3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Fit in a Nissan Altima?

July 6, 2015 Mike

The Nissan Altima is one of many popular sedans in the mid-sized family car market in the United States, competing with the Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Ford Fusion, Volkswagen Jetta, Honda Accord, Volkswagen Passat, and Toyota Camry. Parents choose it because it’s one of the more affordable options in its class, and provides a good amount of space, a decent amount of reliability, and a more stylish look than that offered by many of its competitors.

I borrowed a few Nissan Altimas this week and brought out my favorite car seats to see how flexible the back seat was when it came to 3 across installations. Before digging into the results, it’s worth talking about some of the basic tenets of car seat safety.

First of all, aim for rear-facing. This is required by law from birth, but too many parents stop doing so after a year, when most states allow you to start forward-facing. Rear-facing remains safer throughout childhood and into adulthood, but until that’s a possibility, I recommend doing it at least until the preschool years (ideally until 4!), and then forward-facing in a harness for as long as you can (ideally until 8!), and then boostering until your child is ready to pass the 5-step test and use an adult seat belt and seat (which typically happens between 10 and 12). Keeping your child restrained in the previous system for as long as possible before advancing to a newer system will keep him or her safer in all kinds of collisions.

However, in order to put that information to use, you’re going to need some information on which car seats will and won’t work in your particular vehicle. Here’s what I’ve found works in a Nissan Altima across a range of years. It’s my goal to make this the most complete list on the Internet, and I’ll keep adding updates on seats that do and don’t work as I try them.

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

2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Nissan Altima (L33)

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).

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

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

Britax Boulevard G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

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

Britax Marathon G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

Britax Pavilion G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Foonf, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

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

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Diono Radian / RXT.

Tips and Tricks:

The current generation of the Nissan Altima is 191 inches long and 72 inches wide, making it a very prototypical example of the average mid-sized family sedan on the market today. As a result, barring any strange design elements within the Altima, such as overlapping seat belts or an extremely narrow middle seat, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to fit a wide range of car seats into it. As usual, using the seat belt system will help you puzzle significantly more seats in 3 across configurations than will the LATCH system.

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Nissan Altima (L32A)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Foonf, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

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

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Diono Radian / RXT.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2007-2012 generation of the Nissan Altima is 190-191 inches long and 71 inches wide, which is almost exactly the same as the current generation. The coupe is several inches shorter, but it’s not a 3-across-capable vehicle, so this doesn’t matter too much.

Given the similarities in the dimensions of this Altima to the 2013 generation, you’ll be able to fit many of the same car seats in both; you’ll just have to work a bit harder for it in the 2007-2012 Altima. As usual, using the seat belt system will help you puzzle significantly more seats in 3 across configurations than will the LATCH system.

2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Nissan Altima (L31)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Foonf, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

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

Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro, Diono Radian / RXT.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2002-2006 generation of the Nissan Altima is 192 inches long and 70 inches wide, which is almost exactly the same as the generation that succeeds it.

Given the similarities in the dimensions of this Altima to the 2007 generation, you’ll be able to fit many of the same car seats in both; you’ll just have to work a bit harder for it in the 2002-2006 Altima. As usual, using the seat belt system will help you puzzle significantly more seats in 3 across configurations than will the LATCH system.

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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.

5 signs your child isn’t ready for an adult seat belt (and should stay in a booster seat)

July 5, 2015 Mike

Best practices aren't necessarily obvious ones. Click the image to learn far too much about car seat safety. — Best practices aren’t necessarily obvious ones. Click the image to learn far too much about car seat safety.

If you’re like most parents of an 8-10 year old, you’re probably close to the age–or already at the age–where your kids have started asking you to skip the booster seat and use the adult seat belt, just like Mom or Dad. Or perhaps you’re already letting them. Or if you’re not, they’re sure to tell you that their friends’ parents are letting their friends use seat belts without car seats. And if their friends can do it, surely your kids are ready too, right?

Not necessarily.

