CARS FOR MY BABIES

Oh, I remember again that baby car seat I wrote about yesterday. By the way, it is not yet released in the market. I hope it will materialize soon so I don’t have to worry much of the safety of Sid and Audrey. Probably this would be what every parent wants in their cars- offering safety primarily for their children. So I browsed the internet and look for cars that offers the best safety for my big Sid and little Audrey.

But before that, I will give the factors to consider in choosing the car that offers the highest possible safety. You have to look for:

• Deep, flat seat-bottom cushions for it is easier to level the seat and fasten it

• Placement of the seatbelts and latch points. You’ll know what’s going to be a problem if you try it with child’s car seat.

• The angle of the seat back cushion. Choose those with seats that has recline feature for it is more secure.

• Ease of access. There should be wide door openings that would let you easily in and out bulky car seats to your car. The extra ground clearance for minivans and SUVs reduces back strain that parents like I experience when bending over to retrieve or buckle in their child. Some cars offer rear seats with fore-and-aft adjustments. It allows you to slide back if your going to tend to a baby or slide it forward for extra room a double stroller in the cargo bay.

• Availability of ALR/ELR seatbelts. New cars mostly have this, a locking retractor seatbelts in the backseat …. Simple as it locks as it retracts.

I came across this article that has a list of 10 cars that are said to be easy for car seat installation. I don’t know…maybe you just have to visit your nearest car store to try it. That’s what I’m going to do too. But certainly, Jenny will be very happy to see if I bought one of it for the safety of our two little kids. Anyway, here is the list:

Chevrolet Equinox: This value-packed small SUV offers reclining back cushions and fore/aft adjustment in the second row, as well as the ability to fit three car seats across (depending on the size of your kids and their restraints, of course).

Chevrolet Malibu Maxx: A deep, flat seat bottom, wide door openings and fore/aft adjustment in the second row make the midsize Malibu wagon a good bet for families.

Dodge Magnum: The Magnum looks hip on the outside, but inside it's all about practicality with lots of second-row legroom and deep, flat seats make for easy car seat installation.

Ford Five Hundred: Magnum not big enough for you. You can get even more room in the Five Hundred, along with the biggest trunk in the sedan world (20 cubic feet). A slightly elevated ride height also makes it a good bet for parents with bad backs.

Ford Freestyle: Although down on power, the Freestyle compensates with its positively cavernous interior. You can get a roomy bench seat in the second row or opt for twin captain's chairs that offer fore/aft adjustment.

Honda Accord: With plenty of legroom in the backseat and perfectly contoured cushions, you can't go wrong with this well-rounded family sedan.

Honda Odyssey: Always a good bet for families, thanks to its deep, flat, multi adjustable seats, the latest Odyssey adds a neat feature to the mix a pop-up seat between the second-row captain's chairs, allowing you to carry three kids across in a pinch.

Scion xB: On a tight budget but still need a lot of room? The Scion xB makes an ideal starter-size minivan. This boxy wagon has a comfortably raked rear bench and more legroom than you ever thought possible in a compact car.

Toyota Camry: Like the Accord, the Camry offers lots of rear legroom and soft, flat seat cushions that can readily accept a bulky car seat. Juice box holders in the doors are a nice bonus for those with preschoolers.

Toyota Sienna: Roomy and comfortable rear seats and the availability of both seven- and eight-passenger configurations make the Sienna a good bet. Models with second-row bench seats were specifically designed to accommodate three car seats across.

I would love to have one of these cars. All of us, Me, Jenny, Sid and Audrey, will enjoy our ride together. I’ll ask Jenny if we have enough money to have one of these…(LOL).