Best cars for 3 child seats

If you’ve got three kids, you’ll know that child seats can be a right pain in the… back. And we’re not just talking about the daily struggle to lift your three little darlings into their padded safety thrones. Your spine may never recover from the ordeal.

No, the real pain comes from the struggle to find a car that can accommodate three child seats. Few cars can squeeze three seats in a single row, so assuming you need the front passenger seat for your significant other, you might need to find a seven-seater. Which seems a bit unfair when you’re just a family of five.

On the plus side, a seven-seater will come in handy when you need to take the grandparents for a three-generational outing or your kids’ besties require a lift home from school. You’ll also enjoy the extra luggage space when the two bonus pews aren’t required.

For this guide, we’ve selected a range of SUVs, MPVs and estate cars, along with a couple of wildcards, some with five seats and others with seven. Strap yourself in, parents, because here are our recommendations for the best cars for three child seats.

What to look for in a family car that fits three child seats

Without wishing to state the obvious, the first thing to check is whether or not the car has space for three child seats. Most family cars have three back seats, but not all of them are wide enough to squeeze a trio of child seats in a single row. The alternative would be an SUV or MPV with three rows of seats, so you can stick two seats in the middle row and another pair in the very back.

You should also look for a car with at least three Isofix child seat mounting points. These are metal hooks within the car’s seats, which allow a child seat to be securely attached using clamps. They’re significantly safer than having to rely on the car’s seat belt and very easy to use, which should come in handy if you have to transfer the child seats to another car.

To make things a little easier for you when you’re lifting a child seat into the car or even making sure your children are strapped in, look for a car with doors that open wide. An MPV with sliding rear doors might help here, but the increased ride height of an SUV will be better for your back.

Don’t forget to check the size of the boot, because if your children are young enough to require child seats, you’ll almost certainly need to carry a lot of clobber. Take into account the length of a pushchair and how much space you’ll need for a family holiday.

On that summer trip to the coast, you’ll want to ensure that your children are as safe as possible, which is where the Euro NCAP safety rating comes in. Every new car is crash tested by the organisation and given a star rating (out of five) for its ability to keep occupants and other road users safe in a collision. Pay particular attention to the child occupant protection rating.

Finally, don’t rely on what you’ve read in brochures or online, because nothing beats first-hand experience of a car. Take your child seats with you when you go for a test drive and see if there really is sufficient space for all three.

SUVs

Kia Sorento

The Kia Sorento is one of the best family cars you can buy. Unusually, it’s available as a diesel, hybrid or plug-in hybrid, so excellent fuel economy is almost guaranteed, whichever version you choose. The diesel engine offers a decent 43.5mpg, according to official figures, while the plug-in hybrid should be good for 34 miles, if you remember to plug it in. Seven seats come as standard, and while you won’t be able to squeeze three child seats in the middle row, there are four Isofix points: two in the middle and two in the third row.

All versions also have the reassurance of four-wheel drive, an impressive 12.3-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, and six USB-C charging ports, including two in the third row. Say goodbye to squabbles over who gets to charge their smartphone on a long journey.

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda offers a range of brilliant family SUVs, all of which end in the letter ‘q’. The question is, which one is the best if your quest is to find a car for three child seats? Well, you’d be quackers to ignore the Kodiaq, which offers a terrific blend of style, practicality and value for money. Five-seat and seven-seat versions are available, with all models having an Isofix point in the front passenger seat for maximum versatility.

Although the third-row seats don’t have Isofix points, they are big enough for a pair of child seats, while the middle row is wide enough for two child seats and a passenger in the middle. Even the entry-level SE model has tri-zone climate control, so the children in the very back won’t feel like they’ve been given the cheap seats. Form an orderly queue…

Mercedes GLE

There are more affordable alternatives to the Mercedes GLE, but few offer the same level of quality as this German SUV. You’ll feel like you’ve gone up in the world – and not just because of the raised ride height. Both the petrol and diesel versions are available with plug-in hybrid power, which should deliver between 60 and 70 miles of electric range between charges, according to official figures. You could complete your daily commute in electric mode, leaving the petrol or diesel engine for weekend duties.

The five-seat version is wide enough for three child seats in the back, although only the outer seats have Isofix points. Choose the seven-seat GLE for the convenience of a pair of foldaway seats in the back, albeit without Isofix points. They’re also a little on the small side, so they’re best reserved for small children (or occasional use by your least favourite passengers).

MPVs

Citroen e-SpaceTourer

Yes, we know you’d rather own an SUV, but when it comes to space, practicality and flexibility, nothing beats an MPV. Live with one for a few weeks and you’ll wonder how you managed without it. Look, we’re not going to pretend that the Citroen e-SpaceTourer is little more than a van with extra windows and seats, but let’s look at the positives. It’s got sliding rear doors, which are so much more convenient than standard doors. It’s also got eight seats as standard, all of which are big enough for adults and big kids.

