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Any families with front/rear-facing child seats here?

43K views 89 replies 27 participants last post by  bidoup 
#1 ·
Pacificanians,

My wife and I have been going back and forth for just shy of 2 months, having a pretty standard disagreement between the normal Pacifica and the Plug-in; I am hoping folks can help me out with family-experience in the van that might tilt us one way or another:

  • She wants the Plug-in.
  • I can't stand giving up Stow-n-Go, tilt-forward 3rd row access, Vacuum or the HIDs.

The problem with this argument is that it is primarily emotional and not practical (she feels green, I want the utility).

Well, the reality is that we have two kids 1 of which is a newborn and in a rear-facing child seat. For the non-parents out there, rear-facing child seats are SO LARGE, in anything shy of a F150 King Cab, you usually need to move up the seat in front of it. For example, in our Pilot, the driver (me @ 5'11") lost 3-4 inches of legroom and had to straighten up the seat back.

The gist is that even in the largest car, rear-facing child seats (and some big front-facing... which we also have) will make you feel cramped.

Given this context, I wanted to ask the families with young children out there the following:
  • How are the car seats fitting for, especially rear-facing? Any pictures?
  • Do you find that "tilt forward" access to the 3rd row as handy as it seems?
  • Do you regularly use the Stow and Go bins for storage?
  • Do you actually stow the 2nd row seats from time to time or is this just a man-utility-fantasy?

Thank you all for the time and sharing your experience with us... feel like we've been talking about this forever and neither of us will budge so we keep driving our 11 year old Pilot...
 
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#2 ·
How are the car seats fitting for, especially rear-facing? Any pictures?
  1. Do you find that "tilt forward" access to the 3rd row as handy as it seems?
  2. Do you regularly use the Stow and Go bins for storage?
  3. Do you actually stow the 2nd row seats from time to time or is this just a man-utility-fantasy?
We have a large Britax front facing carseat in the second row on the passenger side and it fits perfectly. We also have the 8 passenger, and the kids like the 8th seat to be installed all the time, so the "tilt forward" function is really the only way to access the 3rd row. It is VERY nice that any kids getting into the 3rd row can do so from either side even though the Britax is strapped in on the passenger side. I love that feature.


I have a spare tire in one of the Stow-n-Go bins for peace of mind. For that reason, I'm glad to have that space. I've got a couple other things in the bin on the other side as well. Since we have kids, we never stow the 2nd row seats.


Another consideration that may or may not matter to you is that the hybrid cannot be had with a memory driver's seat. This is the closest thing to a deal-breaker for me personally.
 
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#14 · (Edited)
Thanks rkalla for the questions as they align perfectly with my own. :)

Generaltso, you mentioned having the Britax strapped into the 2nd row and using the tilt to enter feature.... when you say strapped are you referring to the seatbelt or latch options? I was under the impression that once a car seat is secured with a seatbelt and the seatbelt locked then the tilt action wouldn't work anymore since the belt is locked.

And with using the latch system it is highly recommended to not exceed 65lbs of weight (car seat and kid combined) before you must stop using latch and changed to use the seatbelt.

Thanks
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the family-insight!

Curious why the kids like that 8th seat installed? I've explicitly been shopping for the 7-seat config so we can get the pano sunroof... maybe I should rethink?

Also, what did you mean by a spare tire in the bin... like a spare donut for the car?! I didn't think those bins were big enough... last time I test drove, it looked like a space for a backpack, not a spare tire... but it's possible I'm overestimating how large tires are (sort of picturing a full size car tire in my head).

Also do you use the vacuum at all, or is that just fantasty?
 
