The best cars for three child seats

·        What Car? tested latest large SUVs and MPVs to see which cater the best for large families with young children

·        Cars tested to see if they can accommodate at least three child seats, ranging from infant seats to those used by children up to 12 years old

·        Nine-seat fully-electric Citroën e-SpaceTourer comes with the highest number of Isofix mounting points and a top Euro NCAP safety rating

The new cars that can take three child seats safely and comfortably have been revealed by Britain’s leading consumer champion and new car buying platform What Car?.

To find out which cars are most suitable for large families with young children, What Car? tested the latest large SUVs and MPVs with at least seven seats. The rear seats of a car are the safest place for children, so the best choices need to accommodate three child seats across their second and third rows. 

As part of the test, What Car? chose one seat that is suitable for children from birth to four years old, and two seats for children aged up to 12 years old. The results were based on both the physical testing of the seats – factoring in accessibility, space and versatility – and the vehicle’s Euro NCAP overall safety and child occupant ratings. 

Across the MPVs tested, the fully electric Citroën e-Spacetourer comes with the highest Euro NCAP child occupant safety score of 91%, and it was the only vehicle on test with nine seats. What Car?’s testers found the sliding side doors gave good access to the interior, and each of the second-row seats slid forwards and backwards to provide enough room to fit even the bulkiest of child seats and make it easy for parents and children to reach the third seat row. The e-Spacetourer was also the only vehicle on test with six rear seats that come with Isofix mounting points. 

The e-Spacetourer was joined by the Peugeot e-Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life Electric XL as electric MPVs with seating for seven or more.

In the large SUV category, the Hyundai Santa Fe’s Euro NCAP child occupant score of 88% is the highest of the cars tested. What Car?’s 2023 7-Seater of the Year, the Santa Fe, was also the roomiest large SUV on test and comes with two Isofix mounting points on the second-row seats, while the third-row seats allow for two seatbelt-secured child seats. There are electric switches to tip and slide each of the 60/4-split second row seats forward electrically to access the third row. Although the Kia Sorento comes with four Isofix seats mounting points, the Hyundai is priced more affordably. 

Across luxury SUVs, What Car? found the BMW X7 to be the best option for carrying three or more children in car seats, because it has the most interior space and offers lots of desirable kit, including four-zone climate control and rear seats that all fold electrically.

The 2023 What Car? Car of the Year, the Volkswagen ID Buzz, was also included as an outlier. It’s currently available only as a five-seater, but its second row is wide enough to fit three child seats abreast. 

What Car? consumer editor Claire Evans said: “Finding the right car for a growing family can be difficult, and our latest research shows that not all cars with seven seats are suitable when it comes to carrying three young children.

“Although MPVs have fallen out of favour with families somewhat in recent years, our test shows they are still among the best options when it comes to practicality and versatility, and they are often cheaper than seven-seat SUVs.” 

Best cars for large families 

Large SUVs

Luxury SUVs

MPVs

The wildcard

To read the full feature, visit: www.whatcar.com/news/best-cars-for-three-child-car-seats/n19502 

All images are from Whatcar