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  • car-related question

    Not quite sure how to word this, but.......if a van is advertised as seating seven people, what standards are used with this, especially when it comes to bench seats?

    Reason I'm asking is because my mom's van supposedly seats seven people, we do a lot of things with my brother and his wife, and when their second baby comes this fall, my mom thinks she, my daughter, and I can fit in the bench seat. And going by a recent trip to California, this is NOT possible........my daughter, her boyfriend and I sat in that bench seat, and while it wasn't too cramped, none of us were able to buckle our seatbelts.

  • #2
    Those bench seats (or the standard back seat of a car) are generally three children only if you want to be able to breathe.... 2 children one adult? maybe. Not much more.

    Unless the car is Van width but yeah, not really comfortable for long....

    Best bet? Sit the three of you in there (or a replacement adult for your daughter) and let your mother see how uncomfortable it is!
    I am so SO glad I was not present for this. There would have been an unpleasant duct tape incident. - Joi

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    • #3
      The typical European 7-seat arrangement is:

      Driver and *one* passenger in the front row, each with a 3-point belt;

      Two adults, or two teenagers and a child, in the second row, with two 3-point belts (for the larger side seats) and one lap-belt;

      Two children in the back row (often rear-facing), with 3-point belts. These are the two seats missing from a standard "5-seat" car.

      Generally the central child-sized seat is meant for use with a dedicated baby seat, which would be fitted so that the seatbelts on either side could still be used. Otherwise there is routinely a lot of shuffling and fumbling while people work out what parts of the belting system they've sat on.

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      • #4
        Unfortunately these estimates are always ridiculous, my first generation Kia Sedona was rated for 7 passengers IIRC, which only works if those in the back want to get cosy.
        Seph
        Taur10
        "You're supposed to be the head of covert intelligence. Right now, I'm not seeing a hell of a lot of intelligence. Covert, overt, or otherwise!"-Lochley, B5, A View from the Gallery

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        • #5
          My minivan is a 7-seater, and I think the arrangement is typical for US minivans. Two bucket seats in front, two bucket seats in the 2nd row, and a forward-facing bench seat in back that can sit up to three. 8-seat minivans have a bench seat in the 2nd row.

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          • #6
            Quoth Gizmo View Post
            Those bench seats (or the standard back seat of a car) are generally three children only if you want to be able to breathe.... 2 children one adult? maybe. Not much more.

            Unless the car is Van width but yeah, not really comfortable for long....

            Best bet? Sit the three of you in there (or a replacement adult for your daughter) and let your mother see how uncomfortable it is!
            I might have to do that.......without getting into Fratching territory, my mom and I are the most overweight people in the family, which is one of the reasons I don't think we can both fit in the bench seat with a third person.

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            • #7
              We have an 06 Sedona, the the rear hiproom is decent. BUT, it's really only good for (at best) 3 teens to sit back there. Adults will be very cramped, both with hip room and legroom. Something like Edmunds.com should list out the numbers when you're comparing different makes/models to give you an idea before you hit a showroom.
              But the paint on me is beginning to dry
              And it's not what I wanted to be
              The weight on me
              Is Hanging on to a weary angel - Sister Hazel

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