[DmOcRsI]

I was wondering if anyone who has both the 1st and 2nd generation can advise what differences there are in the back seat space? Specifically, with the passenger seat all the way forward (in seated position, not where it's folded forward to allow backseat entry) the space between the front of the backseat to the back of the front seat... and then from the back of the back seat (where the seatbelts are) to the back of the front seat is.

The reason being... is that I myself am going to be expecting my first child in June and although this isn't our "family" vehicle, I would like to know how the baby seat is going to do.

There is a guy on YouTube who has actually kind of a great channel that is a no-bullshit channel. One of the things he does is baby-seat compatibility with various cars. He did a good one on the FRS/BRZ...

So I was wondering how the backseat is different to get an idea if it got better or worse for the whole child seat situation.

Please advise! Thanks!

 

[Mario0617]

I did not have a previous gen I can compare to, but I can vouch that my ‘22 is small. I can just fit a baby seat for my toddler nephew behind the seat position for a 5’5 passenger. No way I could behind myself in the drivers seat at 6’1.

 

[imLawZ]

Just a heads up, there's less room in the back in the new gen than the first. In the first gen I was able to use the backseats in a pinch for a short drive for two passengers. Tried to do it in my 22 BRZ a while back with the same two passengers and there was absolutely no room for them to fit. I will say though, I was able to fit two shorter people on the passenger side (both around 5'0), but definitely wouldnt do it often as the person in front was really close to the glovebox.

I'm not too sure about baby seat compatibility though, maybe others can chime in about that.

 

[Chris_f]

^damn, that’s a shame!

 

[Stephenm]

I think it would depend on the size of your baby seat. There are anchor points in the back seat for a baby seat

 

[Lou]

(Driving a '17 while waiting for my '22. I haul a 6 year old and a 10 year old.)

Nothing inside has changed except the rake of the rear glass - above-average-tall adults now touch the glass with the back of their head. So if the last car was a 2+1, the new car is more like a 2+1/2

That said, this has no impact on kid-hauling ability. I had a baby seat permanently anchored in the passenger rear seat for two years. Worked very well. Will work just as well in the new car. But you need to find a baby seat that has the right shape to fit in the deep cavity of the rear seat. (If you look through old forums you will find recommendations.) You also have to be a limber dad with a strong back to hunch in and get the baby strapped in.

As your kid gets older and especially when he transitions to a booster, you will find that his legs dangle over the edge of the seat. This means that the front seat will need to be pushed forward almost as much as for an adult that has his feet resting on the floor and under the front seat. So no 6-footer in the passenger seat. However, a second kid in the front works fine. You will also find that the back of the seat will always be dirty.

Note that the rear seat has no padding on the side wall. My kids occasionally bump their head if I make an unexpected maneouver. Also note that when using a booster in the front seat, the front airbag will be automatically turned off. (My 10 year old still likes a booster in order to see over the dash, but I would like for the airbag to be active now.)

Don't sweat it. It works for cool dads.

Cheers.

 

[Lou]

I think my seat was a run-of-the-mill Harmony Defender from Walmart. The base was nicely contoured.

 

[Lou]

It just dawned on me that the OP is talking about a newborn. That complicates things because they need to be rear-facing for a while. I don't think that would work well in the rear seat of a BRZ/86. If you really needed to haul an infant rear-facing, you would need to buck North American recommendations and carry it in the front. As I already said, the airbag will be automatically disabled. Indeed, the front-deploying airbag is the real worry for a small child. After that, the front passenger seat is actually the safest place in the car and that is where infants are placed in many European countries like Sweden. But be prepared to catch some flack for it in America.

 

[Stephenm]

It just dawned on me that the OP is talking about a newborn. That complicates things because they need to be rear-facing for a while. I don't think that would work well in the rear seat of a BRZ/86. If you really needed to haul an infant rear-facing, you would need to buck North American recommendations and carry it in the front. As I already said, the airbag will be automatically disabled. Indeed, the front-deploying airbag is the real worry for a small child. After that, the front passenger seat is actually the safest place in the car and that is where infants are placed in many European countries like Sweden. But be prepared to catch some flack for it in America.

The passenger seat in the US is known as the “death seat.” If a car is “t-boned” on that side it would be bad for the passenger. Also, the front seats don’t have anchor points for a car seat, like the back seats do.

 

[Lou]

Just to play devil's advocate: the outgoing BRZ got great marks for IIHS crash worthiness (except front partial overlap); the new ones have a significantly stronger cage; there is a side curtain airbag; a baby seat adds a whole other layer of defense; baby seats can be secured by a seatbelt; rear facing seats don't use an overhead tether; a correct rear-seat rear-facing installation in our cars is going to prove challenging.

If it were me, I would wait until baby is two years old in order to rock the dad-mobile.

 

[DmOcRsI]

All great points, gentlemen... that's why I come here, it's a meeting of the minds. So the video that I put there shows that although TIGHT... it is possible to get a Rear-Facing seat in the back and that's why I was wondering what the dimensions were because if it's similar, then I'll be able to manage if I choose the right seat. At the end of the day, I'll just have to wait and see I suppose.

 

[kalamitykode]

Just throwing my two cents in. I've got a 3 year old and a 1 year old, and I agree that with the 1 year old there isn't much issue but with the 3 year old the seat in front of her has to be pushed up a bit, and a bit in this car is a lot to anyone in the passenger seat.

A rear facing seat will definitely not fit behind the driver if you want to drive with any semblance of comfort, but with a thinner seat it wouldn't be a problem on the passenger side. Just some added context, I got the car in mid December and I just learned last week that an unexpected 3rd kid is on the way, so yeah.. been doing some research myself. I think I have a rear facing seat around somewhere, and if I can find it I'd be happy to get it in the car and take pictures for you.