#4 ·
Curious why the kids like that 8th seat installed? I've explicitly been shopping for the 7-seat config so we can get the pano sunroof... maybe I should rethink?
My kids are 14, 12, and 2. When we're just driving around town, they prefer to all sit in the second row. It's wide enough for them to sit comfortably and then nobody has to climb into the back. On longer trips, one of them will sit in the 3rd row, but they still want the 8th seat installed because it folds down into an armrest with cup holders. When we decided to get the 8 passenger, I figured the 8th seat would only get installed occasionally when the kids had friends with them. I didn't realize how much the kids would end up liking the flexibility with it installed.

Also, what did you mean by a spare tire in the bin... like a spare donut for the car?! I didn't think those bins were big enough... last time I test drove, it looked like a space for a backpack, not a spare tire... but it's possible I'm overestimating how large tires are (sort of picturing a full size car tire in my head).
The spare tire kit for the Pacifica is an inflatable type donut that's made to be small. The kit also comes with a jack, and they both fit perfectly in the bin.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DY2V9O6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also do you use the vacuum at all, or is that just fantasty?
I use the vacuum all the time. My wife likes to give out snacks in the car, so there are always goldfish and cheeze-its on the floor. I do wish that the vacuum was on the passenger side instead of the driver's side. I've always had the youngest kid on the passenger side to see them better while driving, which I would guess is pretty common. But then you have to pull the vacuum hose from the other side of the van to suck up the goldfish. Other than that one gripe, the vacuum works well.
 
#5 ·
FYI for the spare tire, also pack a big trash bag for the flat tire incase you need to use the donut. You'll probably have to store it in the trunk and wheels are really dirty. Maybe some gloves as well.
 
#6 ·
Given this context, I wanted to ask the families with young children out there the following:
  • How are the car seats fitting for, especially rear-facing? Any pictures?
  • Do you find that "tilt forward" access to the 3rd row as handy as it seems?
  • Do you regularly use the Stow and Go bins for storage?
  • Do you actually stow the 2nd row seats from time to time or is this just a man-utility-fantasy?

Thank you all for the time and sharing your experience with us... feel like we've been talking about this forever and neither of us will budge so we keep driving our 11 year old Pilot...
1. We have our 19 month old front facing now. We initially had him rear facing but his legs were kind of cramped up with his feet on the seat. We are using a Britax Marathon Clicktight. He wasn't too bad getting in rear facing but it's obviously much easier front facing.

2. Yes, the tilt forward works very well.

3. We've only had ours for 3 weeks so I haven't stuck anything down in the floor bins yet. Definitely a lot of storage there though. I have folded one second row seat into the floor. Works great. Sure you can take the second row seat out in the Hybrid but say you drive 2 hours and randomly buy something that is big. It's not like you can just leave your 2nd row seat somewhere. You lose some flexibility with the Hybrid in this manner.

4. See above. If you don't have a truck, I'd much rather have stow-n-go. I have a truck but still prefer the stow-n-go. Half the reason we bought a van was for the additional storage space.

I really considered going the Hybrid route but the fuel savings would take a long time to offset the additional cost compared to the Touring-L Plus we ended up with. Plus their is some uncertainty surrounding the $7,500 tax rebate since Trump is in now. Our electric cooperative doesn't offer any incentives or lower overnight rates for using an electric vehicle so there are less savings to be had for us. I can't charge at work either.
 
#16 ·
2. Yes, the tilt forward works very well.
Ok very cool, I am perceiving this to be an important feature for families. Good to hear that confirmed.

3. Sure you can take the second row seat out in the Hybrid but say you drive 2 hours and randomly buy something that is big. It's not like you can just leave your 2nd row seat somewhere. You lose some flexibility with the Hybrid in this manner.
I'm going to have you call my wife and tell her this... :)

4. See above. If you don't have a truck, I'd much rather have stow-n-go. I have a truck but still prefer the stow-n-go. Half the reason we bought a van was for the additional storage space.
I don't, but frequently consider getting one because of 1-off trips to Ikea, Home Depot and the like where I get super frustrated that I need to rent something to get the item home... good pointer.
 
