Rear facing Seats and room

We have a reasonable sized car - Nissan Primera - a station wagon, and have the 2 kids seats in back, DS behind me - front facing and DD behind passenger - rear facing. But i tell ya what, if i have a passenger in the front seat they are left with very little leg room - or tummy room as i found out ferrying my pregnant friend somewhere. While most the time it doesnt matter, we're thinking about a road trip in a bit, and someone's going to end up with the sorest body.
I dont plan to forward face her, but it seems kind of odd.

Everyone else have the same thing happening? Or could it be the kind of car seat im using?

I wonder this too, I have a Nissan Wingroad station wagon and there is little leg room for my poor passenger seat...I want to get a different car by the time we have #3 for this reason, are any cars that are better for this? I was looking at something like a grand voyager so I guess with the extra seats that solves the problem.

Agree it does seem odd though because car manufacturers are well aware of the use of rear facing car seats, yet the issue remains!

I am wanting a radian but am worried about this too as I have a mitsubishi mirage. Worse comes to worse I guess the passenger can sit in the back behind the drivers seat

Good thread. We have this problem with our VW golf and have been looking at new cars. Have found that any european car won't be better. We were thinking about a Subaru Legacy or a Mazda 6/ Mazda Atenza. These seem to be a bit bigger in the back seat. DH is also really tall so the rear facing seat has to be behind the passenger seat, and if he is in the car he has to drive (lucky I am short). DD will be going in her front facing seat behind the driver seat.
Be interested to see what people recommend.

I have a radian rear facing and have it in the middle of the rear seat, I can have both the drivers seat and passengers seat as far back as it will go and it doesn't affect the carseat. I've been able to install the radian in about 5 different cars all with different drivers and haven't had a problem with it.

But, when we had a SnS it meant installing behind the front passenger and then I had to have the passenger seat really far forward. DH couldn't fit comfortably and he's not exactly tall or big.

For this reason, I can't recommend the radian enough.

We have a subaru legacy wagon, with a Brio Zento rear facing. Leg room in the front seat is good. Could be more but the Brio mounts via straps on the front seat rails, so the front seat actually hits the straps, otherwise it would go back more.