Proud parents of naughty little ones and a Ford Explorer ready to explore the world? Don’t go anywhere without grabbing the best car seat for Ford Explorer from our list below
As soon as you become parents in the US, you need to install a car seat in your car. It has been made compulsory by the government, and it also keeps your child safe while you are busy driving. I recently moved to the US, and I come from a country where installing a car seat is still not mandatory. With no prior knowledge selecting a car seat became a daunting task for me. But by spending a few days and investing time in comparisons and research, I was able to choose the five best car seats for my Ford Explorer.
My selection criteria were based on the safety, material, compatibility, adjustability, and other necessary features for a car seat. Since I needed a car seat for my seven-month-old, I selected all the convertible car seats I could use for years without worrying about my child’s safety.
In my research, I have also included:
- Answers to some questions related to car seats.
- In-depth review of products that provides for their features and their benefits.
- Lastly, things to consider before buying a car seat for Ford Explorer.
Take a look!
How to select the best car seat for Ford Explorer?
Installation
A car seat comes in an unassembled form, and you need to assemble it and install it in your car. A car seat must come with a user manual and well-labeled instructions to build and install it properly.
Also, a car seat with a LATCH system is easy to install and uninstall. Hence you must think about buying only a car seat with a LATCH system. All the car seats on my list are easy to assemble and come with a LATCH system.
Also read: Which car seats are ideal for a Honda Civic?
Safety
Safety is the most crucial part of a car seat. If a car seat is not efficient enough to keep your kids safe during high-impact collisions, it is a waste of money. Go for a car seat that is FAA-approved.
Also, it should pass all the safety tests such as side, front, rear, and rollover crash tests. The seat must come with a 5-point harness to hold your child firmly and other belts to keep them safe.
All the car seats on my list meet or exceed federal safety standards and promise to keep your child safe even during a car crash.
Adjustability
A car seat with adjustable features enhances the comfort of your kids, which is a must as they spend hours on it during a long journey. Hence a car seat must have an adjustable headrest and reclining backrest.
An adjustable headrest ensures that your child can use the seat as they grow; therefore, the higher the headrest, the better it is. A reclining backrest ensures the most comfortable positions for your kids. The seats on my list are embedded with adjustable features.
Also read: Which car seats work best in a Ford Focus?
Material
The car seat material plays a prominent role in keeping your kids safe and comfortable. Hence make sure that it’s made up of solid metal alloy or steel inforced frame. Such frames can stand firm even during the hardest collision.
Also, a high-quality plastic body ensures its stiffness. The upholstery material must comprise soft and plush material such as polyester and must be removable and machine washable. All the seats on my list are embedded with this great feature.
Also read: Ford Focus mileage display not working… What can you do?
Compatibility
A car seat is an expensive investment; hence we all wish to use it for a more extended period. Therefore look for a car seat that has several modes.
You must select a convertible car seat that can be used in rear-facing, front-facing, and harness booster modes. In short, it must grow with your child. All the car seats here are convertible and offer multiple modes set up.
Other features
Look for some additional features if you wish to buy the best car seat. Features such as removable and washable cup holders, removable and washable seat pads and inserts, and harness holders are a must in a car seat. All seats here have these additional features as well.
You might also like to read: What Is The Best Car Seat For Q5? Our Top 5 Reviews And Recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the Ford Explorer good for car seats?
Ford Explorer comes with a six-seater model and a seven-seater model, each having two rows of seats behind the driver’s seat.
You can easily install two car seats in every row; however, installing three car seats at the rear of the 7-seater model will be challenging. So, yes, Ford Explorer is an excellent car for car seats.
Also read: Will Dodge Rims Fit on a Ford?
2. Can you put a car seat in the third row of a Ford Explorer?
Yes, you can quickly put two car seats in the third row of a Ford Explorer. The third-row seats have LATCH anchors, and the space is best for a booster seat. These latches are easily accessible, and there is plenty of legroom left even after installing two car seats.
3. Is it better to have a car seat behind the driver or passenger?
If you have the 7-seater model of Ford Explorer, you must install the car seat on the center seat. If you have the 6-seater model, it makes no difference where you place them.
But I would suggest you put it behind the passenger seat to check on your child from time to time if you are driving solo.
4. Is Ford Explorer a good family car?
Certainly. In fact, the Ford Explorer is probably among the top family cars in the vast lineup of SUVs, trucks and cars that Ford has. It has three spacious rows of seats and a lot of space in the boot.
I don’t need to tell you how important boot space if you are taking your tiny tots with you. From their diaper bags to their toys, everything must go in the car with them. And with so many seats, you can easily accommodate grandpa and grandma in your family trip as well.
You might also like to read: The Best Car Seat For Ford Focus: Our Top 6 Choices (With Reviews & Buyer’s Guide)
#1 Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
Features
- Installation: 9.9/10
- Safety: 9.6/10
- Adjustability: 9.7/10
- Material: 9.8/10
- Compatibility: 9.6/10
- Other features: 9.7/10
Technical specifications
- Orientation: Rear-facing and forward-facing
- Maximum weight capacity: 4 to 65 pounds
- Modes of use: 2 modes
- Headrest positions: 10 positions
- Reclining positions: 6 positions
- Installation type: LATCH system
Bottom line
This car seat by Graco comes with some fantastic adjustable features. Its headrest can be adjusted in up to 10 different positions. Hence it will not be wrong to say that it grows with your child. Also, you don’t need to rethread to adjust it. The backrest can go up to 6 reclining positions so that your child can stay in a comfortable place as long as they are using the seat.
Pros
- It comes with ten headrest positions.
- It offers a no-rethread, simply-safe adjusted harness.
- You can store the harness in a separate storage unit.
- The frame consists of reinforced steel.
- The seat is FAA-approved.
- Protects the child from the side, frontal, rear, and rollover crashes.
- A removable head and body insert to keep your child comfortable.
- It offers additional 5 inches of legroom.
- The LATCH system makes it easy to install it.
Cons
- Some users complained that the material was a bit flimsy.
- Some people had issues with the installation system.
Features in detail
- Installation: the seat can be easily installed with the help of the LATCH system. I could easily install it in my Ford Explorer without any external help. The InRight LATCH makes it simpler for the users to install or uninstall it.
- Safety: The seat is FAA-approved and meets or exceeds all the federal road safety standards. It is ProtectPlus engineered and tested for side, rear, front, and rollover crashes. Also, its reinforced steel body adds to its safety features. I was pretty confident while using it that it would keep my child safe.
- Adjustability: Its headrest can be adjusted in up to 10 different positions. The backrest can be adjusted up to 6 reclining positions so that your child can stay in a comfortable position as long as they are using the seat. Also, the 4-position extension panel adjusts to provide 5 inches of additional legroom. Hence your child can safely ride rear-facing. Therefore it will not be wrong to say that it grows with your child.
- Material: The seat’s body comprises reinforced steel that makes it a sturdy and safe car seat. It also inclu