I know this is an older thread but do you know if you could put the two car seats you have on the right and left together (one on an end and one in the middle? Then save the other end seat for an adult, or to tumble for access to rear row? I have the exact same car seats and I’m considering a 2018 LC but want to get a realistic idea of what it would be like.
Three child seats across the 2nd row
- Thread starter Lopov87
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You can make them fit middle+side to allow an adult to sit in the second row. However, it will be too tight to allow the second row seat to tumble forward for 3rd row access.
Ok good to know. Is it comfortable for an average height/weight woman to sit next to the car seats (whether sandwiched in between them or to the side? I suppose my wife could also pull the middle seat down and climb to the third row that way too mid-drive? Thanks for replying I really appreciate it
The middle row splits in two, not three. There is not way to pull the middle seat of middle row down without also folding the side seat.
As an owner of a minivan and 200, the minivan is a way better family companion for those younger car seat ages. In a minivan you can walk between the seats, leave the car seats in permanently, and store all 17 open juice boxes at one time. Along with a mammoth stroller in the back.
The middle section of the seat-back on my 17 LX does fold down which makes it slightly less difficult to get into the third row (though the seat bottom itself is still in place, part of the 60% driver’s side seat). Does the LC middle section seat-back not do this?
Perhaps I misunderstood. Fold flat forward, yes. Tumble independently, no. And in my 2009, the middle and driver side are one piece, so those two tumble/fold flat together
Bringing this one back up for the three-ups out there. We've got a 4 year old and a 2 year old which have been fine in forward or rear facing seats. Looks like we've got numero tres on the way, so we'll need to have two forward and one rear facing. My assumption is rear facing on the passenger side, smaller seat for the to-be 5 year old in the middle, and to-be 3 year old on the driver side. Seems feasible from the pictures, but I don't think I saw rear facing in the mix unless I missed it. Those seem to be a little larger if memory serves...
But to expand on the conversation, what are you folks doing for gear? These children love their gear. Diaper bags, strollers, wagons, blah blah. I've got the third row seats stowed away in storage (may drop one back in later in life once all kiddos are mobile), so I am considering another drawer system. I've got one in my 80 and love it - in my mind I'm thinking drawer system to hold all the odds and bits with a now "clean" (albeit raised) platform for the stroller and grocery runs.
Or if we can't make it work, I'll take the 200 back for another toy and get the kids a minivan
But to expand on the conversation, what are you folks doing for gear? These children love their gear. Diaper bags, strollers, wagons, blah blah. I've got the third row seats stowed away in storage (may drop one back in later in life once all kiddos are mobile), so I am considering another drawer system. I've got one in my 80 and love it - in my mind I'm thinking drawer system to hold all the odds and bits with a now "clean" (albeit raised) platform for the stroller and grocery runs.
Or if we can't make it work, I'll take the 200 back for another toy and get the kids a minivan
That’s exactly what I did when I had two forward and one rear facing. No problem getting it all to fit. I like the diono slim seat for the oldest in the middle. Now all three are forward facing and I have regular sized forward facing on each side and the slim still in the middle. I have a drawer in the back, but I keep mostly off road gear, tools, jump box etc. in the drawer and all the kids stuff just goes on top. My 3rd row is also removed. The cruiser is my wife’s daily, so the kids stuff is just haphazardly thrown in there to my dismay. Can’t help on organization ideas since there isn’t any in the back of mine.
Would also highly recommend the Diono car seats. Fit easily 3 across with no issues.
I was going to say the Diono seats supposedly can fit 3 across the middle. I haven't done it, but at one point had two and the middle looked to be just enough width to fit a third. You're definitely going to want to have the rear facing on one of the sides as unfortunately this will make it more useable vs "safest" imo.
probably so, since there aren't anchors in the middle seat. currently, I just have the one Diono in the middle and a graco rear facing on one side and a graco 4 ever on the other side. Zero issues fitting, but I plan to replace them with Dionos when the kids get bigger. I haven't tried it yet, but it also looks like I could easily fold down the side seat with the Diono in the middle.
Funny, your situation truly is exactly ours. Wife drives the 200 each day as a kid hauling machine. She can't imagine losing the tailgate for diaper changes, roadside portable potty action, etc.
Rear facing on the side will be the way to go - passenger side specifically as it won't fit behind the driver seat when I'm driving (who am I kidding, she never lets me drive it...)
I hadn't realized there aren't anchors in the middle. Good call out.
I have to say a minivan or an SUV with captain's chairs in middle row is a better overall utility fit for daily driving. Minivans in particular ease a lot things which are awkward in an SUV, like putting in those BOB double strollers, pack n plays, and other bulky young kid things. I had both a 200 and a minivan at the same time . . . so it's a first hand comparison.
Our 3 kids did not like the 3rd row, they'd rather sit across, eventually I just took the 3rd row out. I'm not sure why this was, but I think it was that the 3rd row is really disconnected from the conversation in the car, which is different from the feel with an open center row like captains chairs have.
Good news is older minivans, such as the Hyundai Entourage or Kia Sedona from from the 2006 - 2009 years aren't very expensive, have a tone of airbags, and a 250 hp V6 engine that'll light up the front tires.
Our 3 kids did not like the 3rd row, they'd rather sit across, eventually I just took the 3rd row out. I'm not sure why this was, but I think it was that the 3rd row is really disconnected from the conversation in the car, which is different from the feel with an open center row like captains chairs have.
Good news is older minivans, such as the Hyundai Entourage or Kia Sedona from from the 2006 - 2009 years aren't very expensive, have a tone of airbags, and a 250 hp V6 engine that'll light up the front tires.
My wife's sister has the Tahoe (Suburban?) with the extended size, captains chairs, etc. for her gaggle of boys. That thing is a Greyhound bus. Hilarious to watch this little 5' woman whip it around.
The answer is minivan. I think the 200 has done well for the two, but I think we'll be pushing the boundaries of function with three - especially when I'm in the truck as a full family as the passenger seat is now occupied by a human instead of a bag of snacks and toys.
Likely what we'll do is run the 200 and gradually transition it back to me to get her a van.
the odyssey is our family hauler and the interior space/design is miles better than the 200 (hard to admit). Even the trunk space is incredible and it has a removable middle seat in the second row.
+1 on Diono seats. A friend has three of them forward-facing in his ~2022 Highlander, which I'd imagine is noticeably smaller than a 200 series.
We've got a Diono Radian 3QXT+ in each car right now and really like the seats. Paid $700 CAD for the first one on Amazon, and got the second later, from the same Amazon page, for $325. If you're not in a rush it's worth waiting for a sale. The sale purchase was on August 22, 2024; might be an annual thing.
We've got a Diono Radian 3QXT+ in each car right now and really like the seats. Paid $700 CAD for the first one on Amazon, and got the second later, from the same Amazon page, for $325. If you're not in a rush it's worth waiting for a sale. The sale purchase was on August 22, 2024; might be an annual thing.
They definitely can be had for less when on sale. I just trade in our old infant car seats at target and you get a 20% discount on the next car seat (discount can be used twice as well).
Not to veer too out of bounds, but Odyssey and Sienna are the two top choices in my eyes. Can't really decern why one over the other, but Odyssey just feels like OG van and has an inherit gravitation.
In my 2015 LX, we currently have two rear-facing car seats in the second row and we still have room for the passenger side seat to tumble forward to access the third row. We have two Graco Slimfit3 LX seats in the second row (middle and behind the driver). They are very slim, and I'm quite happy with them. On long trips, my wife sits in back with the infant and three year old so she can help them if they need anything. It's very convenient and comfortable for everyone and makes long distance trips with the baby much easier.
