Car to fit 3 baby seats

hertz

Hello

I am expecting twins and I already have a 2 year old. I will need to buy a car that can fit 3 baby seats in the back, preferably all in the one row. I was thinking of a large estate like the Hyundai i40 or skoda superb.

Does anyone have experience with this? Would an estate work or would a larger car be required?

Hertz

elperello

Superb and i40 will both take 3 seats.

Best to take car to shop and be sure that the model of seat you are buying will fit.

This is expensive but might suit you - https://multimac.co.uk/home

fits

If I were you I’d just get a minivan. You’ll be glad of the space. A lot of parents of multiples love the SMAX. I have twins and an Audi Q5. Big car but I’d love more space.

JC 3.14159

Judging by the threads here, a lot of people get this wrong - you don't need larger, you need more suitable.

This picture is of a skoda superb, about as wide an estate as you're likely to get: 
https://www.parkers.co.uk/PageFiles/158619/38_Superb_Combi_on_location.jpg

Look at the shape of the rear bench. The wheel arches push the isofix points inwards (you can see the little fabric tabs that mark the locations), so even though the car is wide, the baby seats do not fit near the door. You can also see how the high transmission tunnel* steals footroom. Most SUV's that I've seen are similar.

Compare that to a real MPV, even a relatively small one like a VW Touran:
https://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/fit/730x700/media/10487191/Volkswagen~Touran~(7).jpg
  
The seats are set forward of the wheel arches, so the usable width is much better. With carseats in each outer seat (Isofix) there's still reasonable room in the centre seat. There's a very slight bump in the floor so sitting in the middle seat is fine. Maybe the middle seat is a little bit narrower than the outer seats, I'm not sure about that.
Other advantages are being able to slide/tilt/flatten individual seats, plus the fact that baby seats are easier to lift in because the seat base and door opening to the roof are higher. You have the 2 seats in the boot for the Christmas tree run too.

These smaller MPVs are neater for car parks and city driving etc too. The Touran is ~300mm shorter and a little bit narrower than the Superb.


*yes, it's front wheel drive. So, off-topic - what is the tunnel actually used for? Wires, brake lines? Is it a dummy tunnel for 4WD versions?

grogi

hertz wrote: »

Hello

I am expecting twins and I already have a 2 year old. I will need to buy a car that can fit 3 baby seats in the back, preferably all in the one row. I was thinking of a large estate like the Hyundai i40 or skoda superb.

Does anyone have experience with this? Would an estate work or would a larger car be required?

Hertz

While the estates might acomodate three seats in the back, it will be far from comfortable nor stable. Those benches are designed with two people in mind, the third place is just an afterthought.

You should look into SUV or MPV market - Ford S-Max, Citroen C4 (Grand) Picasso, Peugeot 5008 and alike. They come with three separate seats in the back, each with ISO fix mount points. Plus your back will stress less trying to put the little ones in the back.

JC 3.14159 wrote: »

Look at the shape of the rear bench. The wheel arches push the isofix points inwards (you can see the little fabric tabs that mark the locations), so even though the car is wide, the baby seats do not fit near the door. You can also see how the high transmission tunnel* steals footroom. Most SUV's that I've seen are similar.

*yes, it's front wheel drive. So, off-topic - what is the tunnel actually used for? Wires, brake lines? Is it a dummy tunnel for 4WD versions?

Often it is there for optional 4x4. It might host exhaust pipes and provide additional stiffness for the body.

VB

There is a facebook group called Ireland Rear Facing Car seats that might be helpful. In the files section people have posted up cars that they have three car seats in and the make of seat.  The seats shown will all be rear facing seats, which the babies will be in anyway and is worth considering for your two year old.

I looked at skoda superb recently myself, only need for one car seat though and while people do get three seats in the back the middle seat is not a full seat and there is a high 'hump' in the back too. It ruled out getting two adults into the back with my car seat. Instead I went with the peugeot 5008 as there are three full seats in the middle row, all isofix so I can get the car seat and four adults into the car (six if I squash two more in the back row). 

Tony Kealys in Dublin and In car safety in Belfast are good for advice on fitting seats into different models of cars so might be worth giving them a shout too.

