The Toyota Yaris (known overseas as the Vitz, Vios, Belta, and Platz, depending on which generation and sedan/hatchback configuration you’re looking at) is a small yet surprisingly roomy and family-friendly car, and a large number of young parents are discovering that it can work quite well with one, two, or even three children. It competes with other minicars like the Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Ford Fiesta, Toyota Prius C, and Hyundai Accent, and does so well. It has a small ecological footprint for a car and is good on gas and easy on the wallet. I took it upon myself to find out how it dealt with car seats, especially when it came to putting 3 car seats in a Toyota Yaris.
You know the basics of best practices in car seat safety: rear-face as long as possible (ideally until 4!), and then forward-face as long as possible (ideally until 8!), and then booster until a regular belt fits your child (which typically happens between 10 and 12). These suggestions are based on research about what factors make kids most likely to survive serious crashes. I recommend them and live by them.
If you’re going to use the information above, however, you need to have a car seat or two or three to use for your kids. Here are all of the car seats I can say with certainty work with the Toyota Yaris over various years. I’ll add more seats to this list as I get to them, but here is what I’ve got so far, especially when it comes to 3 across installations in the Toyota Yaris. These combinations apply equally to the sedan and wagon (hatchback) versions of the Yaris.
You can access the complete 3 across guide for every vehicle here and the complete list of recommended seats here. I’ve put together a list of Canadian car seat recommendations here. 3 across car seat images are courtesy of Wikipedia.
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Toyota Yaris (XP130)
Guaranteed 3 across installations:
Clek Fllo (x3).
Clek Foonf (x3).
Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).
Clek Oobr (x3).
Diono Radian RXT (x3).
Diono Radian R120 (x3).
Diono Radian R100 (x3).
Combi Coccoro (x3).
Tips and Tricks:
This generation of the Toyota Yaris is 153 inches long and 67 inches wide in the hatchback, which will make a number of 3 across installations a challenge, if not impossible. However, it’s definitely possible to make it work in at least a few cases. Make sure to use seat belt installations for each car seat instead of LATCH installations, as you’re going to need every spare inch you can get. Also take your time to find combinations of seats that puzzle well together; the list above is, of course, only partially complete.
Definitely pick up an angle adjuster if you’re planning on rear-facing with a Radian; you’re not going to have any leg room as a driver or front-row passenger if you don’t have one of these installed.
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Toyota Yaris (XP90)
Guaranteed 3 across installations:
Clek Fllo (x3).
Clek Foonf (x3).
Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).
Clek Oobr (x3).
Diono Radian RXT (x3).
Diono Radian R120 (x3).
Diono Radian R100 (x3).
Combi Coccoro (x3).
Tips and Tricks:
This generation of the Toyota Yaris is 148 to 149 inches long in the hatchback and 169 inches long in the sedan. It measures 67 inches wide in both versions, which will make a number of 3 across installations a challenge, if not impossible. To put it practically, it’s as difficult for 3 across setups as the generation that follows it, and it’s a bit more difficult to obtain front-to-back space than the 2012+ generation.
However, as is the case in the following generation, it’s definitely possible to make puzzling 3 seats across the back seat work in at least a few cases. As usual, make sure to use seat belt installations for each car seat instead of LATCH installations, as you’re going to need every spare inch you can get.
Once again, definitely pick up an angle adjuster if you’re planning on rear-facing with a Radian; you’re not going to have any leg room as a driver or front-row passenger if you don’t have one of these installed.
A potential issue to keep in mind regarding the Radian in the center is that you might not be able to get a secure installation there; I’d personally go with a Fllo or Foonf in the center if possible, although it’s still technically possible with a Diono seat. The hump in the middle seat is what makes the installation difficult.
If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.