Baby number 3 - Now need to lose the Octavia.

[bora23]

Well Mrs Bora 23 is now expecting child number three and this now puts in a child seat issue 3 just won't fit nicely in the back of an Octavia and i think we need to get bigger. Anyone got any child friendly 3 seat recommendations? I like the idea of a Touran TDI but know very little about them, any advice is welcome.

[neilos100]

This is an issue I will have sometime in the future when we decide to go for the next one! (number 4).
I've been looking at the new Seat Alhambra...amazing car. Same as the Sharan but as it doesnt have VW on the bonnet is about 15% cheaper.7 seats, acres of room and still 50+mpg. Looks pretty good too and is Whatcars MPV of the year as well. SEAT Alhambra - 7 seater MPV - Award Winning MPV | SEAT.co.uk (http://www.seat.co.uk/content/uk/brand/en/models/alhambra/discover.html)
Unless Skoda come up with their long awaited MPV soon, this is what I'll be buying...SE LUX version obviously (has powered sliding doors and boot as well as full length sunroof and loads of other lovely gadgets!

Neil

[Hugie11]

We managed to get three car seats in the back of Octavia when we had it as a hire car a few months back. We have 11 month old twins and a 3 year old boy. The twins were in rear facing car seats and our older boy was in a maxi cosy high back booster.

The twins are now in a Britax Prince forward facing seats and our older boy continues in the Maxi cosy booster and we just get them in safely with the seat belts. The Britax Prince has a much slimmer base compared to other chunky child seats.

It really does come down to the type and make of car seat you use.

[kaztab]

Hi there,I would highly recommend the Seat Alhambra,there are few cars that can fit in 3 child seats across the back with ease,but the Alhambra can.We bring up our 4 and 5 year old Grandaughters,and have our one year old Grandaughter over for the day often,and our Grandson sleeps over once a fortnight,so a 7 seater was vital,I did buy a Volvo xc90 briefly,but found the diesel consumption unacceptably high{26mpg}plus,it was unusually ureliable for a Volvo,so went after 8 months,and we got an Alhambra,its quite old,53 reg,but has lots of spec,heated seats,privacy glass,{great for when the two little ones get changed in the back after gymnastics class} satnav,seven individual,sliding seats,which clip out if needed,{the modern ones fold flat now}ooooh,the list is endless!Is is also very reliable,a proper workhorse.It is a dream to drive,no body roll,despite its height,and well over 40mpg! When I win the Lotto,I am buying the SE LUX model,sunroof,sliding doors,the whole package!But for now,our vintage Alhambra will do VERY nicely,very highly recommended.Go for it,you will NOT be disappointed.x

[Duncan.B]

We are having the same problem at the moment. I have no idea how to install three car seats. Until now we had the Baby car seat on the front seat and my wife sat in the middle seat in the back but for long journeys this is just not comfortable anymore.
Now we need 1 car seat in Group 1 and two car seats in Group 2, the older one might as well get a Group 2/3 seat already. I would love at least one reboarder for the little one but I think this is impossible, isn't it?
On prams.net (http://www.prams.net) the smallest seat I could find was the Chicco XSpace with 41 cm. Does anyone have a car seat recommmendation with very small measurements?

Thanks in advance!
Duncan

[kaztab]

Hi Duncan,we have 5 Recaro Young Sport child seats in our Seat Alhambra,to accomodate our growing brood of Grandchildren! I find them quite narrow,but comfortable,as they are very well padded all over,I despise hard,plasticky seats for the little ones,we have comfy seats,so why shouldnt they? I have heard Nania child seats are fairly narrow too,but if you are thinking of changing your car,then you would be going for a seven seater anyway probably,the ones with 7 individual,sliding chairs are best,as they are much wider and roomier anyway,so you wont have to buy narrow child seats,but if you do get a seven seater,make sure they dont just have a bench seat across the middle row,make sure they have proper,individual seats,or it may be too narrow to fit the narrowest of 3 child seats across.Always remember to make sure the airbag on the front passenger seat has a de activation switch too,as airbags can go off at a speed of 200 miles an hour,and be fatal to a child,so never put a child in the front seat unless you can de activate the airbag with a switch.Good luck in your search! Karen x