Picking the right car seat for your Mercedes-Benz is a matter of familiarizing yourself with local and national guidelines, reading your owner’s manual, and purchasing the type that best suits the needs of you and your baby.
Any parent would agree that their child’s safety is a top priority, so picking out a car seat can feel like a big deal. It doesn’t help that the whole process tends to be overwhelming. Safety ratings, recall numbers, convenience, aesthetics, and price all make finding the one—the car seat that will protect your child in any situation—seem like an unwinnable challenge.
But, like a hero swooping in at just the right time, car insurance comparison super app Jerry
has crafted a helpful guide to finding the right car seat for your Mercedes-Benz. If you can’t figure out where to start, these tips should help you choose and install the perfect car seat. We’ll also look at some of the best Mercedes-Benz vehicles for families with young children and provide a useful rundown of car seat laws by state. We'll even throw in tips on how to keep your Mercedes-Benz insurance costs
low—read on! How to choose a car seat for a Mercedes-Benz
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) sets the standards for car seats for children aged 0 to 12. The seat that will best suit your child will vary depending on their height, weight, and age, but it’s not always so simple. The NHTSA generally recommends using a rear-facing seat until your child outgrows the manufacturer’s maximum height and weight specifications, which typically happens around age 3. Between the ages 4 and 7, switch to a front-facing seat, then to a booster seat until age12 or they are taller than 4 feet, 9 inches (whichever comes first).
If you’re still not certain what sort of car seat your child needs, check out our handy table below for more detailed guidelines.
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| 0-12 months and up to three years | Protects neck and spinal cord during crashes | Infant car seat, convertible seat (for 12+ months), or all-in-one seat (for 12+ months) |
| Four to seven years OR over manufacturer’s weight and height limits for rear-facing seats | Uses a harness and tether to limit forward movement during crashes | Convertible seat, all-in-one seat, or combination seat |
| Seven to 12 years OR over manufacturer’s weight and height limits for front-facing seats | Raises the child so the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly | Combination seat, all-in-one seat, high back booster seat (for cars without headrests), or backless booster seat (for cars with headrests) |
The best car seats for Mercedes-Benz owners
The perfect car seat for your child will depend on a number of factors. Here are some of the top-rated car seats for Mercedes owners. Don’t forget to check the dimensions of your rear seats before purchasing a car seat!
Try using the NHTSA’s Car Seat Finder
tool. You’ll be able to compare ease-of-use ratings for specific seats in each category. Use the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) booster ratings
for booster seats. Installing a car seat in a Mercedes-Benz
Any Mercedes-Benz will have particular places where you can install car seats. Each of these spots has special attachment points for car seats that conform to international ISOFIX standards. ISOFIX, or LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children), has been a requirement for all cars sold in the U.S. since 2002.
There are detailed instructions
for installing different types of car seats on the NHTSA website, but the steps essentially will be the same regardless of which seat you’re installing in your Mercedes: First things first—read the instruction manuals for both the car seat and the vehicle you’re installing it in
Attach the car seat or seat base using either a seat belt or ISOFIX/LATCH lower anchors
Test the seat’s movement and secure it by tightening if it moves more than an inch
Buckle your child in snugly
Most experts recommend placing a car seat behind the front passenger seat as the safest choice. While the middle rear seat might be most insulated from damage during a crash, there are some advantages that the outer seats have over the middle:
Outer rear seats usually have the standard LATCH attachment anchors required by law for child safety seats. If you install a car seat in the center position without LATCH anchors, you may be putting your child at risk.
You’ll be able to see your child easily by checking your rearview mirror, minimizing distractions.
Installing the car seat behind the passenger seat means you’ll always take your child out on the right side of the car. It will be easier to get them out of the car when parked on most streets, and they will be safe from traffic.
Whatever you do, do not put your child’s car seat in the front passenger seat. While you might feel like you’d have easier access, rear-facing seats are not designed to work in the front seat—you’ll be putting your baby in danger.
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Start earning nowThe best family Mercedes-Benz vehicles for car seats
While any new Mercedes-Benz since 2002 is equipped with the standard ISOFIX/LATCH anchors, there are a few specific models that stand out from the rest as ideal family vehicles. Here are the three best Mercedes-Benzes for families with young children.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars
IIHS safety rating: Good (2021 Top Safety Pick)
IIHS LATCH ease of use: Good
The C-Class is one of the most attractive family-friendly vehicles around. An ultra-comfortable driving experience and best-in-class safety ratings mean you can be more relaxed while carting around with your minis. But with 13 cubic feet of cargo space, driver-assist tech such as active brake assist, and the ability to hold three car seats in the back, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan is the ultimate family car. It earned top safety ratings to boot.
Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class SUV
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars
IIHS LATCH ease of use: N/A
SUVs are the new minivan, and Mercedes-Benz offers some of the top picks on the market. Smaller than the GLC-Class and bigger than the GLA-Class, the GLB is perfect for a growing family that’s on the move. State-of-the-art safety features such as pedestrian detection and lane assist make this SUV’s top safety ratings no surprise. And despite not having gone through IIHS testing yet, buyers can likely rest assured that Mercedes-Benz will earn high marks with this offering.
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class SUV
NHTSA safety rating: 5 stars
IIHS safety rating: Good (2022 Top Safety Pick)
IIHS LATCH ease of use: Good
Let’s say you’ve got a lot of kids and that midsized GLB just isn’t going to cut it. Well, while the larger option will certainly cost you extra, it absolutely will not disappoint.
The GLE-Class has the top score in nearly every IIHS category. You’re unlikely to find a car with a better setup for car seats. The GLE has easily accessible LATCH attachments and seats are designed for effortless car seat installation.
Car seat laws by state
Interested in checking to make sure your Mercedes car seat is in compliance with your state’s laws? Jerry’s got you covered. Refer to the table below and click your state’s name for more detailed regulations.
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| 7+ years OR 57 inches or 65+ pounds | |
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| 4+ years AND 57 inches or 40+ pounds | |
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| 8+ years OR 40+ pounds where only a lap belt is available | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds OR 57+ inches | |
| | $50 for children restraint, $30 for booster seat |
| 9+ years OR above manufacturer’s height and weight restrictions | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds OR 57+ inches | $50 if child is under 80 pounds or 57 inches; $10 for others |
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| 8+ years OR 40-80 pounds in seats without shoulder belts | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds OR 57+ inches | |
| 8+ years OR 57+ inches *only if* belt fits correctly | |
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| 57+ inches OR 4+ years where only a lap belt is available | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds and 57+ inches | |
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MORE: 8 pro tips for long car rides with kids
How to find affordable Mercedes-Benz insurance
Fact—kids are expensive. Another fact—car insurance doesn’t have to be. If you want to save money on car insurance, the Jerry
app is a good place to start. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy. (You have enough on your plate.) And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, our trustworthy super app
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