Best 3-across car seats
- Best three-across car seat overall:
- Best three-across infant car seat:
- Best three-across seat for infants and toddlers:
- Best three-across booster seat:
- Best splurge three-across convertible car seat:
- Best three-across car seat alternative:
- What to know about three-across car seat installations
- 3-across car seat safety notes
Having a third child doesn't mean you have to buy a new car. But once you have three children (or more), trying to fit them all safely into a car or SUV starts to make a new minivan look pretty appealing. After all, trying to configure three car seats in your back seat can feel a lot like completing a puzzle - only without the picture on the front of the box to guide you.
But make no mistake: safe three-across car seat (also known as three-in-a-row car seat) installations can be accomplished in almost any car. As a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST), I've seen it done many times, and pulled off many challenging three-across car seat installations.
It all starts with picking out the right car seats. Slimmer car seats that are straighter up-and-down or have contours that fit well next to other seats are your best shot at getting a safe three-across install.
How we chose the best three-across car seats
- I have been a certified CPST since 2018 and have received 50-plus hours of training on car seat safety and installation. I have also volunteered at car seat checkup events for safety and healthcare organizations since 2018. When looking for car seats easier to install three-across, I considered:
- Width (between 17 to 20 inches, or less, is ideal)
- Contours (fewer are better)
- Shape (think cylinder, not hourglass or triangle)
- We spoke with two parents on BabyCenter's editorial team with four children between them who told us about their experiences with two of the car seats on this list. Specifically, they told us how easy the car seats were to install and to use every day.
- We utilized reviews from the 4 million members of BabyCenter's Community to find a consensus of opinions on three-across car seats that are easy to install and take up less space. Each of the car seats on this list was the subject of overwhelming praise for:
- Ease of installation and use
- Features that make the car seat more suitable for three-across installations
- Value for the price
Here are some CPST go-tos when parents want a three-in-a-row car seat installation.
Best three-across car seat overall
Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
This popular convertible car seat is a bit wider than competitors, so parents with sub-compacts probably won't be able to install a trio of Extend2Fits side-by-side. But since the bottom of the seat is sleek and narrow, the Extend2Fit can snuggle up nicely next to seats that are wider at the base. And once you get it installed, you won't need to change it for a long time: The rear-facing capacity will easily hold most kids to age 4 or 5. Your child can sit safely and comfortably rear-facing for as long as you like (the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear-facing until your child outgrows the weight height limit of your car seat).
That's one thing BabyCenter's Senior Director of Strategy and Growth Robin Hilmantel loves about this car seat: "My 4-year-old, who is admittedly on the smaller side, can still sit rear-facing in it, which we love since we know that's safest," she says, adding that she likes the seat so much, she got two, one for each child.
Parents love the reassurance of keeping their kids rear-facing, but hate the way they pretzel up their legs to sit that way, which makes the Extend2Fit's slide-out foot rest a popular feature. Other parent-favorited features: the harness that adjusts as you slide the top of the seat up to make it taller as your child grows, and the pockets on each side of the seat to hold your harness buckles out of the way so you can get your child in the seat more easily. Robin also says that her kids love that each seat has two cup holders for water or toys.
Heads up
The cup holders on this seat are removable but are required to be installed when your car seat is rear-facing.
Parents say
"Rear facing is the safest so the seat that will last the longest rear facing is 'the safest.' I would get the Graco Extend2fit."
"The Extend2fit will easily rear face a smaller kid all the way to booster age. My 7 year old still fits rear facing in it, although she is in a high back booster now."
"I love that my child has somewhere to put her feet, and I love that she'll be safely rear-facing for a long time."
Specs
- Seat type: Convertible
- Dimensions: 23.5 x 19.5 x 21.5 inches
- Seat weight: 19 pounds
- Height and weight range: Rear-facing, head at least 1 inch below handle, 4-50 pounds; forward-facing, 49 inches maximum, 22-65 pounds
Best three-across infant car seat
Nuna Pipa Lite LX with Pipa Series Base
Nuna sells eight different versions of its blockbuster Pipa car seat, and truly, all of them are great for three-across installs. They're all very narrow at around 17 inches; they're all compact front-to-back; they're super sleek with no sticky-outy parts to get in the way of a seat next to it. But of all the Pipa versions, the Lite LX has the best combination of price and features.
First of all, it's super lightweight: the car seat carrier is 5.7 pounds without its base. Alexandra Bisonó, Senior Art Director for Everyday Health Group, says this feature was important to her: "We lived in Queens, NY at that point in a small apartment, and owned a small car so it was important to us to have a car seat that we could carry by hand, place in a stroller or in the car easily," she said. The light-and-lovely Pipa proved ideal for the task, and Alexandra says snapping it into the base and the stroller was easy. She liked the magnetic buckle holders that held the harness out of the way when getting her baby in and out, too, and the lovely fabrics, free of added flame retardants.
