Has the stork sent you an unexpected bundle of joy? Those with babies as well as toddlers (or even triplets!) may want to know if the Qashqai is wide enough in the second row for three car seats. Let's find out if you should upgrade to something bigger, or not.
The Qashqai is a compact SUV, and the word ‘compact’ indicates that it is not meant to be overly large or very spacious inside. In fact, it is pretty rare for three baby seats to fit side-by-side on the back row. We’re not saying it’s impossible, but it sure poses a challenge.
In the Qashqai, there are two Isofix child seat anchorage points on the outer rear seats, and all three seats have three-point seatbelts.
It’s roomy enough for two car seats in the back, but three is going to be a bit of a stretch.
Some parents report that they’ve tried finding seats that were slim enough, but couldn’t, and other parents have opted for all three seats of the non-Isofix variety, in other words, the kind of child seats that work with the car’s seatbelt instead of the anchorage points – but there was still not really a sufficient amount of space. And most Isofix-compatible seats proved to be too wide to allow for another seat in the centre.
However, the only way to be 100% sure is to take your Qashqai to your baby shop of choice, and to try three child seats in a row, physically, if this is allowed. If that’s not possible, take along a measuring tape after you’ve thoroughly measured the second row of the Qashqai and do the math. This isn’t a foolproof method either, however.
Verdict
Most parents agree that the Qashqai is too narrow for three baby/child seats in a row, ie. a booster seat in the middle will definitely not fit if the outer rear seats are heavily bolstered, especially on the sides. If you can find car seats with a very slim design, who knows, you may be able to squeeze in all three. But this is the exception rather than the rule.
As a busy, working mom who once had two kids under the age of three, I would recommend that you consider something larger if you’re toying with the idea of buying a Qashqai. Being a mom is stressful enough, so rather buy an older, larger vehicle that is wide enough to comfortably fit everyone’s seats, instead of getting frustrated and sweaty every time you need to travel somewhere with all the kids.
The alternative is to look for a seven-seater (such as the Hyundai Grand Creta or a seven-seater Nissan X-Trail, and to place the older child(ren) in a booster seat in row three. Not keen on a seven-seater? One of our family favourites (in the segment just above the Qashqai) is the Toyota RAV4.
Sources: Mumsnet.com, Mothercare.
Keyword: Can you fit 3 car seats in the back of a Nissan Qashqai?