#11 ·
Hey rkalla,
We have a limited, family of 4 (1 year old, almost 3 year old). For the first 2 months of the Pacifica we had a Britax rear facing on passenger side, and a Recaro convertible on driver side. We have now moved to the Recaro convertible to passenger side for 1 year old, and 3 year old is in an Evenflo booster.

  • Rear facing fit great. My wife is short so she never complained about leg space. In our Jeep, I could never sit in the front passenger seat because of the rear facing car seat, but now I can sit in the Pacifica (I’m 5’11”). Since we got rid of the rear facing, the biggest problem we face is kicking the back of the front seats.
  • Tilt forward: we never use it, we never have the 3rd row up so there is no need to get back there.
  • Stow and go: we never use it for storage since there is so much other room. However, I see a day when it will come in handy
  • We never stow the seats… I hate moving car seats so those things will never move unless we are having the van serviced or maybe this weekend on our 4 hour trip I will sit back there to play my Nintendo ;-)
 
#12 ·
We didn't get the vacuum and the fact is, you don't have one now, so you're not going to miss it. If you had it, sure you would use it, but your chance of remorse is low if you don't get it.

We had an older Caravan before the Pacifica that didn't have the tilting seats, so we're used to going through the middle. The tilt seems like a cramped way to get back there when you have a toddler seat installed, and you can't use the tilt at all when you move up to a big girl car seat that uses the seatbelt to attach rather than LATCH... So even if you love it with an infant car seat base, the utility will go down hill fast as the kids grow. Probably more important if you get an 8 passenger. We have a 7...

And this is not universal, but we really only carry emergency type stuff in the stow and go area. It's awkward to get to, especially with all weather floor mats and toys laying around.

With all of that said, we were never shopping for a Limited and my wife absolutely had to have stow and go. We have a TL+ with safety tec and hands free doors.
 
#18 ·
  • Really great insight into the tilt features / ages / changing car seat restrictions... hadn't thought about this as both of ours are 3 and younger.
  • Also another good point about accessing the stow and go area; emergency type gear is definintely the thinking there.

Lastly, you called out my fantasy road-trip configuration when the girls are a bit older and more independent OR if we get a dog... the two kids behind each other in 2&3 and one of the 2nd ones stowed to create a bigger entry/exit/landing pad area.

Thanks for the reply!
 
#17 ·
Mo, I really appreciate the heads up for the family usage... also... we're in Phoenix too! Over on Cactus and Tatum (by PV Mall) - where are you guys??

Maybe I can buy you a coffee to trick you into showing us the Pacifica and how it's all setup withe car seats and how everything fits?

(We try and do this at the dealership and it's really high pressure/inconvenient and overall just not the environment we want to be in).
 
#19 ·
One option is to hit up National Car Rental or Alamo and you can rent a Pacifica cheap and play play play. :) I now rent one every time I travel for work. No pressure from dealership and I can press and play with buttons to my hearts content. Of course it isn't the high end trims so no vacuum or sunroof or 8 seat or uconnect theater etc but good enough to play with car seats and moving stuff around and adjusting and kicking and pulling and whatever else you might want to do with the van during your 24 hour or more rental period. :)
 
#21 ·
I am 6'1" the forward facing seat is fine if you don't mind the 5 yr old putting their feet on the front seat back if the front seat is not moved forward.
The rear facing seat is a little tight as I have to either have the seat back too straight or the seat too forward for my legs on a long trip.
We keep the passenger seat forward for dropping off the 5yr old at day care to keep the seat back clean. I know you can tell them but they forget.
Bought the Limited not Hybrid. Have a vacuum so no spare. I am ordering the spare and will keep in the fold well for the second row. Suggest if wife is driving a lot a spare could come in handy. Mine couldn't change a spare but could call for help. Long vacation, strange places I don't want to wait for a repair truck.
Did I mention we love the vehicle and all the convenience of the Limited. Sliding door great with foot access.
 
