3 Child restraints across the back

**neohusky** · 16-01-2018, 10:33 PM

Hi All

We are expecting our 3rd child shortly and we have been thinking about buying a new Tiguan. Currently we have. A 4 and a 2 year old.

I’ve had conversations with guys who fit child restraints and they seem to think that with the right combination of car restraints most cars will accomodate 3 across the back.

Does anyone one have real would experience with a 3 across configuration in a new Tiguan?

**Alex31** · 16-01-2018, 10:38 PM

If you can hold off for a little while, the Tiguan allspace will be available soon. Its a 7 seater

Or if you need a car now, the Skoda Kodiak (Tiguan’s brother) would be the best option. 3 kids in booster seats in a 5 seater would be difficult at best.

Mk7.5 Golf R DSG. White Silver
Mk7 Golf TDI Highline. Limestone Green.

Family member VAG’s:
Amarok TDI Highline Auto
Skoda Superb TDI 140

**neohusky** · 16-01-2018, 10:56 PM

Hi Alex

Thanks for the quick reply. We’re looking for a new car soon.

I saw pics of the allspace over the weekend. The 2 rear seats look very small,but, would work with small kids. The problem I find with the 7 seaters is there hardly any boot space if the rear seats are used. Some of the ones we saw over the past weeks didn’t even appear to have the ability to take child restraints in the 3rd row.

We were prepared to accept the tight fit as long as they did fit and hence a question here in case anyone has done it.

I’ll take you advice also and check out the Kodiak.

Thanks.

**Alex31** · 17-01-2018, 12:23 AM

The Skoda is very much worth a look, plus you get a little bit more exclusivity with a Skoda that you don’t get with a Vw.

Mk7.5 Golf R DSG. White Silver
Mk7 Golf TDI Highline. Limestone Green.

Family member VAG’s:
Amarok TDI Highline Auto
Skoda Superb TDI 140

**Alex31** · 17-01-2018, 12:25 AM

Plus if a SUV is not an absolute must have, the Passat Alltrack would be worth a look as well

Mk7.5 Golf R DSG. White Silver
Mk7 Golf TDI Highline. Limestone Green.

Family member VAG’s:
Amarok TDI Highline Auto
Skoda Superb TDI 140

**ajdean** · 17-01-2018, 08:48 AM

I've got two booster seats in the back of my Tig, and couldn't imagine fitting in a third (let alone a capsule!)

**Joey** · 17-01-2018, 10:37 AM

Hi Neohusky,

I have given similar thought be for to fitting 3 x seats to a 2009 Passat wagon. SImilar to the Passat I'm assuming the seat belt connections are narrower in the centre compared to the the L and R sides.

If you don't want to change cars I would consider a narrow booster for the 4 year old in the miiddle and then the child seat for the 2 yo on the driver's side (they can climb across) and the capsule for the baby on the passenger side (access).

The friction point with this set-up will be when the 4 yo child is trying to clip their seat belt in the narrow gap between the 2 yo child seat and the 4 yo's booster.

Some foood for thought. Good luck.

Joe

**Jackson22** · 17-01-2018, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by neohusky

Hi All

We are expecting our 3rd child shortly and we have been thinking about buying a new Tiguan. Currently we have. A 4 and a 2 year old.

I’ve had conversations with guys who fit child restraints and they seem to think that with the right combination of car restraints most cars will accomodate 3 across the back.

Does anyone one have real would experience with a 3 across configuration in a new Tiguan?

it very much depends on the restraint used, you can now get slim versions. it would be worth research on different ones. By the time the newest baby is forward facing you'd have a forward restraint and a booster I guess until then a rear facing and 2 safety seats? not saying it will work, but seat manufacturers have been aware of it and have made some more.

**smarty** · 17-01-2018, 07:11 PM

We’ve fitted a capsule in our new tig and I was quite surprised at how far forward we had to bring the passenger seat forward. The passengers knees are basically touching the dash. We are both circa 178cm tall. I guess it’s because of how high the capsule sits. It touches the seat no where near where any normal persons knees or legs would be (basically touches the seat about 2 inches higher that the tray table). I just assumed that because it was marketed as having more leg room for rear seat passengers that we wouldn’t have this slight problem (I didn’t bother trial fitting either).

**neohusky** · 17-01-2018, 08:44 PM

Hi All

Thanks for all the feedback.

@Alex31 We are definitely going to be checking out the Skoda soon.

In the meantime I did some research today by ringing a Sydney based car seat fitter and Britax. As @Jackson22 suggested it definitely depends on the restraints fitted. Newer car seats are available which are more compact and more friendly for 3 across installations in most cars.

Based on a photo of the back seat, measurements and experience, the car seat fitter said that 3 car seats would likely fit into the Tiguan so long as we use:
1. Britax Safe-n-Sound Graphene for the baby rear facing
2. Britax Safe-n-Sound Maxi Guard for the other 2

As others have pointed out we think it will be tight. Just because you can do 3 across, doesn't mean that you should

Both my wife and I are not very tall and maybe we can get away with it.

In any case we need more car seats anyway (for my car and her car) as it is, so, the plan at the moment is to test fit the above combination in our current golf and if it works we will buy the car seats. We can then test fit these into our shortlisted cars.

In my opinion the Tiguan is too good an offering for us to not pursue fully. I'll report back findings as the plan progresses.

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