“As a mom of three — which includes twins — I absolutely understand the need for the right vehicle that can easily fit multiple car seats and the whole family for years to come,” said Jennifer Geiger, Cars.com news editor and certified child passenger safety technician. “Cars.com has tested over 700 vehicles for car seat fitment to help inform parents about the best family-friendly vehicle options available to them on the market today.”
Making the Grade
Out of the 56 model-year 2022-24 vehicles evaluated in Cars.com’s 2023 Car Seat Fit Report Card, only six vehicles earned straight A’s — all of which are SUVs. The complete list of vehicles tested can be found at Cars.com/News/Car-Seat-Check. This year’s valedictorians include:
- 2023 Acura RDX
- 2022 and 2023 Audi E-Tron
- 2023 Chevrolet Equinox
- 2023 Kia EV6
- 2023 Volkswagen ID.4
- 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan
Reign of the SUV
SUVs dominated this year’s Car Seat Fit Report Card. The Cars.com Editorial team found the top-performing SUVs allowed for simple and quick car seat installation and were spacious enough to provide ample legroom for the rest of the family. Further, data show the most popular vehicle choice for current parents is an SUV, with over half of respondents saying they own one.2
Trying Before Buying
Car seat installation is a notable pain point for parents, with 60% reporting they have incorrectly installed a car seat and about half admitting it took more than a week to notice their error — and some did not notice until more than six months later.2 This is why parents are vetting their new car purchase more than ever before. Prior to purchasing a vehicle, nearly half of parents brought their car seat to the dealership to test it in-vehicle — a 15% increase from 2022 data, showing parents likely want to make an informed choice on how their car seat fits and determine if the vehicle is large enough for their growing family.2
Methodology
The Cars.com Car Seat Fit Report Card compiles 12 months (July to July) worth of comprehensive Car Seat Checks conducted by Cars.com’s team of experts. Each Car Seat Check is performed by a Cars.com certified child passenger safety technician who installs three types of car seats — infant, convertible and high-back booster — into each new vehicle and evaluates the vehicle’s Latch system, as well as how the vehicle accommodates the different car seats. Cars.com tests vehicles as they are made available by automakers.
“In order for a vehicle to earn an ‘A’ rating, the vehicle must have sufficient room for the child and car seat, but not impact legroom for the driver or front passenger. The vehicle’s car seat Latch system also must be conveniently accessible and easy to use,” adds Geiger.
To learn more about how Cars.com performs its Car Seat Checks, or to see how well a car seat will fit in your family vehicle or a vehicle you are considering purchasing, visit www.cars.com/news/car-seat-check.
1 Cars.com consumer survey; July 25-26, 2023; 139 responses
2 Cars.com consumer survey; July 10-12, 2023; 1,046 responses