Infant car seats and MPVs?

AR76

Hi all,
long time reader but first post so here goes!
Am considering a compact MPV as my next purchase for the growing family but based on my research so far have big concerns about the use of rearward facing infant seats that use an isofix base with a supporting leg. It seems that most if not all of these vehicles (Cmax, Verso, Touran, 5008 etc) have under floor storage compartments in the foot wells on the second row which means the use of such seats is not recommended as the supporting leg will not be placed on “solid” ground if you know what I mean but on the lid and would therefore be dangerous in the event of an impact?
I’ve seen some suggestions that if the lid of the compartment can be opened and if the leg is long enough to reach the bottom i.e. on “solid” ground that this will be ok? Or that it may be possible to get a “filler” from some manufacturers (Ford at least) to place in the storage compartment thereby making it safe to put the support leg on the lid?
I’m just wondering if anyone has any real word experience of this and what the outcome was? I find it hard to believe that these supposedly family orientated vehicles could have such a major design flaw?
Thanks in advance.

useless

Forgive my ignorance but isnt part of the idea of ISOFIX that you don't need the 'leg' because the seat is securely tethered to the ISOFIX points?

Apologies if Im talking utter nonsense...

AR76

Thanks but my understading is that the leg is also requied in addition to the isofix points. The infant seat clips onto the base and its the base that's anchored to the isofix points with the leg sitting on the floor for addtional "stability" in the event of an impact.

PaddyFagan

useless wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance but isnt part of the idea of ISOFIX that you don't need the 'leg' because the seat is securely tethered to the ISOFIX points?

Apologies if Im talking utter nonsense...

I guess the O/P is talking about something like this:


Which a baby carrier type rear-ward facing seat clicks into? The problem is that unlike forward facing ISOFix seats it can't use the third (high up) anchor point and hence needs the leg to stop the seat falling forward if the lip of the seat falls (i.e. collapases) in the case of an acident.

For the O/P sorry, I've no experience of cars where there'd be storage under the leg - however the one we had (as pictured) had an adjustable leg which had a very long range of extension, so I'd expect it could reach the "floor" of the storage box if open in most cases....

Paddy

AR76

Thanks Paddy. That's exactly the base/seat I'm talking about (Maxi-Cosi) and so yes the leg is definitley required. I would also think that if the leg can reach the bottom of the storage compartment with the lid open this would be ok....

But I've just come across this car selector tool http://www.maxi-cosi.com/gb-en/carselector on Maxi-Cosi's own web site and if you enter the details of any of the current main stream compact MPV's its says these type of seats cannot be used. I will be asking dealers about this of course when I visit them but would expect them to say of course that they CAN be used...confusion!

cynder

We have a corolla verso 05 and no under floor storage compartments.

PaddyFagan

AR76 wrote: »

But I've just come across this car selector tool http://www.maxi-cosi.com/gb-en/carselector on Maxi-Cosi's own web site and if you enter the details of any of the current main stream compact MPV's its says these type of seats cannot be used. I will be asking dealers about this of course when I visit them but would expect them to say of course that they CAN be used...confusion!

I'd take the list from their site with a grain of salt - the best quote on that page is in tiny print:

If possible at the time of purchase, check to make sure the car seat can be installed in your car.

If you can - bring the base to the dealers and put it in yourself.

Paddy

AR76

Yep will definitely be bringing the base (we already have one that our eldest child used) to the dealers and testing it out as part of any potential purchase.

I guess I just wanted to see if anyone on here already had experience of this scenario and what the outcome was.

Thanks.

BostonB

Touran does have floor compartments. We didn't use an ISO seat though, as we had seat already. We put a non ISO rear facing seat in the front seat. As you can turn off the airbag with the drivers key. Also stops the other kids messing with the baby. Not all MPV's can turn off the front airbag. With floor compartments I don't see why you can just open them and put the leg to the floor of the compartment. They are generally quite shallow.

You need to go somewhere like Keely's and ask them. They'll have experience fitting seats in all sorts of cars, and will do demos' of car fitting different seats etc.

http://www.tonykealys.com/