But by far Alexandra's favorite feature was the "Sky drape," fabric that attaches to the end of the seat's canopy with magnets and shields your baby from the sun, with a vented peek-a-boo window in the canopy so you can see your baby even when the drape is on. "During the pandemic it provided us with privacy when walking around the city and protected our baby from the sun," says Alexandra. "I covered her up and nobody would spread their germs wanting to see her!"
Heads up
The seat comes with extra infant inserts, which Alexandra says was very helpful when blowouts occurred.
Specs
- Seat type: Infant
- Dimensions: 27.3 x 17.5 x 22.5 inches
- Seat weight: Carrier, 5.7 pounds; base, 14 pounds
- Height and weight range: Maximum 32 inches, 4 to 32 pounds
Best three-across seat for infants and toddlers
Chicco Fit2
Most children outgrow most infant seats by the time they're 1 year old, which means even if you've gotten a safe three-across installation with an infant seat, you'll have to change it all too quickly. But the Chicco Fit2 is a rear-facing-only seat designed to hold children from birth to age 2, giving you more time to leave your baby in your three-across install before having to switch her to a front-facing seat and adjusting your layout.
That's not the only thing that makes this seat great, and particularly suited to three-across: It's nice and narrow at 17 inches, as well as relatively shallow front-to-back. This means you won't have to pull the front seats in your car uncomfortably forward to make space for it. You can install this seat in the middle of your back seat, or behind the driver or passenger seat, more options to try out for challenging installs.
From an ease-of-use perspective, this seat also ranks tops with parents (though it's not as well-known as Chicco's most popular infant car seat, the KeyFit 30, another great three-in-a-row candidate). The Fit2 hasseveral features that make it easy to instal: A built-in reclining foot that makes it easier to get the right angle, bubble indicators on each side of the seat so you'll know when that angle is just right, and the "SuperCinch" tightener that gets the seat in snugly without a lot of tugging and frustration.
Heads up
This seat, like most infant seats, is compatible with many strollers, so you can use it as a stroller seat until age 2.
Parents say
"Very easy to install, strap, adjust. Love the canopy and look. Very easy to clip into stroller and base. The seat cover fits snug so even after 14 months of use there were virtually NO crumbs under it when I cleaned it."
"I had it for my first and it is a great seat, easy install and easy to adjust but it is heavy."
Specs
- Seat type: Infant
- Dimensions: 28 x 17 x 24 inches
- Seat weight: 19.5 pounds
- Height and weight range: 35 inches maximum; 4-35 pounds
Best three-across booster seat
Graco TurboBooster Highback Booster
Unlike infant or convertible seats that use harness straps to keep your child in place, booster seats “boost” your child up to the right height to use your car's seat belt. They come in high-backed and backless varieties, and many CPSTs think high-backed boosters do a better job of positioning children safely.
The TurboBooster is known among CPSTs as a high-backed booster that will fit when other boosters won't. (And, when needed, the back to this booster comes off to make it a backless model, making it even more versatile.) It's nice and narrow at 15 inches wide, and sleek from top to bottom: No big curves to make it harder to fit next to other seats. Plus, the cup holders on either side of the seat's base can be pushed into the seat so nothing's sticking out, or pulled out if you have the space. This gives you more options to fit seats beside the TurboBooster, and parents say kids love having cup holders for their stuff (most boosters do not have them).
The headrest is perfectly designed to cradle your child's head, and won't let it loll to one side, even if your child falls asleep. And kids find this booster very comfortable, so they're more likely to doze off in the car.
Heads up
The minimum weight for this seat has been increased in this newest edition, from 30 to 40 pounds, but children should only use a booster after they've outgrown their convertible seat.
Parents say
"Graco Turbobooster is great for smaller kiddos."
"As for comfort, my DD traveled 8 hrs in a TurboBooster… and she did just fine."
Specs
- Seat type: Booster
- Dimensions: 15 x 15 x 26.5 inches
- Seat weight: 9 pounds
- Height and weight range: High-back and backless booster modes, 43-57 inches, 40-100 pounds, age 4 and up
Best splurge three-across convertible car seat
Clek Fllo Convertible Car Seat
The Clek Fllo car seat is narrow with an even narrower base: just 13 inches, which can make it a lot easier to buckle in a booster seat next to it. And the seat itself is perfectly narrow and even up and down, nothing protruding to spoil your three-across install.
The Fllo is on the pricey side, but the moment you touch its fabric, you'll know why. Not only is it velvety soft, this seat is made to be odor-, bacteria-, and stain-resistant, so it wipes clean like a breeze. The Fllo's safety features are superior, too: The seat's built with a steel frame and comes with an anti-rebound bar. When the seat is installed rear-facing, the anti-rebound bar fits against the back of your car's seat and limits the seat's back-and-forth movement in a collision.
