Our primary focus for crash test scores is to identify seats whose crash test performance exceed the Federal requirements by a wide margin. These car seats can be considered as providing an additional level of protection based on the data from their crash test sensors. Ten of the eleven top rated seats tested in our convertible car seat review .
In a car, this is not too much of a concern unless you are trying to fit in multiple car seats. The main difference between these two car seats is the car seat types they convert into. They are both convertible car seats, but while the Sequel 65 converts into two positions, the 4Ever converts into 4 different positions. The Sequel 65 can be used in two different positions in your vehicle, depending on your child’s weight, height, and age. It can either be used in the rear-facing position or the forward-facing position. The rear-facing setup will accommodate children weighing four pounds to forty pounds.
Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit is also usually offered at the higher price than Graco 4Ever DLX. The graco extend2fit is probably the most recommended seat on car seat forums right now, and it’s pretty amazing all around. I’d personally get a scenera next if I was traveling alone with baby, or just a cart.
If you purchase a convertible seat that is back facing only, you can expect it to last until your child is at least two years old or later depending on their size. The University of North Carolina Highway Research Center tells Verywell Family, “Kids should ride rear-facing as long as possible protect the head neck, and spine. If you’re on the hunt for the best inexpensive convertible car seat, you’ll find luck with the Evenflo Tribute graco travel system LX, which works as both a rear and a forward-facing seat. This budget-friendly car seat is tested for structural integrity at twice the federal crash test standard. With the aptly named Graco 4Ever, you’ll only need to buy one car seat for your child—which is why it’s the best convertible car seat on the market. This 4-in-1 seat does it all, starting as a rear-facing harness and adapting to every stage of your child’s growth.
My son looks so much more comfortable in it than in his bucket seat. Graco Slimfit is the new convertible car seat model that started to get popular in 2017. You may notice before that there are several similarities between Graco SlimFit and the older Graco Extend2fit. Because of those similarities, you may get confused on choosing them as your next convertible car seat.
The Britax Boulevard connectors are a clip style of LATCH that we feel is more challenging; the clip itself is harder to remove and requires twisting to remove them. The Evenflo Tribute LX has the lowest score in the group for LATCH installation with a 6 of 10. We can confirm that our crash test results indicate that anti-rebound bars often, but not always, improve the crash test dummy sensors results in comparison to not using the anti-rebound bar. We like them as a safety feature, but we feel actual crash testing data is more important than stated features or claims.
Below we weigh the pros and cons of the best convertible car seats to see which are worth the investment, or better for certain situations like small cars or travel. “This slim-fit car seat is perfect for families with smaller backseats or who have to fit multiple car seats side-by-side.” With a five-point, front-adjust harness, EPS, energy absorbing foam, removable head pillow, and a convenient cup holder, it’s got the key essentials you’ll need.
For the last size years, Senior Review Editor and mother of two, Wendy Schmitz, leads the analysis of the convertible car seat results. Wendy examines, compares, and rates each product’s specific performance side-by-side. The Britax Emblem is a quality convertible product with easy to use non-rethread shoulder strap adjustment, a push-button LATCH, and better comfort padding and fabric. This option has impressive crash test results that indicate a higher potential margin of safety. The Emblem’s overall look and feel are better than much of the competition, and its self-contained design translates to easy to clean and sharp looking. We can confidently recommend the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat as a great buy.
This seat is a unique choice; we think many families will love. It is the one our founder and Mom-in-Chief, Dr. Juliet Spurrier, uses. Dr. Spurrier’s kids love it, and she likes the quality and ease of use. If you’ve ever taken a long trip with young children in the car, you know that having snacks and drinks helps keep them happy. The Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 has two cup holders which we used for water bottles.
Parents can’t say enough good things about the Nuna RAVA convertible car seat, and many are adamant that this high-end model is worth every penny. This car seat is recommended for children 5 to 50 pounds and 49 inches or less in rear-facing mode and little ones 25 to 65 pounds and 49 inches or less when forward-facing. That means you can keep your little one rear-facing for longer than most other seats, even if your baby hits their growth spurts early. Your child should stay in a booster seat until the seat belt fits properly without it. For most kids, that happens around a height of 4 feet, 9 inches or around age 8 to 12.