The Mercedes GL-Class SUV (soon to be renamed the GLS-Class SUV) is one of the safest SUVs you can buy as measured by driver death rates. Along with the Kia Sorento 2WD, Lexus RX 350 4WD, Volvo XC90 4WD, and Toyota Sequoia 4WD, no driver deaths were reported by the IIHS in their most recent driver death rate study. In other words, it’s one of the safest SUVs money can buy. And it certainly costs a pretty penny, along with its fellow 3-row SUV competitors like the Audi Q7, Buick Enclave, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Cadillac Escalade. Drivers on smaller budgets who still want giant vehicles are likely to consider SUVs more like the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Tahoe, or the aforementioned Sequoia.

That said, if you’re reading this article, you’re probably interested in finding out which car seats are likely to fit well in 3 across configurations in the GL-Class SUVs. I borrowed the previous and current generations this weekend in order to find out for myself. I had a hunch that it wouldn’t be hard to fit just about anything in them, given how large they are, but there’s no knowledge like first hand knowledge. Before looking at which car seats worked and which took more effort, however, let’s take a look at which kinds of car seats are best for different kids at at different ages.

First of all, car seat safety starts with rear-facing from the day your child leaves the hospital, and for many years to come, due to the safety advantages it provides over forward-facing. Rear-facing is the way to go even if it takes you through the preschool years (ideally until 4!). Once you can’t fit your child in a rear-facing seat anymore, forward-face him or her in harnessed convertible or combination seats (ideally until 8!). Once your children outgrow their harnessed seats, it’s best to keep them restrained in high-back boosters until they’re physically and psychologically ready to use adult seat belt systems (which typically happens between 10 and 12). The overriding goal is safety, which comes from using certain kinds of seats at certain times.

With that in mind, here’s the list of car seats you’re likely to get to work in 3 across configurations in the GL-Class series. If you’re in a hurry, just by 3 Clek Fllos or 3 Clek Foonfs. They’re narrow enough to fit in any vehicle without struggle 3 across, and they have the highest weight limits on the market. When purchased with infant inserts, you’ll be able to use these seats to rear-face your children from birth until 5, and then you’ll get another year out of them forward-facing before needing to look into booster seats like the Frontier G1.1 or Pinnacle G.1.1 that will work until they no longer need booster seats. If you’d like more details or are on a tighter budget, read on.

The list isn’t complete, but it’s my goal to make it as complete as possible over time. If you find the list helpful when shopping for car seats, you can shop through my Amazon link below. I’ll add more seats as I test them over time.

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If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.