Author Topic: Leg room up front with a carseat in back  (Read 11884 times)

MC

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Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« on: April 15, 2013, 02:04:45 PM »
Okay, since this group likes to provide input on car selection, I'm hoping for some good input here.  I've been through the threads talking about fitting multiple carseats, but I'm more concerned about comfort upfront with a seat behind you. 

We need to swap out our current car (2007 Infiniti G35), which is clearly not Mustachian, and move to something that is.  In addition to not being efficient, the front seat is not comfortable for me (6'3") with a carseat behind it.  We are expecting our second later this year, so I'm looking to use this added motivation to finally make this change.

We already have a car seat for our current child (2 yo) and a rear-facing for the baby.  The rear-facing seems to be the more problematic, but my daughter is already kicking the back of my chair in her current seat, so I think the back seat in our current car is the problem.

So, which cars provide the backseat room to have a carseat and allow good legroom to the front seat? 

Wesmon

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2013, 09:32:33 PM »
I'm 6'9" and feel your pain! Leg room and headroom are THE most important things to me when buying a car. That being said, Ford explorers have a lot of room and that is what I've always driven. We also have a good view which has even MORE room front and back. We currently have two car seats in the back.

JamesAt15

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2013, 09:56:19 PM »

JamesAt15

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2013, 10:20:49 PM »
MC - sorry, can't make any personal recommendations as my wife and I are both shorties so don't have your particular problem.

How about checking out a Prius? They have struck me as pretty long with good legroom when I have sat in one. MotorTrend lists an example 2004 Prius with a rear legroom value of 38.6 inches, which is a bit more than the 34.7 inches of the 2007 Infiniti G35, and pretty close to the 39.8 inches of a 2012 Ford Explorer.

chatsc

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2013, 05:53:54 AM »
neither of us our tall and our kids still kick the crap out of the back of our seats, and we have a conventional SUV.  I think it is more a phase, than a car problem.  My oldest doesnt do it all that much anymore but my middle does it constantly. 

tmac

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2013, 06:21:35 AM »
How about checking out a Prius? They have struck me as pretty long with good legroom when I have sat in one. MotorTrend lists an example 2004 Prius with a rear legroom value of 38.6 inches, which is a bit more than the 34.7 inches of the 2007 Infiniti G35, and pretty close to the 39.8 inches of a 2012 Ford Explorer.

I'm 5'10" and my husband is 6'2", and we had oodles of room in the Prius, even with multiple car seats.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2013, 06:22:55 AM »
I agree, the seat kicking issue is best solved with a little duct tape, and not an SUV.

;)

MC

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2013, 09:24:26 AM »
Thanks to everyone for the responses so far.  I guess I should clarify, that I'm more concerned about the general space with a car seat than I am the kicking. 

When we had the rear facing seat in the back, it was extremely uncomfortable for me to sit in the seat in front of it.  I'd like to have enough space to have the rear facing on either side.

chatsc

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2013, 09:30:28 AM »
what about putting the rear facing seat in the middle of the back seat?

MC

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2013, 11:22:11 AM »
what about putting the rear facing seat in the middle of the back seat?

Certainly an option.  I do intend to replace the Infiniti with something more cost appropriate, so I'll keep that in mind when checking cars for fit.

chatsc

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2013, 12:10:20 PM »
It is only a year or so.  Or less if you have a big baby.  (in Ontario, but I guess each province/state has their own regulations).

We have 3 kids all side by side in an SUV and, while they fight a lot, it is actually kind of handy.  They can pass each other things.  My oldest can help with the baby, giving him toys, food, looking at a book with him, etc.  but they fight a lot. 

snshijuptr

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2013, 09:46:10 PM »
The American Academy of Pediatrics (and some international groups) now recommend 2 years rear facing, or up to 40 lbs. I am facing a similar situation in the next couple years. My only recommendation so far is to plan to get a convertible car seat from the beginning and not one of those silly infant bucket seats. Convertibles are a single purchase for the child's entire life, they are smaller as they recline less, and they remove the temptation for the unhealthy practice of carrying babies around in their car seat. This is both bad for the parent's back and bad for the baby's head, spine, and hips.

I can say you can rule out the Honda Fit for 2 car seats. It has to be pulled up a couple inches with a convertible in the back.

MC

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2013, 07:33:39 AM »
We kept our daughter in the rear facing a bit short of 2 years.  She just grew in height to the point that her feet were up on the seat back.  I plan on using the rear facing for the baby because we have it.  Eventually, we'll probably find something for our daughter and use her current for the baby, when the baby outgrows the rear facing.

Thanks for the insight on carrying around the carseat.  We certainly did that with our first, and I had no idea.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2013, 08:53:35 AM »
I'm not a parent, but where do an almost 2 year old's legs and feet 'go' when they are in a rear-facing seat?  Do they have to cross them?  I've got an 18 month old nephew, and his legs are so long, I can't imagine having to put him in a rear-facing seat now, let alone for the next 6 months!

tmac

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Re: Leg room up front with a carseat in back
« Reply #14 on: April 18, 2013, 09:02:57 AM »
I'm not a parent, but where do an almost 2 year old's legs and feet 'go' when they are in a rear-facing seat?  Do they have to cross them?  I've got an 18 month old nephew, and his legs are so long, I can't imagine having to put him in a rear-facing seat now, let alone for the next 6 months!

My kids are big, and we had the same problem. As soon as they were touching the seat, I switched them to a front-facing seat. Seems unsafe to do otherwise.

 

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