, I thought it wouldn't work.


----------



## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

My sil has a toyota matrix with three across the back. I know that two are roundabouts, the third is a backless booster of some sort.

-Angela


----------



## 3rosebuds (Jan 31, 2005)

I have 3 in the backseat of my Camry--one is a Combi convertible (soon to be replaced by a Sunshine Kids Radian), one is an Evenflo front facing seat that converts to a booster, and one is a Graco TurboBooster. It is a VERY tight squeeze & getting DS1's booster buckled is quite a challenge, but they're all in there!


----------



## Chryseis (Jul 28, 2006)

You might try looking at the Nissan Altima. I haven't had to put 3 carseats in the back of mine yet, but I really don't think I'd have any problem if I did. The backseat is one of the larger I've seen in a 4-door sedan. The mileage is decent, especially if you get the 4-cylinder and the price is great.


----------



## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

Our Honda CRV fits 3 in it.


----------



## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I had a volvo 950 that fit 3 across. It was a pita but it worked. Had a Britax Marathon, Cosco Apex and Graco turbo.


----------



## CajunMama (Jun 24, 2003)

nak

I have a Passat wagon and i have 3 seats in the back.


----------



## dentmom3 (Aug 10, 2006)

nak

ditto to 3rosebuds. We have 3 seats in the back of dh's camry. took a long day at babies r us trying diff combinations of seats but 2 new carseats is still way cheaper than a new car!!!

OTOH , I drive a Sienna minivan and could not love it more!!!! Drives like a car, very comfy, easy to park and better on gas/emissions than an SUV!


----------



## Nicole77 (Oct 20, 2003)

We have room in our Saturn Vue for three carseats. We are still planning to get a bigger car with this third babe though because we can only fit three car seats which means no one else can ever ride with us. I don't want to make people always have to do both drop off and pick up for playdates, or never be able to take along one of dd's friends on a day trip, etc.


----------



## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

I have a Mitsubishi Galant and I had 3 car seats in the back. It was a tight fit but it happened.


----------



## wryknowlicious (Apr 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Chryseis* 
You might try looking at the Nissan Altima. I haven't had to put 3 carseats in the back of mine yet, but I really don't think I'd have any problem if I did. The backseat is one of the larger I've seen in a 4-door sedan. The mileage is decent, especially if you get the 4-cylinder and the price is great.

My mother has a Nissan Altima and we have fit 3 seats in the back of it before.
1 rear facing conv. Evenflo Triumph V
1 Graco backless booster with arms
1 forward facing conv. Evenflo TriumphV


----------



## Throkmorton (Jun 30, 2003)

You can fit 3 in the back of nearly any car, but you probably can't get 3 across in most cars if one is a Britax Regent.
Look at the Mazda 5. It seats 6 in 3 rows, but isn't as big as you would think. It is actually more of a wagon than anything. It gets decent mileage too

I have had 3 across in:

Ford Crown Victoria (easy)
Volvo 850 wagon
1976 Volvo 242
Buick Century
Ford Focus
Toyota Matrix

The easiest was the Crown Vic/Mercury Grand Marquis (thy are the same car. I've done this in both)


----------



## goosysmom (May 28, 2005)

My friend can fit 3 in the back of her Camry pretty well....

she has the same set up as wryknowlicious.

my friends has hers arranged the same way right now but is gonna put the rear facing in the middle this weekend as it will just just fit.

We went from a Camry to a Hyandi Elantra and there is no way jose 3 will fit back there...not even 2 boosters and the covertable.....Wish it would since we just bought it and I'd like to have another soon....by that time though, oldest will be out of booster, youngest will be in booster so we will have room for the infant seat and then can get a new car....Whoo hoo...


----------



## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

You can get 3 seats in many sedans, but it helps if they aren't identical in shape. I have a Saturn sedan and have put across the back a Graco seat, a Britax Roundabout, and an Evenflo seat, all forward facing. The Britax was widest at a point that was higher up than the Graco or Evenflo, so it sat in the middle and the other two were on the outsides. There was some "overlap" so to speak but everything was belted snugly and the doors could be closed.


----------



## ~member~ (May 23, 2002)

94 Dodge Intrepid.
As a pp stated, the carseats are different, so, the baby's seat is taller and goes in the middle, then the other two seats are on each side.


----------



## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

We're driving a '95 Taurus wagon right now & have all 3 seats across the back seat (not the flip-up seat, of course). This hints to me they'd probably also fit in a Taurus sedan.

We had a rental Chrysler 300, and all 3 car seats fit in it as well.

Three car seats will _not_ fit in a Chrysler PT Cruiser, though. MIL has one of those, and we tried putting the seats in it, but they simply would not fit. Some brilliant soul decided that the backseat really needed an armrest on the door that pokes in a great deal; they'd fit if not for that.

We have 2 Evenflo Triumph convertibles and another whose name I am not certain of, but together they need about 60 inches. Measure the car seats and take the measuring tape with you when going car shopping.


----------



## wildmonkeys (Oct 4, 2004)

I was going to recommend the Mazda 5 as well. It looks like a wagon, but has 4 backseats. We also have a Subaru Forrester and are currently expecting our 3rd and have started to look into options...we have pretty much narrowed it to the Mazda 5 or the Mazda MPV (I don't mind minivans but don't want to waste gas so we are trying to figure out if the 5 will meet our needs since we also have a large dog)

BJ
Barney & Ben


----------



## annethcz (Apr 1, 2004)

I used to drive a 1996 Plymouth Breeze, and I could fit two carseats and a booster in the backseat. It was cramped, but it worked.


----------



## mamabain (Sep 19, 2002)

we have a ford escort wagon and while we only have two children, we have often driven around with three in the back seat. it can be a fuss to buckle boosters (since you have to buckle and unbuckle the actual seatbelt everytime) but it is doable. and depending on the age of the children, i'd move things around so that would be less of a problem.


----------



## boobybunny (Jun 28, 2005)

The ford escape can fit three, one rear facing infant, one booster and one convertable.

Plus they come in a hybrid, AND 4x4, AND I can get my two bulldogs in the back.


----------

