Car safety - new cars with tiny headrests in middle seats?

[monalua]

Has anyone else noticed this? Any car/safety experts?

We're looking at a new van (2022 Sienna) that seats 8. The middle seats in both the 2nd and 3rd rows have different headrests that are smaller and shorter. It looks like the general recommendation is that the top of the headrest should be at least as high as the top of your ears. I'm 5'4" and the headrests on these middle seats at the highest position are just *barely* at the safe height on me. I'm thinking these seats cannot be used by some adults depending on height, does that seem right? So the car would really seat 6, plus 2 shorter adults or kids that would fit correctly. I'm just trying to make the point to my husband that's it not a blanket "seats 8 people" because of this safety issue. We have an older Honda Civic that also has this issue, I'm wondering how common it is? Thanks if you have any insight!

[tealblue]

I don’t really know. I’ve never thought about the headrests- just that the seats themselves are super narrow and I can’t imagine anyone big enough to be out of a car seat but narrow enough to sit in one.

My SUV has 3 seatbelts in the 3rd row, but I don’t know how I’d put 3 people back there unless all of them were right at the “big enough to not need a booster” stage. I can fit 2 in car seats or boosters back there but can’t imagine anyone fitting between the car seats.

[hazelden]

Did they stop making the headrests adjustable? Every car I've ever owned had headrests that you could move up and down.

As a minivan driver it is annoying to have five raised headrests in the backseat if no one is sitting there, but they're pretty easy to adjust higher when we have passengers.

[af1212]

Jan 19, 2022 12:38:22 GMT -5 hazelden said:

Did they stop making the headrests adjustable? Every car I've ever owned had headrests that you could move up and down.

As a minivan driver it is annoying to have five raised headrests in the backseat if no one is sitting there, but they're pretty easy to adjust higher when we have passengers.

This is what I’m thinking too. I assumed all cars had adjustable headrests. Every car I have owned or rented did.

[outnumbered]

Jan 19, 2022 12:58:52 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Jan 19, 2022 12:38:22 GMT -5 hazelden said:

Did they stop making the headrests adjustable? Every car I've ever owned had headrests that you could move up and down.

As a minivan driver it is annoying to have five raised headrests in the backseat if no one is sitting there, but they're pretty easy to adjust higher when we have passengers.

This is what I’m thinking too. I assumed all cars had adjustable headrests. Every car I have owned or rented did.

I have a 2018 Sienna and that headrest goes up and down. It fits me and I am 5'5".  Maybe something changed??

[af1212]

So according to my googling, section 202 of the safety code allows for either adjustable or integrated head rests.

But if integrated (just part of the seat and can’t adjust) they have to be 700 mm/27.5 inches from the torso line which is some complicated standard mathematical formula I don’t understand that involves the thighs, torso, and a pivot point.

But either way 27” is plenty high enough to be above my head and I’m 5’7”.

www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.202

And now I know more than I ever wanted to about vehicle headrests ha!

[starryfish]

My Honda Odyssey has a full size middle seat. When I looked at the sienna (October 2020), it’s middle seat was tiny and no way could an adult sit there. I’m able to fit an adult or a car seat In my middle seat

[redheadk]

My small suv (Audi Q5) has an integrated headrest in the middle but the middle seat is questionably useable anyway. Dd can sit there in a bubble bum but definitely not an bc adult.

To your dh’s point, do you anticipate trying to put 8 adults in the minivan ever? That seems really uncomfortable.