Best cars for 3 child seats

Published: 28 October 2020
Updated: 10 June 2022

Growing families present all sorts of challenges when choosing your next car. One of them is finding a car that can fit three child seats across the back seat so that you can fit all of your offspring in safely.

The safest way to attach a child seat into a car is with Isofix mounts. It’s a more convenient, secure method than using a seat belt and it keeps the seat firmly secured so that it doesn’t move if you have to brake suddenly or, worse still, are in a collision.

The issue is that although most cars have Isofix mountings on their outer back seats, only some also have one in the middle. And not many cars are wide enough to fit three child seats in the back at all. Some satisfy on both counts, however, making them perfect for larger families. Here’s our pick of the best of them.

The Citroen Berlingo’s tall, boxy shape and low cost stem from the fact that you can also buy a commercial (van) version and its functional nature pays dividends because in terms of practicality per pound few cars can match it. The three individual back seats all come with their own Isofix mounting points for child seats and because all three are equally sized you can switch your child seats around if you need to.

Fitting the kids’ seats into the Citroen is made even easier because of the Berlingo’s sliding rear doors. It means that even in the tightest car park space you can open the door fully to lift the kids out or do up their buckles. Another benefit of the car’s cube-like back end is a boot that’s exceptionally large and well-shaped, so you can pack in the pushchair as quickly as you can load up the kids.

Read our Citroen Berlingo review

The Peugeot 5008 is a very clever car that gives you MPV-style practicality in an attractive SUV-style package. It’s a smart buy for anyone looking to fit three child seats in the middle row because the Peugeot has three separate seats in its second row.

Wide-opening rear doors make it easy to lift child seats in and out, even from the middle seat. Some rear-facing child seats with a detachable base might be a squeeze in the centre seat, but there are plenty available that will fit comfortably. The 5008 is also a seven-seater, so there’s a pair of third-row of seats that are perfect for older kids or friends or family that want to come along for the ride. When you don’t need them you can simply fold them away to leave a large boot that can cope with all manner of parenting clutter.

Read our Peugeot 5008 review

Citroen packs in more space than seems possible to the Grand C4 Spacetourer (which was called Grand C4 Picasso until mid-2018). It’s the same length and width as a family hatchback, yet the Spacetourer shows you can have masses of interior space without taking up any more space on your drive than many less practical cars.

This ingenious thinking results in an MPV with generous width across the middle row for three child seats, all secured with their own Isofix points. Fitting the kids’ seats is a doddle because the mounts are easy to access, while the broad door openings and low floor height make it much easier for small children to climb in unaided. The Spacetourer is also a very cost-effective option and has a particularly airy, comfortable interior.

Read our Citroen Grand C4 Spacetourer review

Read our Citroen Grand C4 Picasso review

The Ford Galaxy has become a byword for practicality with family drivers and the model from 2015 onwards is the best yet. It’s a seven-seat large MPV that allows you to quickly and simply load in three child seats across the middle row with no messing about or back-breaking effort.

Wide-opening rear doors give brilliant access to the middle row seats, so even larger rear-facing ones are a breeze to put in. The three middle seats also slide back and forth, so you can give older kids a bit more leg room if there’s nobody using the two seats in the third row. Fold this pair flat into the floor and you’re left with an enormous boot for all the family’s kit.

Read our Ford Galaxy review

The Tesla Model S might be an unusual choice for those seeking a car to cope with three in a row child seats, yet it’s a rewarding one. As well as the advantages of having the child seats in a single row you get the Tesla’s luxurious interior, remarkable performance and, of course, all the financial and environmental benefits of a pure electric car.

You may need to consider which seats you fit to the central seat in the Tesla because it’s not as wide as the other two, but the Isofix connectors are quick and easy to access. It makes lifting the kids’ seats in and out is as pleasurable as driving this all-electric car with its rapid performance and low running costs. Underlining the Model S’s surprisingly practical nature are two boots – one in the back and one in the front, where you’d normally find an engine.

It’s the little things in life that often matter the most. Volkswagen has thought of them all with the VW Sharan. Even some of the wider child seats on the market will fit easily in each of the three middle-row seats and the Sharan has sliding rear doors that make getting kids or child seats in and out of the car easy, even in jam-packed car parks.

Unlike some seven-seaters, the Sharan has lots of legroom and headroom in the third row of seats so anyone sitting there will be comfortable however long the journey. Fold these seats away and the boot is vast. Big windows mean that the Sharan gives you great visibility and lots of natural light inside and it’s good to drive, feeling much more like a family hatchback than a van-like MPV.

When you think of the Audi Q7 its strong performance, top-notch quality and luxurious interior are probably what spring to mind, yet it’s also one of the most practical and family-friendly of SUVs.

It easily fits three child seats across its second row of seats and each is held securely in place with Isofix mounts. Even better, the Q7’s generous size means there’s more than enough width to handle all types of seats, while the two seats in the third row and the front passenger seat also have Isofix mounts, so you can fit five child seats in the back plus one in the front. It’s the ideal car if you regularly ferry lots of children around and it’s effortless to drive however many you’ve got on board.

Volkswagen has two entries in this list of the best cars for carrying three child seats across its back seat. That’s no coincidence because the VW Touran offers much of the thoughtful versatility of the Sharan but in a more compact package. Smaller it may be, yet the Touran still accommodates a trio of full-size child seats in its middle row with aplomb.

Each of the Touran’s middle seats can slide back and forth too, so you can balance leg room between the second and third row if you need to. Even better, the pair of third row seats also have Isofix mounts so that you have a choice of seating layouts for the kids. Add in wide door openings and it’s a parent’s delight.

Read our Volkswagen Touran review

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