Hello Forum Members !

I have tried the search function and was unable to find any thread on this topic. Is there enough rear seat space in the XK8 and XKR to accommodate a child seat and eventually at least a 4-5 year old.

We are a family of three and I am considering the Xk8 or XKR as I would like to finally get a convertible and enjoy the FL weather due to our recent move from NC.

Cheers !

 

If you have an infant in a rear facing seat, I don't think so. Forward facing would work, and SMALL children in the seat, but once your tadpole sprouts legs its over! My 5' tall 12 year old has to sit sideways if shes in the back. Also not sure how easily you could buckle a little one in if the top was up...........

 

Is there a rear seat? Seriously there literally no leg room and as Cheapert says once they start growing and with some of the child seat laws I don't know how you could accommodate a smaller child legally.

 

I am 6'2" and have the seat back as far as it will go (which actually is not quite far enough). Leg space behind me is literally about 1/2"!

My 3 year-old has just moved from a full child seat to a booster seat only (i.e. just the seat part). He can sit behind the passenger, if said passenger is prepared to move their seat forward at least 2/3 of the way. I never tried the full child seat, but I imagine it would have been almost impossible to get him in.

My 13 year-old can only get in the rear if he sits behind me and puts his legs behind the passenger seat, again with the passenger seat moved forward almost all the way.

My Mazda MX5 only has 2 seats and that is annoying, so I do appreciate having '2' extra seats in the XKR. However, realistically, the rear seats are only good for 10 minutes or so, even with very young children.

 

I carry my two daughters in the car all the time. My 18 year old sits in the passenger seat, slides it way up, and my 15 year old sits behind her. That wouldn't work for a long trip, but we've done 45 minute drives like that. So if your wife is under 5'6" or so, a child will fit behind her, even in a booster seat.

An infant's car seat is another story. I don't think it will fit, either forward or rearward facing. The seat back is nearly vertical, and because of that the baby seat isn't going to sit properly.

But... just take the seat to a used car dealer who is selling one and try it out.

 

My son has twins and when I got mine he immediatly tried to get the car seats to fit as he and his wife wanted to use for the weekend. You absolutely cannot properly secure infant car seats in the back. no way, no how. My 9 and 12 year old grandaughters can sit in back with legs crossed to other side but not together. Would suggest another convert with a "real" backseat, good luck

 

+1 to mascr's comment on different vert', I've always had a convertible, for the last 10 years I drove 2 different Sebring convertibles, I called it a family convertible, now that the kids are big and one drives, then I FINALLY got the car I always wanted....Patience dad....

 

My buddie's Hot Girlfriend got in the back seat of mine last summer. She had to put her legs up the seat of course. She had a dress on...I liked it. All of the sudden I determined maybe these back seats aren't so bad afterall...

 

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

I guess the answer is that XK's are not the answer to 2 adults and 1 child--with token rear seats.

Domestically, you're limited to a used Chrysler Sebring--the largest selling convertible in recent years. They're a great buy on the used car market--very low prices due to their being low demand cars. Or, you've got the Mustang convertibles--with a GT a pretty satisfying ride. These cars are of course lacking the general class of a Jag.

With imports, you've got a few Mercedes', BMW's, Saab's, Volvo's and Audi convertibles with rear seats that fit a child. The prices are all over the gambit--depending on how old they are.

 

I can confirm that is is impossible to fit a child/infant seat in the car. They are too thick and take up precious fore and aft space before you can even get a child in.

Now, once your child qualifies for a booster seat that takes no fore and aft room, you're good to go with the right passenger moved up a fair bit.

My mustang was better.

 

Try a Porsche cab. You can fit two kids in the back.

 

I bought my son a Saab 9-3 convertible last summer. It is really nice, and the back seat has plenty of room. Before giving it to him I probably put about 500 miles on it. In many ways I liked it better than the XK8. It has a built-in cover for the convertible top when retracted. It was a 5-speed stick. It had lots more trunk room. It had a turbo and got 31mpg on the highway, but still gave a nice kick in the butt when accelerating... It was just a nice car to drive. I highly recommend them.



I also test drove a Volvo C70. It was very nice, too. You can find them as cheap as the XK8s. The newer body style looks better than the older body style, but both are nice cars. I think the older one looks kinda like a Mustang, and for that reason I don't like them so much. The new body style looks very nice, though.

 

I take my daughter in mine all the time. She sits in a forward facing one at the moment... rear facing likely wouldn't work. She sits on the passenger side. Sometimes if I feel ambitious, I'll take the rear seat back out nand free up an extra 2-3 inches.

The only problem I have is I hate the passenger seat being so far forward, especially with a passenger, but it's definitely do able.

 

First generation airbags and a passenger in the front seat that is too far forward in a crash isn't a good thing

 

My 2003 turns off the airbag if the passenger is too close. It lets you know the airbag is off by illuminating the airbag light on the wood veneer over the airbag. I'm not sure about earlier model years.

 

I've fitted a baby seat/cot in the back of my XKR - the trick is to angle it slightly so it comes out between the two front seats.

The child seat we have now fits fine, but its not going to work if you have a 6' adult in the seat in front. Also bear in mind, different makes of child seat are different sizes, so you may have to try a few to find a good fit.

One idea I did have, was to remove the rear seat backs, to gain a few extra inches of space. Or maybe buy a secondhand one and cut a child seat shaped hole in it. Just an idea though - never did get round to trying it out.

 

It really is good for nothing more than a laptop bag, shopping bags or a handbag. It's a parcel shelf with belts to me.

My best friend is about 5' and really tiny framed and she can't fit back there without being cranky. I'm about 5'9" and fairly light and I can't fit back there without destroying all legroom for the front passenger. One of my friend's little sister is really short, greater than 4'6" less than 5' and she just complained the whole time. I think anyone tall enough to not use a booster seat will complain, and a booster or child seat seams like it would be like dibbit said with angling or moving the seat really forward like fedoraj1 said.

 

The weird thing is about these cars is the leg room for the passenger is so much deeper than most other cars, especially my Camaro.

I guess we all seem to have different opinions about how it works and apparently a lot of us have tried... so the best thing you can do is borrow some friends' seats and try different techniques.

If I get over there today, I'll try some pictures.

 

I've taken my kids to school in my XKR and it's uncomfortable for me as a driver (with long legs) to have my 5 year old son sitting behind me in his booster seat. My wife (shorter legs) can drive like that though, and both are comfortable. I have put both my 7 and 9 year olds behind the passenger seat, and with the seat all the way forward, they're comfortable. I had a four-hour trip scheduled like that with my 9 year old, but it got cancelled at the last minute - but there was no hesitation about her being uncomfortable...plenty of room. We've put my 3-year-old's full car seat in the back with no problem, both behind the driver as well as behind the passenger. It's a bit of a pain (esp with large Britax seats) but they fit fine. The booster seats for my other kids go in just fine though.

While I wouldn't classify my 2002 XKR as a "family car" (esp with the Recaro seats) but it is certainly possible to put kids in the back of my car.

Now as far as adults in the back seat....ha ha ha....

Dave