The Best Convertible Car Seat Pros, Cons & Recommendations

“Mommy, what was that loud Bang?”

Little did she know that they were in a horrible car accident.

Here’s the sad truth. Accidents are on the rise if you want to see proof just check your insurance premium.

There’s no way of predicting when an accident occurs. You have one weapon, which is getting the best protection possible.

Now you’re looking for a convertible car seat. This means that your little one is probably outgrowing their infant carrier. It takes a lot of time and patients to find the perfect car seat.

Look:

Typically parents spend a few weeks to a few months researching car seats. That’s a lot of time wasted. This is why I’ve created the Best Convertible Car Seat article to save you time. By gathering the best of the best, you can make your decision faster, and you can spend that extra time on something better.

By reading this article to the end, you will find the right convertible, which will be the best fit. Also, I’ve mentioned an accident above. I won’t leave you hanging I will share everything there’s to know. Stick with me for a bit, and you will find out which car seat was involved and how did it perform.

Let’s get this best article started!

 

#1 Britax Boulevard Clicktight – Best Convertible Car Seat

Britax Boulevard won the Best Convertible Car Seat award. The main reasons why it won was because safe, easy to install, comfortable, and easy to wash.

Is there anything else that you need from a car seat?

Being a convertible car seat means that it can be installed both in rear and front facing mode. It caters to newborns because the lowest weight limit is set to 5 pounds. You can take your baby home from the hospital with this car seat.

With this car seat, you’re getting the ClickTight installation. It’s so simple that you can’t mess it up. You have to pop open the seat and feed the latch or the seat belt through. Then you press down on the seat, and when you hear the click sound, you’re done. It’s that simple

The Britax Boulevard offers extended rear facing up to 40 pounds. The front facing mode’s upper limit is 65 pounds. This means that you’re getting good mileage for your money.

It has earned numerous awards and got the highest rating by the NHTSA. This car seat is a winner.

All in all, this car seat delivers peace of mind. Your baby will be safe and comfortable in the back so you can focus on driving and not on the rearview mirror. This alone is worth the price.

 

#2 Graco 4Ever – Best Convertible Car for the Money

“Mommy, what was that loud Bang?”

This incident hit close to home it has happened with my sister in law. It was their regular commute home from ballet class. Her four year old was sitting quietly in the back.

Everything changed when an SUV smashed into them head-on. It started with a loud bang. Then the airbags deployed, saving the mother’s life. The windshield cracked and went into pieces. Metal screeched and deformed under the huge pressure.

It wasn’t over just yet.

There was so much energy during the impact that their car spun into oncoming traffic. All the tires blew out.

When things went quiet, the little girl asked her mother, “Mommy, what was that loud Bang?”

She was so protected that she didn’t even realize that they were in a crash. His mother pulled the short end of the stick. She ended up in the hospital with a broken nose and a few cuts. The next day my niece was off to kindergarten as if nothing has happened.

The Graco 4Ever  all in one is more than any other conventional convertible. It’s actually a 4 in 1 car seat with a convertible option. It can be used in rear facing, front facing, and booster mode. Parents who want to utilize extended rear facing can get up to 40 pounds.

By using this seat, your little one will be in safe hands, thanks to the ProtectPlus. This offers safety in case of the front, rear, side, and even rollover accidents.

The Graco 4Ever is the highest-rated car seat on Consumer Reports.

 

#3 Diono Radian 3RXT – Best Value Convertible Car Seat

This incident happened with some friends of mine.

The father took his son on a shopping run. Everything went as planned until they reached that faithful intersection. Another driver slammed into them from the side.

The impact happened on the side where the little boy was sitting. The crash was loud. The windows cracked and shattered into tiny sharp projectiles. The door bent under the huge pressure. Their van’s front side was destroyed.

The father immediately checked on his son and was relieved that he was unhurt. A guardian angel was watching over them.

The Radian isn’t just a convertible car seat. It offers so much more. First of all, it has a narrow profile. The width is just 16.9” wide. Being a convertible, it has a rear, front facing option and has a booster mode as well. The upper weight limit is set to 120 pounds. That’s some good value for the money.

