Car Seats.

"mazda616" (mazda616) 09/30/2015 at 19:20 • Filed to: Car Seats

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They are huge. I have been doing some research on them and owners of Mazda3s that had kids and the by and large consensus seems to be that if you have a rear-facing car seat for an infant in the back seat, the seat in front of it has to be scooted so far up that it can’t hold a passenger comfortably anymore.

Huh. Never thought about my car being so small until now. That’s kind of annoying. But, I bought this car when I was 19 and kids weren’t a thought of mine. I refuse to be one of those people that upgrades to a stupid huge vehicle as an excuse to fit their kid. I see plenty of Suburbans and shit around here with like one car seat in them. Overkill, much?

I like driving a smaller car. Always have.

Not that I’m any closer to having a kid. Ok, maybe a little. But I have begun doing research at least. That’s something.

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See how far up the passenger seat is there? Yikes.

HammerheadFistpunch > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:39

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Yeah, rear facing car seats are enormous. People go on and on about the Recaro seats (racing yo) but they are some of the worst offenders for size. I remember getting the seats in the sg forester was a trick. Fortunately the JSW has plenty of room.

mazda616 > HammerheadFistpunch 09/30/2015 at 19:39

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I’ve found one brand that tends to be one of the smaller ones that people suggest for small cars.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat and Base, Snap Dragon :

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GJ7WZFQ/…

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:39

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I was in a booster seat until 3, then just normal back seat to 8, and then I started sitting up front (if only one of my folks was in the car) And I lived. In fact, I was sitting up front when my dad’s car got side-swiped when I was 9, and I’m fine.

We never had a back-facing seat for me, and my parents always had smaller cars (opel astra, opel kadett....) and it was no issue.

I say get a conventional booster seat and keep the car you like (until you upgrade to the swanky 6 :D)

on the topic of booster seats though: Maybe it’s the fact that I grew up in SE Europe, but I honestly don’t see the point in not letting your kid sit in a normal seat by the time they're 3-5.

boxrocket > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:40

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Car seats have gotten huge, but function better. My sister-in-law was set on a 3 until she tried to fit car seats in it. So she got a CX-5 and loves it.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:41

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Father here: This isn’t a problem in the 6.

mazda616 > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 09/30/2015 at 19:43

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Ugh, don't tell me that! :-O It'll make me want one even more than I do now.

HammerheadFistpunch > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:45

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Yup, we had a keyfit 30. Now with regular ol carseats we use peg perego because they seemed to be built the best and have the best anchor system. Expensive, but look for discontinued colors. They are holding up very well.

mazda616 > HammerheadFistpunch 09/30/2015 at 19:46

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So, was the Keyfit 30 a good size? What car(s) did you put it in?

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:46

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Totally have that model of seat as I was warned about the size of the Recaro. It fits in the back of my JSW and gives the front seat passenger plenty of legroom. The same is true when we put it on the Mrs. 2008 Corolla so it should be fine in a 3.

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:50

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I have a Britax convertible seat (still smaller than the Recaro) that is going in my car when he outgrows the keyfit 30 but as he is on the small side that isn’t likely to be soon.

OPPOsaurus WRX > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:53

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Is the 3 smaller than a WRX? My 6’4 cousin was able to fit in the passenger seat with the rear facing seat behind him.

64Mali > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 19:55

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I have my daughter s car seat in my MIL 07 3. Rear facing made the front seat so cramped. It’s a bit better forward facing but not that much. It’s almost impossible for a passenger in my fiesta.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 20:13

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Heh, car seats being so damn big is why my mom had to sell her ‘94 Saturn SC2 and buy the Safari. She said she would have had to turn me sideways to get me in and the passenger would have their knees in their face. Not that that justified anything bigger than a 4-door Blazer, but that was their choice to get a gas guzzling 7 seat van.

ranwhenparked > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 09/30/2015 at 20:28

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Most states require rear-facing seats for infants, until they get big enough to max out the seat’s weight/size limits.

Tekamul > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 09/30/2015 at 20:36

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Hey, I rolled around in the back of a station wagon for the first few years of my life and lived, but that will be of little comfort when he gets slapped with a $250 fine. In most states the fines are substantially worse than for a seatbelt violation.

shop-teacher > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 21:10

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We have that car seat (it’s great, Chicco is the best), but to use it in my wife’s ‘06 3 you still had to pull the seat up so far, you had to saw the front passenger’s legs off to use it.

We bought a CX-5, it’s just big enough to pull off a front passenger in front of a rear facing car seat. You wouldn’t want to make a long trip in that seat, but around town it’s fine. We’ve gone up to an hour away without trouble. I love that car.

shop-teacher > boxrocket 09/30/2015 at 21:13

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Yep, we sold my wife’s 3 when kid #2 was coming. We replaced it with a CX-5, and I absolutely love it. It’s juuust big enough.

Tom McParland > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 21:14

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I had a 2010 Mazda3 and the car seats were real tight...surprisingly my ‘15 GTI fits them a bit better. Though I don’t shuttle the kiddies around much, we have a minivan for that.

I know you like the 6 but seriously take a look at the Accord, larger trunk and bigger back seat. Also the Sport with the 6MT is pretty quick compared to the Mazda.

mazda616 > Tom McParland 09/30/2015 at 21:20

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I'm staying with the 6. I've wanted one since they came out and I've driven one and loved it. I do like Accords but I will have a 6 someday. :)

M54B30 > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 21:26

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I have an 18 month old and 3 car seats:

The middle is the best place both for safety AND so the baby seat can sit between the front seats. In our 5 series, we have a Diono seat and they’re narrow - not uncomfortably narrow, they just don’t “wing out” like other ones. Their seats are expensive ($250-$300) but fit from newborn to 100+ lbs. They’re made of steel instead of plastic and use memory foam for baby comfort.

When my wife deployed to the middle east a few months ago, i switched him front facing so I could hand him stuff (drinks, Goldfish, pacifiers) as we drove places.

They also sell foam pads to put under the seat so it sits a few inches higher and clears the front seats easier, they were a lifesaver in my 530i and Corolla.

mazda616 > shop-teacher 09/30/2015 at 21:55

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My wife has a CX-5, so I’m not worried about it. Looks like my car just won’t tote the future kid and my wife and I much, if ever.

Tom McParland > mazda616 09/30/2015 at 22:43

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The 6 is a solid choice, it would be damn near perfect if it had a bit more power.

mazda616 > Tom McParland 09/30/2015 at 22:45

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I agree. But for my commute the lack of power isn’t noticeable. I hardly ever exceed 45 MPH throughout the week.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 10/01/2015 at 02:22

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Doesn’t work that way anymore. Rear facing is a requirement of the law up to a certain age/height/weight requirement. Then after that they must meet another age/height/weight requirement. This I do know for sure. These limits do vary from place to place of course.

IIRC, in some places, child/human services can be called and you can potentially lose your child do to criminal negligence. But I could be completely wrong and totally misinterpreting some crazy ramblings of some random mother. Who knows.