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.

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.

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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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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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 Ford F-150 is the most popular pickup truck sold today in the United States, as well as the most popular vehicle sold in the country overall. Competing with (and outselling) full-sized pickups like the Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado, Honda Ridgeline and Chevrolet Silverado, the popularity of the F-150 as an all-American favorite means it’s used by a large number of families to transport children to school and around as a means of day-to-day transportation. 

However, transporting children safely in a pickup truck means having some basic knowledge of car seat safety. Let’s first talk about which kinds of seats should be used during which ages and stages of child development, and then we’ll get down to which car seats can be fit 3 across in a typical F-150. If you’re in a hurry, the answer is nearly all of them.

Car seat safety begins with rear-facing, whether you’re driving a subcompact or a full-sized pickup truck. To keep your infants, toddlers, and preschoolers as safe as possible, I typically suggest keeping children rear-facing as long as possible (until 4 or 5 like the Swedes), followed by harnessing until they can safely use booster seats (until at least 5, like the Swedes), and then boostering until the 5 step test is passed (typically between 10, 11, and 12). Beyond that, I suggest keeping kids in the back seat until at least 13, and delaying teen solo driving until 18 if possible.  Even if you’re in a large vehicle, you’ll protect your children far more by properly restraining them than by skipping stages.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at what worked and what didn’t. The fact of the matter is that with a vehicle as large as the F-150, you typically aren’t going to have any issues with 3 across car seat installations in terms of width; your main challenges will have to do with front-to-back room, which depends on your cabin sizes. That said, this is likely to be the most thorough 3 across car seat guide for the F-150 on the Internet, and I’ll keep adding to it 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.

2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Ford F-150

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian 3RXT (x3).

Diono Radian 3RX (x3).

Clek Oobr (x3).

Diono Rainier (x3).

Diono Pacifica (x3).

Diono Olympia (x3).

Combi Cocorro (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Britax Pinnacle 90, Clek Foonf.

Clek Fllo, Britax Pinnacle 90, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Clek Foonf, Britax Frontier 90, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier 90, Chicco KeyFit 30.

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 Ford F-150 is between 209 and 250 inches long, depending on which cab size you choose, and 80 inches wide. In other words, you’re going to be able to fit just about any 3 car seats next to each other when it comes to width. However, when it comes to front-to-back space, what you can and can’t do will depend on your cab size. In smaller cab sizes, you might have a good bit of trouble due to needing to choose between car seats and front-passenger space.

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Ford F-150

Guaranteed 3 across installations: 

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian 3RXT (x3).

Diono Radian 3RX (x3).

Clek Oobr (x3).

Diono Rainier (x3).

Diono Pacifica (x3).

Diono Olympia (x3).

Combi Cocorro (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Britax Pinnacle 90, Clek Foonf.

Clek Fllo, Britax Pinnacle 90, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Clek Foonf, Britax Frontier 90, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Clek Fllo, Britax Frontier 90, Chicco KeyFit 30.

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 2009-2014 twelfth generation of the Ford F-150 is between 213 and 250 inches long, depending on your cab trim level, and 79 inches wide in every version except for the SVT Raptor, which is 86 inches wide. In other words, you’re going to have your pick when it comes to 3 across combinations. Keep an eye out for front-to-back space, however, in the shorter cab trims.

Tips and Tricks:

This eleventh generation of the Ford F-150 ranges between 212 and 248 inches in length depending on which trim level you purchase, and is 79 inches wide across all trim levels. Again, your issue won’t be in the 3 across installations themselves but in having enough front-to-back space to make driving and using the front passenger seat enjoyable.

Tips and Tricks:

The tenth generation of the Ford F-150 ranges between 202 and 244 inches in length depending on which trim level you purchase, and is 78-80 inches wide across trim levels. Again, your issue won’t be in the 3 across installations themselves but in having enough front-to-back space to make driving and using the front passenger seat enjoyable. Naturally, you’ll also need a trim level that features back seats, such as the Super Crew or Crew Cab options, in order to make any of these installations work.