Essentially this can be the first and last car seat that you have to buy. By having a narrow profile, you can do 3 across with ease. Wait, there’s more. It’s one of the few car seats that have true extended rear facing. You can keep your little one in this mode up to 50 pounds.

Did you mention that it comes in multiple colors? It’s one of the coolest car seats you can go with. Plus, it’s foldable, so you can take it with you while traveling.

The Diono is jam-packed with so many useful features.

 

#4 Clek Fllo – Best Convertible Seat For Sensitive Skin

Did you know that most car seat makers are using chlorinated or brominated toxic chemicals? Not to mention the harmful flame retardants?

And you’re little one will be breathing in those fumes during the commutes. Clek Fllo is different. They were the first brand that passed the safety standards without any chemicals. Their secret is merino wool. It’s a natural product that keeps your little one safe without chemicals.

If you have a child with sensitive skin, you just found the best solution. Now this car seat isn’t just eco-friendly, but it has a narrow profile. The width is jutted 16.9” wide. Being a space saver, it allows you to do 3 across with ease.

Not only that, but it also allows extended rear facing up to 50 pounds. Only a handful of convertible car seats allow that.

This means that your little one will be safe beyond their fourth birthday.

Being a convertible means that it can be installed both rear and front-facing. It caters to infants who are at least 14 pounds, and the upper limit in harness mode is set to 65 pounds. Being an eco-friendly car seat, you’re getting good bang for your buck.

Last but now least, I have to mention that it only allows spot cleaning. You can’t remove the fabric. The material is special, and stains can be easily removed, so there’s no need to use the washing machine.

See more: 6 Safest Graco car seats you should buy

 

#5 Chicco Nextfit – Best Cool Looking Convertible Car Seat

This incident happened with my brother. He took his little son on a shopping trip. He parked regularly and left his little one in the back since he was absorbed in a game.

Not even a minute had passed when he heard a deafening crash. He feared the worst, so he dropped everything and ran outside.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. Another car T-boned his car. To make things worse, the impact came from the side where his son was sitting. He felt the adrenaline kicking in. Ran towards his car and ripped open the doors on the other side. Then he saw his son.

He was still playing with his stuffed animals as if nothing has happened.

When he saw his dad’s scared face, he started crying. He was unhurt and safe.

This car seat is built like a tank. To make it comfortable, there’s enough padding to keep your little one relaxed. It’s one of the safest convertible car seats you can get. The frame is reinforced with steel, and there are two layers of side impact protection. This was enough to keep my nephew safe in that horrible accident.

The Chicco NextFit has earned its stripes. It’s one of the most decorated car seats on Consumer Reports. The installation is so simple you can’t get it wrong. Best of all, you need just a bit of force to make it tight.

The latch system has two tails. They are numbered, so you know the right sequence. All you need to do is pull #1 up and #2 down. That’s it; you’re done. The Chicco nextfit convertible car seats earned their spot on this list.

Related: Safest convertible car seats you can buy

 

#6 Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 – Most Comfortable Convertible Car Seat

This incident happened with a friend of mine.

The family was on a road trip. Their little one was in the back sleeping. It was uneventful so far. Then all of a sudden, it felt that a train hit them.

A tractor-trailer slammed into them from the back at 70 mph. The trunk disintegrated, and the backseat bent under the huge force.

The father tried his best to keep the car under control. Eventually, he lost. The vehicle started skidding left and right. Eventually, it stopped on the side of the road. Their first instinct was to check on their son. He was ok. He had wide eyes, but other than that, he wasn’t hurt.

This is a heavy car seat which is heavy for all the right reasons. It has protected the little one from serious harm. The head wings aren’t there for show. They protect from side-impact, plus they make sleeping comfortable.

Maxi-Cosi is the first one to implement magnetic buckle holders. This means that you don’t have to fish the buckles out from under your little one’s bum.

The Pria is the ultimate convertible car seat if you want comfort for your baby. It has a lot of padding, which makes it so soft.

Being a convertible car seat, it can be installed both rear and front-facing. It allows extended rear-facing up to 40 pounds. It’s one of the few car seats that allow extended harness mode up to 85 pounds.

You can’t go wrong with this car seat.

 

#7 Graco Extend2fit – Best Extended Rear Facing Convertible Car Seat

This incident happened with some friends of mine.