#25 ·
This is actually hugely helpful to set expectations - people without kids don't realize how big the rear-facing child seats can be. I'm sad to see that we still need to move/straighten seats up even in a minivan to make room, but I would likely do exactly what you've done and put it behind the passenger or... ****... maybe put down one of the 2nd row seats and throw the base in the 3rd row and just lean in and snap the baby in place for quick trips.

Thanks for sharing your experience!
 
#24 ·
I have 4 kids, one 9 month RF, 3 year old FF, 5 year old FF and a 11 year old no seat. all seats are the Graco 4ever All in one (recommended seat btw)

I rented a Pacifica for 4 days with the RF behind the passenger, no seat in the second row, and two FF in the third row.

Access to the third row was great. I used the recline of the second row to make it easier to get the 9 month old in his seat, and then moved the seat into locking position so that was an unexpected plus (and clearly not designed for that intention but does work).

third row FF seats were a little hard to get in with the headrest in place. Moving the headrest down helped a lot as it fit in between the rails (metal frames) on our car seat. I did manage to get both car seats flat against the rear third row seat but it did take time, and you have to recline the third row, install, and then move the third row back up into place to get the carseat snug. One complaint, I really wish automanufatures would start putting three teethers in the third row as opposed to one passenger side, and one center.

RF seat is a convertible and was installed with LATCH. No issues.

TO address your question, I had the passenger front seat all the way back, and still was able to tilt the second row seat forward without hitting the passenger seat.

We left the oldest up front so we could use the stow n go functionality PLUS giving us better access to the third row on the rental. I will certainly play around with sticking the oldest two in the third row. We will be using the stow n go bins on long trips for sure. I already ordered the plastic tubs for them. I do have weekly cardboard and misc recycling trips so one of the seats must stow. I found it easier to do the second row but an argument could be made saying the rear hatch is easier. I will also have the 8 passenger seating. Will play around with combinations seeing how many car seats I can get in the second row while still maintaining the access to the third row!
 
#27 ·
I have a 10 month old rear facing in a Graco 2nd row passenger , and a 6year old in a booster aside.
Plenty of space up front for the passenger side even at my 6'2 frame...
As for the 3rd Row entry, I have used it about 10 times and it is pretty convenient...
Have not used the Stow and Go as of yet...about 13000 miles, and have had it for about 7 months.
Good Luck!
 
#28 ·
Typically we have a 1yr old RF drivers side second row and a 4yr old FF passenger side second row. The drivers seat moves all the way back and tilts a considerable amount before contacting the RF Britax seat. With the back at a comfortable recline there's still a few inches. For the passenger side it's simple to get around the seat to the 3rd row (8th seat removed), and if we use the stow-and-go button for the front passenger seat there is a ton of space to get around. Even with the drivers side, I can stow-and-go assist tilt the front seat, tilt the RF Britax, and kids/smaller adults can still get to the 3rd row. On a recent road trip we had RF 2nd row drivers and passengers side with 8th seat installed, and 2 FF in the 3rd row. We put an adult between the 2 RF seats to take care of the kids (3 adults, 2 FF, 2 RF total). To get to the 3rd row we put both front seats into stow-n-go mode (tilted forward) for access to the rear. 3rd row center between 2 RF seats was pretty cramped, and would probably be impossible with 2 FF in the outboard seats.

My wife wanted the sunroof, but honestly, it's a van and you're buying it for utility/space/# of seats. I've used the 8th seat twice now and would have been up a creek without it. We also use the stow and go for storage of all types. On the recent road trip we put 3 sleeping bags in them. We keep a first aid kit, snow brush, and other random items in them too.

I've also stored a 2nd row seat and put 1 kid in the 2nd and 1 kid in the 3rd. It makes for a great loading platform, especially when raining. Open the door, put the kids in, climb in, close the door, then fuss with all the buckles.

Let me know if you have any questions about other configurations.
 

