Cars and car seats - advice needed

Thanks for the comments and links, I'll have a good look at them and see if I can find a good solution.

My Clio has 87cm space as in the link when I am driving. I am quite short and need to keep my seat quite upright. I doubt if there would be enough room if OH was driving.

Which has some useful comments on these.

www.which.co.uk/baby-and-child/baby-transport/guides/rear-facing-child-car-seats/rear-facing-child-car-seats---the-cons/

It seems that the rear facing seat rules are now for up to 15mnths.

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/using-a-child-car-seat-or-booster-seat.
This could be almost impossible for those with smaller vehicles.

Tresco I can see your problem. What I can't understand is that the carcass of most seats are quite deep before you put, say a two yr old into it so how do you get the legs of a three or four yr old to fit into the back of the average car.

The existing knee room in any particular vehicle varies a lot there must be a number of cars where it would be very difficult.

www.securatot.co.uk/rear-facing-vehicle-compatibility
I am sure other products are available.

Tomorrow I am going to have a look at the space in the seat I have for DGS who is nearly three. Good job my DD, SIL and DGSs tend to be of the long body short legs brigade.

The problem is that the rear-facing car seat is not allowed to touch the seat in front, so DD tells me, so in order to have a gap, the front seat has to be as far forward as it can go. I don't quite understand why the seat is so big - my 6' DS can sit in the back perfectly well.

Am I being really thick here?
So effectively the rear seat behind the driver is useless. If it's impossible to fit a child seat which needs no leg room until they're older (babies feet don't even reach the edge of the car seat) then am I right in thinking that unless your 5' nothing you can't have a passenger behind you.
I'm not doubting you, I'm just surprised.
I had a Corsa until recently, very reliable, economical and very roomy, It took two car seats and an adult in the back. Admitted you wouldn't want to do that on a very long journey but otherwise fine.

Remember children will soon be required by law to sit in backwards facng car seats for possibly longer than they used to. Do check that out.

Soda Fabia and also the Roomster are deceptively spacious, the latter gives enough headroom even for my 6'4 nephew in the back with the front seats pushed back as far as they can go!