Best Used Cars for Car Seats

By Jennifer Newman
September 21, 2020
car seat intallation rating used car jpg Cars.com illustration by Paul Dolan

Whether you’re starting your family or growing it, you likely know that raising a child can be expensive. According to the Department of Agriculture’s most recent data in 2015, a middle-class family would spend nearly $13,000 per child per year. That’s not chump change — and by the way, that doesn’t include the cost of college. All that love, time and cash that you’re pouring into raising your family might mean there’s not much left for a brand-new family car.

For many families, used cars are where it’s at. Americans bought 40 million used cars in 2019, according to IHS Markit. That’s nearly 2.5 times the number of new cars purchased last year. The average new-car list price on Cars.com was $37,651 in late August, but the average used-car price (2000 model year or newer) was $23,650.

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That price savings allows a new family to find a car that will grow with them from babies in rear-facing infant seats to independent kiddos in booster seats. Of course, not all cars handle car seats with ease. That’s why Cars.com’s on-staff certified car seat technicians have been installing a variety of car seats into cars for many years.

Below is a list of cars that earned all A’s in our Car Seat Checks. To receive the top grade of A, the technicians evaluate the car’s Latch system, checking that the lower anchors and top tether anchors are easy to find and use. They also install a rear-facing infant seat, rear- and forward-facing convertible car seat, and a high-back booster seat into each test car, looking for any issues with fit or installation.

Here are the best used cars when it comes to accommodating car seats:

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
Jennifer Newman
Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Newman is a journalist with more than 25 years of experience, including 15 years as an automotive journalist at Cars.com. Jennifer leads the Editorial team in its mission of helping car shoppers find the vehicle that best fits their life. A mom of two, she’s graduated from kids in car seats to teens behind the steering wheel. She’s also a certified car-seat technician with more than 12 years of experience, as well as member of the World Car Jury, Automotive Press Association and Midwest Automotive Media Association. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennilnewman/ Instagram: @jennilnewman
Email Jennifer Newman

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