The Ford Fusion is a popular sedan model that was introduced in the wake of the global success of the Ford Focus years before.
Over the years it has undergone a number of revisions and even as production ended in 2020, the model is sought after as a pre-owned car.
In 2019 it was the seventh best-selling car in the US.
This article answers the question “Can Ford Fusion Fit 3 Car Seats?”…
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Can Ford Fusion Fit 3 Car Seats?
Families with 3 young children will be glad to know that you can fit 3 car seats into the back of a Ford Fusion. Whether you have three of the same style or a mixed style of full infant car seats and a booster seat for an older child, you can easily find a combination that works.
The width of the Fusion in the rear end is about 73 inches, which means more room than competing models like the Toyota Camry (71.1”).
Does The Fusion Have 3 Isofix/Latch In The Back Seat?
The Ford Fusion has a dedicated pair of lower Isofix/Latch anchor points for the two outer seats in the back.
The center seat does not have its own lower anchor points but can borrow the inner anchor point from either outer seat if the child seat manufacturer allows that way of anchoring.
However, borrowing one of the outer seat points is not advisable, because it would render it impossible to secure a car seat in each of the outer seats if you need 3 car seats in the back.
Behind each removable headrest in the rear of the Ford Fusion, you’ll find an upper tether anchor point to attach to the top of your seat, so there is one for each rear car seat.
Can The 3 Seats Fit Rear-Facing?
Yes, the 3 car seats can all be rear-facing, but the driver may have to move their seat forward, which could be a problem for taller drivers.
For the two outer seats, a rear-facing car seat can attach to the two lower latch anchor points either with a rigid latch system or via a strap.
For the middle seat, a rear-facing car seat will have to be attached using a seatbelt. The center seat has its own dedicated seatbelt and fastener, so this is possible.
Can The 3 Seats Fit Forward-Facing?
Yes, if you were to install 3 car seats in the Ford Fusion, you could have them all forward-facing.
The two outer seats can be secured with both the lower latch anchor points or with straps, depending on your car seat.
The middle car seat can be secured with the center seatbelt and then further secured with the upper tether anchor point.
The outer seats can also be additionally secured by strapping them to the upper tether anchor if needs be.
It is not recommended, however, that any child seat for an infant under 12 months of age be placed in a forward-facing seat.
Very young children should be positioned in a properly secured and comfortably adjusted rear-facing seat.
Is The Leg Room In The Front Seats Affected With 3 Car Seats?
The legroom in the front can be affected when you install 3 car seats in the Ford Fusion.
The Ford Fusion has about 44.3 inches of front legroom and about 38.3 inches of rear legroom.
When you install a rear-facing car seat behind either the driver’s or passenger’s seat, there is a chance that the front legroom can be impacted.
If the driver or passenger is tall, and the car seat is large, then the corresponding front seat will have to be moved forward to make space for the car seat.
For the front passenger, this isn’t a huge problem because they can usually be left with enough comfortable legroom for sitting.
For the driver, on the other hand, it can be a problem because it can impact their driving position if they have to move the seat too far forward.
What Are The Measures Of The Back Seat?
The total width of the Ford Fusion rear-seating area is 73 inches. Within the whole space, rear passengers have the following dimensions in which to sit:
- Rear headroom – 37.8 inches
- Rear hip room – 54.4 inches
- Rear legroom – 38.3 inches
- Rear shoulder room – 56.9 inches
In addition, the Ford Fusion has a folding center armrest and the rear seat features a 60:40 split mechanism.
What Car Seat Brands Suit The Best?
The good news is that a number of brands and models of car seats are very suitable for the Ford Fusion.
It is designed to be spacious and versatile, giving customers choices when it comes to car seats.
The following table shows all the compatible car seats for Ford Fusion models.
Those that are confirmed to also be suitable for fitting 3 of the same unit into the Ford Fusion back seat are marked with a “(x3)” by the model name:
| Brand | Model | Estimated Price ($) |
| Clek | Fllo (x3) | 429 |
| Clek | Foonf (x3) | 399-499 |
| Chicco | KeyFit 30 (x3) | 199 |
| Diono | Radian RXT (x3) | 279 |
| Diono | Radian R120 (x3) | 199 |
| Diono | Radian R100 (x3) | 179 |
| Diono | Rainier | 213-314 |
| Graco | Contender (x3) | 98 |
| Graco | Size4Me 65 (x3) | 179 |
| Graco | TurboBooster | 50 |
| Combi | Coccoro (x3) | 239 |
| Britax | Frontier 90 | 329 |
| Britax | B-Safe 35 | 199 |
Is Rear Facing Or Forward Facing Safer?
Ultimately, it depends on the age of the child.
Research has shown that children up to 23 months in age are much less likely to be injured or killed in a traffic collision when they are seated in a rear-facing car seat.
In fact, the risk is lowered by as much as 75 percent.
The reason that a rear-facing seat for an infant is safer in the event of a crash is that the force of that collision is spread out more evenly and isn’t concentrated entirely in one area.
Some states have already passed laws that say children under 2 years old have to be secured in a rear-facing car seat in the back: California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
Children should not make the switch to forward-facing seats until they are older and larger, usually a maximum of 3-5 years old.
At that point, a rear-facing seat becomes non-viable anyway because the child’s growing legs and joints make it uncomfortable or too small to continue sitting in a rear-facing seat.
So, rear-facing is safer than forward-facing when the child’s car seat is in the rear, but not when in the front.
It’s very dangerous to put a rear-facing car seat on the front seat when the passenger side has an airbag.
If the airbag were to deploy, the airbag would hit the back of your child’s seat and potentially cause them to hit their head.
What Is The Age And Weight For Rear-Facing?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents keep their children in rear-facing car seats until they reach the maximum height or weight that the seat manufacturer recommends.
For the Clek Foonf car seat, for example, the recommended weight limit for children is 65 pounds and about 49 inches in height.
That’s more than enough for the average 4-year-old boy in America (40 pounds, 40 inches in height).
While some parents think to turn the seat around when the child hits 2 years old, there’s nothing stopping you from continuing to 4 years old or beyond with a rear-facing seat if that’s what makes you feel more at ease, and as long as the child isn’t too tall for the rear-facing position.
What Is The Age And Weight For Forward-Facing?
The minimum age for a child to be seated in a forward-facing child car seat would be from 24 months (2 years old).
This would be in compliance with various state laws that say a child must be secured in a rear-facing car seat until they reach 24 months old.
For many, however, it’s preferable to continue using rear-facing seats until the child hits 4-5 years old.
The typical age and weight limit before the seat needs to be forward-facing is 60-65 pounds and about 49-52 inches in height.
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