Cars.com, a leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider, released its annual Car Seat Check Honor Roll to arm parents and caregivers with vital information on which family vehicles best fit car seats and have the easiest-to-use latch systems for car seat installation.
This year, Cars.com tested more than 87 vehicles and 14 made the honor roll, which is the highest number of vehicles ever featured on the list. As the demand for used cars increases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cars.com also created a list of the best used cars for car seats, which highlights cars from the 2014-19 model years that earned all A's in their car seat checks.
"Since COVID-19 began, families are relying on their cars more than ever. Cars have become our mobile bubbles and a critical piece of navigating our way through the pandemic," said Jenni Newman, Cars.com editor-in-chief and certified child-passenger safety technician. "As a certified child-passenger safety technician, it feels like I've seen it all when it comes to car seat mistakes. Car seats can be confusing, but getting them right is so important, especially now as families spend more time on the road."
When used correctly, child-safety seats decrease the risk of death by up to 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for 1-to-4-year-olds, according to the National Highway Safety Administration. Car seats are critical to keeping kids safe, but they can be complicated — there's a seemingly endless array of sizes and types, and a child will need a few different kinds to make it through childhood safely. Cars.com's annual honor roll recognizes the vehicles that make it easy to correctly install a car seat, each evaluated by their certified car seat technicians.
Best new cars for car seats:
The following vehicles made Cars.com's 2020 Car Seat Check honor roll:
- BMW X7
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Jaguar I-Pace
- Jeep Cherokee
- Lexus ES 350
- Nissan Maxima and Murano
- Subaru Forester
- Toyota 4Runner, Avalon, and RAV4
- Volkswagen Atlas
- Volvo V60
For more details see Cars.com's Car Seat Check Honor Roll.
Best used cars for car seats:
"Cars.com research recently revealed that 64 percent of car shoppers have moved up their purchasing timeline due to COVID-19," added Newman. "With the increased number of shoppers, new and used cars are in demand. 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. That price savings allows a new family to find a car that will grow with them as their babies grow from rear-facing infant seats to convertible car seats and eventually booster seats in the years to come."
- BMW: 2019 X7
- Chevrolet: 2018 Equinox
- Ford: 2017 Escape, 2014 Taurus
- Genesis: 2018 G90, 2017 G90
- GMC: 2018 Acadia, 2017 Acadia
- Honda: 2017 Accord Hybrid
- Hyundai: 2019 Santa Fe, 2018 Sonata, 2016 Sonata Hybrid, 2015 Sonata
- Jaguar: 2019 I-Pace, 2017 XF, 2016 XF
- Jeep: 2019 Cherokee
- Lexus: 2019 ES 350, 2015 ES 350
- Lincoln: 2018 Continental, 2017 Continental
- Mercedes-Benz: 2017 C300, 2014 S-Class
- Mini: 2016 Clubman
- Nissan: 2019 Maxima, 2019 Murano, 2014 Pathfinder and Pathfinder Hybrid
- Subaru: 2019 Forester, 2018 Impreza, 2017 Impreza, 2015 Forester
- Toyota: 2019 4Runner, 2019 Avalon, 2019 Camry, 2019 RAV4, 2018 Camry, 2018 4Runner, 2017 RAV4, 2016 RAV4
- Volkswagen: 2019 Atlas, 2019 Tiguan, 2018 Atlas, 2018 Tiguan, 2015 Jetta
- Volvo: 2019 V60, 2017 S90
For more details see Cars.com's best used cars for car seats.
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