Cars.com ranks only 4 new vehicles on ‘honor roll’ for car seat safety
If we were taking a look at new vehicles and how they fit car seats and applied it to report cards, only four would make the honor roll. That's according to the recent 2021 Car Seat Fit Report Card from Cars.com.
That said, automakers aren't the only ones not living up to standards here. More than half of parents surveyed by Cars.com have incorrectly installed a car seat (56%), the site reported, as well, while 67% make vehicle purchase decisions based on car seat fit. Meanwhile, 84% of parents find some level of the process frustrating.
For this year's report car, Cars.com compiled Car Seat Check scores for 51 vehicles evaluated over the last year by its certified child-passenger safety technicians, and assigned a letter grade to each of the 2021-22 vehicles evaluated.
Of the 51 vehicles evaluated, only four made the Honor Roll. Achieving straight A's in their Cars.com Car Seat Checks:
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2021 Nissan Sentra
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2021 Genesis GV80
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2021 Audi SQ8
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2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
"When it comes to shopping for a new vehicle, our data show that for more than two-thirds of parents, car seats play a significant role in their purchase decision," said Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and certified child-passenger safety technician, in a news release.
"I've evaluated more than 600 vehicles in my career, and there's no doubt about it: Some cars are just better made to properly and safely fit a car seat. With all the stress and confusion that comes with car seat installation —- especially for new parents — it's so important that families do their homework and select a vehicle that not only works for their needs right now, but also one that grows with their family."
Cars.com's Car Seat Fit Report Card, which compiles a year's worth of comprehensive Car Seat Checks conducted by the Cars.com team of experts, aims to cut down on some of the stress involved with car seat installation and picking a family vehicle.
