3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Will Fit a Chrysler 200?

August 1, 2015 Mike

The Chrysler 200 was (until its discontinuation) one of the most popular American mid-sized sedans in the US market. It competes strongly with more established offerings like the Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Jetta, Nissan Altima, and Volkswagen Passat when it comes to safe, reliable, and mid-sized family-friendly transportation. The initial generation 200 was the template for the now-defunct Dodge Avenger, which means the 3 across guide below for the 1st generation 200 will also work for the Avenger, although the 2nd generation 200 guide is unique to the Chrysler 200.

I’ve been impressed with the Chrysler 200 for a while, given the fact that it’s one of few pre-2010 cars that debuted with a good small overlap score in its 1st generation. The current Chrysler 200 scores well in a variety of safety tests, including strong moderate frontal overlap scores, side impact scores, roof strength scores, and frontal crash prevention systems in the higher optional trims. In other words, this is one of the best examples of a safe mid-sized car on the market.

Given its good design, I wanted to find out how well the Chrysler 200 does as a family car when it comes to installing 3 car seats across the back seats. Before looking into the results, however, here is a primer on best practices in car seat safety.

First of all, car seat safety begins with rear-facing. It’s the safest position for both children and adults, and I recommend rear-facing your kids as long as you possibly can (ideally until 4!) before turning them forward. Once you start forward-facing, I also suggest keeping that up as long as possible (ideally until 8!) before you start using booster seats. When you do booster, I recommend keeping that up until your kids can pass the 5-step test for using the adult seat belt (which typically happens between 10 and 12). These suggestions keep your kids restrained in safer positions for longer periods of time, which increases their odds of survival in a crash.

With that in mind, I set out to try all of the car seats at my disposal to see which 3 across installations would fit well in a Chrysler 200, and put my list below together. The good news is that there are a range of infant, convertible, front-facing harnessed, and booster seats you’ll be able to get into the back row without trouble. If you find the list helpful when shopping for car seats, you can shop through my Amazon link below. I’ll add more seats as I test them over time.

You can access the complete 3 across guide for every vehicle here and the complete list of recommended seats here. The Canadian car seat guide is here. 3 across car seat images are courtesy of Wikipedia and yours truly.

2015, 2016, 2017 Chrysler 200

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT, Chicco KeyFit 30, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Snugride 35, Diono Radian / RXT.

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Evenflo Triumph.

Tips and Tricks:

The current generation of the Chrysler 200 is just over 192 inches long and just under 74 inches wide, giving parents a generous amount of side-to-side room for most 3 across car seat installations. You’ll definitely want to use your seat belts instead of LATCH lower anchors to take full advantage of this space however, as the LATCH anchors will rob you of outboard space due to their close placement.

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Chrysler 200

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT, Chicco KeyFit 30, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Snugride 35, Diono Radian / RXT.

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Evenflo Triumph.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2011-2014 generation of the Chrysler 200 is just under 192 inches long in the sedan (195 inches long in the convertible) and just over 72 inches wide, giving parents a decent amount of side-to-side room for many 3 across car seat installations, even though it’s 1.5 inches narrower than the following generation. You’ll definitely want to use your seat belts instead of LATCH lower anchors to take full advantage of this space however, as the LATCH anchors will rob you of outboard space due to their close placement.

Given the fact that the 1st generation of the Chrysler 200 is little more than a restyled version of the 3rd generation of the Chrysler Sebring, most car seats that fit in the 200 in this generation will also work in the Sebring, as well as in the Dodge Avenger, which is basically a Chrysler 200 with a slightly modified exterior and interior.

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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.

The Most Dangerous Drivers in the US:16-29 year-old Men

July 30, 2015 Mike

Road safety is a passion of mine, and is the driving force behind why I created this blog. I’ve written extensively about car seat selection and safe vehicle choices and technologies, but I’ve also extensively advocated for the need to improve our cultural attitudes toward safe and sustainable transportation in order to make our streets and communities safe for everyone (especially those who can’t or won’t drive, such as children, cyclists, the elderly and disabled, and so on).

This entry, as a result, is part of a series about driving in the United States, and the people on our roads who make such driving (and road use) more or less safe. Today’s focus is on the most dangerous drivers in the United States: young men between the ages of 16 and 29. This is a large and influential demographic in our country, and it’s worth looking into how and why they’re dangerous, and what we can do to make them safer, in order to make the roads safer for everyone.

Which drivers are most likely to be involved in fatal vehicle crashes?

According to an IIHS analysis of USDOT Fatality Analysis Reporting System data, male drivers are universally more likely to be involved in fatal collisions per mile driven than female drivers, as reflected by the 2.1 per 100 million miles traveled rate for male drivers compared to the 1.4 per 100 million miles traveled rate for female drivers. In other words, for every mile driven, a male driver is 50% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a female driver. That’s bad enough. But things get even worse when we look at younger drivers.

