Detailed Car Seat Reviews

Thoroughly investigated, our independent expert has prepared reviews of the best infant car seats, toddler car seats, convertible car seats, and booster seats. They have been tested for safety, comfort, versatility, and efficiency.

Is the Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat the answer to keep your child rear-facing longer? Find out in our new review

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat, Gotham, One Size

Extended rear-facing (ERF) in car seats has been a huge topic in the car seat realm ever since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended rear-facing for a minimum of 2 years. Currently, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) recommends rear-facing for as long as possible. A British study found that a minimum of 4 years is even better.

Since most infant seats max out at 25-30 pounds, it would be a good investment to buy or upgrade to a convertible car seat with a higher rear-facing limit. Whether you start out with a convertible or infant seat is up to you, though many child safety experts recommend using a dedicated infant seat for your baby’s first year.

The Graco Extend2Fit convertible has one of the highest rear-facing limits we’ve seen at 50 pounds. Since the average 4 year old weighs about 40 pounds, this seat could allow a vast number of children to ride rear-facing well past their 2nd birthday.

But what about their legs? Won’t they be cramped? This is the #1 concern with ERF. Many studies have shown that it’s actually more dangerous riding forward-facing, particularly because children’s heads, necks and spines are much more susceptible to injury than their legs. Plus, kids are a lot more flexible than adults, and a broken leg is less life-threatening than a neck or head injury.

However, the Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat has taken the issue of cramped legs into account with this innovative model for growing toddlers. We’ve broken down the stats for you so you can decide if this car seat is worth the hype.

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Our Review of the Evenflo Symphony All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Symphony Elite

The Evenflo Symphony Convertible car seat debuted in 2008. Since then, it’s gone through a few iterations, including the current Elite model, also known as the DLX model. It comes in a few other slightly different variations exclusive to specific retailers. Here, we’ll focus on the Symphony Elite.

If you’re looking for a seat that will last from birth until your child no longer needs a booster seat, the Elite is one you’ll want to consider. It’s loaded with features, is about as user-friendly as a convertible seat can get, but it’s a little on the large side. So your choice may very well depend on your vehicle model and/or if you need to install alongside other car seats. You should also keep in mind that like other convertible seats, there is no portable infant carrier option, so this is an install it and leave it alone kind of seat.

As far as price goes, it averages around $200, but since you may not have to replace it as you would other single-function seats, it could save you money in the long run. But is this plush all-in-one seat really the only seat you’ll need?

Let’s break down the stats so you can decide for yourself.

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Our Review of the Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat

Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat

The Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 infant car seat first joined the extensive Graco family of child restraints back in 2005. Since then it’s been through a few iterations, one of which was to lower the minimum weight range from 5 to 4 pounds to better fit preemies.

The newer seats also have a longer expiration (7 years instead of 6) to better allow for extended rear-riding (to 2 years old) according to the AAP’s recommendation. The ClickConnect technology was designed to make it easy to attach to both a base and stroller with one step.

It’s on the upper range in prices among the other Graco SnugRide models, but it’s still a pretty affordable seat compared to similar models of other brands. While not a huge investment for most families, you still want to get what you pay for.

Is the Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 worth the investment, and is it a safe and reliable seat for your baby? Let’s break down the stats so you can decide for yourself.

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Discover whether the Britax Marathon ClickTight is a good convertible car seat for your child in our review

Britax Marathon ClickTight Car Seat - 2019 Review & Verdict

The Britax Marathon ClickTight is a stylish offering among the many players of the Britax car seat family, a high quality brand well known for excellent safety ratings. It’s a Euro-styled seat with premium features at a premium price, but it will last from birth until your child is ready for a booster seat.

An impressive seat in and of itself, the Britax Marathon is a consistently high-rated car seat and here it pairs with their signature ClickTight technology to make installation extraordinarily simple. This seat certainly stands out among the competition, but it can be a considerable financial investment. Whether or not it’s worth its premium price is up to you, but we’ve broken down the details so you can quickly determine if it will be the best option for your family.

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Is the Chicco Viaro Stroller Travel System a good choice for your family? Find out in our detailed review.

Chicco Viaro Stroller Travel System

The Chicco Viaro Stroller Travel System combines Chicco’s Italian fashion roots with a slim, sporty design that’s popular with many parents. The combo comes with the top-rated Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seat. It has many features that busy families will appreciate.

This moderately priced system is a little cheaper than the Chicco Bravo travel system and should last a long while. Both car seat and stroller have generous weight limits, so even when your baby outgrows the seat, you can still use the stroller well into toddlerhood.

Here, we’ve compiled all the details, stats, pros and cons along with real customer experiences so you can decide if the Chicco Viaro is right for your family.

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Check out our detailed review of the Peg Perego Viaggio 4/35 infant car seat to see if it’s a good investment for your family

Peg Perego Viaggio 4/35 infant car seat

An updated version of the original, the Peg Perego Viaggio 4/35 now has a more modern look and a new base design. It’s pretty, but has a pretty hefty price tag. Other Peg Perego seats are consistently highly rated and popular with parents.

You can understand why, considering this Italian manufacturer is well known for combining both style and function to create some of the safest and most stylish car seats on the market. It has a lot going for it, but will it stand up to our vigorous analysis?

What makes the Peg Perego Viaggio 4/35 stand out from the crowd?

One unique feature of this seat is an anti-rebound bar in BOTH carrier and base. In the carrier, the seat handle itself acts as the anti-rebound bar.

In the case of an impact, the anti-rebound bar acts sort of like a rollover cage in a race car, preventing rebound force. What is rebound force? Think of it as a secondary force after an initial impact. If you’re in a front impact, for instance, the rebound force will force your body or a car seat backwards.

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