The height and weight limits are high, but the Fllo can only be used from birth if you shell out an extra $42 for an insert called – wait for it – Infant Thingy).
Heads up
Parents like that the Fllo is available in two fabrics with no added flame retardants.
Parents say
"Clek Fllo is just as slim as Foonf, but not as huge."
"We have been using a Clek Fllo in mammoth since DD’s birth with the infant insert. She absolutely loves it! The mammoth (wool fabric) is a bit more expensive, but totally worth it because there are no flame retardants of any kind in the car seat! It also looks classy and is very soft."
"The fabric cover of the Fllo is made of Crypton odor, bacteria, and stain repelling fabric; making it easy to wipe down in case of everyday spills."
Specs
- Seat type: Convertible
- Dimensions: 22 x 17 x 26 inches
- Seat weight: 25 pounds
- Height and weight range: Rear-facing, 25-43 inches and 4-50 pounds; forward-facing, 30-49 inches and 22-65 pounds
Best three-across car seat alternative
RideSafer Vest Travel Car Seat
The Travel Vest is an unconventional (and child safety expert-approved) alternative to the traditional booster seat that can make even the tightest three-across situation work. This small and light (2.4 pounds) device looks like a zipline harness, and, like a booster seat, it positions your child correctly so they can use your car's seat belts. Since you adjust it to your child's body, there's nothing sticking out to mess up another car seat's install, and parents can get three kids three-across when absolutely nothing else will work.
Since the Ride Safer Travel Vest weighs so little and rolls up into a package about the size of a two-liter bottle, it's fantastic for travel, car pools, and taxis. Parents of children who have low tone or who simply have a hard time sitting up also appreciate this vest, which basically anchors your child safely in place, and will fit a child of up to 110 pounds, long after they've outgrown a convertible car seat harness.
Heads up
Ride Safer says that the extra-small will fit some 2-year-olds, but that parents should only use this option when strapped for any other workable solutions.
Parents say
"We used a ride safer travel vest - the seat belt is threaded through the vest, so it holds it in the appropriate place on their bodies. Way easier to travel with, although not usable on airplanes."
"I am eyeing the Ride Safer Travel Vest, it’s a belt positioning vest. It can’t be used on the plane, though. But if you had that, you would only have to drag one car seat through the airport."
"If you can't fit 3 radians nothing will go three across except maybe a ride safer travel vest."
Specs
- Seat type: Belt-positioning vest (front-facing only)
- Dimensions: 15 x 9.5 x 3.5 inches
- Seat weight: 2.4 pounds
- Height and weight range: Extra small, 35-40 inches, 22-40 pounds; small, 35-50 inches, 30-60 pounds; large, 45-57 inches, 50-80 pounds; extra large, 47-62 inches, 80-110 pounds; ages 3-14
What to know about three-across car seat installations
When we say "three-across," we don't necessarily mean that three of the same car-seat model will fit in your back seat. But if you have multiple kids of different ages, you may be looking for an infant seat, a convertible car seat, and a booster that work together, for example. Trying out different combinations will turn up what works best for your vehicle and family, but in general, when you're trying for a three-across install, consider looking for a seat with these attributes.
All that said, getting a three-across install right is as much art as science. There's a lot of variance in cars and car seats, and the car seat installation process is tricky, so not every seat will work in a three-across setup in every car. Some seats can "puzzle" together – for example, an infant seat that's narrow at the base but wider above can snuggle next to a booster seat without armrests. Car seat contours can pose problems, too, since different seat curves don't always line up neatly next to each other.
It helps to have your installation checked by a licensed CPST to make sure each seat is securely installed and not pressing against the other seats in the row. CPSTs will know what seat snuggles effectively next to another and will be willing to try out different configurations with you to help you make it work. You can use a CPST look-up tool to find help near you. Keep in mind, most CPSTs will charge $50 to $150, depending on how complicated the install is. There may also be CPSTs who do free evaluations in your area; ask around to find out who and where.
You can do this on your own, of course, so long as you thoroughly read your car seats’ manuals and safety guides, and properly measure the size of your car’s back seats.
Our measurements and details can help you decide on good three-across car seats for your car. Your car's manual should spell out how wide your back seat is (if it doesn't, you can call your manufacturer for the measurements), which can help.
Some baby stores have sample car seats they'll let you try in your own back seat to make sure everything fits properly. But it's more likely that you'll have to buy before you try, so purchase your car seat from a retailer that makes returns as easy and hassle-free as possible – especially if you're ordering online.