They were heading home from a visit to grandparents. Their 11-month old was a sleep in the back. Everything was mundane.

Then all of a sudden, a speeding drunk driver slammed into them head-on. The impact was devastating. Metal crumpled under the huge pressure. The airbags deployed saving the lives of the parents.

It worse was yet to come.

The crash had so much energy that their car did a 180 and flew across two lanes. Finally, it settled in the dirt. The parents immediately checked on their son. He was crying because he was scared. He was safe and sound.

As you can see, this car seat has been tested in a real car crash. The little one wasn’t hurt even though their car got totaled. Thanks to the steel-reinforced frame, he was safe and sound. Plus, this Graco extend2fit convertible seat comes with the ProtectPlus tech.

This means that your little one will not only be protected from front and rear crashed, but side and rollovers will be safe as well.

The Graco Extend2Fit car seat is a convertible one, and as the name suggests, it allows extended rear-facing. Typically it’s advised to keep your little one in rear-facing mode until their second birthday. Now in other countries, this limit is set to four. With the Graco Extend2Fit convertible seat, you can keep your little one until they reach 50 pounds. This will be north of their 4th birthday.

With this car seat, you’re getting an expendable leg rest. It can be adjusted to give the most comfort to your child.

 

#8 Graco Slimfit – Best Narrow Convertible Car Seat

As the name suggests, this car seat has a narrow profile. The width is just 19.9” wide. When you need that extra room in the back, this is the car seat that you get.

It’s a convertible car seat with some extras. Besides being able to be used in rear and front-facing mode, you can use it as a booster seat until 100 pounds.

The Slimfit caters to babies from infancy up to young adults. The lowest weight limit is set to 5 pounds. If you want this car seat could be the first and last one you have to buy.

It will serve your child for many years to come.

The Graco Slimfit has a narrow profile, so you will be able to do 3 across with ease. Also, if you need extra space for an adult in the back, it will cater to that as well. According to Graco, this car seat will save you 10% in space.

Since it caters to kids at such an early age, you have to be prepared to handle spills and accidents. Luckily they have thought of everything. The cover can be easily removed, and machine washed. No matter the mess, it will be good as new after a wash.

 

#9 Evenflo Symphony Elite – Best Affordable Convertible Car Seat

Not everyone can afford those ultra-lux car seats. So I thought I would share with you one that’s an affordable one without compromising on safety.

The frame is made out of hard plastic with steel reinforcements. It has side impact protection, so your little one will be safe no matter the trouble.

Evenflo did something amazing with this car seat. The installation is so easy. Better yet, people with arthritis will be able to get the tightest fit without effort. This is why it’s an ideal car seat for grandparents.

The installation is based on ratchet technology. You don’t need power. All you have to do is turn the ratchet. According to Evenflo, you can get a 3x tighter installation.

This is not your standard convertible car seat. It offers much more than that. Besides installing it in front and rear-facing mode, it has a booster mode as well. The upper weight limit is set to 110 pounds. In other words, it can be the first and last car seat you have ever to buy.

The lower weight limit is set to 5 pounds so you can take your newborn home from the hospital with this car seat. And it supports extended rear-facing mode up to 40 pounds.

 

Buyer’s Guide

It was a long one, wasn’t it? As you probably know, there are tons of convertible car seats out there. I’ve only picked the best of the best. Also, I’ve made categories so you can find the one that fits you the best.

I thought I would give you a bonus. Since I’m already reviewing so many car seats, I thought I would share with you my buyer’s guide. With my system, you will be able to eliminate those car seats which are not a good fit and focus on those that are actually worth your time.

Before that, I have to share with you two important tips.

The first one is about the right position for the car seat. As you know, not all spots are equal in the car. The safest one for your child is in the middle. The truth is that not many can use that space, so here’s the second safest one, which is right behind the driver.

The second important tip is related to the install. You absolutely have to get the tightest one possible. If not, the car seat won’t be able to provide the best protection possible. If you have second thoughts, you can always reach out to a licensed professional. Also, different websites are offering installation for free. Now you can get the right one no matter what.

Let’s get this buyer’s guide started.

