High Backed Booster Seats in E Class Third Row
Discussion
Happy news in the Cheekychap household as the Mrs and I are expecting our third child in May. Like all car enthusiast Dads this provides the perfect excuse to start trawling AutoTrader for cars suitable for three kids - all of whom have child seats.
Boy 1 is 7 and has a high backed booster seat.
Boy 2 is 5 and also has a high backed booster seat.
Boy 3 will be in an infant seat, then from 9 months old he'll be in a rear-facing seat.
Neither of the cars in my current fleet, a Toyota Prius and a Lexus GS450 take three seats across the back, so both need to be replaced in time.
My thinking is to replace the Lexus (essentially my car) with a Mercedes GL which on account of its gigantic size will be more than up to the task of family transport for holidays and the challenge of carrying both people and stuff.
The more urgent replacement need is the Prius. My working theory is to replace this with a S211 or S212 E Class Estate with the third row of seats in the boot.
One or both of the two older boys could then sit in the boot with the back seat being available for the baby and stuff which might otherwise go in the boot.
My question however is, does anyone use the third row seats in their E Class with (legally required) high backed booster seats? I've read some stuff saying these rear seats are rated for child use but to be honest I can't see the Mrs signing off on putting our two eldest in the car without their nice safe booster seats, and I'm inclined to agree.
All help gratefully received!
Boy 1 is 7 and has a high backed booster seat.
Boy 2 is 5 and also has a high backed booster seat.
Boy 3 will be in an infant seat, then from 9 months old he'll be in a rear-facing seat.
Neither of the cars in my current fleet, a Toyota Prius and a Lexus GS450 take three seats across the back, so both need to be replaced in time.
My thinking is to replace the Lexus (essentially my car) with a Mercedes GL which on account of its gigantic size will be more than up to the task of family transport for holidays and the challenge of carrying both people and stuff.
The more urgent replacement need is the Prius. My working theory is to replace this with a S211 or S212 E Class Estate with the third row of seats in the boot.
One or both of the two older boys could then sit in the boot with the back seat being available for the baby and stuff which might otherwise go in the boot.
My question however is, does anyone use the third row seats in their E Class with (legally required) high backed booster seats? I've read some stuff saying these rear seats are rated for child use but to be honest I can't see the Mrs signing off on putting our two eldest in the car without their nice safe booster seats, and I'm inclined to agree.
All help gratefully received!
I've got three (5, 4 and 7 months) and an s212 estate.
The rear facing seats are not meant to be used with a child seat. Youll find they are tilted too far forward and almost hitting the roof if you use another car seat. They are smaller than a normal seat and rated up to age 6. We only use occasionally but there's no way my 5 year old will have outgrown by next year.
For the rest of the time we use a multimac. Brilliant things.
The rear facing seats are not meant to be used with a child seat. Youll find they are tilted too far forward and almost hitting the roof if you use another car seat. They are smaller than a normal seat and rated up to age 6. We only use occasionally but there's no way my 5 year old will have outgrown by next year.
For the rest of the time we use a multimac. Brilliant things.
Thanks for the information and for taking the time to reply Tmrobinson.
I’ve looked at Multimacs too but there doesn’t appear to an answer for when you outgrow their infant carrier (9 months ish) and still want to be rear facing. It’s front facing only from then on. That would be fine for my 7 and 5 year old but not so cool for my new one.
I’ve looked at Multimacs too but there doesn’t appear to an answer for when you outgrow their infant carrier (9 months ish) and still want to be rear facing. It’s front facing only from then on. That would be fine for my 7 and 5 year old but not so cool for my new one.
Edited by CheekyChap on Wednesday 6th February 07:19
You wouldn't want to put a booster seat on the third row. They are are much smaller/shorter seast thatn the main ones. Our 4 yr old fits very nicely on the seat and more importantly the belt fits around his shoulders where it should.
We only use it occasionally, mainly when grandparents are with us too as it saves taking 2, half empty, cars.
Either this or an R500 (or even an R63).
We only use it occasionally, mainly when grandparents are with us too as it saves taking 2, half empty, cars.
Either this or an R500 (or even an R63).
Thanks for all the suggestions and help so far.
It's good to know the third row seats fit small kids without boosters but the challenges around this mean that the E Class 7 seater option is slipping down the list however. Current front runner is a Volvo XC90. That should fit all three kids in their very safe and more importantly wife-approved car seats with little drama. Happy wife happy life!
It's good to know the third row seats fit small kids without boosters but the challenges around this mean that the E Class 7 seater option is slipping down the list however. Current front runner is a Volvo XC90. That should fit all three kids in their very safe and more importantly wife-approved car seats with little drama. Happy wife happy life!
The third row rear facing seats are homologated as child seats and do not require the use of an additional child seat to comply with the law. And as others have pointed out, a child seat would not very well fit there. My children love using them. I quite like having a go every now and again.
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