How to install car seats three-across: An expert's advice
Although you should always read your seat manufacturer's instructions and consider consulting with a CPST when you're setting up a three-across install, these tips can help you set the stage for success.
Be willing to experiment with LATCH vs. seat belts. Sometimes you can get an easier, tighter install using your car's seat belts instead of the LATCH system, but not always. "It's vehicle- and car seat-specific," says Greg Durocher, CPST and CEO of Safe Ride 4 Kids. Keep in mind, too, that all forward-facing seats have a maximum weight limit where you'll have to stop using LATCH and switch to sweat belts.
Alternate rear- and forward-facing. Car seat contours mean that you'll often get the best fit when you put rear- and forward-facing seats next to each other. "The widest part of most seats is the back, where the passenger's shoulders would be," Durocher says. "Alternating one rear seat and one forward seat makes positioning easier."
Leave extra space for booster seats. When installing boosters, you'll need to account for the space that your child requires to easily buckle and unbuckle their seat belt. If a child is fumbling for a buckle that's wedged under a sibling's seat, they might not buckle themselves properly. There's also a chance they could accidentally unbuckle their sibling's car seat, Durocher points out.
Make sure each seat is independently snug. A correct install means that each car seat sits snugly on its own, not because it's wedged up against another car seat. If a seat moves less than one inch from front to back or side to side when gently nudged, then it's secure, says Durocher. The easiest way to test this is by installing the middle seat first and working your way out.
Consider your family's needs. Car seat fit isn't the only thing you need to think about. For instance, if you have two forward-facing seats and a rear-facing one, the rear-facing one might fit best in the middle. But if the setup makes it difficult to lift the rear-facing seat into the base every time you get into the car, it might not be realistic for your family. "You have to consider all of the factors and make sure the setup is something you can repeat for every trip," says Durocher. "The best installation scenario is one that's repeatable every time."
Have realistic expectations. It may not be possible to achieve a 100 percent perfect three-across install with the car and car seats that you have. Your goal instead should be to get as close to installing according to the manufacturer's instructions as possible. (Again, this is where the help of a CPST can be invaluable.) "Can we get it 98 percent correct? That's better than 80 percent. Doing the best with what you have, it's a spectrum," says Durocher.
Remain rear-facing as long as possible. Whatever you do, don't make more car seats fit by rushing one of your kids into a booster seat, or by turning a car seat from rear- to forward-facing prematurely. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says car seats should be used in the rear-facing position for as long as possible – until children outgrow the rear-facing weight or height limits, usually around age 4. Then, children should be turned forward-facing and continue using a car seat with a five-point harness until they outgrow the seat's weight or height limits for the forward-facing position.
After that, you'll need a booster seat until your child can use regular seat belts (usually between ages 8 and 12). For more information, see our expert advice on how to choose and use a car seat and when a child can safely switch from a booster to seat belts alone.
Marygrace Taylor contributed to this story
3-across car seat safety notes
When we say "3-across," we don't necessarily mean that three of the same car-seat model will fit. But since you probably have kids of all different ages, you may be looking for an infant seat, a convertible car seat, and a booster that all work together, for example. Trying out different combinations will turn up what works best for your vehicle and family. Some seats can "puzzle" together – for example, an infant seat that's narrow at the base but wider above can snuggle next to a booster seat without armrests.
This is an advanced maneuver, however, and if you try it, have your installation checked by a licensed Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to make sure each seat is securely installed and not pressing against the other seats in the row. CPSTs will know what seat snuggles effectively next to another and will be willing to try out different configurations with you to help you make it work.
Maybe the infant seat is better installed in the middle with the seat belt, with the convertible rear-facing on one side and the booster on the other. Maybe the best option is two convertible seats with a booster in the middle. A CPST will help you figure it out and teach you how to install them all – typically for $50 to $150, depending on how complicated the install is. Here's a look-up tool to find a CPST near you. There may also be CPSTs who do free evaluations in your area; ask around to find out who and where.
You can do this on your own, of course, with thorough reading of manuals and safety guides. But note, complicating matters is the fact that different cars have different-size back seats. Maybe you have a compact car with a back seat that's just 48 inches wide. Or a mid-sized sedan, with back seats that run say, 52 to 56 inches wide, or a huge SUV with a back seat that's 63.5 inches wide. You could theoretically get car seats 3-across in any of these vehicles, provided the car seats are narrow enough and installed in the optimal place and position in the car.
So, how will you know for sure if multiple seats fit in your car (not to mention the best fit for just one)? Some baby stores have sample car seats they'll let you try in your own back seat to make sure everything fits properly. But it's more likely that you'll have to buy before you try, so purchase your car seat from a retailer that makes returns as easy and hassle-free as possible – especially if you're ordering online.
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AAP. 2022. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Car Seats: Information for Families." https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspxOpens a new window [Accessed March 2023]