The truth of the matter is that your child isn’t the one who can tell you when s/he’s physically and psychologically ready to use an adult seat belt. You’ve got to make that call. And unfortunately, plenty of parents make the wrong call all over the country every day for a range of reasons. Some do it because their parents did when they were young, and they survived, so it can’t be that bad, right? Other parents might do it because their kids seem mature, or because they’re simply tired of hearing their kids ask. But none of these are the kinds of reasons that keep our kids safe. And this blog is all about keeping kids safe.

So how do you know if your kids are ready to ditch the car seats and use the adult seat belts?

Why don’t we look at the question from the other direction? Here are 5 signs that your child simply isn’t ready to use the adult seat belt, and that s/he should really still be in a child seat, whether that’s a forward-facing convertible or combination seat or a booster seat.

5 signs your child still needs a booster seat

1. The shoulder belt doesn’t sit in the middle of your child’s shoulder.

When sitting in a vehicle’s seat, does the shoulder belt (the top part of the seat belt) sit in the center of your child’s shoulder (e.g., halfway between your child’s neck and the top of your child’s arm)? If it doesn’t, your child’s not ready for the seat belt alone. Why? Because the belt can’t protect your child well if it’s not positioned over the shoulder. If the belt runs high, which it usually does when a child’s not big enough to use it, it could instead dig into your child’s neck in a crash, causing serious injuries.

2. The lap belt doesn’t sit low on your child’s thighs.

When sitting in a vehicle’s seat, does the lap belt (the lower part of the seat belt) sit on your child’s thighs (about where the pants pockets would be)? If it doesn’t, that’s another sign you should bring back the booster. Why? Because again, the belt won’t protect your child well if it’s not low on the thighs. If the belt runs high, which it tends to do again when a child’s too small to use it, it can sit on the stomach and cause devastating internal injuries in a collision. Children are also liable to slide right under the lap belt (called “submarining”) and fly unrestrained through the vehicle in a collision.

3. Your child slumps instead of sitting at the bight.

The bight of a vehicle’s seat is where the top and bottom cushions of the seat connect. It’s where your bottom touches if you’re big enough to use a seat. If your child’s not big enough to use an adult seat belt, or rather, the vehicle’s seat itself, your child will probably slouch and sit against the lower cushion with his or her back slumped against the back of the seat. This is dangerous for the reasons I wrote about above; it dramatically increases submarining odds, and the last thing you want your child to do in a collision is fly out of a seat belt.

4. Your child’s knees bend before the bend in the seat, or your child’s feet don’t touch the vehicle floor.

Either of these signs is another clear one that your child’s not big enough for the vehicle’s seat. If your child’s not big enough for the seat, s/he’s not big enough for the seat belt. Again, we don’t want submarining. We want surviving.

5. Your child can’t sit up straight, or plays with the seat belt, or is constantly moving from side to side, or is just really immature when out of a car seat.

This one’s perhaps the easiest factor to spot, but is the one most parents seem to overlook. If your child really seems to have trouble sitting safely in a vehicle seat, it doesn’t matter if s/he passes all of the other tests; s/he’s not ready to sit without a booster seat. The best safety systems do nothing if they aren’t used, and if your child won’t sit still and sit up, the seat belt won’t save him or her in a collision.

If all this advice looks familiar, it’s because it’s basically the 5-step test rewritten to show you what it looks like when a child isn’t passing it. Don’t rush to get your child out of a booster or combination seat and into the adult seat belt; some things are worth waiting for, and developmental readiness is one of them!

OK, you’ve convinced me Mike. What are some good booster seats?

If you want a combination seat, the Frontier is the one to get.

Any of the booster seats I recommend here is a good one. However, my absolute favorites are seats that keep kids safely restrained for as long as possible, which is why my go-to recommendations are the Britax Frontier G1.1 (formerly called the Frontier 90) and Britax Pinnacle G1.1 (formerly called the Pinnacle 90).

