MyRide or True Fit - OK for small cars??

[beckington]

I posted a while back looking for a convertible carseat suitable from birth that would fit in a wide range of vehicles - we don't own a car, but rent, so never know what we are going to get. But we need to assume it will be a small car - like a Honda Civic or a Hyundai Accent. The two recommendations were a Graco MyRide or a First Years True Fit. But I went to buy the MyRide in the store and it was huge!! Does it really fit in small cars? We will have two reasonably tall adults in the front and my older son in the back in a booster seat. I haven't been able to see the True Fit in stores - is it smaller? Will either of these really fit in a small car without adults having their knees up to their ears?!

Thanks!

[CallMeMommy]

I have both - rearfacing I think the TrueFit will work better. We had ours rearfacing with the headrest on in the backseat of our truck. Without the head rest it's not a problem at all, and once you need the head rest you can also adjust the recline so it's more upright.

[chel]

i have a 97 civic, so smaller than current model. i like my truefit. while i would like a smaller seat so i can have more room upfront, i don't think there is a much smaller seat that would allow extended rf.

currently i have one seat that i have to move to another car once a week. i'm looking for a smaller seat that would be lighter to fly with.

[lifeguard]

We have the truefit in an echo & it works pretty well.

[DahliaRW]

At first either will take up a bit of room (the TF less with the headrest off) because they will have to be at 45 degrees until your baby has good enough head control to be more upright. At that point, the car seat can be as upright as 30 degrees and takes up a lot less room. My guess would be when installed more upright when baby is big enough to need the headrest on the TF that the MR will take up less room front to back. Width wise they are about the same.

[oaktreemama]

We have a MR65 in my Mazda 3. It was a bit tight at first. But, once we could adjust the angle a bit we have plenty of room. I am 5'8" FWIW.

[an_aurora]

The MR takes up less room RF'ing at a toddler recline angle than the True Fit does, but either one will work well in small cars.

[Marissamom]

we have a MR, and it does look huge when it's not in a car. it does seem to be a little wider than average, but unless you're trying to fit three in the backseat that wouldn't be a problem. we have a pontiac grand prix and DD sits behind me. my sat can actually go a bit farther back then it could with her infant seat if we used the base (I still have her reclined to the infant angle). but for more upright cars, like my dad's Subaru outback, it's a tighter fit.

[beckington]

OK I'm convinced - they fit in small cars!

Sounds like the MR might be better in the long run, since we're be rear facing an older baby and toddler much longer than a baby with no head control? But either should work.

Thank goodness - baby is due in a few weeks and I still need to get this seat! Off to try and find the best deal now...!!

[sewaneecook]

One thing to consider about the MR is that when a child is FF, he is still reclined quite a bit. My 4 1/2 YO really dislikes this seat because he feels like he's lying back too much ... and because of the angle he's reclined in he can kick the back of my seat very easily (which annoys me to no end). The MR is our back-up car seat in DH's car. We like the TF MUCH better.

[mamadelbosque]

Truefits are huge front-back w/ or w/o the headrest, IMO. I've never worked with a myride so I can't speak for that... but I love my complete air and evenflo triumph advance and would buy either one again. Would *NOT* buy a truefit again. PITA to install, SUPER wide and SUPER big front-back (almost as bad as a radian, tbh)

[mama2soren]

Originally Posted by mamadelbosque

Truefits are huge front-back w/ or w/o the headrest, IMO. I've never worked with a myride so I can't speak for that... but I love my complete air and evenflo triumph advance and would buy either one again. Would *NOT* buy a truefit again. PITA to install, SUPER wide and SUPER big front-back (almost as bad as a radian, tbh)

The True Fit is actually a 1/2 inch narrower than both the MyRide and the EFTA.

I really wouldn't consider a TF sans headrest to be comparable to a Radian. The internal seat height of a TF is about 19 inches, vs. 25 inches for a Radian. I haven't compared the two side by side, but I have a Radian and my friend has a TF for her newbie, and they do not take up the same amount of front-to-back space at all, especially with the headrest off!

A Complete Air is out, because she's looking for a seat for a newborn.

I'm not going to argue that a True Fit is a tiny seat. I suppose if one was looking for the tiniest of seats, s/he would take a peek at the Coccoro. But, since the OP is looking for a relatively compact seat that will RF for the max amount of time, the True Fit is not a bad option.

[urchin_grey]

I wouldn't get a TF to put in an Accent. We rented one two summers ago and the passenger's seat had to be pushed up nearly all the way with the TF behind it. We put a Scenera (which has a shell height similar to the MR) behind the driver and I was able to drive comfortably (I'm 5'10"). The passenger, however, was squished. That being said, if you're able to put the TF in the center with the booster next to it, the top of the shell MAY rest between the two front seats. I'm not sure though, as I didn't try installing ours center. You might also consider the Sunshine Kids Radian. It takes up a fair amount of space front-to-back, but its super narrow, so its more likely that the shell will rest between the front seats and that it will fit next to your other child's booster.

ETA: Just wanted to add, that the child riding in the TF when we rented the Accent was 4 at the time. So the seat was as upright as its allowed to be, FWIW.

[allisonrose]

I have a TF in my Civic. It fits well. I think it's a nice seat for a small car with a newborn. Itty-bitty ones do need a 45* install so the seat with take up less space with the headrest off. Then once the child is older with more neck control, you can use the headrest and install more upright.

[sunnymw]

I've had a TF in a plethora of vehicles including a 2008 Civic and never had any leg room issues. Installed great w/o headrest with tons of room.

Note that the TF can be installed as upright as 35 degrees, whereas the MyRide can go as upright as 30 degrees... The TF has a lower RF weight limit but is MUCH taller than the MR. Also it installed better FF than the MR and has premium LATCH hooks and, well, just plain feels like a much sturdier seat.

[Twinklefae]

We had the True Fit rear facing in our Mazda Protege for a long time.  I was looking at the MyRide too, and don't see any reason why it wouldn't fit.

[Graceie]

we have a myride in a scion XD tight fight now with it rear faceing but it works and i like it so much better then other car seats Ive used