The Ford Escape is a popular compact SUV known for its comfort and versatility, but it can be challenging to find a car seat that fits well in its relatively narrow back seat.
Many bulky car seats are too long or wide to fit snugly in the Ford Escape, leaving the front passenger and driver with limited legroom.
Fortunately, there are car seats that are specifically designed to fit small cars, providing excellent safety and comfort for the little ones.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the 5 best car seats for Ford Escape based on expert reviews, customer feedback, and our research.
In a Hurry? These are our top 5 car seats for Ford Escape
Graco Extend2fit (Best Compact Car Seat for Ford Escape)
Graco Slimfit3 LX (Best Car Seat For 3 Across In Ford Escape)
Chicco NextFit Zip (Best Top Rated Car Seat For Ford Escape)
Safety 1st Grow and Go (Best Budget Car Seat For Ford Escape)
Nuna Rava (Best High-End Car Seat for Ford Escape)
5 Best Car Seats For Ford Escape
Graco Extend2fit (Best Compact Car Seat for Ford Escape)
Dimensions: D21.5” x W19.5” x H23.5”
Weight & Height limits: Rear-facing (4-50 lbs), Forward facing (22-65 lbs)
Weight: 19 lbs
To save legroom space when rear-facing in the Ford Escape, we recommend the Extend2fit because it’s the most compact car seat front-to-back.
Also, the Extend2fit offers a generous rear-facing weight limit of 50 pounds. This allows you to potentially rea-face your little one until around the age of 4.
We love all Graco car seats including the Extend2Fit, which stands out as a safe and well-priced convertible car seat.
The Extend2fit is made from a steel-reinforced frame which provides additional strength to the car seat in the event of an accident.
While the car seat installation is not the simplest, it is also not the most challenging. With a bit of effort, we managed to get a safe installation using both the LATCH and the seatbelt.
Pros
Extended rear-facing (Until 50 lbs)
Compact front-to-back
Budget-friendly
Cons
Bulky for 3 across
Hard to tighten the harness strap
Average quality
Graco Slimfit3 LX (Best Car Seat For 3 Across In Ford Escape)
Dimensions: D20.7” x W16.7” x H24.5”
Weight & Height limits: Rear-facing (5-40 lbs), Forward facing (22-65 lbs), HBB (40-100 lbs)
Weight: 19.2 lbs
The Garco Slimfit3 LX is the option that will work for you if you are trying to fit 3 car seats across in the back seats of your Ford Escape.
The narrow hip room space in the Ford Escape makes it challenging to work with 3 car seats. The Slimfit3 LX is designed specifically to address this issue.
The slimfit3 LX is also a 3 in 1 car seat that you can use up to the high back booster stage.
However, we noticed that this car seat might not be the best for newborns, but it does feature thick padding that’s comfortable for longer rides.
When it comes to installing the Graco Slimfit3 LX, many parents find it to be a straightforward process with both LATCH and seatbelt.
Pros
Suitable 3 across
Comfortable padding
Breathable mesh fabric
Cons
Not ideal for newborns
Bulky when rear-facing
No rear-facing lock-offs
Chicco NextFit Zip (Best Top Rated Car Seat For Ford Escape)
Dimensions: D21″ x W19″ x H26″
Weight & Height limits: Rear-facing (5-40 lbs), forward-facing (22-65 lbs)
Weight: 25 lbs
The Chicco NextFit Zip is an excellent choice for a top-rated car seat for your Ford Escape. This car seat is popular and has consistently ranked highly in safety, comfort, and ease of use on Consumer Reports.
We love that the Nexfit Zip was designed with comfort in mind. The padding of the seat is so plush and soft and it features a breathable 3D AirMesh backrest.
And for safe and quick cleaning, the car seat comes with a convenient zip-off feature that allows you to remove the machine washable covers easily.
Plus, the Chicco also offers another option, the Chicco NextFit Zip ClearTex that’s made with no added chemicals.
Pros
Plush padding
High-quality
User friendly
Cons
Bulky (it won’t fit 3 across)
Heavy
Expensive
Safety 1st Grow and Go (Best Budget Car Seat For Ford Escape)
Dimensions: D19.25″ x W24.5″ x H24.25″
Weight & Height limits: Rear-facing (5-40), Forward-facing (22-65), and Booster (40-100)
Weight: 18.7 lbs
If you’re looking for a car seat that won’t break the bank, the Safety 1st Grow and Go is a great option for Ford Escape.
This car seat can sit in an upright position when rear-facing freeing up space so the front passengers can sit comfortably.
The Grow and Go is also surprisingly lightweight for this type of car seat. At 18.5 pounds only it would make the perfect travel car seat.
In addition to being compact and inexpensive, the Safety 1st Grow and Go will last you for years to come as it can protect your child up to 100 pounds.
Also, the Grow and Go Comfort Cool model has the same features as the regular Grow and Go but with moisture-wicking fabrics.
Overall, the safety 1st is equipped with everything you need in a car seat for a safe ride. It isn’t the most refined car seat but it does the job.
If you want something more upscale check out our next option, the Nuna Rava.
Pros
Lightweight
Budget-friendly
Comfortable padding
Cons
Very bulky (Not for 3 across)
3 recline positions only
Hard to install in some cars
Nuna Rava (Best High-End Car Seat for Ford Escape)
Dimensions: D16” x W19” x H25.2”
Weight & Height limits: Rear Facing (4-50 lbs), forward-facing (25-65 lbs)
Weight: 27.2 lbs
The Nuna Rava is a premium car seat, costing more than 500 USD for a good reason.
In addition to being very compact front-to-back to fit nicely in the Ford Escape, it comes with advanced safety features and high-quality materials, making it a worthwhile investment.
The Nuna Rava also has an impressive rear-facing weight limit of up to 50 lbs, making it a safe option for your growing child.
To add to the many impressive features, The Nuna Rava is made of naturally flame-resistant fabrics and contains no added chemicals.
On the flip side, the Nuna Rava’s steel frame adds to its durability and safety, but it also makes the car seat quite heavy.
Pros
No added chemicals
Extended rear-facing
Premium quality
Cons
Heavy
Too roomy for newborns
On the pricey side
FAQs
Can Ford Escape fit 3 car seats across?
The Ford Escape can only fit 3 across with super narrow car seats. For example, the hip room space of the backseat of the 2022 Ford Escape is 53.3 inches, so to fit 3 across you will need car seats that are utmost 17.5 inches wide. The Graco Slimfit3 LX is 16.7 inches wide and is one of the most recommended seats for 3 across in small cars.