[Kcat]

Hi all,

My sweetie and I are really tempted by the Prius, but looking at one at a dealership we had a lot of trouble getting our son's carseat to be really solid. This isn't news - we have some trouble with every new car/rental car whatever we try it in. But he'd be a lot happier if we'd heard from someone who had succeeded - has anyone here managed to get a Britax Roundabout (or another Britax seat) rock-solid in a 2004 Prius? Any issues about middle vs. side seats?

Thanks,

Kcat

 

[levisana]

Carseat success

Hi--

I had the same question after hearing this from some friends. We are expecting a baby, so we were concerned. But I asked the owner of this website:

http://www.cesium.com/Prius/daddycam/

He wrote back to me saying they have a Britax carseat and it is "rock solid" using the superior LATCH system that Toyota has put in all Priuses (he has an '02 but the specs say that the LATCH system is in all models.) You might want to go back to the dealership and ask them to demonstrate the LATCH system. Or you could email the website owner above for details.

Good luck!

 

[efusco]

Get carseats with the LATCH system...no matter what you have now, spend the money and get it. You'll never regret.

I have twin 5 year olds and an infant daughter all 3 car seats fit across the back and all 3 are rock solid held in by the LATCH system. I mean solid. I'm an ER doctor and my kids will be safely in car seats...period.

 

[cahinton]

Get carseats with the LATCH system...no matter what you have now, spend the money and get it. You'll never regret.

I have twin 5 year olds and an infant daughter all 3 car seats fit across the back and all 3 are rock solid held in by the LATCH system. I mean solid. I'm an ER doctor and my kids will be safely in car seats...period.

Ditto that, but reverse it... I have twin 1-year old daughters and a 5 year old son. All three fit very nicely. The twins have the Roundabout seat, and my son has a booster.

 

[priusenvy]

Get carseats with the LATCH system...no matter what you have now, spend the money and get it. You'll never regret.

I have twin 5 year olds and an infant daughter all 3 car seats fit across the back and all 3 are rock solid held in by the LATCH system. I mean solid. I'm an ER doctor and my kids will be safely in car seats...period.

Just remember that the upper weight limit for LATCH is 48lbs.

My kid is close to that limit - he's been in a Britax Super Elite for a couple years now. The Super Elite is like the Husky, it provides a five-point harness for children over 40lbs. It's held in place in the middle position of the rear seat with the Prius' lap and shoulder belts, plus the tether. The Prius' belt is more than long enough to make it easy to thread through the mounting holes on the Super Elite. I'm satisfied with the fit and security, but it is huge. We can only get a couple skinny teenagers into the back seat with the Super Elite in the middle position.

 

[efusco]

Just remember that the upper weight limit for LATCH is 48lbs.

I didn't know that...do you have a reference handy? My 5 year olds are just over 30 lbs. now, I suspect they won't hit 48 until their at the 8 year old mark or close to it and able to sit in the seat without a carseat or booster...

 

[priusenvy]

Just remember that the upper weight limit for LATCH is 48lbs.

I didn't know that...do you have a reference handy? My 5 year olds are just over 30 lbs. now, I suspect they won't hit 48 until their at the 8 year old mark or close to it and able to sit in the seat without a carseat or booster...

I haven't see this limit on an NHTSA web page, but I have seen it on child seat manufacturer sites and online stores. From page 5 of the Britax Marathon User Guide (http://www.britaxusa.com/documents/MAR_R08.pdf)

Use vehicle belt (not LATCH connectors) for installations with children weighing more than 48 pounds (21 kg). Refer to the vehicle owner's manual or contact the vehicle manufacturer for the maximum weight rating for their LATCH anchors. Unless specified otherwise by the vehicle manufacturer, assume a 48-pound child is the vehicle LATCH anchor limit.

I think this is only an issue for convertible seats (those that turn into boosters), since pure booster seats don't come with LATCH, AFAIK.

 

[efusco]

Thanks...so somebody actually reads those owners manuals...cool!

 

[Big Mac]

Car Seats

We've used a Graco SnugRide and an Evenflo Triumph 5 (or something like that), and both have worked well in the center position. We have a 2002, and I think the newer ones have a bigger back seat. We haven't had any trouble with them moving around.