hyundai's compact suv, the tucson, received a refresh for the used engine -1420699538280/">2019 model year that was light on the outside — but substantial where it counts for anyone who might have clicked on an article asking how car seats fit in a given car model. the tucson now gets a standard front collision system with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection previously only available as an extra-cost upgrade to the suv's top trim level, and that's in addition to standard lane keep assist. it goes without saying that competitive safety is (or perhaps should be) in the non-negotiable column on any family's car-shopping checklist, and for parents of car-seat-age children, the tucson warrants consideration thanks to a strong showing in our latest car seat check.
how many car seats fit in the second row? two
solid
- latch, grade a: two sets of lower latch anchors are located in the outboard positions, exposed but recessed into the leather upholstery. three top tether anchors are found midway down the seatback.
- forward-facing convertible, grade a: installation was easy using this seat's chunky connectors, and the seat fit well with the head restraint raised; top tether connection also was simple.
- booster, grade a: we again raised the head restraint for this seat. although the middle seat belt buckle is on a floppy base, the outboard ones are on stable, if short, stalks and should be ok for kids to strap themselves in.
so-so
- infant, grade b: this seat's skinny, hooklike connectors found their mark with little effort, and our 5-foot-6-inch-tall passenger had serviceable legroom, though we had to move the seat up to achieve that.
- rear-facing convertible, grade b: connection was easy and the seat fit well, leaving so-so legroom for a front passenger of average height, again, with the seat moved forward.
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.
's editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. in line with 's long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don't accept gifts or free trips from automakers. the editorial department is independent of 's advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.