This generation of the Kia Sedona is 202 inches long and 78 inches wide, which means 3 across installations are going to be rather easy to accomplish, both in terms of width and in terms of front-to-back length. However, it’s important to note that you can’t achieve a 3 across installation in the 3rd row with the Diono Radian / RXT in the center seat of the 3rd row; it needs to be in an outboard position.

 

This generation of the Volvo XC90 is 189 inches long and 75 inches wide, which means that it’s about as likely to fit most car seats as any other mid-sized SUV on the market.

One of the unique things about the XC90 is that many models come equipped with a 2nd row center slide out booster seat. It’s a nice feature, but being a backless booster, it’s not one I’d recommend unless you didn’t have a high back booster available.   That said, hopefully more vehicles start including built in seats over time.

Unlike many mid-sized SUVs, it has an optional 3rd row, but the 3rd row only accommodates 2 seats, which means you don’t have any additional flexibility when it comes to 3 across installations. As usual, look to seat belt installations to garner additional space when attempting installations. Additionally, if you’re planning on using Radians in the 2nd or 3rd rows, you’ll definitely want to pick up an angle adjuster so you can rear-face them without bumping into the seats in front of the car seat.

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 initial generation of the Ford Edge is 186 inches long and 76 inches wide, which means you’re going to be able to fit the majority of car seats out there in it in 3 across configurations. In fact, the ease of 3 across installations in the Edge should be comparable to that of just about any other mid-sized SUV currently available.

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 Volkswagen Passat is a popular luxury European mid-sized car that competes with the cheaper Jetta as well as with Japanese offerings like the Honda Accord, Subaru Outback, Toyota Camry, and Toyota Prius V. Available in both sedan and station wagon versions, the Passat is a popular choice among parents who want safety, luxury, and versatility when transporting their children. I borrowed a few sedans and wagons this weekend in effort to see which car seats could fit 3 across in a Passat without too much trouble.

In my experience, the best protected children in vehicles are the ones who rear-face as long as they can (ideally until 4!), and then forward-face as long as feasible (ideally until 8!), and then booster until they can use a regular seat belt (which typically happens between 10 and 12). These guidelines keep your children as safe as possible by keeping them in the right orientations as long as possible.

However, to make the best use of this information, you need to know which car seats will fit well and which will give you trouble when you try to fit them into your Passat. I put all of my car seats together and spent time installing and uninstalling them in my garage this weekend in a variety of Passats in order to make this 3 across guide. If you find it useful, you can show your support by shopping 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 Volkswagen Passat (B7)

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).

Recaro ProRIDE, Diono Radian / RXT, Harmony Literider.

Recaro ProRIDE, Britax Boulevard, Harmony Literider.

Recaro ProRIDE, Britax Marathon, Harmony Literider.

Recaro ProRIDE, Britax Advocate, Harmony Literider.

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

Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

Clek Foonf, Diono Radian / RXT, Combi Coccoro.

This generation of the Volkswagen Passat is 192 inches long and 72 inches wide, which means that 3 across installations won’t be any easier in this generation, by width at least, than they were in the previous generation. However, thanks to the additional 4 inches in length compared to the previous generation, there should be significantly more front-to-back space for passengers with long legs.

These installations apply equally to the sedan and SportWagen (hatchback station wagon) version of the Passat.

2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Volkswagen Passat (B6)

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).

Chicco KeyFit 30, Graco Snugride 30, Chicco KeyFit 30.

Britax Marathon, Graco Snugride 30, Diono Radian / RXT.

Diono Radian / RXT, Graco Snugride 30, Diono Radian / RXT.

Combi Coccoro (x3).

This generation of the Volkswagen Passat is 188 inches long and 72 inches wide, which means 3 across installations will be a lot easier than they were in the previous generation. In fact, they should be comparable to 3 across installations in any other mid-sized sedan on the market.

These installations apply equally to the sedan and SportWagen (hatchback station wagon) version of the Passat.

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Volkswagen Passat (B5)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Graco MyRide 65, Safety 1st Complete Air, Graco MyRide 65.

Clek Foonf (x3).

Britax Frontier 90, Britax Marathon, Britax Parkway SGL.

