Cars That Fit 3 Car Seats: Top Picks For Growing Families

Cars That Fit 3 Car Seats: Top Picks For Growing Families

Need space for three growing kids? These are the options you should be looking at.

Driving multiple kids around is stressful, and choosing a vehicle that allows you to do so safely causes even more tension. When shopping for a vehicle for a family of five, the top priority becomes finding a car that has enough space for three car seats, along with all the luggage and gear that comes with family life.

Depending on your vehicle and the type of car seat you’re using, you will need to install your car seat using either LATCH anchors or the car’s seat belts. Tether anchors are the additional anchor point located at the back of the car’s seat, which prevents the child seat from tipping over in the event of a crash. They should be used for all forward-facing child seats, whether you are installing them with LATCH or a seat belt.

You will need different car seats based on your children’s height and weight, such as a rear-facing seat for an infant, a front-facing infant seat with booster inserts for older kids, or a convertible seat that grows with your child. Thankfully, CarBuzz has a helpful guide for picking the right child car seat.

Unless you have triplets, you are unlikely to have to install three bulky rear-facing infant seats simultaneously. By the time the youngest child arrives, the oldest may have graduated to smaller booster seats. This leaves you with more room to plan your car seat configuration, such as a rear-facing seat in the middle with a booster seat and convertible in the outboard seats.

So, what are the best cars for three car seats in a row? There are vehicles in every category that can fit three car seats across, from trucks to MPVs and everything in between. Here are our top picks:

SUVs are now the default option for families, and if you’re looking for the best SUV for three car seats, the Lincoln Navigator is an excellent option.

It can comfortably seat up to eight passengers, depending on seating configuration. There is plenty of room to fit three car seats in the second row or spread them across the second and third rows to make them more easily accessible. There are USB ports in every row to keep everyone’s devices charged on long road trips.

Lincoln’s Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assistance features is standard on the Navigator, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and (optional) adaptive cruise control.

Power comes from a 3.5-liter, 440-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

BuzzScore: 9.0

The Cadillac Escalade is a luxury SUV that can transport the whole family, with plenty of space for three across car seats (or two in the second row and one in the third, if you want some more room for easy access). Family-friendly features include the optional rear-seat entertainment system, which comes with two 12.6-inch displays to keep kids occupied on long road trips, and a center console refrigerator to keep everyone fed and hydrated during the journey.

The Escalade is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces 420 horsepower, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. A 277 hp diesel engine is also available, and for the parent that doesn’t want to compromise on performance, the Escalade V version comes with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that produces 682 hp. The Escalade is available in both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive setups.

BuzzScore: 9.1

As pickup trucks have gained more creature comforts and a level of luxury on par with passenger cars, their popularity as family vehicles has increased. An ever-increasing proportion of Americans choose pickup trucks as day-to-day family runabouts.

The spacious second row of the Ram 1500 can comfortably fit three child seats and an easily operated infotainment system (with an upgraded 12-inch touchscreen in top trim levels Limited Longhorn and Limited) makes road trip entertainment a breeze.

The two lower Tradesman trims have a mild-hybrid powertrain with a 3.6-liter V6, producing 205 hp; all upper trims have access to the optional mild-hybrid 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which produces 39 5hp. All trims come with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a choice of a rear- or four-wheel drive configuration.

BuzzScore: 9.3

Another strong option for a family-friendly pickup truck is the Ford F-150. The top-selling vehicle in America for the past four decades, it has well and truly earned that title. With the practicality and versatility a pickup truck can offer and plenty of space and comfort for passengers, the F-150 might just be the ticket for hauling kids from A to B.

The four-door SuperCrew configuration can easily fit three car seats in its massive back seat, and the cabin is dotted with storage cubbies for snacks, toys, and everything else you might need for a road trip with little ones.

The F-150 is available with four engine options: a 325 hp 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6, a 400 hp 5.0-liter V8, a 400 hp 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, and a 400 hp hybrid powertrain (twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 plus an electric motor).

BuzzScore: 9.1

The Kia Carnival is a curious beast: looking like an SUV at first glance, it’s actually a minivan disguised as an SUV, thanks to clever styling cues that make it look more aggressive and rugged. If you’re a parent of three making a valiant effort not to completely abandon the idea of “looking cool,” the Carnival might be your next vehicle: a minivan for people who don’t want their neighbors to know they have a minivan. Until the sliding doors open, that is.

