[The following post is sponsored by cars.com through U.S. Family Guide all opinions are my own.]
When I found out I was pregnant in 2013, I knew I needed to upgrade my car. I was still driving my 1999 Honda Civic at the time, which was the very first car I purchased. Buying a new car is a milestone in “adulting,” but upgrading a car because a baby is going to be in the picture is like level 2 of “adulting.” I knew I wanted something safe that I liked to drive, so I did a lot of research, test driving different car makes and models, and also attending the L.A. Auto Show.
In the end, I stayed with the same make of car (Honda), but got a larger model (Accord). Even though I’m happy with my car, I wish I knew about Car Seat Check on Cars.com because that would have saved me a lot of time in my search.
Car Models Graded
On Cars.com Car Seat Check, cars are reviewed and graded, based on seat type. Grading scales are based on the following:
- A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.
- B: Plenty of room. One fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing third row when available.
- C: Marginal room. Two fit or connection issues. Difficult to access third row when available.
- D: Insufficient room. Two or more fit or connection issues.
- F: Does not fit or is unsafe.
If you’re like me, and hate moving car seats from car to car, it makes sense to buy a second car seat so you don’t have to deal with frequently re-installing it. That makes sense if you really like the car but it doesn’t have good grades.
Reviewed by Certified child safety seat installation technicians
Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST) are trained in child safety seat installation through a CPS Certification Course. They work in a variety of activities, including community presentations and/or child safety seat checks where parents and caregivers receive education and hands-on assistance with the proper use of child restraint systems and seat belts.
Learn which cars fit 3 car seats
An excellent resource for any growing family is the article Which Cars Fit Three Car Seats. For those who do not want to go the minivan route, you can see the cars from their Car Seat Checks that can fit three car seats in the second row.
A resource for everyone
From luxury cars to economy models, Car Seat Checks is an excellent resource for anyone transporting children.
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