We have one (against my better judgement
). We've had it for about 3 weeks now. Bought mainly on the insistence on my wife and we didn't pay the full price. It's fitted to a Kia Sorento (7 Seater) and we have 3 boys (Aged 4 years, 2 years, and 8 months). We have the faux leather option.
Previously we had two of the boys on the middle row with an empty middle seat (no isofix there) and this meant the eldest sat up front in the passenger seat, meaning myself of my wife (I.e. whoever not driving) would have to sit in one of the rear/3rd row seats (the middle seat in the middle row was too narrow), and the rear seats are pokey as hell.
Pro's:
- 4 seats across the middle row
- No additional seats needed to age 12
- Reclaimed boot space due to the above
- The boys can sit close together and often hold hands and chat which is pretty sweet
- My wife and I can sit up front together again (we have other cars and so could drive journeys using two cars but live in the country so doubling up on fuel costs isn't sustainable)
- When my parents fly over, my mum can sit in the fourth seat on the middle row (it's cramped but fine for journeys under an hour), this is an option
- Family holidays whilst driving are again feasible (prior to the purchase we had to take two cars to Centerparcs for instance)
- Potentially transferable to future cars.
- Seats beaing leather/faux leather are wipe clean unlike most individual kids seats.
- My wife is happy.
Cons:
- Whereas there's an argument for seat cost for a family over a time period, the up front cost is hard to swallow
- Belting the kids in is more difficult with one baby seat at the side, as you have to climb halfway into the car on the other side to buckle the other kids in.
- The draw strap for tightening the belts doesn't have a loop at the end which would make it easier to tighten if it existed
- We were sent the wrong seat buckles/sockets for the car initially (corrected now).
- Some scratching on the legs which go down to the floor (probably an installer issue, not multimac)
- Kids nearer each other means more noise and arguments - we've been lucky so far on the latter but being so close I feel it's just a matter of time.
- Boys are less likely to nap if siblings are so close and distracting them (ours have and do sleep however).
- Any vomiting will likely involve collateral damage to neighbours.
- It is possible to release the kids buckles from the front seat but not loosen the straps - if this was possible you could basically release the kids and just open the door and they could exit themselves without you having to lean in.
- Baby seat is on the small side (our youngest is a unit though) - supposed to cater up to 18 months but I cant imagine him being in it that long
- No rear facing option after 18 months currently (but Multimac are allegedly working on a solution)
- No recline option on the seats so sleeping kids' heads will slump forward (looks uncomfortable).
- Skeptical on how uncomfortable/pokey it will be for the boys as they get bigger
Happy to answer any other questions.