Bugger :(

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Finally got some decent time to spend measuring up an Evora in the flesh.

The bugger is I don't think can get 2 group 1 car seats in the back (9 months-4 years)

There's problems with fitting two in next to each other as they are quite wide with all the side impact stuff but the seats we use are reasonalbly compact( britax due isofix).

However could get around that if I had to but the space isn't there for kids in seats with the seat set for me (I'm 5'10")

Kinda writes off the car for me until group 2 so... that'll be when the youngest is 4.... 3 years to go.

Also, I was sure they were supposed to have ISO fix but hunted for ages and couldn't find them anywhere.

The rear seat does look like it is easily removable - wonder if this would help?

Anybody else found a solution that works?

[SimonR]

The best kids car seat company I found, after a lot of looking, is the In-car safety centre near Milton Keynes.

http://www.incarsafetycentre.co.uk/contact.html

I used them when my kids were small.

See what they say.

Simon

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Its a bit of a catch-22 - Can't order evora without knowing that kids will fit but can't take one to a car seat place to test all the seats.

Have left it with the dealer to chase up and see what they come back with.

[Bibs]

Lotus are in talks with kiddy seat manufacturers to make some which are specific to the Evora, I can chase that up on Monday if you like. Also, it definitely has ISOFIX although I'm not sure exactly where the mounting points are myself.

[Tuna]

It seems to me that different seats have surprisingly different dimensions. We're all Maxi-cosi here and swap the seats between our cars with no problems - but even in our estate, two group 1's leave virtually no space between them. The Excel is probably the poorest fit as the seats have that strange dip that car seats just don't fold into. The sooner our youngest is out of the group 1 the better - not that they seem to mind ("Faster, Daddy, go faster!").

[TomE]

I got 1x Britax Duo Isofix in, with my older daughter on her booster cushion next to it and they didn't clash. I'm sure I could've had two full seats side by side. I'm 5'8" so they did have a bit more rear leg space than yours, which might have made all the difference:

Rob Savin at Hethel did say back in March that several child seat manufacturers had been asked to accredit some of their existing seats for the Evora, as well as some specials being made specifically for it. We can probably track down which seats have been given the OK.

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The difference is that your children look older than mine- so where you child in the britax isofix seat has their knee bending and going down mine at 2.5 years don't so their lower legs are a lot more horizontal so require a fraction more room. This is also with the child seat fully upright and I know from past experience this doesn't help with sleeping - both of them prefer the seats slightly reclined. Not a deal breaker but not for anything other than the school run.

Coupled with the seat position set to 5'10" (and that's an uncomfortable 5'10" setting with seat a little more forward and upright than I like) makes this currently a no goer.

Neither myself or the sales person could find the isofix anchors and I didn't wat to starts shoving relatively sharp metal lugs into their brand new demonstrator.

If the rear seat panel is removable then it might work better an this would give maybe 2-3" extra space.

If as you say Lotus have been working with manufacturers since march then it doesn't fill me with confidence as it wouldn't take five months to trundle down to Halfords/toys r us and try every seat as a starting point

[Tuna]

If as you say Lotus have been working with manufacturers since march then it doesn't fill me with confidence as it wouldn't take five months to trundle down to Halfords/toys r us and try every seat as a starting point

Don't underestimate the legislative treacle that safety concious items like child car seats have to go through.

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I got 1x Britax Duo Isofix in, with my older daughter on her booster cushion next to it and they didn't clash. I'm sure I could've had two full seats side by side. I'm 5'8" so they did have a bit more rear leg space than yours, which might have made all the difference:

Hmm - I wonder if the rear seat design has changed? This car was at Lotus Silverstone and has only just arrived so am guessing it's probably one of the customer car runs rather than the demonstrator/press cars. The interior of the Silverstone car did look much "tighter" than the one I drove a couple weeks back. The reason is that putting one Britax ISO fix duo seat in as far to the side as the seat would allow still ment that it overlapped the centre stiching of the rear seat by at least 2-3". I think thats enough for the seats not to be level when in the back.

I don't get why the rear seat is sculpted the way it is and doesn't go to the full sides of the car.

[Bibs]

All cars going along the production line have ISOfix and the dealer cars without them are having them fitted retrospectively. There may have been a slight issue when that particular car went down the line but it's all resolved now. Also, Matthew Jones took in 2 seats and fitted them both in the back of an Evora on a dealer day, they do fit however I'm PMing you details of an invitation to go to Hethel and try for yourself if you like

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Hi bibs

thanks for the invite and it is appreciated but the only problem is that I can't fit in a 6 hour round trip to try the seats. It really was a logistical nightmare getting to lotus silverstone only 30 mins away!

I'll have to hassle the dealer or try another one when they get their isofix sorted.

I don't doubt they'll physically fit with some jiggling (ESP as at the time the seats we have were picked mostly because the were compact enough to fit in a new mini which also has occasional back seat) but more on practical usability. As from the pic above the child in the larger seat (same model as mine) fits just for a slightly shorter driver but even then there is no way the seat could recline which for younger children is almost essential.

I'm not writing it off at the moment but I can't order and not building my hopes up.