The Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the best selling midsized SUVs in the United States. Built by the Korean automaker Hyundai, it holds its own in a highly competitive market alongside midsized crossovers like the Honda Pilot, Ford Edge, Chevy Equinox, Toyota Highlander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Journey, Ford Flex, Kia Sorento, and Jeep Wrangler. The newest generation is stacked with a number of family-friendly safety features, including solid safety scores (with the exception of a marginal small overlap score), side airbags, and electronic speed control, or ESC. That said, something to keep in mind is that the 3rd row, when available, in the Santa Fe, does not feature side airbags as of 2013, which is an odd step backwards compared to previous models.

Perhaps the most important point to make about the Santa Fe is that, along with the closely-related Sorento, it’s also more affordable than most mid-sized SUV alternatives on the market.

With that in mind, I borrowed a few years of the Santa Fe this past weekend in order to figure out how well they did as 3 across vehicles for installing multiple car seats. The good news is that the seats that tend to work in smaller vehicles also work well in the Santa Fe, as well as a few seats I hadn’t expected to fit. Before looking at the seats, though, it’s worth reviewing the kinds of seats and orientations you’ll want to consider to keep your little ones at their safest.

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 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). 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 Santa Fe 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.

2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe (DM)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Graco Size4Me 65 (x3).

Graco Contender (x3).

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

Clek Fllo, Graco Size4Me 65 (x2).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Graco TurboBooster, Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco TurboBooster, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

The current generation of the Hyundai Santa Fe is available in 2-row “sport” and 3-row long wheelbase versions, with the short wheelbase version clocking in at 185 inches long  (compared to 193 inches in the long version) and 74 inches wide. The width means you’ll have about as much room in the Santa Fe for 3 across installations as you would in most other midsized SUVs and a bit more width than what you’d find in most midsized sedans. However, I always recommend using seat belt installations if at all possible to maximize your space, and that doesn’t change here.

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Graco Size4Me 65 (x3).

Graco Contender (x3).

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

Clek Fllo, Graco Size4Me 65 (x2).

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

Graco TurboBooster, Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT.

Graco TurboBooster, Diono Radian / RXT (x2).

The previous generation of the Santa Fe is 184 inches long and 74 inches wide, which is almost identical to the current generation. The third row seats, when available, aren’t going to be useful for nearly any car seats, since there’s just not enough room for them to fit well. The 2nd row is much more amenable to car seat installations, and you can fit the usual suspects there if you use seat belts in all seat positions instead of LATCH.

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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 Nissan Rogue, which is also known as the Nissan X-Trail overseas, is Nissan’s contribution to the burgeoning small SUV and crossover market in the United States. It’s meant to offer an affordable and stylish alternative to small SUVs like the Jeep Patriot, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, and Ford Escape. The newest generation features a bevy of impressive safety scores, side airbags, ESC, and even rudimentary frontal crash prevention systems in optional trims.

That’s all well and good, but what I was really interested in finding out when I borrowed one was how well the Rogue does as a 3 across car seater. The good news is that many of the usual suspects will still work in the initial generation. The bad news is that the current generation is no longer a 3-car-seat-compatible vehicle. Before getting into that, however, let’s take a look at best practices in car seat arrangements.

Car seat safety starts with rear-facing our little ones; it’s best for their soft spines and disproportionally large heads. I recommend you rear-face your infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for as long as possible (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). These suggestions may take a bit of extra work, but they provide a lot of extra safety.

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 Nissan Rogue. 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.

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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 Jeep Patriot was (due to its discontinue in 2016) a small, peppy crossover SUV marketed throughout the United States as a cheap, rugged, American icon. Competing with small SUVs like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, and Ford Escape, the Patriot (and its twin the Jeep Compass) is made in my home state of Illinois (in Belvidere, to be specific), and is one of the most popular SUVs around the Midwest. It features good safety scores, including strong roofs, side airbags (although it took far too long for Jeep to make side torso airbags standard in the Patriot and Compass), ESC, and good side impact scores.

As is the theme of this series, however, I was most interested in how it does when it comes to the all-important task of fitting 3 car seats across the back row. We’ll take a look at that in a second after reviewing some basic best practices in car seat configurations.

The safest configuration we know of when it comes to vehicle safety is rear-facing. This goes for adults as well, but it’s uncommon to find rear-facing seats for adults outside of trains. That said, rear-face your infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for as long as possible (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 Jeep Patriot. 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.