The Carnival’s amenable cabin can fit up to eight passengers in total comfort, and it can easily fit three child seats in the middle row (or spread across the middle and rear row for easier access). Second-row “captain’s chairs” with power-operated footrests are also available as an option, dropping the seating capacity to seven. Power comes from a 3.5-liter V6 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, producing 290 horsepower.

BuzzScore: 9.3

While the Kia Carnival is an SUV-inspired MPV, the Toyota Sienna is a true minivan for those looking to go old-school with their family car.

Minivans may have fallen out of fashion in favor of SUVs in recent years, but they still have plenty to offer to busy parents looking for a practical vehicle. The Sienna has three rows of seating and enough room to comfortably fit three child seats in the middle row, keeping the third-row seats free for grandparents and guests. However, if you have to transport heavy luggage or sports gear regularly, beware. The Sienna’s second-row seats do not fold flat for extra cargo space.

The Sienna has been exclusively offered with a hybrid powertrain since its 2020 redesign: power comes from a 2.5-liter inline-four engine and two electric motors, with a total combined output of 245 horsepower.

BuzzScore: 9.0

Eco-conscious family? The electric vehicle sector has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and there is now a good choice of options for the driver who wants to haul multiple kids around while minimizing environmental impact. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a compact electric crossover that still manages to be roomy enough for the whole family; its spacious back seat can fit three across kid seats, while the trunk is large enough to fit the average double pram.

Several versions of the Ioniq 5’s electric powertrain are available: the base version is rear-wheel-drive and has a single motor paired with a standard range battery, producing 168 hp. Higher trims are available in either RWD or AWD, with a longer-range battery. The RWD single-motor model with the larger battery produces 225 hp; the AWD dual-motor version has a combined output of 32 0hp. The long-range Ioniq has an estimated driving range of 303 miles.

BuzzScore: 8.8

Named the best all-wheel-drive SUV of 2024 in the CarBuzz ranking, the Kia EV6 is another fantastic all-electric option for a family vehicle that blends style and practicality. Both passenger and cargo space are abundant, enough to fit three car seats and a family of five’s worth of luggage and kit.

On the comfort front, wireless phone charging and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot keep everyone’s devices charged and connected on long journeys, while multiple storage spots keep the cabin as free of clutter as it can be with three kids on board.

The base rear-wheel-drive model has a single electric motor producing 225hp, while the dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions have a combined power output of 320hp. The real-world range is around 230 miles of highway driving for a Wind-trim AWD EV6.

BuzzScore: 9.5

A modern-day interpretation of the legendary boxy Volvo wagons that carried the ’80s and ’90s kids on family road trips, the XC40 is a funky crossover that upholds the Swedish brand’s reputation for safety and practicality.

Despite being compact, the XC40 has a spacious cabin with enough room to install three car seats in the back; it stands out among subcompact crossovers for its towing capability (up to 3500 pounds), so if you’re looking for a crossover that can handle a trailer on your next family holiday, the XC40 is a great option. The interior is functional and pleasant, and clever storage solutions (such as a hook for takeout bags and a removable garbage bin) make family life a little less messy.

The XC40 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, paired with a 48-volt hybrid system, and produces 247 hp; an eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels.

BuzzScore: 9.3

Set to be released in spring 2024, the all-new 2025 Forester marks the start of the model’s sixth generation, with several upgrades, including more space for passengers to stretch out. A compact but practical crossover, the Forester is an ideal choice for families looking to go off the beaten path; the previous generation of Forester included a “Wilderness” trim option that increased ground clearance and all-terrain tires, perfect for outdoor excursions.

Despite being small enough to maneuver around narrow dirt roads and city streets, the Forester has enough space to install three child seats in the rear seat. The infotainment system also got an upgrade for 2025, with higher trim levels getting an 11.6-inch touchscreen and a wireless phone charging pad.

The new Forester’s engine has been carried over from the previous generation (a 2.5-liter flat-four producing 180hp), although a hybrid option will be joining the lineup in 2026.

BuzzScore: 8.6