Finding a car with safe accommodations for three child car seats can be a challenge. Be sure to line up the seats and measure the car seats before going car shopping to insure that the new car will accommodate them. Also, be sure to check the number of latch anchors in the vehicle’s back seat. New or different car seats can also be the answer as the sizes of car seats vary, so shop around for the smaller-based or narrower ones, such as Sunshine Kids Radian 65.
For those parents who still want their vehicle to be a car rather than a minivan, many mid-size sedans offer large enough back seats that can accommodate three car seats.
The Ford Five Hundred has a roomy 20-cubic-foot trunk space for child accessories, and the slightly elevated ride height makes it easier to put the children into their seats.
The Toyota Camry offers wide doors, plenty of rear leg room and flat, soft, large seat cushions that easily hold bulky car seats. It also features a middle-seat set of lock anchors for the third car seat.
The Honda Accord's back seat has perfectly contoured cushions for car seats and lots of leg room.
Two other mid-size sedans that can hold three car seats are the Honda CR-V and the Toyota Avalon.
Wagons are still a popular option for families with multiple-car-seat needs.
The Dodge Magnum features deep, flat, back seats for easy car-seat installation and lots of leg room.
A list of other popular wagons include the: Volkswagon Passat, Volvo Wagon, Ford Focus Wagon, Subaru Forester and Chevrolet Malibu Maxx.
Many parents extol their minivans for the extra room to maneuver seats, kids and their paraphernalia, and they don’t mind the higher gas mileage because the van offers convenience, especially during long trips.
The Mazda 5 remains a great favorite. These compact minivans have three rows of seating with enough room for two car seats in the second row and one seat in the third row. However, these vehicles have limited cargo space, and the third row is a bit cramped.
More than one reviewer loved their Chevrolet Venture, which fits three car seats in the middle row and another three in the back row, if needed, or the back bench can be removed to accommodate groceries, or a bulky double stroller.
Like the Chevy Venture, the Honda Odyssey has an eight-passenger model with three rows of seats, also, and seats are flat, deep and multi-adjustable.
The Dodge Grand Caravan is longer and has more storage area than the regular Caravan, but is still easy to maneuver.
Although compact, the boxy-shape of the Scion xB minivan offers more head room and space for that extra car seat at an easily affordable price.
The Toyota Sienna minivan can hold up to eight passengers, and the models with second-row benches are designed to accommodate three car seats.
Many families with multiple tots and infants opt for SUVs. The one drawback with SUVs is that many third rows are not safe for child car seats.
The Ford Freestyle, although not too powerful, has plenty of leg space and a roomy bench seat option for the second row. However, the Car Seat Lady warns that this SUV is the worst for cargo safety.
Ford Escape Hybrid is easier on the gas mileage than its Ford Escape counterpart, but they both offer rear outboard latch, tethers and anchors for child seats.
Other suitable SUVs include the Chevrolet Equinox, the (eight-passenger) Toyota Sienna, Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander and the Volvo XC90.
