Best convertible car seat?

August 9, 2010 7:21 AM

Best convertible car seat?

Our baby (8.5 months as of now) is out growing his infant car seat. We're looking for a new convertible seat. Any advice or opinion is welcome especially if you have experience with small cars (ie. Civic or Corolla). Thanks!

posted by redyaky to shopping (18 answers total)

We use a Britax Roundabout, which fit fairly well in the center seat of our old Saturn. In our Prius, it's a bit more snug in the forward facing orientation and now that its primary occupant is 3, seat kicking has become an issue.
posted by Jugwine at 7:28 AM on August 9, 2010 [3 favorites]

I'll second the Roundabout. Not as large as the Graco that our daughter's grandmother uses, so it is much easier to get in and out. We use them in an Accord and a Mazda 3 with no problem.
posted by dforemsky at 7:33 AM on August 9, 2010

We've used the Roundabout in a Toyota Camry, and the First Years True Fit in a Ford Focus, without difficulties. A key consideration in choosing these was that they both allow the child to sit in the safer rear-facing position up to a fairly high weight limit. Both of them fit well when installed in the center of the car, although things are undeniably tight in the back seat.

One shopping note: Britaxes, in particular, are crazy expensive at list price, but regularly go on deep discount at various online retailers (it helps if you're not particular as to color). Once I'd selected a seat, I checked this site pretty regularly for news about sales, and ended up getting mine for about $75 under the regular price.
posted by Bardolph at 7:45 AM on August 9, 2010

We have a Britax Boulevard with the click and save feature, and use it in a small car. We liked it so much we bought a second one for our (larger) car. We've had it for a year and it's held up very well. I expect it will hold out for as long as we need it. (The C&S feature means that when you pull to tighten the child's straps, it clicks when you've gone far enough. It's like 20 bucks, but we were surprised at exactly the right tension --- much looser than we were doing it in our previous car seat. So our kid is more comfortable.)

If you have an older car that doesn't have the latch system, then all car seats will be annoying to take in and out of the car. The latch system makes installation and removal a piece of cake.
posted by Tristram Shandy, Gentleman at 7:46 AM on August 9, 2010

we went with the Graco MyRide
In my experience, no convertable fits without being too snug while in the reverse mode. WE have a subaru forester, and while reversed, it was snug.
posted by fozzie33 at 7:47 AM on August 9, 2010

Bardolph is right: we found our Britax on amazon for something like $60 cheaper than in our local store, which had it for the retail price.
posted by Tristram Shandy, Gentleman at 7:47 AM on August 9, 2010

One last comment and then I'll stop: this site has a lot of useful info on how well specific seats work in specific cars. Doesn't have every car or year.
posted by Tristram Shandy, Gentleman at 7:49 AM on August 9, 2010

Love our Britax Boulevard. It is pricey, but we saved 20% with a Babies R Us coupon.
posted by murrey at 8:14 AM on August 9, 2010

We have the Britax Marathon, which we love, but it is gigantic. For our sitter's smaller car, we got her a Britax Roundabout, suggested above.

Check albeebaby.com for closeouts (should be happening soon because of new model releases); or babycheapskate.com for deals.
posted by dpx.mfx at 8:22 AM on August 9, 2010

The Britax Roundabout or Marathon is the best.

Subscribe to Baby Cheapskate and Baby Goodbuys via RSS or Facebook and in a few weeks you'll see one on sale.

If you can wait, there is a major Britax sale every September.
posted by k8t at 8:34 AM on August 9, 2010

I think my secret real reason for buying the Maxi Cosi Priori convertible car seat was that it looked cute and came in fun colors, but it's turned out to be a pretty awesome car seat and it fits just perfectly in our small car.
posted by logic vs love at 9:06 AM on August 9, 2010

Fourthing? Fifthing? the Roundabout.

What I like about the Roundabout as opposed to other seats is that my long-legged nearly 20 month old can still be rear facing in it and comfortable. We've chosen not to forward face him, per the new guidelines that children should stay rear facing until two, but carseats haven't caught up to those guidelines yet, and many are not as good as the Roundabout for rear-facing an older baby.
posted by zizzle at 9:06 AM on August 9, 2010

I have the Alpha Omega Elite; my best friend has the Roundabout. Her carseat is definitely easier to use than mine, particularly rear-facing, but mine is perfectly adequate. (And half the price.)
posted by KathrynT at 10:31 AM on August 9, 2010

We have the Combi Coccoro in our Civic, and it is very nice and small and comfy and well though out, but the deep sides (great for side-impact protection!) and the way it sits in our Civic mean that my son has less visibility (and is slightly reclining) than he does in his Grandmother's Britax something-or-other. Just something to be wary of/look for.
posted by misterbrandt at 11:01 AM on August 9, 2010

We just switched over to a Recaro. The thing is HUGE. It is a great seat and is leaps and bounds better than the Graco SnugRide we had little notsosimple in previously. However I had to place it in the middle of our 2005 Subaru Outback in order for it to fit. Once she reaches forward facing it might not be such a big deal. So I would say stay away from the Recaro unless you have an SUV :) Britax was my second choice and I wonder if I should have gone that route.
posted by NotSoSimple at 12:51 PM on August 9, 2010

I have a Recaro in my VW Bug (eek!) and we have a Britax in my partner's Audi station wagon. The Britax is a much much much easier seat to deal with.
posted by k8t at 1:51 PM on August 9, 2010

Thank you everyone for your advice.

I just ordered the Britax Marathon on Amazon. I'm confident I can get it to fit in the Corolla without too many complaints from the wife.
posted by redyaky at 6:17 AM on August 10, 2010

Plus once the seat is in there, you don't take it out very often.
posted by k8t at 11:14 AM on August 10, 2010