we bought a new car just before i found out i was pregnant, its quite sporty and only has 3 doors.. a volvo c30 its got airbags coming out of its ears and isofix in the back, so far we have decided to keep it as its my OH's dream car (hes paying!) and we would have lost money if we'd sold it..

problem is its getting quite a pain to lift her in and out the back still in her rear facing seat, she still needs to be in that as shes only 14lbs still, i am very tempted to have her in the front passenger seat as it has a cut off switch to turn off the front airbag for this very reason, although it doesnt have isofix so the carseat would have to be held in with the seatbelt..

does anyone think this is ok?? i am worried about it, the salesperson in the shop when we bought the seat said NEVER have a baby in the front even if you have a cut off switch for the airbag (as no manufacturer will guarantee it wont go off in a crash!) i was thinking for when im on my own doing small journeys around town it might be ok? does anyone know about this?

also do you think isofix in the back is better than seatbelt in the front??
i just want to sell this flashy un-family car and get a lovely 5 door ford focus or something (my OH will just have to cry himself to sleep every night)
i just cannot keep lifting it in and out anymore (i have an old knee and forearm injury so isnt easy) anyway sorry this is long everyone
thanks in advance for any opinions/advice! would be very grateful for any!!

Isofix is the anchor system right? We call it the LATCH system here. But neither is safer, they are both just as safe...that vs the seatbelt. Just usually with the latch system you can get a better fit, if you can get it installed right both are just as safe. As far as the front seat, I'm not really sure, some states here do have laws that kids have to be in the back seat to a certain age, so you may want to check for something like that in your area. I know the biggest concern for kids in the front seat is air bag injury, so if it's turned out maybe it would be ok? I wouldn't recommend it though. I know it's a pain, we had a VW Beetle when Landon was little, it was a pain in the butt, he was a big boy too, 23lbs at 10mo.

If you can turn the airbags off in the front then it's fine to have her in the front seat X

I tried to look up some more info for you, and if there is no law prohibiting it it's OK, but still not recommended because the backseat is said to be about 35% safer because it's further from the most common impact points if you were to get in a wreck. But as long as it installs properly with the seatbelt it should be fine, if it's legal there

I got my airbags disabled or whatever they call it when I got it serviced and have him strapped in with the seatbelt in the front if its just me and him. I still have the base in the back for when he can't sit in the front

ooh can they do this? I didn't think my car could have it disabled, certainly I can't do it myself. Can they do it in a garage? I also have a 3 door car and its a pain in the bum getting him in and out, especially as he is getting heavier.

Personally I wouldn't put a baby in the front, even if you could turn the air bag off.

Do you lift out the seat + baby or just the baby? The way I would do it is get in the back seat from the other side and sit on back seat beside baby, lift him out and get back out, leaving car seat still in car.

I have a 3 door micra and i have holly in the front with me for longer journeys whens its just me and her, i turn the airbags off and the seat goes in the front quite nicely!!

Some makes won't allow disabling. I used to have a Honda and they cannot be disabled. Now got a Vauxhall and think that they can't either.

That's funny cause my husband loves Volvo C30's!! My husband drives a truck right now and he had mentioned putting the carseat in it but I told him I didn't feel comfortable even with the airbags disabled. It's up to you though Hun.
Oh yeah, don't get a Honda Civic. I love the car. I wrecked my old 2-door Hyundai and I thought I would sensible and buy a 4-door cause we were planning on having kids eventually and Hondas last forever. Even though it's a 4-door, the back seat is TINY. And the back doors are very narrow so to put his seat in, I have to put it in parallel with the backseat and then turn it. But my husband is 6'5" and so one of the front seats is always back the whole way so that gets in the way of turning the carseat. Ugh. I'm thinking of trading it in for a Honda Accord. Much bigger backseats!