NIMAN

JC 3.14159 wrote: »

Judging by the threads here, a lot of people get this wrong - you don't need larger, you need more suitable.

This picture is of a skoda superb, about as wide an estate as you're likely to get: 
https://www.parkers.co.uk/PageFiles/158619/38_Superb_Combi_on_location.jpg

Look at the shape of the rear bench. The wheel arches push the isofix points inwards (you can see the little fabric tabs that mark the locations), so even though the car is wide, the baby seats do not fit near the door. You can also see how the high transmission tunnel* steals footroom. Most SUV's that I've seen are similar.

Compare that to a real MPV, even a relatively small one like a VW Touran:
https://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/fit/730x700/media/10487191/Volkswagen~Touran~(7).jpg
  
The seats are set forward of the wheel arches, so the usable width is much better. With carseats in each outer seat (Isofix) there's still reasonable room in the centre seat. There's a very slight bump in the floor so sitting in the middle seat is fine. Maybe the middle seat is a little bit narrower than the outer seats, I'm not sure about that.
Other advantages are being able to slide/tilt/flatten individual seats, plus the fact that baby seats are easier to lift in because the seat base and door opening to the roof are higher. You have the 2 seats in the boot for the Christmas tree run too.

These smaller MPVs are neater for car parks and city driving etc too. The Touran is ~300mm shorter and a little bit narrower than the Superb.


*yes, it's front wheel drive. So, off-topic - what is the tunnel actually used for? Wires, brake lines? Is it a dummy tunnel for 4WD versions?

The description of the Touran shows how they are perfect for families, but know of any cars which look like this in the back that haven't got 2 extra seats. Don't need a 7 seater.

grogi

NIMAN wrote: »

The description of the Touran shows how they are perfect for families, but know of any cars which look like this in the back that haven't got 2 extra seats. Don't need a 7 seater.

Citroen C4 (non-grand) Picasso. 5 seater, 3 seats in the back.

NIMAN

grogi wrote: »

Citroen C4 (non-grand) Picasso. 5 seater, 3 seats in the back.

Would the Renault Scenic 5 seat be the same?

Peugeot 3008?

grogi

NIMAN wrote: »

Would the Renault Scenic 5 seat be the same?

Almost. The middle seat is a bit narrower, without isofix. It might be different in newest generation though.

NIMAN wrote: »

3008?

No

screamer

OP we have twin toddlers and an older kid and we struggle in an i40. Totally impractical for twins plus extra kids. In fact as there are 2 car seats we are struggling to find a car that will allow the older kid to even get in easily past the baby seats. Family cars are a badly named thing indeed. Oh and TBH with twins an absolute nightmare to get parking spaces where you can open both doors to get kids in and out. I'd recommend something with sliding doors. We're looking at the newer model sharans and Alhambras at the moment cause I want something with poke (these have 2 litre engines) whereas a lot of mpvs are underpowered and secondly the spare seats come in handy when other passengers need to transported in addition to our own mob.

Have a look at a ford grand cmax as an option for yourself. 5 seats 3 across the back and sliding doors

Zoney

grogi wrote: »

Almost. The middle seat is a bit narrower, without isofix. It might be different in newest generation though.

We looked at the new 7 seater scenic, the middle seat is a 1 + 2 split bench in the second row (earlier model was independent seats). I'd assume 5 seater the same. My main quibble was simply the restricted forward view with large unit behind the rear view mirror.

Haven't tried the 5 seater c4 Picasso but very happy here with the seven seat one, even though we only occasionally use the back row. Good luggage space and the cabin is so airy with all the glass, as well as fantastic driving visibility. Each seat individually adjustable/foldable in ours, though I think some adjustments are trim level specific. Kids love the airline style tray tables with reading light, and the older child can easily walk across the middle to get out supervised on the same side as the younger one being unbuckled. Same for getting in, get all kids in from the one side (child lock to stop far door being opened).

Was hoping to stick to an estate car but after test driving one of these mpvs, the practicality was undeniable.

I think scenic and c4 look nice in good colour/trim. 5008 as ugly as anything, smax is meh except for pricier newest model. Touran about as boring as you could get.

SUVs we looked at, even 7 seaters have the hump/bench middle row, so not really three seats across.