How dangerous are teenage drivers (male and female)?

Look at the chart closely, and you’ll notice that the two highest rates of fatal crash involvements, and they’re the two highest by a long shot, belong to male drivers. A 16 to 19 year-old male driver is nearly 2x more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than a 16 to 19-year-old female driver. However, a 20 to 29-year-old male is still more than 1.5x more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than a 16 to 19-year-old female driver. The average male driver doesn’t experience a lower rate of fatal crash involvement than the average 16 to 19-year-old female driver until he’s at least 30 years old.

To put it another way, the average male driver is a greater risk on the road, per mile driven, than any other driver, from the moment he gets his license until the day he turns 30. That’s 14 years of being more dangerous than a senior driver of either gender, and that’s 14 years of being more dangerous than a teenage female driver.

This is sobering, but it’s so important to keep in mind. Every day, it’s common to hear talk among people and throughout the news about how dangerous “seniors” are behind the wheel, or how bad “teenagers” are when it comes to taking driving seriously. This paints an incomplete picture of the facts.

While it’s true that there are certainly some poor elderly drivers and that teenage boys and girls are the demographics most likely to be involved in fatal collisions within their genders, a look at the numbers reveals a more accurate picture. And that picture indicates that male teens and young adults are far more likely to be reckless drivers than drivers of any other gender or age group. I’ve written about this before.

How do we make male drivers under 30 safer, more responsible, or at least less dangerous?

That’s a great question, and it’s one with a range of possible answers. For me, one of the most pressing answers involves awareness and education. As I noted above, most people aren’t aware of how often men under 30 are involved in fatal collisions, and many more paint all seniors or teens with too broad of a brush, mistakenly believing they’re the reasons our roads are unsafe.

The truth is, however, that all men are a greater risk at every age than the equivalent female demographic, and that men under 30 are particularly risky drivers. Spreading the word of this truth, from my perspective, is the first step toward creating a culture of safer drivers.

As a male driver, I’ve lived through the two most risky demographics for my gender, and I can easily affirm that my peers didn’t take driving nearly as seriously as it merited, and neither did I more times than I’m proud to admit. But we need to make a change. Too much is at stake on our roads to keep driving the way we do.

Once we start having this discussion, the topic of how to drive safely can then be raised. It’s one the men of this country need to hear.

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If you find my information on best practices in car and car seat safety helpful, you can buy my books here or do your shopping through this Amazon link. Canadians can shop here for Canadian purchases. It costs nothing extra to do so, but when you shop through my links, a small portion of your purchase, regardless of what you buy, will go toward the maintenance of The Car Crash Detective.

3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Will Fit in an Audi A4?

July 29, 2015 Mike

The Audi A4 is one of the most popular mid-sized luxury sedans (and station wagons in the case of the A4 Avant) sold today in the United States, competing head to head with fellow mid-sized luxury sedans (and hatchbacks) like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Volvo S60, Volvo V60, and BMW 3 Series. It received the honorable distinction of being only the 4th car ever estimated by the IIHS to have had a driver death rate of zero during the 2008-2011 model years. In other words, it’s a very safe car as well as a very stylish one.

Given its well-deserved reputation for safety, it’s no surprise a number of parents turn to the A4 to keep their children safe on the road. I had the privilege of reviewing a few generations of the A4 this week to put through their paces in the very practical quest of fitting 3 car seats across its back row of seats. My results are below, and I was quite happy with them. Before reviewing them, however, a quick review of best practices in seating choices is always useful.

I always advocate beginning with rear-facing, and continuing to do so with young children for as long as possible (ideally until 4!). After rear-facing, next comes forward-facing in harnessed convertible or combination seats (ideally until 8!). Once kids are too big for forward-facing harnessed seats, booster seats are the next step until they pass the 5-step test for using adult vehicle seats and adult seat belts (which typically happens between 10 and 12). The longer you keep your kids safely restrained, the better their odds of crash survival.

Keeping these principles in mind, I made it my goal to see just how 3-across friendly the back seat of the Audi A4 was. Given the lack of information about the A4 on the Internet when it comes to infant, convertible, combination, and booster-seat compatibility, I felt this list was way overdue. If you find it helpful when shopping for car seats, you can shop through my Amazon link below. I’ll add more seats as I test them over time.

2017 Audi A4 (B9)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.

Clek Fllo, Graco Size4Me 65, Diono Radian / RXT.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT, Graco TurboBooster.

Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Nautilus.

Britax Parkway SGL, Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco Snugride 35, Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Britax Parkway SGL, Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco Snugride 35, Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Chicco KeyFit 30, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Snugride 35, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Evenflo Triumph.

