Another "family" car question re: sedans

[kat]

I read in the other thread about family cars that some of you have been able to keep your sedan even after having a second child. Do any of you know whether your sedan (or do you know of a sedan model) that could accomodate a car seat in the middle position and one on the passenger side (rather than directly behind the driver)?

Because we're having twins, they will both be backward-facing for the first year. I really don't want a backward-facing infant directly behind me where I can't reach him/her, so I need a car that could accomodate car seats in the middle & back-passenger positions. I thought I was "stuck" with a station wagon (given my hatred of SUVs and minivans), but maybe I just don't know enough about the various sedan models. Is there one that has that much room in the back??

[sunmoonstars75]

We have twins, and have a sedan (Saturn L200). While the girls are each behind a seat, it hasn't been an issue reaching for them so far. It's actually easier trying to put a paci in that mouth than it is the baby in the car seat behind the passenger.

We looked at a couple of wagons I liked, including a Saturn wagon (sorry, catching a theme here?) and would have gotten them if they would have been in the right price range.

[kat]

sunmoonstars, really?? Now that surprises me....I would think that if I was the only one in the car with the twins (both backward-facing), and driving, and the one immediately behind me needed something, it would be a major PITA. Not so? Hmmmm.....maybe we can re-think this and look at some sedans, too. I guess I'm using my current car as a reference, and I cannot comfortably reach behind my seat at all, so I just assumed it would be really difficult in a sedan with a backwards-facing baby.

Thanks for sharing your experience!!

[LyLMyssChaos]

I think that if you were to look at the non-bench seat style of the Chevrolet Impala, you could comfortably reach into the backseat and comfortably put the seats the way you are describing.

[Traciann]

I would have to agree with an Impala might work. My brother owns one and we put DD back there and DH and I rode with her on each side and were pretty comfortable. FWIW we have small sedans...in one car the base is on the side and the other is in the middle. I find the one in the middle is actually harder to reach into. The snugride bases are so bulky...and I see most of my friends with 2 children end up splitting them up on either side because the carseats don't fit well next to each other.

[phart]

I've been thinking about where the baby will go lately. I think I'll go see if the snugride will fit in the middle tonight:)

[kat]

The snugride bases are so bulky...and I see most of my friends with 2 children end up splitting them up on either side because the carseats don't fit well next to each other.

That's my concern, exactly, since I'm going to have TWO snugrides, not one snugride + a forward-facing one, so I'm particularly concerned with whether a sedan could fit two snugrides -- one center and one behind the passenger side.

[phart]

I have an older Maxima with one of (if not *the*) biggest backseats for a sedan. I have a forward facing Marathon and the snugride base doesn't fit. It's too wide at it's widest point. It'll have to go on the side.

[sabrinag]

I have twins as well and we couldn't put two snugride bases together (the installer tried that) in my Inifinti G20. I didn't think it was a big deal though to reach behind and put a pacifier in while in the driver seat (get a mirror that you can attach to each headrest). Our problem ended up being that DH is 6'1 and could not fit in the front seat with the big bases, but the Inifinti is pretty small. We just bought a minivan so that if/when we have kid #3, we'll have the room for another car seat.