Car shopping and car seats

nda_roxybabe · December 2016

We're looking to get me a new SUV. I have a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it's gots to go. I need something newer, with AC in the back, and just something nicer. We've been looking at a newer Jeep GC like a 2015. I am concerned about room for extended RF-ing though. I'd like to hear your SUV's you'd recommend that can fit an extended RF-ing or better yet, if you have a GC, how does it fit?

pshaortao · December 2016

I'm completely clueless on GC. If you have facebook you could reach out at the car seat for the littles group about this? I think the main thing is the carseat needs to be installed and fit properly without the back of it touching the seat(s) in front of them. Basically you just want something with a high RF max that will fit properly. If it matters, I have the Britax Boulevard Clicktight with a max of 49" and 40lb for RF in an 07 CRV and DD has plenty of time before she has to be turned around, AND she's big for her age too.

NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot · December 2016

I also know nothing about the GC and I don't even know what size it is. We have DD RF'ing in a Graco Milestone in my Rav4 and there's plenty of room. She's in a Chico NextFit in DH's VW Rabbit, which is tiny. I'm not sure if she could RF in either vehicle behind the driver if DH were the driver, but he's a tall guy.

ETA: Just realized GC = Grand Cherokee. I still know nothing about it. But I do know what size it is.

psherman42wwsa · December 2016

My cousin has a GC and has 2 kids in car seats.. 1 of them still RF at almost 2. I've been a passenger in her car in front of the RF car seat and I was sitting comfortably. I don't believe there is a ton of extra room but it does work. Probably does depend on your car seat and how far up/back you want your seats. I have a diono radian and the angle adjuster, it makes the child sit more upright but it does give you extra room for your seats in the front. I also am looking at upgrading to a larger vehicle and I contacted the dealership today actually to ask about the GC and Durango.

MTB16 · December 2016

I have a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I'm about to trade it in for the 17 JGC Overland model. Plans are to get the Uppababby and there will absolutely be more than enough room in the back for that!

Kipperoo · December 2016

We had a Mini Cooper as our only car before DS's arrival and bought a Subaru Forester as our primary car shortly before he was born. It's worked really well for the past 2 years, but now we worry with a second car seat that we are already in need of an SUV with an additional row of seating. That may not be something that concerns you if you don't frequently travel with passengers. We have a lot of out of town family and I fear that the logistics of carrying around our visitors is about to get a little...difficult with 2 car seats.

nda_roxybabe · December 2016

Thanks everyone! @Kipperoo I really want something with 3rd row for family/ the nieces/ the etc, but H thinks it's unnecessary. If there's something in our price range (unlikely) that offers it, we will definitely consider!

rebecca517-2 · December 2016

@nda_roxybabe We just looked at the 2017 Kia Sorento. It was nice. It has a 3rd row which we liked for when we have family visiting but would probably keep it down and have more cargo space when its just us. It looks great, drives well and you get more for your buck.

WombThereItIs · December 2016

We have a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland.

My 2 year old is RF in a Diono Radian RXT which while narrow still has a wicked recline. With the angle adjuster it fits very well. We have him on the passenger side and even though I have long legs I'm still very comfortable in the front seat.

I doubt it we will have a problem moving him over when we add the infant seat but may switch him FF at that time, I haven't tried it yet but I'll take a look at how far forward the passenger seat is compared to the drivers seat tonight. I don't think we would lose much drivers space with him TF behind the driver anyway.

We were just in the market for a new SUV before deciding on the Jeep and our runner up was the Toyota Highlander. The back was very spacious and car seat friendly.

ETA: we have a loaner Kia Sorrento while the Jeep is getting new tires and the space is okayish. It has the third row option but I have to crank the passenger seat much farther up to accommodate for the RF car seat than I do in the Jeep. I'm not a fan.

His last car was a Lexus RX 330 and also worked well with car seats.

Kipperoo · December 2016

Does anyone have a Honda Pilot? I'm not sure we're really going to go for a 3rd row, but I'm curious if anyone has it/has thoughts about it...

