Best car seats for third row
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 171
Likes: 67
From: Suburbs of NYC
Awaiting a 2021 GLS580
Best car seats for third row
I’m looking to purchase two car seats that will fit well in the third row of the GLS 580.
I have a 3yr old and a 1yr old and my 1yr old is about to outgrow the infant car seat, so I’m in the market for car seat replacements. I haven’t ordered my GLS 580 but I went to the dealership and tried my two existing toddler seats (we have one per car for the three year old). They are very bulky Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 car seats and they both fit in the third row without the kids in them. The width of the third row was more than enough to fit the car seats side-by-side but the depth of the third row made the car seat when forward facing almost touch the back of the second row seat. So if my three year old was in the seat she would have to sit with her legs criss crosses instead hanging over the seat as is typical. It’s definitely doable for a short ride 30min-1hr but will never be able to make it on a 4hr trip when grandma and grandpa are in the second row.
I’m sure there are car seats that are less deep and would enable it to be installed toward facing in the third row yet leave room for a 3-4yr old to hang the feet over while not keeping the second row so upright that it’s uncomfortable for the second row occupants. Has anyone had any success with car seats in the third row.
I have a 3yr old and a 1yr old and my 1yr old is about to outgrow the infant car seat, so I’m in the market for car seat replacements. I haven’t ordered my GLS 580 but I went to the dealership and tried my two existing toddler seats (we have one per car for the three year old). They are very bulky Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 car seats and they both fit in the third row without the kids in them. The width of the third row was more than enough to fit the car seats side-by-side but the depth of the third row made the car seat when forward facing almost touch the back of the second row seat. So if my three year old was in the seat she would have to sit with her legs criss crosses instead hanging over the seat as is typical. It’s definitely doable for a short ride 30min-1hr but will never be able to make it on a 4hr trip when grandma and grandpa are in the second row.
I’m sure there are car seats that are less deep and would enable it to be installed toward facing in the third row yet leave room for a 3-4yr old to hang the feet over while not keeping the second row so upright that it’s uncomfortable for the second row occupants. Has anyone had any success with car seats in the third row.
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4
Likes: 9
2020 GLS450
You might want to check Clek (https://clekinc.com/car-seats/). Over the years and through the purchase and use of several of their models I have found them to be fairly low profile and superior quality. The "fllo" or "oobr" (which I used for a number of years) might be worth looking into for third row options as I don't think the base has a huge footprint. Unfortunately I can't provide first-hand experience in the GLS with these models and you would need to do a fit test before purchase . I still have the "olli" for my 7 year old in our GLS and it works great in either row. Can't say enough good things about this brand.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 44
Likes: 9
2020 GLS450
I would remove the headrests of the 3rd row to properly fit the carseats to be flat against the back of the seat. Since your kids are still too small to be in a seatbelt, some fantastic 5-point seats are the Recaro, Clek, and Britax. I personally like the racing look of the Recaro, but they are heavy (not as heavy as our Diono...jeeeeez that thing weighs a ton).
Our youngest is about to be 6, so she is in one of the new LATCH Graco high-backed boosters.
Our youngest is about to be 6, so she is in one of the new LATCH Graco high-backed boosters.
