Chicco and a Jetta

ipookie8 · April 2012

Hello-- FTM here.

I have a 2005 VW Jetta (the 2.0-- not the newer version) and I recently went to BRU to try out the Keyfit 30 (Gemini) carseat in the back/middle seat.

I'm pretty set on getting the Chicco as it came highly recommended by my aunt who's a nurse who teaches car seat safety classes at the hospital. We have a Britax Chaperone that we were given as a gift, but that definitely will not fit in my car-- so DH will use it in his truck...

Anyways, DH is over 6ft tall and although I'm only 5'4, I like to ride with my seat back pretty far. It was impossible to get the car seat in with the seat configuration we had. I had to move the passenger seat (where DH normally sits) so far forward that I just know DH wouldn't fit, and the driver side seat also had to be moved way forward (uncomfortably).

Has anyone else had experience with the Chicco keyfit 30 car seats and a Jetta (or a similar small 4-door car) ? I'm sure if we manipulated the seats' positions around enough we could probably find something that works, but I don't want it to be this massive hassle each time I get the car seat in and out of the car!

I'm also at a toss-up between the Chicco Keyfit 30 in Gemini and the Chicco Keyfit 30 Magic (the newer one with the bigger canopy and different insert)... Does anyone have pros/cons for either/or car seat?

I appreciate your insight in the matter!

eawilson · April 2012

We've used the Chicco Keyfit 30 for the past 11 months in a Pontiac Vibe, which may be comparable to a Jetta. I'm really not sure.

We ended up putting the seat behind the passenger because that's where we could put it and use the latch system and have the seats reasonable. We did have to have the passenger seat pretty far up since the carry handle needs to be folded back when the carseat is in the car. It was ok for my nearly 6 ft tall husband, but not overly comfortable. If we went places in my car, he'd drive and I'd ride in the passenger seat. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. I really liked the Keyfit and will be using it again if I have a second baby before it expires. It's very easy to get in and out of the base.

We didn't have the Magic because I don't think it was offered when we purchased a year ago. So I have no insight on that.

superned · April 2012

eawilson:
We've used the Chicco Keyfit 30 for the past 11 months in a Pontiac Vibe, which may be comparable to a Jetta. I'm really not sure.
We ended up putting the seat behind the passenger because that's where we could put it and use the latch system and have the seats reasonable. We did have to have the passenger seat pretty far up since the carry handle needs to be folded back when the carseat is in the car. It was ok for my nearly 6 ft tall husband, but not overly comfortable. If we went places in my car, he'd drive and I'd ride in the passenger seat. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. I really liked the Keyfit and will be using it again if I have a second baby before it expires. It's very easy to get in and out of the base.
We didn't have the Magic because I don't think it was offered when we purchased a year ago. So I have no insight on that.

Ditto this, except we have a Toyota Matrix (which is the same body as the Vibe) and our first seat was a Graco Snugride 32. This time I have a Keyfit 30 because the footprint is a smidge smaller so the seat can go a little bit further back. My DH is 6'4" (I'm 5'4"), so it's cramped for him, but that's how we had to make it work.

(Thankfully, DH just got a new Subaru Outback wagon so we'll have something a little bigger for two RF seats when we go places as a family. The backseat of my Matrix is going to be pretty tight!)

darmca · April 2012

My brother (6'2) and his wife (5'9) had a 2000 Jetta and one of them always had to ride in back with LO- they wouldn't fit in the front (they have a Snugride32). They recently got a 2006ish Jetta and they can both fit up front now. Common problem from what I understand. I have a big car (Buick Lacrosse) and with the infant seat my DH (6'4) had to drive (we had the seat on the passenger side) but I could fit in the front passenger seat (I'm only 5'4)