Convertible Car Seat for Subaru Crosstrek
Hello everyone,
I am in the market for a convertible car seat, but am really confused about which one to get. I drive a Subaru Crosstrek which means that there isn't a ton of space in the back. My questions are-
1. For other Crosstrek drivers- what convertible car seat do you have? Do you like it? Does it fit well in the back seat? Do you have it in the middle or window seat?
2. Is there a place I can test out car seats?
Thanks so much for the advice!
Nina
Aug 30, 2017
Parent Replies
We have an Impreza, but the backseat is the same as the Crosstrek's. We have a Britax Marathon and have been happy with it as far as the front-to-back space (which is tight, especially when rear-facing!) You might also check out the Chicco Nextfit, which also adjusts well front-to-back in small cars. We have the seat in the window because we have two kids, but when we only had one, we had it in the middle and it installs fine there as well (although you will need to use the seat belt in the middle). You can test out car seats at Tot Tank in Alameda, and also at Babies 'R' Us. Target frustratingly makes you buy them to try them out, and then you can immediately return--but that's a headache so we skipped it.
It is a small car, but we can successfully get three across (or two car seats plus an adult) with the right seats. If you think you might need to do that regularly, it's worth considering a Diono Radian or Clek Foonf. They are pricey but will give you a lot of flexibility getting additional seats or adults in alongside the car seat.
1. I haven't installed car seats in the Crosstrek. I have installed our car seats (Britax Boulevard, Britax Marathon, Clek Fllo) rear facing in numerous rental cars and even airplanes with seating much smaller than the Crosstrek with no problem. I'm betting most convertible seats will fit in that car. If you're trying to get 3 across or you have an extremely tall driver that needs the seat all the way back, those are different issues.
2. Almost any store that sells car seats will let you test install the display seat in your car before buying. I've personally taken advantage of this at Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby in the Walnut Creek / Concord area (staff aren't helpful there, so you'll need to figure it out yourself) and Tot Tank in Alameda (staff are super helpful and really know what they're doing, but this shop has higher prices). Just call ahead to whatever store you want to visit to make sure they have staff available to help you when you arrive.
You can test out carseats at Kids n Cribs in Dublin. They have "car seat techs" that will fit the seat to your car. You can call to make an appointment, the techs are not there all the time.