These seats are great because they’re not only designed well enough to help your kids booster until they’re truly ready for the adult seat belt (which for most kids is around 10 to 12 years old), they’re also excellent forward-facing seats with 9-year lifespans, which means you can potentially use them from when a child’s 4 or 5 (which is when I recommend switching from rear-facing to forward-facing) until a child no longer needs a car seat at all! It doesn’t get any better than that, and it’s a huge money saver over the years.

If you find my information on best practices in car and car seat safety helpful, you can do your shopping through this Amazon link. Canadians can shop here for Canadian purchases. Have a question or want to discuss best practices? Join us in the forums!

3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Fit a Chevrolet Tahoe?

July 4, 2015 Mike

The Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the most recognizable large SUVs in the United States today. It competes with other large crossover SUVs like the Lambda clones (the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, and Saturn Outlook), as well as other truck-based SUVs like the Toyota Sequoia, Nissan Armada, and its GMC twin the GMC Yukon. Families like it because it offers good storage, good seating, good towing abilities, and costs significantly less than large SUVs in the luxury segment with a Mercedes Benz GL-Class SUV or Audi Q7. I can’t say I blame folks for saving money.

From a safety perspective, the Tahoe was also one of the vehicles with the lowest driver death rates in the most recent IIHS driver death rate survey, although it was not one of the members of the “zero” list.

I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow a couple of generations of the Chevy Tahoe this week in order to see how car-seat friendly they were. I’m on a mission to find the 3-across compatibility of every vehicle sold in the US today, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to test out the Tahoe when I got one in my garage. Before looking at what did and didn’t fit, though, it’s a good idea to look at the kinds of seats we should be using with kids at different ages.

First of all, I suggest rear-facing from day one until you can’t anymore. Rear-facing is the way to go even if it takes you through the preschool years (ideally until 4!). Once you can’t fit your child in a rear-facing seat anymore, forward-face him or her in harnessed convertible or combination seats (ideally until 8!). Once your children 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). The overriding goal is safety, which comes from using certain kinds of seats at certain times.

With all that in mind, I’m happy to say that the Tahoe is one of those SUVs that you’re going to have fun with when it comes to car seat installations; you’ll be able to get most of what you’re trying to puzzle to fit nicely if you take your time and try the suggestions I include below.

The list isn’t complete, but it’s my goal to make it as complete as possible over time. 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 here are courtesy of Wikipedia.

2015 Chevrolet Tahoe (GMT K2UC/G)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

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

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

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Tips and Tricks:

The current generation of the Chevrolet Tahoe is 204 inches long and 80 inches wide, which means the world will practically be your oyster when it comes to car seat installations. Something you’ll enjoy on the inside are 2nd and 3rd row seats that fold flat, which makes it significantly easier to access different rows for buckling children or moving between the rows themselves.

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe (GMT900)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

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

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

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2007-2014 generation of the Chevrolet Tahoe is 202 inches long and 79 inches wide, or 2 inches shorter and 1 inch narrower than the current generation. In other words, practically every car seat that fits into the current generation will also fit into the previous generation, which again means the world will be your oyster when it comes to car seat installations.

While you’ll have a ton of space across that Tahoe bench seat, keep in mind that not every seating position will have top tether anchors available, and top tether anchors are very important for forward-facing children.

Something particularly nice about this generation is that in 2008, Chevy finally made side curtain airbags a standard feature on the Tahoe. In the 2007 model year, however, it’s only standard on the LT3, LTZ, and Z71 trim levels.

2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe (GMT800)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

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

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

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Tips and Tricks:

The 2001-2006 generation of the Chevrolet Tahoe is 197-199 inches long and 79 inches wide, or 3-5 inches shorter than the following generation. In other words, practically every car seat that fits into the current generation will also fit into this generation, which again means the world will be your oyster when it comes to car seat installations.

