Which cars have five top-tether points?

07/26/2024 12:58 AM

Securing your children in the car correctly is one of the most important things you can do as a parent to protect your kids in the event of an accident.

Making sure your little ones are properly strapped in is one thing, but ensuring the car seat is installed according to Australian regulations is another.

MORE: Common child car seat mistakes

“In terms of the anchor points and tether straps, we see a huge range of misuse,” Christine Erskine, Executive Officer at KidSafe NSW, previously told Drive.

“People don't attach the top-tether strap to the anchor, or they will attach it to a cargo clip [in the boot] rather than the anchor clip,” Erskine added.

Leanne MacDonald, head of product for Dorel AU (responsible for Maxi Cosi and Mothers Choice), told Drive that child seats sold in Australia must have a top tether strap attached.

By law, every car seat (with the exception of certain booster seats that weigh less than 2kg) needs to be secured into the vehicle seat back using the top tether point. Additionally, an ISOFIX or seat belt should be used to secure the seat properly.

To comply with Australian Design Rules (ADR 34), all passenger vehicles must have at least three top-tether points in the second row. However, light commercial vehicles such as dual-cab utes aren’t required to have these child seat anchors fitted according to ADR rules.

If you’ve grown out of a five seater vehicle and need to upgrade to a car that offers more than three top-tether points, what options are available on the market today? Well, there are plenty of seven- or even eight-seater vehicles available, but not all of them offer five top-tether points.

At last count, 18 models are currently available in Australia, all offering five top-tether points. Based on the list, Mercedes-Benz offers the most options to customers with its electric EQV passenger van, its V-Class combustion-powered counterpart, and the GLB seven-seat SUV.

MORE: These are the cheapest seven-seater cars

Before we discuss the cars in 2024 that offer five top-tether points, it’s important to understand the basics and the rules and regulations surrounding them.

There is sometimes a common misconception that ISOFIX anchors replace the need for a top-tether point. This is not the case, so let’s first refresh the basics on the importance of top-tether points. Drive spoke with Leanne MacDonald, head of product development at Dorel AU (responsible for Maxi-Cosi and Mother's Choice).

What is top-tethering on car seats?

“A top-tether provides another point of contact for the car seat (restraint) to the vehicle, securing it in place when traveling and in the event of an accident,” MacDonald said.

Do all car seats have to have top-tether points attached?

“All Australian car seats must have a top-tether attached. All capsules and convertible car seats must have a top-tether.”

MacDonald said that harnessed forward-facing car seats – usually booster seats for children up to 8 years old – also come fitted with a top-tether.

Australian-approved methods for successfully installing a child seat in your car involve clipping in a top-tether strap – most commonly behind the seat – and either the ISOFIX attachment or the seatbelt.

“All baby capsules and convertible car seats come with top-tether point. All boosters in the Maxi-Cosi and Mother's Choice range are fitted with top-tethers.”

Can you use ISOFIX without a top-tether?

“No, you need to use ISOFIX and your top-tether to secure your car seat to the vehicle. All Australian car seats are crash tested with the use of the top-tether so they must be used in that way.”

Child Car Seats Australia claims that “a top-tether strap prevents the child car seat from rotating forward in a crash and is tested for strength, independent of the ISOFIX low anchorages or vehicle seatbelt.”

How do I know if my car has top-tether points?

“All cars manufactured in the last 20 years should have an anchor point – you will need to check your vehicle user manual for its location or visit a professional installer who can help identify them,” MacDonald added.

It is highly recommended that you purchase a child car seat and have it professionally installed to avoid improper fitment.

It’s best to check with your dealer when you purchase your vehicle to learn how many top-tether points are available. And it’s important to distinguish the difference between top-tether points over boot hooks and other attachments.

Some vehicles have top-tether points located on the roof or hidden behind the seat back of the second or third-row. These are usually identified by a little icon next to the top-tether point.

Does the Audi Q7 have five top-tether points?

The Audi Q7 has seven seats, five top-tether points and five ISOFIX-equipped seats.

Pricing for the Q7 45TDI starts from $116,400 before on-road costs. Additional key information for families about the Q7 includes its 740L of boot space with the third row of seats folded flat and its five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Read the review of the Audi Q7 55 TFSI here.

BMW X7

The BMW X7 is a seven-seater with five top-tether points and four ISOFIX-equipped seats.

The 2024 BMW X7 range price starts at $167,900 before on-road costs. With the third row down, it has 750L of boot space, which reduces to 300L when it’s in use. The BMW X7 is currently unrated by ANCAP.

Read our review of the BMW X7 here.

Ford Everest

The Ford Everest has seven seats with five top-tether points and two ISOFIX-equipped seats which are located in the second row on the outboard seats.

The seven-seat Everest starts at $60,990 before on-road costs for the Trend rear-wheel drive (RWD). It’s worth noting an entry-level Ambiente is available; however, this only has five seats with three top-tether and two ISOFIX ports.

The boot space is limited to 259L when the third row of seats is used. However, it expands to 898L when the third row is folded down. The Ford Everest has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Read our review of the Ford Everest Trend 4×4 here.

Hyundai Palisade

The Hyundai Palisade is available in either a seven- or eight-seat configuration. The eight-seat variants offer five top-tether points, while the seven-seat variants only have four. All Palisade models have three ISOFIX-equipped seats, two in the second row and one in the third.

