one of bmw's self-proclaimed "ultimate driving machines" may also be an ultimate family machine. the 2018 bmw m5, the amped up, sport-tuned version of the 5 series sedan, earned high marks in our car seat check for its wide, roomy backseat and easy-access latch anchors.
two
related: more car seat checks
solid
- latch, grade a: the two sets of lower anchors are exposed for easy access and connection. there are three top tether anchors on the rear shelf, and they're also easy to use.
- infant, grade a: this seat went in easily, and our 5-foot-6-inch-tall passenger had enough legroom.
- rear-facing convertible, grade a: another easy install; no front passenger legroom issues.
- forward-facing convertible, grade a: after removing the head restraint, this seat fit well. we had no issues connecting to the top tether anchor.
so-so
- booster, grade b: this seat fit well nestled into the bolstered seat once we raised the head restraint. the outboard buckles are flush with the seat-bottom cushion, however, and the inboard buckle is floppy; both setups make it difficult for kids to buckle up independently.
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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