Best Vehicles for Car Seats? Five Vehicles That Fit Them

When you have children, your priorities change, you have to consider so many different dangers that are out there, and how best to protect your children and keep them safe. One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when riding in a vehicle. When selecting a new vehicle, you need to understand car seats, what kinds are best, and what will work best in your new car.

Each year, thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes, and while a car seat can’t keep them perfectly safe, the proper design and more importantly the proper installation of car seats can do the best job of protecting them from serious injuries. But, because so many different car seats are on the market, many parents find this overwhelming. If you are expectant parents, consider working with a certified passenger safety technician (CPST or CPS technician), before your baby is born, to ensure a safe ride home from the hospital.

The type of seat your child needs depends on several things, including your child’s age, size, and developmental needs. In order to keep children as safe as possible while riding in a car or truck, auto makers have had to design systems to allow for their installation.

Car seat manufacturers have produced hundreds of models of car seats. There are rear facing and front facing car seats, special seats designed only for infants, and convertible car seats that can be switched from front facing to rear facing. The choice of front or rear facing seats is determined by the age of the child. Generally, a rear facing car seat should be used until the child reaches the age of two years.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories have some form of child safety seat law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that state child passenger laws cover children up to age 16 in every seating position.

Proper installation of car seats is critical. Car safety seats can be installed with the vehicle’s seat belt or it’s LATCH system. LATCH is an acronym for lower anchors and tethers for children. Many parents find the LATCH system to be more convenient, but this can vary from one vehicle to another. The vast majority of cars built after 2002 have the LATCH systems.

When using a forward facing seat, the top tether should always be used, whichever system you use below. The seat belt and LATCH systems are both safe, so you can use whichever suits you best and is the most convenient. Vehicles with the LATCH system have lower anchors in the back seat where the seat cushions meet, whereas tether anchors are located behind the seats in sedans or on the back of the seat, ceiling or floor in most minivans, SUVs, hatchbacks, and pickup trucks.

It’s important for parents to check their owner’s manual to see the rating for the weight restrictions regarding car seats and attachment systems.

You would think that when it comes to installing car seats, the bigger the car, the better. After all, car seats are sometimes big and clunky.  While this is generally true, there are big SUVs that will cause you to scream as you’re trying to hook up your child’s car seat, while there are some small sedans that make the process extremely quick and easy.

Cars.com has recently tested 51 vehicles on their LATCH systems, how easy it is to access the third row, and how easy it is to install infant, rear facing convertible, forward facing convertible, or highbacked booster seats. Here are the five of the top vehicles that were tested and shown to have the easiest route to installing the car seats properly:

1. GMC Yukon: This luxurious SUV, redesigned in 2021, can be ordered with captain’s chairs for the second row and a bench seat for the third row, or you can opt for two bench seats in the back. Three car seats can be easily installed in the bench seats.
2. The Audi SQ8: This is a two row SUV with a high performance twin turbo V-8, but the backseat is roomy enough to handle the biggest car seats.
3. Genesis GV80: This is a new luxury SUV from Hyundai and can come with two or three rows of seats.
4. Hyundai Tucson Hybrid: This SUV was also redesigned for 2021 and they added a hybrid version. For a compact SUV, this model has plenty of room for car seats.
5. Nissan Sentra: This compact sedan has an incredibly roomy backseat that handles the bulky car seats and would be perfect for a small family on a budget.

As stated earlier, proper installation is crucial for the attachment systems and car seats to work properly together. If you have any doubt about how you’ve installed your car seat, you should carefully refer to the instructions from the auto maker as well as the car seat’s manufacturer.

Whatever you decide about choosing your next car or truck, you’ll be best served if you find a dealership with a reputation for honest dealing and great service.

For over 85 years, Dixie Buick GMC has served the Ft. Myers area, offering a diverse inventory of both new and used vehicles to choose from. Our highly trained sales team is ready to help you select your next vehicle, and our certified factory trained service technicians are equipped to handle your service needs. If you have any automotive needs in the Naples, Cape Coral, or Ft Myers area, we hope you will stop by and let us serve you. For more information, visit our website or contact us. We hope to see you soon!