The starting price for a new Hyundai Palisade Elite is $66,800 before on-road costs.

The Palisade has 704L of boot space with the second row in use and 311L when the third row is up. It has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Read the review of the eight-seat Palisade Elite here.

Hyundai Santa Fe

The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid offers six or seven seats. In its base model, Elite, and Calligraphy trim, Hyundai offers seven seats. Customers who are looking to purchase a Calligraphy also have the option of captain’s chairs in the middle row to form a six-seat configuration.

The Santa Fe has five top-tether points in its seven-seat configuration, while all variants come standard with four ISOFIX-equipped seats located on the outbound seats of the second and third rows.

The base-model Santa Fe Hybrid costs $55,000 before on-road costs. It has 628L of boot space, and only the second row of seats is upright. Hyundai doesn’t quote boot capacity for when the third row of seats is in use.

To read a review of the seven-seat Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid click here.

Kia Carnival

The Kia Carnival can seat eight people across its three rows. It has five top-tether points and five ISOFIX-equipped seats.

It starts from $50,150 before on-road costs. With all the seats in use, it has 627L of space. If the third row of seats is folded, this extends to 2827L. The previous model of the Kia Carnival was ANCAP tested and received five stars. This rating is valid until 2027.

To read a review of the Kia Carnival, click here.

Kia EV9

Kia’s first seven-seat electric SUV, the EV9, has five top-tether points and four ISOFIX-equipped seats.

The Kia EV9 starts from $97,000 before on-road costs. It has 828L of cargo space with only the second row in use. When the third row of seats are upright, this reduces to 333L. The EV9 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

To read our review about the Kia EV9 Air click here.

Kia Sorento

The Kia Sorento range has seven seats, which is standard. All seats in the second and third rows have top-tether points, while only four seats have ISOFIX-equipped seats.

The range starts at $50,680 before on-road costs. It has 608L of cargo space with five seats in use and 179L when using seven. It has a five star ANCAP safety rating.

To read about the Kia Sorento GT-Line, click here.

Land Rover Defender 130

The Land Rover Defender is available in three sizes: the two-door 90, the five-door five-seat 110 and the five-door eight-seat 130.

The Defender 130 offers five top-tether points across its two rows. The second row has two top-tether-equipped seats, while the third row has three.

The 130 variants start from $126,670 before on-road costs. With only the second row in use, it has 1232L of boot space, which reduces to 389L when all seats are upright. The Defender 130 isn’t specifically ANCAP tested; however, the 110 variants received a five-star rating.

Read the review of the Land Rover Defender 130 here.

Land Rover Discovery

The larger Land Rover Discovery has five top-tether points and four ISOFIX-equipped seats across its three rows.

The Discovery range starts from $107,585 before on-road costs. With the third row of seats upright, the Discovery has a boot capacity of 258L. The Land Rover Discovery is unrated by ANCAP.

Read the review of the Land Rover Discovery here.

Mazda CX-90

Mazda announced its upcoming CX-80, and its recently launched CX-90 will replace the popular three-row CX-8 and CX-9 in 2024.

While we can’t confirm officially if the CX-80 will have five top-tether points, it’s likely based on its CX-8 predecessor. The CX-90 has five top-tether points and two ISOFIX-equipped seats, the later is located on the outboard seats in the second row.

The Mazda CX-90 range starts at $74,550 before on-road costs for the base-model Touring. With the third row of seats upright, the CX-90 has 257L of boot space, which extends to 608L when the third row of seats is folded flat. It’s currently unrated by ANCAP.

Read a review about the Mazda CX-90 here.

Mercedes-Benz EQV

Only one EQV model is sold in Australia: the EQV300. It has seven seats and five top-tether points. Four ISOFIX-equipped seats are located on the outboard seats of the second and third rows.

Pricing for the electric people mover starts at $157,450 before on-road costs. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t quote boot capacity figures with the third row-up and says the EVQ has up to 1030L. It’s currently unrated by ANCAP.

Read a review on the Mercedes-Benz EQV here.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class

The combustion-powered EQV equivalent, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, has up to eight seats, six top-tether points and four ISOFIX-equipped seats located similarly to the EQV.

Pricing for the V-Class starts at $112,816 before on-road costs. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t quote boot capacity figures with the third row-up and says the EQV has up to 1030L. It’s currently unrated by ANCAP.

Read a review on the Mercedes-Benz V-Class here.

Mercedes-Benz GLB

The seven-seat Mercedes-Benz GLB has five top-tether points and four ISOFIX-equipped seats. These ISOFIX ports are on the outboard seats of the second and third rows.

The most affordable GLB-Class SUV costs $72,900 before on-road costs. It has 140L of boot space with all rows upright and 500L with only the first and second rows in use. The GLB has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Read a review on the Mercedes-Benz GLB here.

Volkswagen Multivan

The seven-seat Volkswagen Mutlivan has five top-tether points and four ISOFIX-equipped seats.

The Mutlivan Comfortline starts from $68,290 before on-road costs. Volkswagen is offering a $3000 factory bonus and a five-year care plan with MY23 and MY24 Multivan models until 30 September.

Cars with four top-tether points

It’s also worth mentioning that the Nissan Pathfinder and Patrol, and Toyota Granvia all have four top-tether points.

The post Which cars have five top-tether points? appeared first on Drive.