this car seat check was written in august 2016 about the 2017 audi a4. little of substance has changed with this year's model. to see what's new for 2018, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
audi redesigned its a4 compact sedan for 2017. the a4 gets a mild styling update, a revised interior and an updated suite of used engine ; what hasn't changed are the five-seat luxury sedan's lower latch anchors. they're under removable plastic covers, making access and connection almost as smooth as the a4's leather seats.
how many car seats fit in the second row? two
related: more car seat checks
solid
- latch, grade a: the two sets of lower latch anchors are under hinged plastic covers and are easy to access and use; the same can be said for the three tether anchors on the rear shelf.
- rear-facing convertible, grade a: the convertible was easy to install and fit well in rear-facing form. we did not need to move up the front passenger seat to accommodate it.
- forward-facing convertible, grade a: the seat went in easily and fit well.
so-so
- infant, grade b: the rear-facing infant seat was also a problem-free installation, but we had to move the front passenger seat forward significantly; our passenger's knees were close to the glove box.
- booster, grade b: the booster fit well on the seat, but the seat belt buckles sink low into the cushion, making them tough for kids to grasp and use.
skip it
- none
grading scale
solid indicates an a grade for optimum ease of use and fit. so-so indicates b or c grades for one to two ease-of-use or fit issues. skip it indicates d or f grades.
a: plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn't impact driver or front-passenger legroom. easy to find and connect to latch and tether anchors. no fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. easy access to the third row.
b: one room, fit or connection issue. some problems accessing third row when available.
c: marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. difficult to access third row when available.
d: insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.
f: does not fit or is unsafe.
about 's car seat checks
editors jennifer geiger, jennifer newman and matt schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
for the car seat check, we use a graco snugride classic connect 30 infant-safety seat, a britax marathon convertible seat and graco turbobooster seat. the front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. the three child seats are installed in the second row. the booster seat sits behind the driver's seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.
we also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row's middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. if there's a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. learn more about how we conduct our car seat checks.
parents should also remember that they can use the latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.
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