At this width, you’re unlikely to need to use the seat belts in many installations, but it’s still a good idea to turn to them if you’ve got any trouble with the LATCH systems. Remember, of course, that the LATCH system also comes with weight limits, while the seat belts do not. That said, you’ll have lower LATCH anchors available on the center and passenger seats of the 2nd row bench seat that you can use if you don’t have space concerns that necessitate the seat belts.

Another consideration to keep in mind involves top tether anchors while forward-facing. While the lower LATCH anchors are only available in the center and passenger seats if you have a 2nd row bench in the 2002-2006 model years, you do have top tether anchors for all 3 seats in the 2nd row benches. If you’ve got captain’s chairs in the 2nd row, you’ll have lower and upper LATCH anchors for both seats. The 3rd row does not include lower LATCH anchors in any of the seat, but you’ll have one top tether anchor that you’ll be able to use on either the center or passenger side position in the 3rd row.

Finally, you might need to fold some of your head rests back in order to get your car seat installations to be nice and snug. The issue with the head rests is that they often force a space between the seat back of the car seat and the vehicle seat. Pushing the Tahoe’s seat into its cargo mode will allow you to fold the head rests behind it; you can’t remove them.

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3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Fit a Ford Explorer?

July 3, 2015 Mike

The Ford Explorer is one of the most popular 3-row mid-sized SUVs you can buy today in the United States, especially after the release of the fifth generation in 2011. It competes strongly with other 3-row mid-sized crossovers like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Dodge Journey, Dodge Durango, Volkswagen Touareg, Hyundai Santa Fe, and its own stablemate the Ford Flex, with which it shares a platform (the D4). The latest Ford Explorer is also, by my estimations, one of the safest SUVs you can be in during a side impact collision, and is a clear demonstration of Ford’s attention to vehicular safety.

Being such a capable SUV, I made it my mission to figure out how well it did when it came to fitting 3 car seats across the 2nd row. The good news is that it’s a wide-enough SUV to theoretically fit 3, 4, or even 5 car seats in; the bad news is that the inflatable seat belts some trim levels currently feature aren’t compatible with a wide range of car seats currently sold, and it also has a number of other potentially frustrating quirks that can make it a difficult vehicle to work with, car-seat wise. We’ll dig into the details in a moment. First, let’s look at which kinds of car seats should be used to keep your kids safe at various ages.

First of all, I like to begin with rear-facing, since it’s the safest position for young children. I suggest rear-facing from day one until you can’t anymore, even if that takes you through the preschool years (ideally until 4!), before forward-facing them in harnessed convertible or combination seats (ideally until at least 6!). 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). These suggestions may take a bit of extra work, but they provide a lot of extra safety.

My results of car seat puzzling in the Explorer are below. It’s not a complete list, but as with all of my 3 across guides, it’s my goal to make it the most complete on the Internet over time, especially as I get access to more seats. 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.

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Ford Explorer (U502)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Clek Foonf, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Graco TurboBooster, Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco TurboBooster, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Tips and Tricks:

The current generation of the Ford Explorer is 197 inches long and 79 inches wide, which would make you think you’d be able to fit just about any car seats in it. However, despite its size, it can be a very frustrating vehicle for multiple car seat installation. It works very well for 2 car seats at a time, and make no mistake, it can definitely be used with 3 or even 5 car seats at a time if you’ve got the right seats. It’ll just be more difficult in this vehicle than in one with a bit more thought put into the internal design.

The biggest issue you’ll likely find with the Explorer has to do with the inflatable seat belts found in some, though not all, trim levels. To put it simply, unless your car seat specifically states it can be used with those belts, you’ll want to use LATCH instead, which can significantly cut down on the available space for a 3 across installation.

Perhaps the second biggest problem you’re likely to encounter with the current generation of the Explorer is the 2nd row center seat; it’s a very narrow one. However, you can definitely fit narrow seats like the Fllo, Foonf, and the Radians there. The Coccoro will also fit due to its narrowness. That said, you’ll have to battle your way past the huge seat hinges necessary for folding the seat. There are also recessed buckles that can be very difficult to access when trying to get a seat installed there.

