Non-minivan Suggestions for 3 Car Seats

P.,

I have a 6yr old, 2 1/2 yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old. I drive a toyota sequoia which I really love. I can fit 2 carseats and a booster seat three across in the back or my older daughter can sit in the third seat with the two little ones in the second row. Happy car shopping.

I have a a chevy tracker, and i can fit three booster seats in it, tends to be a little bit of a pain getting the seat belts hooked, but once thats done they have plenty of room!

I had a Dodge Stratus that worked really well with 3 car seats. It had plenty of room for them, and the kids weren't fighting about being really close either. Plus, it had a huge trunk to put everything in. I had a double stroller and I could leave it in there when I went grocery shopping with plenty of room for everything.. Good luck!!!

I know I am a little late with my advice, but I wanted to share my 2-cents since I can understand from experience your needs. We have 3 children- ages 3, 2 & 1- and number 4 on the way. I currently drive a Ford Explorer, and it does fit 3 regular size car seats in many different configurations.

Typically, I put my oldest 2 in the 3rd row, and the 1 year old in the middle row- against the door (if your not comfortable with your child by the door the seat can go in the middle, and the two door seats fold down for access to 3rd row). This allows me to fold the other two middle row seats flat for easier access to the third row- I can climb in and close the door if needed while buckling kids up. Even using the 3rd row, I still have room in the back for either groceries or a double stroller- I can't fit both in the back together, but the groceries can also fit in the middle row if you happen to have the stroller in the back (if I know I am going to the grocery store, I usually take the stroller out to keep the back open for food).

If we are traveling and need more storage space, we can fit all three seats in the middle row, then the 3rd row folds flat for ample storage space. Depending on the type of carseat, you might need to adjust the tilt on one or two of the carseats to get them to fit, but they can fit.

From experience, I know the Explorer works. I have seen commercials for the new Honda Pilot, it says it is an 8 seater, so that might be worth a look too.

Hope some of this info helps

We actually have 2 SUVs. We have a Dodge Durango that has a third seat. The 3 kids actually fit across the 2nd row. When we go grocery shopping, we put the kids in the 2nd row, fold down the 3rd, and you will have plenty of room. I have 2 kids in booster seats and one in an infant car seat. Then we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and that works too. I have plenty of space in the "trunk" for groceries and a stroller. We also have used a Ford Taurus. They good gas mileage, you can fit all of the kids in the back seat and they have a huge trunk.

Good luck!

We are about to have our first and juts started looking at car seats. We went to USA Baby and they have a car seat specifically made to help with this issue. It is narrower than the normal car seat and has a high back.

Hi P.,

A lot of the SUVs have a 3rd row seat now - so that would make it easier to fit 3 car seats. You can look at the Toyota Highlander. We have one that was made before they had the 3rd row seat and we really like it. It gets pretty good gas mileage for an SUV as well.

Good luck!
J.
A Mother's Boutique
www.mothersboutique.com

Well, We have 3 kids and once they were all 3 in carseats, so i was a minivan mom (still am) But my husband drives a Toyota Sequoia. All three carseats fit nicely in the second row, and there is a third row as well that either folds down or you can remove them and there is PLENTY of room for groceries, strollers, etc. The one seat in the second row also fold forward for access to the third row if you every use it. NOw that my kids are older, it's a novelty for them to sit back there, so they ask if they can whenever we use my husband's car. Gas isn't that bad on the car either, but right now it's pretty expensive since it's like $3 a gallon.

The Mazda CX-9 might work

Are you oppposed to an SUV???? My in-laws have a Ford Excursion...we fit two car seats in there and well...five adults. It would easily fit three car seats and it also fit TWO strollers and other misc. junk in the back. I was quite impressed.

we have 4 kids and bought the Nissan Pathfinder. We did want the Nissan Armada but we were concerned with the gas it would consume. I still wish we bought it though.

My inlaws have a trailblazer as well and we fit our two kids in it and four adults comfrtable....

I looked into the pacifica chrysler and Loved it because it was as big as the others .... but never got it because I decided a new house would be better....

R.

Check out the Jeep Grand Cherokee. My in-laws have one. While we didn't put three carseats in the back, we did fit 2 car seats and a plus size adult. Also, it was a comfortable fit for all.

Good luck.

Hi P., Well, unless you want to drive an SUV or can find an old stationwagon type car you will have to surreneder to the mini-van. Even in the larger sedans you can't get three car seats in a row in the back seat. You can't use the front seat because of air bags and the laws won't allow your 3 year old out of a booster. You have at the very least 5 more years with car seats and boosters. Minivans are not hard to drive...espically if you don't get an extended one. I have driven them for the past 10 years and I didn't want to get one at first either. But I too have 3 kids and the bigger they get, the more room you need. My girls are 15, 13 and 10 and we always take the van when we travel as a family...it really comes in handy when you are lugging cello's, chairs and coolers for softball, soccer and all thoes girl scout events!! Try test driving a few before you disqualify them. Good luck & congrats on the new baby. Have a great holiday.