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#29 ·
Awesome pics. My kids are going to have a hard time seeing the screens from the third row with the car seats in the second row. Really wish Chrysler could have made the screen extend upward on rails or something. A center screen is still optimal!
 
#32 ·
I almost bought the limited because it specifically doesnt come with the theater system and I could then add a drop down ceiling mount system. However, I have that now and it is cumbersome to say the least to have to deal with swapping out a dvd, using a remote to hit play/pause/ok/select/ when you can't see the screen. Plus, Chrysler doesnt offer the drop down system on the limited like it does on the Touring L and down.

Oh well... later on in life, when the amount of car seats needed equals less than the amount of kids I have, the uConnect system will pay off. That and the ease of use.
 
#36 ·
Family of 6 here. We own a sienna and a T&C. Eg one van with second row fold down and one without. To be frank...anything NOT minivanish sux big rocks when it comes to car seats and kids. With our minivans we didn't even notice the rear facer in either van.

The big thing we missed with my wife's sienna vs the stow n go were the trips to the hardware store. Occasionally it was nice to have the stow and go for a quick changing table when out and about. But in her sienna the back stow and go worked great for that.
We did use the stow and go bins for storage, but only on long haul trips. Daily use we never used them, there is just so much room in the T&C and pacifica it is annoying to use the bins. It is a great idea but with 4 kids there are blankies on the floor, toys, cheerios, rice puffs etc. You get really tired of brushing all that crap off to get to the diaper bag or extra stuff in the stow and go.
As a family of 6 we were reluctant to give up the 8th seat but we were honest with ourselves, the utility of the 8th seat was so rare that it would honestly gather dust in the garage and we would rather save hundreds on gas.

tldr
stow and go is worth it for long trips but not day-to-day, car seats are a non-issue in any minivan, stow and go second row man utility rare enough to make removing the seats a worthwhile hassle.
 
#39 ·
You are the second person to mention that the stow-and-go bins aren't all that magical in reality due to stuff on the floor, so I just walked outside and look at the floor of our pilot and it's covered in books, pens, re-usable shopping bags and a blanket... so yea... I see what you mean :)

Out of curiosity when you say the 8th seat wasn't that important and wasn't used that much, did you live with the van while having newborn -> 3 year olds or were all of the 6 older?

We just took a roadtrip to Tucson today and my mother in law sat between the kids in the 2nd row of the pilot (where the 8th pass seat would be in a Pacifica) and she fed the infant and helped the 3 year old color most all of the trip... I'm just not sure how this plays out if we don't have a seat there... I guess my wife would be unbuckled and leaning forward most of the trip from the 3rd row? A bit more dangerous...
 
#43 ·
This is a relief! I needed this.

Also, after reading the car seat lady page, for which im familiar with (car-seat blog website is great too), I am now a little concerned about two car seats in the second and a carsetless child outboard and certainly three carset across second row.
 

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#57 ·
Road tripped it to Tucson as well this weekend. 2 adults, 2 kids, dog, big stroller and gear. First time we used the stow and go and it was awesome having. Each compartment allowed us to have 1 bag disappear. Like I mentioned before, stow and go for us will be for the trips, not daily use. Our configuration on our trip: moved the 1 yo forward facing to 3rd row, and i sat in 2nd row to play my NES classic... I highly recommend that set up :) Owning a 7 seater, I agree with what others have said that having the space between the two captain's chairs is the best for us to put stuff for daily use, bags, coolers, etc.
 
#59 ·
we go camping a lot so I envision using the bins a lot. They can even be used as an ice chest if you have the plastic bin liner. I tow a pop up trailer and while I do prep the fridge it is rather difficult to store items that we buy in there once the top is closed.
 
#68 ·
UPDATE - Since I started the thread, we ran off and bought a Pacifica and have the cars seat in them, so wanted to post some pics back to help anyone else wondering how the seats all fit.

