Our long-term 2010 Volvo XC60 is equiped with a $2,700 Climate & Child Seat & Technology Package and part of that package are two built-in child booster seats which I used with great success this weekend. What a great and unique feature that could not be easier to use. They just flip up and easily press down back into place for the adults in your life (see photo below).
Rear adaptive seatbelts (that self adjust when the booster seat is in use) with load limiters and power child locks on the rear doors are also part of the package.
Plus, you can adjust the height (there are two levels) to get the right seat belt position on kids ranging from 37-47 inches in height and weighing between 33-55 pounds and children 45-55 inches in height weighing between 48-80 pounds.
And when they are not in use, you'd never know they're there. In fact, I kept forgetting about them and finally remembered to give them a try this weekend. My kids thought they were to coolest thing they had ever seen and gave them an A+ for comfort.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 9,788 miles
GT5000 says:
01:17 PM, 01/ 4/10
Doesn't Dodge have something similiar to this in the Journey?
wobbly_ears says:
01:19 PM, 01/ 4/10
These are the kind of things that Volvo either pioneered or popularized that allowed this quirky automaker to gain the reputation for safety & better engineering.
Alas, now that the Chinese Geely is getting it's mittens on this storied brand, it is only matter of time before it goes the Ssangyong way.
the_big_al says:
01:31 PM, 01/ 4/10
I'm not sure when Volvo started doing this (indeed this is the first Volvo vehicle I have heard about having them), but I think that Dodge has had something like this for years in their Caravan's. At least as on option. I'm not sure about the newer models, but I know that some older models had this feature.
firstwagon says:
03:10 PM, 01/ 4/10
Dodge did indeed have them for ages.
i.e. Here's a 93 Caravan with them....
http://www.buysell.com/root/detail/BC/1993_Domestic_Mini_Vans/3028/73490409/1993_DODGE_CARAVAN_317600KM_7_passenger.aspx?gok=1993+Domestic+Mini+Vans
clarkma5 says:
06:05 PM, 01/ 4/10
Gotta hand it to Volvo, that's brilliant, whether or not they're the first or the only people to do it, they're one of the few.
iggy373 says:
06:25 PM, 01/ 4/10
Volvo has also had this available as an option for many years.
aurakr says:
07:48 PM, 01/ 4/10
Our 2000 Chevy Venture LT has that. Imagine that. Actually most domestic minivans had that a long time ago as an option.
djohn116 says:
04:42 AM, 01/ 5/10
No other booster seat used/uses a two-position option. This puts the seat belt at a much better position for a wider range of children. If the child is small, with a single position seat, the belt can rub across their neck which tends to have the child move the belt to under there arm. The seat belts, with this application, are different than standard fitted. They have a spool-out function that can adjust for an adult weight or a child weight. In an accident, adult/child have different belt spool out requirements. The adult needs a much harder/quicker belt tension than a child. Volvo was the first with a two postion seat. In 1990 Volvo has an integrated booster seat for their 700 series.