RainyDays86 · December 2016

@Kipperoo I don't know anyone with a Pilot but when I was researching good cars for families a while back the Pilot came back again and again as a car people love. I was specifically Googling "good cars for twins not minivan" because while we won't have twins, we will have two rear-facing for at least six months and I wasn't getting any results that way. A lot of people on a lot of different boards recommended the Pilot as having enough space for two rear-facing carseats. We decided to stick it out with my current car for the six months or so that we'll have two RF, but if we were in the market I would be test driving the Pilot based on everything I read about it.

Kipperoo · December 2016

@RainyDays86, thanks for the thoughts! We will have 2 RF for like 6 months (I'm guessing)...we can definitely make in work in our Forester, I just see us needing to possibly take 2 kids plus 2 friends somewhere, or needing to pick people up from the airport...IDK. We aren't in the market yet, but I have a feeling we'll be there soon, haha...

mamatowildones · December 2016

We got a Ford Flex last year and I LOVE it!!! Fits the car seats perfectly and my 6'4" husband can drive it comfortably with a car seat behind him. Also has a 3rd row and seats 7.

RainyDays86 · December 2016

@Kipperoo yeah if DH didn't already have a big car (4 Runner) I would probably be looking into something bigger for me that very reason. Since we're potentially going to have a 3rd after this one I'm still looking around, but I think we'll wait a bit. In the meantime we'll use DH's car for transporting adults and mine for transporting kids and hope that we don't run into a situation where we need to do transport both adults and kids in the same car because we'll be S.O.L.

inomniaparatus2 · December 2016

DH just got a 2017 Explorer sport and loves it. Not much bigger than my small SUV and has buttons to flip up a third row and has trunk space. We have two dogs, one that's 130# so she will eventually get the third row when baby comes. Put my friends car seat in and had lots of room and was way easy to pop in and out. We figured with all of us traveling to Michigan a lot we need room for us, baby stuff and our stuff so we needed the extra room. Wouldn't all fit in my car. It's tight now.

KMD1106 · December 2016

I have a 2014 Ford Escape and it is WAY too small for rf. DD was rf until she turned 3 in August and MH could barely fit in the front seat. It was definitely not comfortable for him. My lease is up in March, so we'll likely be getting a Ford Edge. I'm not sure I'm ready for the big Explorer yet, but maybe after this next lease is up.

achays11 · December 2016

We have 2007 and 2011 CRVs. DD is still RFing and her Graco 4ever seat fits just fine with both driver and passenger seats all the way back (MH and I both have long legs). I'm a little nervous about how much space we will actually have in the car with two car seats in there, but the truck is very spacious.

My I was considering getting a Pilot for the third row, however our friends drive one with three kids and said that they have to keep the third row down to have enough room in the trunk. If/when we upgrade I will probably look at a Yukon or a Suburban.

chickyclg · December 2016

@Kipperoo I have a Pilot

Kipperoo · December 2016

@chickyclg, ooh! Do you like it? It's been on our radar for the last year or so...I'm most concerned about it feeling really big to drive. We live in the Boston area and some of the streets are SUPER narrow...

chickyclg · December 2016

@Kipperoo I don't feel like it is any bigger to drive than my old Ford Edge. It's definitely not like driving my SILs suburban or DHs truck. DH wasn't ready for a minivan so we needed something that could latch 3 across since we were planning on trying for #3 around when the twins were 18 months. With the third row up I can also stand my double strollers up but it is a little tight, but doable) and still have room to place a single stroller back there. I typically keep the 3rd row down with my big stroller standing up strapped to the side and it allows a ton of room in the back.

cclaineDC · December 2016

Can anyone recommend an infant or convertible carseat that will fit in a small car, like a Hyundai Accent?

NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot · December 2016

@cclaineDC DH drives a VW Rabbit and we've had a graco click snugride 35 and a RF'ing Chico nextfit in his car behind the passenger seat. I think our Graco Milestone would be fine too, but we've never tried it in his car. It's gets a little tighter if you want to put it behind the driver.

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