Here are the highlights:
  • More room than expected - front and rear-facing pumpkin seat (newborn) have plenty of room. I do 'recline' the 2nd row a HAIR to allow those seats to sit back another inch or two, but the driver and passenger are almost all the way back in their tracks and there is abundant space. Coming from a Honda Pilot, this feels like 2x as much space for the car seats. Really happy/surprised by this.
  • Did not have to give up any comfort.
 

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#73 ·
Just rented from National at RDU airport (Raleigh) and they had several Pacificas to choose from. Had a white one for the last 4 days. They are available. I have yet to go to an airport location that did not have them.

I have also rented Pacificas from National at LAX and SNA airports with no problem.
 
#76 ·
My wife and I have 2 kiddos. My son (just turned 2) is in a Britax Pinnacle (Forward Facing) in the 2nd row, passenger side. My daughter (turning 1 in a week) is in a Britax Advocate ClickTight (Rear Facing) in the 2nd row, driver's side. We have a Touring L Plus

I am 6' 160lbs, my wife is 5'5" xxxlbs (information not to be disclosed) ;-)

How are the car seats fitting for, especially rear-facing? Any pictures?
- The carseats fit great, the rear facing is a bit positioned to the rear of the car and could get frustrating to get a kid into with the door there. I'm used to a grand cherokee though, so its definitely got more clearance than that.

Do you find that "tilt forward" access to the 3rd row as handy as it seems?
- YES. The tilt forward makes it much easier to access the 3rd row. It can even be tilted forward with the kid in the carseat. Our L Plus has the stow-and-go assist on both front seats. If my son is in the front facing, or i want to tilt the rear facing, I will use the assist to slide the front seats forward so his face isnt inches from the screens and there is enough room to tilt with the rear facing. LIFESAVER

Do you regularly use the Stow and Go bins for storage?
- Yes. we were in the same boat but opted for the gas engine for this reason. We keep small rubbermaids in the stow-and-go bins with stroller parts (we have an Uppababy Vista with risers, and attachments), blankets, extra diapers, wipes, etc. its nice to have them out of site until needed. We had the dealer throw in the spare tire kit (they ordered it for us). I am gonna test fit the spare in one of the stow-and-go wells cause we dont want to give up the space in the back left....in your case i guess it would be the vacuum.

Do you actually stow the 2nd row seats from time to time or is this just a man-utility-fantasy?
-Its my fantasy at the moment. ill have to take a carseat off to do so, but itll be nice to have that functionality :)
 
#78 ·
My wife and I have 2 kiddos. My son (just turned 2) is in a Britax Pinnacle (Forward Facing) in the 2nd row, passenger side. My daughter (turning 1 in a week) is in a Britax Advocate ClickTight (Rear Facing) in the 2nd row, driver's side. We have a Touring L Plus

I am 6' 160lbs, my wife is 5'5" xxxlbs (information not to be disclosed) ;-)

How are the car seats fitting for, especially rear-facing? Any pictures?
- The carseats fit great, the rear facing is a bit positioned to the rear of the car and could get frustrating to get a kid into with the door there. I'm used to a grand cherokee though, so its definitely got more clearance than that.
Agreed. I found that if you tilted the car's second row seat forward as if you were going to access the the third row, you can get a rear facing child/baby in a lot easier. Bonus, my 9 month old at the time I rented a Pacifica loved the tilting action back and forth.

While certainly not an intended purpose it does work.

Another no so intended purpose, if you forget to move that seat back (opps) putting the car in drive and moving above 5 mph does have enough kinetic energy to move the second row seat back in place. Do not ask how I know this ;)
 
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#79 ·
ok I just tried to install two car seats in the second row. They have the quick release gator style LATCH belt clips. It was extremely difficult installing it trying to get them to latch on. There is simply not enough room to allow this style of latch to connect. The seat back part is actually in the way.

Odd as I did not have this issue on a rental.

Did not try the rear seats LATCH yet.
 
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