But that’s not all, because there are six, yes SIX, Isofix points in the second and third rows, making this one of the most child-friendly cars you can buy. Good luck to you and your ears if those six rear seats are loaded with children on a long journey. Between 136 and 215 miles of range is available, depending on the size of the battery, although diesel versions are available if you’re happy to buy a used SpaceTourer.

Ford Galaxy

The used car market is somewhere you’ll need to venture if you fancy a Ford Galaxy, which is far, far away one of the best MPVs you can buy. We could say it’s a bit of a star, but that might be pushing this already tenuous reference to the famous film franchise. Favoured by private hire and airport taxi service companies, the Galaxy is a proper seven-seater. And by ‘proper’ we mean that it’s got space for seven adults, with doors that open wide for easy access.

All three seats in the middle row have Isofix points for child seats, and they also slide back and forth individually if your passengers in the third row are complaining about a lack of kneeroom. There’s enough space in the very back for a couple of child seats, with occupants treated to a pair of cupholders and a storage bin. The only downside of Galaxy ownership is that your mates will be expecting you to take them to Gatwick for a red-eye flight to Benidorm.

Vauxhall Combo Life

Don’t be put off by the Postman Pat styling, because the Vauxhall Combo Life is a properly practical MPV. Besides, other colours are available if you don’t want to channel your inner postal worker. You get a choice of five or seven seats, the latter being equipped with a pair of third-row seats that can be removed if you need to boost the boot space. Either way, each seat in the second row has an Isofix point, with enough room for three child seats. As a bonus, you get a pair of sliding doors for easy access (and for trying to throw a Frisbee through the car when nobody’s looking).

The petrol and diesel versions are no longer available to buy new, but the Combo Life remains on sale as the Combo Life Electric, complete with updated styling that’s less likely to be mistaken for Pat’s bright red van.

Estate cars

Skoda Superb Estate

Your choices are rather limited when it comes to estate cars with space for three child seats, but we have a couple of recommendations for you. We start with the Skoda Superb Estate, which is more than a match for the SUVs on our list. It’s a vast car, both inside and out, with rear legroom to shame a limo, a boot large enough to rival a small van, and a high-quality feel that’s on a par with a more expensive Audi or Volkswagen.

There are two Isofix points in the back, and while it might be possible to squeeze a child seat in the middle of the row, it’d be worth choosing a Superb with the optional Isofix mounting points on the front passenger seat, which is ideal if you want to keep your baby close to you.

Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

The Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer might lack a premium badge, but in nearly every other respect it’s a class act. Sports Tourer is just a fancy name for an estate car, which means you get a large boot for your stroller and other baby paraphernalia, along with plenty of back-seat legroom for when your little ones go on a growth spurt. Best of all, all three seats have Isofix points for your three child seats.

Even the entry-level versions are well-equipped, but it would be worth seeking out the Elite Nav model. Highlights include heated leather seats front and rear, LED Matrix headlights and an 8-inch touchscreen. The 2.0 Turbo 4x4 model has an excellent Bose premium sound system for drowning out the cries of ‘are we nearly there yet?’.

Budget-friendly options

Dacia Jogger

Although we’ve included it as a budget-friendly option, the Dacia Jogger is good enough to rival cars costing twice the price. It really is that good. Crucially, it doesn’t look like a cheap car, with smart styling at the front and Volvo-like vibes at the back. It also comes with seven seats as standard, with two Isofix points in the middle row, plus space for two extra child seats in the very back. Amazingly, the two third-row seats offer enough space for adults, which isn’t something you can say about every seven-seater.

We like the fact that each third-row seat weighs the equivalent of ten bags of sugar, so they’re easy to remove if you’re carrying extra luggage instead of a pair of children. Meanwhile, the hybrid version gives almost 60mpg, according to Dacia’s figures. Sweet!

Nissan Micra

Fancy a wildcard? The Nissan Micra might be the smallest car on our list, but it comes with three Isofix points as standard. There are two in the back and one on the front passenger seat, and while this might limit the Micra’s versatility if you have a child seat in all three, it could be ideal if the car is used primarily for school runs or trips to the créche. An affordable supermini that’s easy to park and cheap to run could be just the ticket.

A key selling point of the Nissan Micra, on sale from 2017 to 2022, was its safety credentials. It featured many driver assistance systems that weren’t even standard equipment on larger and more expensive cars, so you can sleep easy knowing that you’re doing your best to protect your little ones.