A third and fourth issue you might find yourself dealing with is 3rd row access and 1st-row seating space. Because you can’t move the 2nd row seats forward or backward, if you need more space in the 2nd row for rear-facing car seats, you’re going to need to push your front-row seats forward, which can get uncomfortable quickly. Similarly, if you want access to your 3rd row with any degree of frequency, you’ll need to have an infant seat placed on that outboard seat, because if you put a convertible seat there, you’re not going to want to uninstall and install it every single time someone needs to get into or out of the 3rd row.

2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Ford Explorer (U251)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Clek Foonf, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Graco TurboBooster, Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco TurboBooster, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Graco Size4Me 65 (x3).

Graco Contender (x3).

Tips and Tricks:

The 2006-2010 generation of the Ford Explorer is 193 inches long and 74 inches wide, or 4 inches shorter and 5 inches narrower than the following generation. This means that you’re going to have less side-to-side space to work with, but it also means that you’re not going to need to worry about things like inflatable seat belts, so I’d consider this generation to be as car seat friendly as the current generation, if not more.

As usual, consider using the seat belt to maximize side-to-side space when dealing with wider seats.

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3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Fit in a Buick Enclave?

July 2, 2015 Mike

The Buick Enclave is one of the Lambda SUVs produced by General Motors, along with its clones the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and now discontinued Saturn Outlook. The Lambda twins are together among the most popular large SUVs (or crossovers, if you will) that you can buy today in the United States. The Enclave competes with other mega SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Toyota Sequoia, and Nissan Armada among families who need–or simply want–something larger than a, say, Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander, but who aren’t looking to spend as much money as they would in the luxury segment with a Mercedes Benz GL-Class SUV or Audi Q7. They’re cheaper while still offering lots of seating flexibility and room.

In the last few months, I’ve been able to put the Acadia and Traverse through their paces in terms of 3 across car seat installations. However, as is often the case, I still had more seats I wanted to try out. Fortunately, I was able to get a hold of an Enclave this weekend and have been trying out every seat available inside.

Being essentially the same vehicle with very slight interior and exterior trim changes, this list features all of the initial 3 across installations I got to work in the Acadia and Traverse as well as a few new ones I puzzled together in the Enclave. Before looking at the results, though, it’s worth reviewing which kinds of seats are appropriate for kids at different age ranges.

With all that out of the way, here’s what I found in a nutshell: like the Traverse and Acadia, the Enclave is a huge SUV, which means you’re going to get most of your potential installations to work if you’re patient and make use of the strategies I suggest below.

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Buick Enclave

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Frontier G1.1.

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

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

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Marathon G4.1, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Britax Pavilion G4, Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier G1.1.

Tips and Tricks:

The current and only generation of the Buick Enclave is 202 inches long and 79 inches wide, which means you’re going to be able to fit most seats you can think of in 3 across installations with enough effort and a bit of planning. However, there are a few things to be aware of that can make the job significantly easier or more difficult, depending on how you approach them.

First of all, if you have a 3 across setup in the 2nd row, it’s going to be very difficult for anyone to access the 3rd row. This is an issue in the Traverse, it’s an issue in the Acadia, and it’s an issue in the Enclave. You might want to install only a pair of seats in the 2nd row and then another 2 or 3 in the 3rd row if you need to install or use more than 3 car seats on a regular basis.

Second, the biggest challenge in 3 across setups in the 2nd row will be fitting a pair of seats on the driver and center vehicle seats, as there’s a 60/40 split to deal with. Once you overcome that, just about any car seat will fit on the passenger end.

Third, there’s only one top tether anchor available in the 3rd row for forward-facing seats, which means that you won’t want to have more than one forward-facing seat at a time in the 3rd row if at all possible (see here for why tethering forward-facing seats is essential).

Remember, as always, to use seat belt installations instead of LATCH to maximize available space.

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