3u3 (or those needing 3 car seats in vehicle)

saturdaynightdoubletree · May 2012

What do you drive? I'm currently in a 2011 Toyota Highlander Limited and fit 2 car seats fine, but can't find anywhere if the car will handle 3 car seats. I've read the manual without much help and searched online to find conflicting results. I know for sure I could fit a booster seat in the third row, but that won't be an option for another few years. Do I need to buy a new car? Any more valid sites to check this info out on? TIA!

celiabwatson · May 2012

I think at Toys R Us you can test the carseats to see if they fit in your vehicle, maybe that would help?

kcisthebombdotcom · May 2012

I don't personally have 3u3, but I have a friend with an SUV who has 3 kids in carseats. I think with the right model of carseat you can pull it off. The Radian is really narrow.

https://www.amazon.com/Diono-RadianR100-Convertible-Seat-Stone/dp/B005MQR794

Daisy22 · May 2012

We have a 2011 Honda Pilot. We have a Britax Marathon 70 behind driver seat, Britax Frontier in the middle, and chicco key fit behind the passenger. All are using the latch positions. Our Pilot has 3 latch positions in the middle row and 2 in the 3rd row. We could possibly put ds1 in his britax frontier in the 3rd row which we might do at some point.

CaitlinJ22 · May 2012

we have an odyssey, but if you dont want to buy another car I would try the diono seats.

saturdaynightdoubletree · May 2012

Thanks for all the feedback. Our third row doesn't have anchors for tether straps, so only booster seats can be installed there. Our middle row has two LATCH but 3 anchors, so I'm assuming that the middle seat can have a car seat installed using the seat belt, it's just not clear based on the manual.

CaitlinJ22 · May 2012

some dealers will install an extra tether...just an idea. Or you could put a rear facing child back there...which seams lonely to me but if its works..

MammaBear81 · May 2012

We can fit a peg perego infant seat (right) Combi coccoro (middle) and a Safety first Hybrid Booster (5pt harness turns into a high back booster) (left) in our Civic, so I'd assume that you could fit all three in the middle row of your highlander. I wouldn't put anyone in the third row, it's just going to be a PITA to get them in and out. Our main car is a van, but we have 5, so a regular car/SUV isn't an option for us.

Just one thing to consider, with 3 kids when you go on trips packing 3 kids and all the stuff that goes with them isn't all that easy. When we had three kids we switched to a van, and even with 5 kids we can still pack everything in one car for a weeks vacation, including the double stroller and 2 pack n plays. I know most people don't NEED a van, but it makes a lot of things easier Stick out tongue

NavyPilotWife · May 2012

I have a crossover with a third row. In my third row, I can fit an infant seat (not on the base) or a forward facing convertible. I can sometimes fit three car seats across the second row, if one is an infant seat (without the base to make it narrower). I'm guessing you don't have much of a trunk with your third row up? I can fit an umbrella stroller in my "trunk" with my third row up, which wouldn't be very helpful with 3u3.

Radians are narrow car seats. You'd probably be able to fit three of them across your backseat. You can start with one Radian, one of your current convertibles, and an infant seat and see if that fits. If not, try two. While two new car seats is a big expense, it's cheaper than a new car.

Cilley · May 2012

I know a mama who has 3u3 and she has 2 Sunshine Radian carseats. She said that 3 across will work.

mamabirdof4 · May 2012

Just because their is no latch doesn't mean you can't put a seat in the 3rd row...we have no latch in our third row....we just use seat belts. I have 4 under 4 so all 4 are in car seats still...our big kids seat in the third row in graco nautiluis and then the twins are in graco my rides in the 2nd row.