Diono Radian / RXT (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

This generation of the Volkswagen Passat is approximately 184 inches long and 68 inches wide, which means that 3 across installations, while possible, will be on the tighter end, to put it mildly. As usual, look to seat belt installations over LATCH installations for additional space whenever feasible.

These installations apply equally to the sedan and SportWagen (hatchback station wagon) version of the Passat.

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 “Chevy” Chevrolet Silverado (and its badge clone, the GMC Sierra), is one of the most popular pickup trucks available today in the United States, competing with full-sized pickups like the Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tundra and Dodge Ram. Available in single, double, and crew cab versions, the Silverado is popular among construction, plumbing, electrical, and other physical occupations. However, it’s also used by a number of families who need ways of transporting their children when more traditional vehicles like cars and minivans aren’t available. I spent the past weekend with a few new and old Silverados trying all of my available car seats out to see what would fit in terms of 3 across car seat installations.

If you want to keep your children as safe as possible, regardless of your vehicle, you’ll want to follow best practices. 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. The goal isn’t to move through seats as quickly as possible; it’s to keep kids as safe as possible whenever they’re in motor vehicles.These guidelines keep your children as safe as possible by keeping them in the right orientations as long as possible.

However, if you’re going to do a good job following these guidelines, you need to know which car seats will and won’t work in your Chevy Silverado, which is why I put this guide together. Here’s what I found about which car seats will fit best in a Silverado. I’ll continue to add more car seats as I find them and have more Silverados at my disposal.

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

2019, 2020 Chevrolet Silverado (GMT T1XX)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian 3RXT (x3).

Diono Radian 3RX (x3).

Clek Oobr (x3).

Diono Rainier (x3).

Maxi-Cosi RodiFix (x3).

Tips and Tricks:

This generation of the Chevy Silverado is at least 229 inches long and 81 inches wide, which, as with the previous generation, means you’re not going to have any trouble when it comes to 3 across installations in terms of width, regardless of which seats you choose, due to the width. Whatever you want is pretty much guaranteed to fit. The main thing to watch out for is front-to-back space, which will be tighter if you aren’t using a Crew Cab setup.

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Chevrolet Silverado (GMT K2XX, GM GMT901)

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian 3RXT (x3).

Diono Radian 3RX (x3).

Clek Oobr (x3).

Graco Contender (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Graco Nautilus, Recaro Performance RIDE, Graco Size4Me 65.

Graco Nautilus, Recaro Performance RIDE, Graco Contender.

Recaro Performance Sport, Graco Nautilus, Graco Size4Me 65.

Recaro Performance Sport, Graco Nautilus, Graco  Contender.

Diono Rainier (x3).

Diono Pacifica (x3).

Diono Olympia (x3).

Tips and Tricks:

This generation of the Chevy Silverado is at least 224 inches long and 80 inches wide, which, as with the previous generation, means you’re not going to have any trouble when it comes to 3 across installations in terms of width, regardless of which seats you choose, due to the width. Whatever you want is pretty much guaranteed to fit. The main thing to watch out for is front-to-back space, which will be tighter if you aren’t using a Crew Cab setup.

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 

Guaranteed 3 across installations:

Clek Fllo (x3).

Clek Foonf (x3).

Diono Radian 3RXT (x3).

Diono Radian 3RX (x3).

Clek Oobr (x3).

Graco Contender (x3).

Combi Coccoro (x3).

Graco Nautilus, Recaro Performance RIDE, Graco Size4Me 65.

Graco Nautilus, Recaro Performance RIDE, Graco Contender.

Recaro Performance Sport, Graco Nautilus, Graco Size4Me 65.

Recaro Performance Sport, Graco Nautilus, Graco  Contender.

Diono Rainier (x3).

Diono Pacifica (x3).

Diono Olympia (x3).

Tips and Tricks:

This generation of the Chevy Silverado is at least 220 inches long and 78 inches wide, which means you’re not going to have any trouble when it comes to 3 across installations in terms of width, regardless of which seats you choose, due to the width. For example, I was able to achieve the Graco-Graco-Recaro installations with at least 3 inches to spare in terms of width.

The challenge, if you have any, will come with front-to-back space when using certain seats or if you have passengers and drivers who need more leg room. This won’t be an issue when it comes to the extended cab, but you naturally won’t have as much room in the double cab, and of course, it won’t be relevant in the single cab.

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.