These models will keep your children safe and are well-made, but they don't all fit in small cars.
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When you're driving with a young child, you want to make sure that their car seat will protect them in the event of a crash. But some models don’t hold up very well to testing.
Consumer Reports experts set out to find the best convertible car seats, which switch from rear to front-facing seats as your child gets bigger.
Below, we’ve compiled their top picks. Continue reading to see which ones made the cut.
Screenshot: Amazon.com
The Chico Fit350 has some of the best crash protection CR found in the group and has easy harness adjustment. But CR noted its a bit too large for small cars. What’s great is you can use it from birth up until your child is 65 pounds.
“The seat has a smooth, 360-degree rotation that makes harnessing simpler, and allows for a single installation, whether you’re using the seat rear-facing or forward-facing,” CR said.
It’s priced around $425.
Screenshot: Amazon.com
The Baby Jogger City Turn scored well for crash protection and has easy harness adjustment, though its not ideal for small cars. “The City Turn performs well across the board, earning our 'Best' score for crash protection,” CR said. “The City Turn also allows extended rear-facing use to 50 pounds, and features a no-rethread harness and 10-position headrest.”
Its easy to install and fits kids from four to 65 pounds, but it doesn’t come cheap at $580.
Screenshot: Amazon.com
The Joie Chili Spin SI is another strong choice and the most affordable option at the list at $340. It has strong crash protection and fits well in small cars.
"Even though it spins 360 degrees, you’ll still need to reinstall the seat when it’s time to switch from rear-facing to forward-facing," CR said. "The seat is easy to use overall, though it’s somewhat heavy and bulky, and uses a lot of additional padding, some of which is required until the child weighs 40 pounds."
Screenshot: https://nunababy.com/
The Nuna Revv, at $600, has good but not the best crash protection, fits nicely in small cars, and has easy harness adjustment. There are some caveats to CR’s recommendation: “With its 40-pound harness capacity limit, most children will need another forward-facing harnessed seat before they can switch to a booster, per best practice recommendations from CR and the AAP,” it said.
Still, CR added that “the Revv’s saving grace is how its design makes it easy to install securely in most vehicle types with either the lower anchors or seat belt in rear-facing and forward-facing configurations.”
Screenshot: Amazon.com
The Britax Poplar is one of the more affordable option on the list, starting at $350. It got CR’s “best” crash protection score, fits well in small cars, and has easy harness adjustment. It can fit children between five and 65 pounds. “Our testing found that the Poplar offers excellent crash protection and several features that can simplify installation, including the ClickTight tensioning and lock-off mechanism,” CR said. Plus, it should last you for a decade.