Tips and Tricks:

The current generation of the A4, the B9, is just over 186 inches long and 72.5 inches wide. In other words, for practical purposes, it’s going to be about the same on the inside in terms of 3 across feasibility; you’re still not going to be able to fit 3 Rainiers side to side, for example. That said, with seat belts, I was able to make pretty much every seat from the previous generation fit into this generation, plus a few extras that I had on hand. Don’t be afraid to push hard against the fabric when working to get a snug installation; your kids are more important than the leather.

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Audi A4 (B8)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT, Graco TurboBooster.

Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Nautilus.

Britax Parkway SGL, Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco Snugride 35, Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Britax Parkway SGL, Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco Snugride 35, Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Chicco KeyFit 30, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Snugride 35, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Evenflo Triumph.

Tips and Tricks:

This generation of the Audi A4 is 185 inches long and 72 inches wide in the sedan and Avant and 186 inches long and 73 inches wide in the Allroad, or souped-up wagon version. What this means is that both versions are about as wide as the average mid-sized car while being about as long as the average small car or SUV. To put it another way, you’re not going to have that much trouble finding a number of car seats that fit 3 across when it comes to side-to-side installations, but on the other hand, you might feel the pinch with front-seat occupants due to car seats that rob you of front-to-back space. Using seat belts will help with the first issue by giving you additional side-to-side space compared to what you’d get through the LATCH anchors.

If you’re using the Radians, you’ll definitely want to make use of the angle adjuster to get as much extra room between the car seat and the vehicle’s front seats as possible; this will give you extra leg room as a driver or front seat passenger.

2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Audi A4 (B7)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.

Clek Fllo, Graco Size4Me 65, Diono Radian / RXT.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2005-2008 generation of the Audi A4 is 181 inches long and 70 inches wide, or 4 inches shorter and 2 inches narrower than the following generation. This presents two problems: 1.) it’s going to be harder to get 3-across installations at all due to width, and 2.), you’re definitely likely to feel the pinch with front-seat occupants due to car seats that rob you of front-to-back space. Using seat belts will help with the first issue by giving you additional side-to-side space compared to what you’d get through the LATCH anchors.

2001, 2022, 2003, 2004 Audi A4 (B6)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2001-2005 generation of the Audi A4 is 179 inches long and just under 70 inches wide, or 2 inches shorter than the following generation. Once again, this presents two problems: 1.) it’s going to be difficult to get 3-across installations at all due to width, and 2.), you’re definitely likely to feel the pinch with front-seat occupants due to car seats that rob you of front-to-back space. Using seat belts will help with the first issue by giving you additional side-to-side space compared to what you’d get through the LATCH anchors.

As is the case with every generation of the A4, if you’re using the Radians, you’ll definitely want to make use of the angle adjuster to get as much extra room between the car seat and the vehicle’s front seats as possible; this will give you extra leg room as a driver or front seat passenger.

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3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Fit in an Audi Q5?

July 28, 2015 Mike

The Audi Q5 is a mid-sized (or compact, depending on your definitions) luxury SUV with quite a following in the US. It competes with a number of other 2-row luxury crossovers like the Volvo XC60, BMW X3, Acura RDX, and Lexus RX and NX among families interested in stylish and safe transportation. The Q5 features good small and moderate overlap scores, good side impact and roof scores, and even comes with a decent level of front crash prevention software in higher trim levels.

I first took note of the Q5 when I researched the best SUVs and crossovers for surviving side impacts and realized the Q5 deserved to be close to the top of the list. It’s no surprise it’s one of the best selling SUVs in its segment. However, what I really wanted to find out was whether its reputation as an extremely cramped SUV was deserved or not when it came to installing 3 car seats in the back row. Before getting to the results, however, let’s take a look at some basic car seat safety principles.

The safest configuration we know of when it comes to vehicle safety is rear-facing. I recommend rear-facing your children long past age 1, which is the legal requirement in most states, and going well into the preschool years (ideally until 4!), before forward-facing them in harnessed convertible or combination seats (ideally until 8!). Once they outgrow their harnessed seats, it’s best to keep them restrained in high-back boosters until they’re physically and psychologically ready to use adult seat belt systems (which typically happens between 10 and 12). We want our little ones in the safest positions we know of for as long as possible to give them the greatest advantages in a collision.

Keeping these ideas in mind, I set to work to find which infant, convertible, combination, and booster seats would work best in 3 across combinations in the Audi Q5. It’s my goal to make this list the most thorough on the Internet. If you find the list helpful when shopping for car seats, you can shop through my Amazon link below. I’ll add more seats as I test them over time.

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Audi Q5

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.

