4 door test drive with rear facing car seat

[stellandter]

We test drove a wildtrak sasquatch today and took our almost 3yr old. Had been hoping to find good info on car seats but so far no dice, so I thought a post would be appreciated.

We were not sure if his normal seats would fit (clek foonf and fllo) but the fllo is the smallest and anti rebound bar can be removed to make it even shallower, so we took that plus our travel Cosco scenera just in case.

The Cosco fit fine (it is very small) so we tested the fllo. With the ARB it would probably have fit with the passenger seat pushed up a fair bit, but only in the more upright position (for older kids like him, not babies). Without, it fit with plenty of space between it and front seat and I was able to sit comfortably in front of it (I am 5'7).

Did not test the latch function, installed with the belt.

Before we got out I tipped it to what would be the recline for a smaller baby and hopped in the front - last pic of knees is the amount of space with that.

Sponsored

 

[Lewisj41]

I plan to pull this off with a 2 door, by the looks of these images I may have to stunt my child's growth.

 

[stellandter]

I can't remember what the difference is in size of 2dr vs 4dr but there's definitely a few inches to spare here if you don't have a very tall person in front. Some seats are allowed to touch the front chair as well as long as they aren't relying on it for stability (I think diono), this one is not.

The difficulty will be you getting in the back with your child to buckle them and tighten the straps, but that is what I do 90% of the time even with my minivan vs putting them in from the door. Climbing in back of a 2dr is not something I would want to do for years (kids should be rear facing til 4yrs minimum if at all possible, until they have maxed out height or weight in the seat), but I'm also old

But if it was a second vehicle not a daily driver with the child it would be OK (my husband would DD the Bronco if we get one, would be whole family car for occasional trips only).

Feedback from the toddler is "a Bronco is a sweet ride!"

 

[stellandter]

Here's another from inside. He's about 39" tall. Def less space for legs without the ARB but he always sits like this anyway (legs crossed/hanging out) and he did not complain at all about it (and we would have heard about it if anything was even slightly uncomfortable).

 

[MikeD]

Car seats are ridiculously oversized, I’m 6’6 and the only vehicle I can drive with a car seat behind me are full size crew cab trucks. I had to sell my Grand Cherokee when we had our daughter because it was too small.

 

[stellandter]

They are huge. You are almost a foot taller than me! I got a Chrysler Pacifica as a DD last December and have not regretted it a single day since. So much room for activities

 

[drive21bronco]

I plan to pull this off with a 2 door, by the looks of these images I may have to stunt my child's growth.

yea I’m getting a 2dr as well. I have a 2 year old and 3 month old. It will be interesting getting them in the back. Cant wait to show y’all some day !

 

[Big Boss]

Damn that car seat is massive. We have a Graco slim fit, by the pictures looks to be a tad slimmer than that one.

Just thankful we flipped ours forward facing when our little guy turned 2, he would have never fit rear facing till 3 the little chunk lol.

 

[Lewisj41]

yea I’m getting a 2dr as well. I have a 2 year old and 3 month old. It will be interesting getting them in the back. Cant wait to show y’all some day !

I'll provide pictures once I get my Bronco in, expect to be soon as its a FE.

 

[Bronco_Buckeroo]

Here's another from inside. He's about 39" tall. Def less space for legs without the ARB but he always sits like this anyway (legs crossed/hanging out) and he did not complain at all about it (and we would have heard about it if anything was even slightly uncomfortable).

Man, just read the guidance on this, and sure enough, what you say is correct.

Just seems so cramped for growing kids to have no frontal leg-space, especially on long trips! Imagine if the airlines took away our leg-space and told us to just sit with our legs crossed. (Please, no one give them the idea as we could end up with a new “economy class” ! )

And I swear, at this rate, the AAP will have our grandkids in car seats until they graduate college!

FYI, just poking fun at the AAP and their propensity to try to completely nerf the world. I’m an 80’s kid - can’t help it . Definitely not criticizing you or how you protect your family. Be certain that I’ll also be following their guidance as long as my kids can tolerate it.

Speaking of which, have you done any longer drives with your little guy like this? Does he seem to mind at all?

 

[stellandter]

Man, just read the guidance on this, and sure enough, what you say is correct.

Just seems so cramped for growing kids to have no frontal leg-space, especially on long trips! Imagine if the airlines took away our leg-space and told us to just sit with our legs crossed. (Please, no one give them the idea as we could end up with a new “economy class” ! )

And I swear, at this rate, the AAP will have our grandkids in car seats until they graduate college!

FYI, just poking fun at the AAP and their propensity to try to completely nerf the world. I’m an 80’s kid - can’t help it . Definitely not criticizing you or how you protect your family. Be certain that I’ll also be following their guidance as long as my kids can tolerate it.

Speaking of which, have you done any longer drives with your little guy like this? Does he seem to mind at all?

Hi! Nope, never. He spent a couple months earlier this year flipping out about his car seat every time we got in the car, but never once have the complaints been about leg room or lack of it (he is extremely verbal and will describe in detail whatever his problems are ).

He sits like this always no matter how much leg room he has - toddlers usually don't sit with their feet hanging down off a chair or straight out in front of them even when they have space to (neither do I tbh). He'll stick a leg down the side or fold both up sort of like a yoga butterfly pose feet together.

If you go to 'the car seat lady's website you will see pics of even older kids sitting comfortably rear facing. She talks about how it's actually less comfortable for them to FF because their legs are just dangling, like when you have to sit on a bar stool with no foot rest. That is why kids often kick the back of the seat in front, trying to get comfy/do something with their dangling legs.

Yesterday we were in the car about 1.5hrs, stopped, then same time home. That's about the max we ever drive without stopping at all, maybe 2hrs then a stop and run around somewhere.

For anyone else wondering why, kids cervical vertebrae are not developed til around 4yrs, so an accident FF is more likely to cause them severe spinal injury as they can stretch the ligaments extremely far. Weight and height have nothing to do with whether they are ready to FF, absent a neck x-ray, you won't know if the bones are fused yet.

 

[Bronco_Buckeroo]

Hi! Nope, never. He spent a couple months earlier this year flipping out about his car seat every time we got in the car, but never once have the complaints been about leg room or lack of it (he is extremely verbal and will describe in detail whatever his problems are ).

He sits like this always no matter how much leg room he has - toddlers usually don't sit with their feet hanging down off a chair or straight out in front of them even when they have space to (neither do I tbh). He'll stick a leg down the side or fold both up sort of like a yoga butterfly pose feet together.

If you go to 'the car seat lady's website you will see pics of even older kids sitting comfortably rear facing. She talks about how it's actually less comfortable for them to FF because their legs are just dangling, like when you have to sit on a bar stool with no foot rest. That is why kids often kick the back of the seat in front, trying to get comfy/do something with their dangling legs.

Yesterday we were in the car about 1.5hrs, stopped, then same time home. That's about the max we ever drive without stopping at all, maybe 2hrs then a stop and run around somewhere.

For anyone else wondering why, kids cervical vertebrae are not developed til around 4yrs, so an accident FF is more likely to cause them severe spinal injury as they can stretch the ligaments extremely far. Weight and height have nothing to do with whether they are ready to FF, absent a neck x-ray, you won't know if the bones are fused yet.

Thanks for the info. I’ll have to watch and see if our 1yo does the same in her rear facing seat. From the complaints I constantly hear from her siblings (4yo & 11yo) on each side of her in the back seat that she’s “kicking” them, I’m thinking she actually may prefer legs over the side.

Either way, good stuff to know!

Thx!

Sponsored