We had five kids in car seats at one time and the vehicle we drove was a GMC Yukon. Yes, it's huge, but it was the only thing we could find that would accomodate all five seats and still have some room in the back for groceries, strollers, etc.

I am a grandmom of 3 and a sedan that worked was Chev Impala. It was a tight fit, but it worked (downside, they can reach each other with ease, especially when they are mad). A sedan of that size has a great trunk for cargo.

Good luck! We tried the same and was seriously considering the highlander until I sat in the back seat... not that comfortable. We ended up going the minivan way. Still not use to driving it but the space has served us specturally!

I have a CHEVY Trailblazer with 3rd row seating and love it.My SIL has an Equonix(sp)and it fits 3 car seats in it and has lots of space in back too/Also it's in the lower 20's(but when i got my trailblazer it was only 22 for it)
But i love my 4wheel drive because i'm NOT a mini van mom

Good luck to you
J.

i know i am late but for what it worth here is my thought!!1 are you sure you don't want a minivan??? i LOVE My minivan - in fact i traded my old minivan in because i thought i didnt' want one anymore and i had a REALLY nice loaded 2006 Mazda 5 and i made my hubby trade it in this past October b/c i missed it so much - you honestly can't beat the flexibility or space of a minivan - and i even have "older" kid now (4yo and 7yo)

however if you don't want a minivan - my friend has a Honda Pilot and she was able to get three carseats in the front seat - well two car seats and abooster

however with the pilot and also with MOST suv's like that (explorer; durango etc) there isnt much room behind the third row if it is put up - durango has a bit more room that the others or if you go bigger - like a suburban there is a fair amount of room - i know this b/c like i said i have been car shopping twice within the last 2 years - and have researched sevceral options b/c my hubby wasnt sure he wanted another minivan - but even he now agrees how convienent they are - and mine had the automatic sliding door which OMGosh is GREAT!!!

let us know how it worked out and what you decided!

S. w.

My sister bought a Ford Explorer for this exact same reason! Also the Honda Pilot has the 3rd row seating.

Do you need to have space for additional adults as well? If not, if you get the right car seats, a station wagon should work. I have a BMW 525it. My 2 and 4 year olds have the Graco CarGo seats and my 6 month old is in an infant carrier now and will move to a Britax Roundabout when she outgrows the infant seat. Many of my friends are also not minivan moms, and have VW Passat wagons which work too. The "trunk" has tons of space - we have loaded up a double stroller and single stroller plus other stuff. It's great for on the go diaper changes as well.

I had an Expedition & it would have had room for 3 car seats plus cargo space. We "downsized" because of gas mileage & opted for a BMW 3-series wagon. Great gas mileage, but found out a week later that we have child #3 on the way!! The wagon is WAY too small for 3 kids (one is small adult sized & the other is in a Britax Marathon). We just went back to the drawing board for a bigger car. I just saw someone with 3 car seats in an Acura MDX - most of the bigger American made SUVs will work too. Also probably the Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander. We felt the Volvo & BMW SUVs were a little too small. Take your car seats when you go to look at the cars/SUVs - it is kind of a pain, but you really get a better sense of what kind of room they have! The dealers were very nice about helping us figure out if a car would work for us or not.

Hello, we just bought a Yukon...I love it!!! Lots of room, for the kids, animals and whatever else you may need to carry around. I never was into the mini van thing either so this was the only option. We go on vacation, and we can fit everything in car!
If you can't afford a new one, you can always find them used. Ours is an 04 and they last forever!

Good luck!

the Dodge Magnum... but gas mileage is not wonderful and it is a pricy car. But it's kind of a station wagon so you get the room you need and it is very nice to look at! We have a Buick Lacrosse and if you put a stroller in the trunk there is very little space left for other things. Also, never would we be able to get 3 car seats back there. We had a pontiac aztek that had wonderful storage and could have easily had 3 seats but we got rid of it and I don't think they make them anymore. We have a chrysler pacifica but we have 2 bucket seats in the back. I imagine the bench seat could hold 3 seats if needed. Good luck... anymore it seems like if you aren't a family of 4 you must get a minivan and then you have no trunk!

I have the Chrysler Pacifica and I LOVE IT! I got it 1 Month before I found out I was preg. So I got it because it dives SO well and it is very comfy! I did test the one with the extra 3rd row, but i didnt think that i would need 3 rows. so i only got the 2 rows. But when my next 2 come, i will be trading up to the 3rd row bc i love it so much!
Good Luck!