Tips and Tricks:

The current and only generation of the Audi Q5 is 183 inches long and 74 inches wide, which would make you think this would be a great SUV for 3-across car seat puzzling. However, something went horribly wrong when Audi designed the back seat of the Q5, as it’s ridiculously narrow. It honestly reminds me of the BMW X3, and not in a good way. That said, if you’re patient, use your seat belts, and aren’t expecting miracles, you can definitely get a few different 3 across setups to work here.

Besides the side-to-side problem, your other issue will be leaving a survivable living space for front-row occupants once your seats are installed, especially if you’re using taller seats in rear-facing positions.

This is one of those cases where you’ll definitely want to choose the Fllo over the Foonf if you’re choosing between the two. And I’d definitely choose between those two, as the Radians will rob your front-to-back space and the Coccoro gets outgrown too quickly unless you specifically need it. If you really want to go with a Radian R120 or RXT, you’ll definitely need the angle adjuster, or you’re not going to have much front-passenger space, and it’ll be a painful experience for tall drivers or passengers.

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3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Will Fit an Acura RDX?

July 27, 2015 Mike

The Acura RDX is Acura’s foray into the compact luxury SUV segment in the United States. It competes with other smaller mid-sized luxury crossovers like the Volvo XC60, Audi Q5, BMW X3, and its own larger stablemate the Acura MDX, among families looking for safe and reasonably fuel-efficient 5-passenger luxury SUVs. I was able to take a closer look at a current- and previous-generation RDX this week in order to see just how family-friendly they were when it came to puzzling 3 car seats across the back row. It was tougher than I was expecting, but it was definitely possible. Before looking at which seats did and didn’t work in detail, though, I’d like to review why it’s a very good idea to use different car seats in different stages, and probably for longer than most parents think is necessary.

For me, everything starts with rear-facing to the limits. What that means is you rear-face your children as long as you can (ideally until 4!), followed by keeping them harnessed for as long as possible (ideally until 8!), and finally using a booster seat until your little ones are big and mature enough to pass the 5 step test for seat belt use (which typically happens between 10 and 12). Your kids might think they aren’t cool by sitting rear-facing longer, using harnesses longer, or being boostered longer, but to me, nothing’s cooler than my kids being alive and uninjured due to following best practices in car seat safety.

After spending several hours installing and uninstalling car seats in a current and prior generation Acura RDX, I’ve got a pretty good idea of which car seats will and won’t fit in one, and feel this is the most complete list of car seats compatible in 3 across configurations with the RDX on the Internet. If you find the list helpful when shopping for car seats, you can shop through my Amazon link below. I’ll add more seats as I test them over time.

2013, 2014, 2015 Acura RDX

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Rainier, Britax Boulevard ClickTight.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Pacifica, Britax Boulevard ClickTight.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Rainier, Britax Boulevard G4.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Pacifica, Britax Boulevard G4.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Diono Rainier, Britax Boulevard G4.1.

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Graco Size4Me 65 (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Diono Radian / RXT, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Tips and Tricks:

The current generation of the RDX is 184 inches long and just under 74 inches wide, making it a rather standard example of a smaller mid-sized crossover. Its interior width suggests a range of car seats will fit inside it without much trouble. However, the back center seat is narrower than it needs to be, which can make installations a bit tricky. That said, as long as you’re using your seat belts, you’ll be able to make a lot of installations work. Save the LATCH system for when you’ve only got one or two seats to deal with.

If you’re using a Diono to rear-face, given the shorter length of the RDX, you’ll want to invest in an angle adjuster (it’s a really cheap investment) to make sure you’re not squished in the driver’s or front-passenger’s seats while rear-facing.

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Acura RDX

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Rainier, Britax Boulevard ClickTight.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Pacifica, Britax Boulevard ClickTight.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Rainier, Britax Boulevard G4.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Pacifica, Britax Boulevard G4.1.

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Graco Size4Me 65 (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Diono Radian / RXT, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Tips and Tricks:

The initial generation of the Acura RDX is 181-183 inches long, depending on whether you’re driving a pre-2010 or 2010 and later model, and just under 74 inches wide in all model years. This means you’ll be able to fit a number of car seats inside it, as is the case in the current generation. Because the back center seat is narrower than it needs to be, you’ll want to choose a narrow seat for that position and save the wider seats for the outboard positions. That said, as long as you’re using your seat belts, you’ll be able to make a lot of installations work. Save the LATCH system for when you’ve only got one or two seats to deal with.

Once again, if you’re using a Diono to rear-face, given the shorter length of the RDX, you’ll want to invest in an angle adjuster (it’s a really cheap investment) to make sure you’re not squished in the driver’s or front-passenger’s seats while rear-facing.

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35,000 Americans will die this year on the road. You don't have to be one of them. A car seat and car safety blog to promote best practices for families.