ID.4 EV and Tiguan Take Top Honor in Cars.com 2023 Car Seat Fit Report Card

Automakers tout their safety all the time, and they often emphasize the point by showing families. But family members who are often not shown are the most vulnerable. By that, we refer to infants, toddlers, and very small children. Specifically, those who sit not on the car seats but in aftermarket rear and forward-facing baby seats and booster seats. Most parents know how to use these seats but may not be aware that some cars accommodate them better than others.

Cars.com has taken up the task of testing cars on their child seat accommodation, and Bud Brown Volkswagen is proud to announce that the ID.4 and Tiguan models earned top A grades in all of their categories. They are two out of only seven vehicles to do so.

How They Test

Cars.com tested seat installation in 56 different 2023 models. The seats they chose for the test were:

• Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seat
• Graco Contender 65 convertible
• Graco TurboBooster

The three car seats are installed in the vehicle’s second row. The booster seat is positioned behind the driver, while the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. In three-row vehicles, they also install the forward-facing convertible and booster seat in the 3rd row and assess how easy or difficult it is to access that 3rd row. For each installation, they rate the car’s Latch system, which includes both the lower anchors and top tether anchors. This system is supposed to make car seat installation easier but can cause frustration on some models. The testers are both certified child passenger safety technicians as well as moms who have gone through every car-seat stage.

“For parents looking to purchase an SUV that fits the whole family, be sure to consider Volkswagen’s Tiguan and all-electric ID.4. They not only each sport a sizable backseat without compromising on passenger legroom, installing car seats is painless—with both easily acing our Car Seat Check. Exposed Latch anchors make for convenient access, and their seat belt buckles are incredibly user-friendly—even for children in booster seats,” says Jennifer Geiger, Cars.com News Editor and Certified Child-Passenger Safety Technician.

How They Grade

Each vehicle received five grades based on the latch system itself and how easy the installation was for infant, rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster seats. The 3-row models have four additional grading categories. A and B grades were frequent, with a few scattered Cs and even a few Ds. To reiterate, the ID,4 Tiguan, and five other models are the only ones to receive A scores in all five categories. These were also the only Volkswagen models tested.

“Volkswagen is proud to have models acknowledged as three of the best in this year’s Car Seat Fit Report class,” said Thomas Zorn, Vice President of Vehicle Safety, Volkswagen Group of America. “This recognition is a testament to the care taken in the research and development of our vehicles regarding the areas of safety and functionality.”

If you plan to have or grow your family and are looking for either a conventional gas-powered or electric compact crossover, you may save yourself some frustration and add a little peace of mind by heading first to Bud Brown Volkswagen and taking a close look at either or both the ID. 4 and Tiguan.