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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 Jeep Wrangler is one of the most iconic American SUVs, with a devoted following among weekend warriors and full time off-roaders alike. With the introduction of the 4-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, it has become a serious, if unconventional, competitor to more established family vehicles in the mid-size SUV market like the Chevrolet Equinox, Kia Sorento, Ford Edge, Dodge Journey, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and its stablemates the Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

For me, the biggest issues with the Wrangler from a safety perspective are the lack of side airbags as standard features and the lack of a strong roof due to the cloth or plastic tops they come with. That said, the 4-door versions are still among the safest vehicles on the road as measured by driver death rates, and I made it my goal to see how well they did when it comes to fitting 3 car seats across the back row. Before reviewing which seats did and didn’t work, though, let’s take a quick look at which kinds of seats should be used as well as when with our little ones.

First of all, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are safest when rear-facing. I recommend rear-facing as long as you can (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). Keeping kids in safe positions for as long as possible gives them the best odds of survival 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 Jeep Wrangler. 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.

These 3-across combinations do not apply to the 2-door version the Jeep Wrangler. The widths isn’t the problem; the difference is that the 2-door model only includes 2 seats and 2 restraint systems (seat belts or LATCH), making 3 across mathematically impossible.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

coming soon!

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Graco Contender (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian RXT (x3).

Diono Radian R120 (x3).

Diono Radian R100 (x3).

Graco Size4Me 65 (x3).

Recaro Performance SPORT (x3).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Foonf, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Clek Fllo, Graco Head Wise 70, Diono Radian / RXT.

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

Clek Fllo, Graco Head Wise 70, Graco Head Wise 70.

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

The current generation of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is 183 inches long and 74 inches wide, which is about typical for a 2-row mid-sized SUV. It’s narrower on the inside than you’d think, however, because of how the wheels are offset relative to the passenger cabin. That said, you can still fit a wide, wide range of seats inside one. Jeep also allows borrowing LATCH anchors, which gives you a few more options for LATCH installations than you’d typically find in a vehicle. That said, the seat belt system will still be your best bet for achieving a good fit.

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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 Kio Rio is a peppy, fuel-efficient, and increasingly popular mini (sub-compact) car in the US market. It’s typically cross-shopped with other cars like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Prius C, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, and Chevrolet Sonic. While it’s one of the smallest cars you can buy, it still comes with a few of the latest safety features available, including a good moderate overlap and roof score, side airbags, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes.

That said, the Rio definitely has room for improvement, and it’s worth noting that it only has an acceptable side score from the IIHS and a moderate small overlap front score. Kia clearly has a ways to go with the Rio. But with those caveats in mind, it’s still a much safer mini car choice than virtually any mini car from 2010 and earlier, and merits consideration from folks interested in a small and cheap car.

I borrowed one this weekend to see how family-friendly it was compared to the Fiesta, Fit, Accent, and Yaris, which I’ve reviewed in the past, when it comes to the all-important task of fitting multiple car seats into the back row. Before looking at which seats fared best, however, it’s worth taking a look at why it’s important to use certain seats at certain times with our children.

First of all, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are safest when rear-facing. I recommend rear-facing as long as you can (ideally until 4!), before forward-facing them in harnessed convertible or combination seats (until at least 5!). Once they outgrow their harnessed seats, I suggest keeping them in high-back boosters until they’re physically and psychologically ready to use adult seat belt systems (which typically happens between 10 and 12). What we want to do is keep our kids restrained in the safest positions for as long as possible to increase their odds of surviving crash forces.

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 Kia Rio. I found several good options and a few great ones. 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.

2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Kia Rio (UB)

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 Kia Rio is a scant 172 inches long and 68 inches wide, which makes it a far more challenging vehicle than average for a 3 across installation. That said, if it’s possible in a Honda Fit (and it is), and a Fit is narrower than a Rio, then it’s definitely possible with a Rio if you use the right seats. I wouldn’t bother with most Britaxes; they’re just too wide. The Clek and Diono seats are the most straightforward ways of getting things to work, and it’ll still be a snug fit with these. Of course, you’ll want to use your seat belts for these installations and leave LATCH for another day.

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? Send me an email at carcrashdetective [at] gmail [dot] com.