 

[PhoenixM3]

The passenger seat in the US is known as the “death seat.” If a car is “t-boned” on that side it would be bad for the passenger. Also, the front seats don’t have anchor points for a car seat, like the back seats do.

I'd offer that the latch system isn't necessary for all rear facing car seats, and giggled at your term "death seat" I'd never heard that before....

 

[Lou]

SAME interior XY dimensions.

 

[Project Balance]

Only benefit to 2022 is now the rear seats fold down.

 

[Lou]

Only benefit to 2022 is now the rear seats fold down.

Always folded down!

 

[Project Balance]

Always folded down!

A quick google search confirms. Wow - I own a 2015 FRS, and 2017 GT86, and I've never folded them down once.

 

[WpR]

Just throwing my two cents in. I've got a 3 year old and a 1 year old, and I agree that with the 1 year old there isn't much issue but with the 3 year old the seat in front of her has to be pushed up a bit, and a bit in this car is a lot to anyone in the passenger seat.

A rear facing seat will definitely not fit behind the driver if you want to drive with any semblance of comfort, but with a thinner seat it wouldn't be a problem on the passenger side. Just some added context, I got the car in mid December and I just learned last week that an unexpected 3rd kid is on the way, so yeah.. been doing some research myself. I think I have a rear facing seat around somewhere, and if I can find it I'd be happy to get it in the car and take pictures for you.

Great info, thanks.
In about a month's time, the GR86 will finally be released in Europe.
I'm seriously considering trading in my 1 series for one, but the only condition is I can fit a child seat for a 1.5 year old and a rear-facing seat for a baby that's currently still in production.
Could I set up the rear-facing seat in the front passenger seat (to save my back), and fit a normal child seat in the back seat? Or worst case, the other way around?

The wife has an SUV so I'll only need to use my car once or twice a week to pick up the kids from daycare.

Am I wrong to assume that it'll get easier when they get older? Just trying to convince myself this is not a dumb purchase

Thanks

 

[Lou]

Great info, thanks.
In about a month's time, the GR86 will finally be released in Europe.
I'm seriously considering trading in my 1 series for one, but the only condition is I can fit a child seat for a 1.5 year old and a rear-facing seat for a baby that's currently still in production.
Could I set up the rear-facing seat in the front passenger seat (to save my back), and fit a normal child seat in the back seat? Or worst case, the other way around?

The wife has an SUV so I'll only need to use my car once or twice a week to pick up the kids from daycare.

Am I wrong to assume that it'll get easier when they get older? Just trying to convince myself this is not a dumb purchase

Thanks

Again, same XY interior dimensions. If it fits in Gen 1, it will fit in Gen 2. Ideally, find a Gen 1 in which to experiment.

Yes, ingress/egress of little passengers will be so much easier when they are old enough for booster seats and the car's own seatbelts. But note that rear passengers are limited to about 1,65 m. So at some point, your older child will ride exclusively in the front.

A child seat fits well in the back. However the base of the seat needs to have the correct shape to fit snugly into the deep well of the seat. So you may need to try a few models. Also, a child seat is a royal pain to install. So ideally you will leave it installed for the whole time that it will be needed. And you will need to have a strong back in order to reach in with a child in your arms: the opening is low and it's a long reach.

You should know that a rear-facing seat placed in the front is a taboo subject in America. You've been warned. However, I agree with Europeans that it is perfectly safe, and as safe or safer than the back seat. In these cars, the passenger front airbag will automatically be deactivated if an object is placed on the seat. This includes child seats and booster seats. I agree that if you must carry both small children in this car, it will be much easier to have the infant in front beside you.

Finally, ideally the older child will be ready for a booster seat up front when the younger child moves to a front-facing child seat in the back. Having a big child seat in the front will likely make it impossible to slide the seat forward to permit ingress/egress from the back. You would then need to put both seats in the back and take into account that little legs tend to stick straight out and require leg room.

Good luck!

 

[WpR]

Again, same XY interior dimensions. If it fits in Gen 1, it will fit in Gen 2. Ideally, find a Gen 1 in which to experiment.

Yes, ingress/egress of little passengers will be so much easier when they are old enough for booster seats and the car's own seatbelts. But note that rear passengers are limited to about 1,65 m. So at some point, your older child will ride exclusively in the front.

A child seat fits well in the back. However the base of the seat needs to have the correct shape to fit snugly into the deep well of the seat. So you may need to try a few models. Also, a child seat is a royal pain to install. So ideally you will leave it installed for the whole time that it will be needed. And you will need to have a strong back in order to reach in with a child in your arms: the opening is low and it's a long reach.

You should know that a rear-facing seat placed in the front is a taboo subject in America. You've been warned. However, I agree with Europeans that it is perfectly safe, and as safe or safer than the back seat. In these cars, the passenger front airbag will automatically be deactivated if an object is placed on the seat. This includes child seats and booster seats. I agree that if you must carry both small children in this car, it will be much easier to have the infant in front beside you.

Finally, ideally the older child will be ready for a booster seat up front when the younger child moves to a front-facing child seat in the back. Having a big child seat in the front will likely make it impossible to slide the seat forward to permit ingress/egress from the back. You would then need to put both seats in the back and take into account that little legs tend to stick straight out and require leg room.

Good luck!

Thanks for the input.
I have to be sure, so I'll wait for a demo car and drive it to the baby store to test out some seat combos before signing off.
It'll be years until they reach 1m65, so worries for future me.