How Many Car Seats Fit In The Back Of A Sedan?

That’s the question every parent with more than 2 kids wants to know!

Gone are the days when you could pack 5 kids in the rear of a wood-paneled station wagon. 

Today’s new car seat laws make it harder to fit 3 kids in a large sedan. 

Here’s how this pregnant momma plans to get all 3 kids in the back of a Toyota, along with car seat resources to help you plan…

 

I buy Britax.

I’ve tried a bunch of car seats, and I think Britax offers the best in stability and comfort.

Those seats don’t move an inch!

However, this safety commitment doesn’t work well for 3 kids.  Not in a row, and not in the back of a Toyota!  I tried. 

Here’s what I’m planning to do:

The Big Kid’s Seat:  Our 6-year old will have to leave his 5-point-harness Britax Regent/Husky in the garage.  A backless booster seat won’t take up nearly as much room, and his little sister can climb over it when exiting the car.  (Still thinking about the Radian 5-point seat…see below.)

The Middle Kid’s Seat:  The 2-year-old is currently in a Britax Roundabout, forward facing.  We’ll move her seat to the middle and hope she doesn’t pinch the new baby too much!

The Baby’s Seat:  #3 will be in another Britax Roundabout, rear-facing, on the driver’s side of the car.  There won’t be an inch of extra space between seats, but I should be able to strap the baby with ease when unlocking the car doors.

What, no infant carrier seat?

I gave up the Graco Snug Ride. The rear-facing Roundabout (mentioned above) offers just as much angle and coziness, without the back-breaking load.  A Maya Wrap sling gets the baby from car to store and back without waking…most of the time.

Can you fasten a booster seatbelt with so many car seats together? 

Are there slimmer car seats instead? 

To date, there’s only 1 skinny 5-point carseat that holds kids to 80 pounds (the weight required by law).  The Radian 80 is helping big families fit 3 kids across the back of a standard mini-van. 

It’s not cheap: about $220.  Of course this pales in comparison to the cost of buying the next bigger vehicle! 
 

Here’s a review of the Sunshine Kids Radian 80 from Consumer Search.

 

Reports Of Cars That Hold 3 Car Seats via Car-seat.org:

• Is a Prius big enough for 3 car seats… specifically Britax?
• Will 3 Britax seats fit a Toyota Corolla?
• Will 3 car seats fit in a Toyota Tacoma extended cab truck?
• Can you recommend a small 4-cylinder sedan that holds 3 carseats?