 

Safety

This is on the top of my list. The good news is that all car seats are safe on the market because they have passed the government tests. It is also true that some car seats offer more protection than others.

The typical protection covers front and rear impacts. Many brands have started offering side impact protection, which is between one and three layers. A handful of car seats have rollover protection. It’s a fact that they are not frequent ones, but they contribute the most fatalities.

My best advice is to go with the most protection that you can afford.

 

Size Limits

This is my favorite place, where I can save money. Best of all, I don’t make any compromises on safety. The secret relies on buying for the long run. The least you have to upgrade, the more money you’re saving. These car seats aren’t cheap, so make the most of it.

Also, here I tend to check if it has extended rear-facing. As you have seen above, there were a few car seats that allow extended rear-facing up to 50 pounds.

Also, it’s a good idea to check the weight if you have to swap it between cars.

 

Install

This is the hardest part of all car seats. Luckily all brands have made big efforts to make the installs as easy as possible.

It’s a good idea to always check the manual and, if all else fails, look for install videos online.

Fabric

This is the last item on my list. Since convertibles cater to younger kids, you can expect accidents and spills. So you have to know ahead of time how easy it is to remove the cover and if it’s machine washable.

This was my quick and dirty buyer’s guide. If you like, it put it to good use.

 

Top rated convertible car seats conclusions

This was a long journey. I hope you have learned a ton from it. We have reached the end of the Best Convertible Car Seat article.

By now you should know which one is the right fit for you. It’s your move, my dear reader, and you have to act quickly because recently I’ve checked the stocks and they were running low. So get the best one until they are available.

If you want to share your thoughts and tips, you can do it by posting below.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What is the best convertible car seat?

The best convertible car seat is the Britax Boulevard Clicktight Convertible Car Seat.

What is the most comfortable convertible car seat?

The most comfortable convertible car seat is the Maxi Cosi Pria 85.

Which car seats didn’t make it on the best convertible car seats list?

These convertible car seats didn’t make the cut: clek foonf backless booster seat, nuna rava infant car seat, Britax marathon clicktight backless booster seat, safety 1st infant car seat, evenflo tribute lx backless booster seat.

What are the height and weight limits for these best of the best convertibles?

For these car seats, the height and weight limits are as follows. For convertibles, the rear-facing position weight limit is around 40 pounds or 50 pounds for extender rear-facing seat. The weight limit for forward-facing position harness mode is 65 pounds. And for forward-facing car seat booster mode is 120 pounds. The 65 pounds is the latch connectors limit as well above that you have to use the vehicle seat belt. The weight range for the forward facing position is 22 to 65 pounds. This 22 to 65 pounds is quite generous. The seat weight depends on the manufacturer for the rear facing, forward facing position the weight is in the 25 pounds range.

From these best convertible car seats which can fit three car seats across?

You can fit three seats across with narrow profile car seats. This is crucial for smaller cars. The Diono Radian 3RXT is just 16.9 inches wide so you can do 3 across with ease. If you want to learn more you can check out my best car seats for 3 across. There are car seats in rear facing positions that are just 17 inches wide. If you need to fit three across those are the go-to choices. The back seat is where you install them.

How do you install these convertibles?

You can choose from forward-facing car seat mode or rear facing. To make a super easy installation make sure you read the manual and use the lower anchors. These convertibles are known for ease of use. When it comes to the installation system you can use the latch anchors and tethers or the seat belt. As you know the seat belt is slower and harder to use and you have to feed it through the belt paths. Make sure you check the bubble levels when installing and also double check if the child weight and child height is appropriate. And you have to move the seat into the default recline positions. After all this is done you adjust the load leg if the seat has it. This is how you get ease of use. Infant seats should be always installed on the back seat.  To have it easy to install it’s a good idea to watch a few videos.

What other features should you check out about the convertible car seats?

There are a few all-in-one car seats in the mix. Cup holders are a must. The more you have the better. Ideally, two cup holders are sufficient. Super easy installation is a plus from me. If you truly want the best convertible car seats they have to have machine washable fabric cover (seat pad) and washing machine safe. The seat like that also features easy to install on the back seat. The seat cushion (seat pad) should be comfy and soft. The chest clip (chest clips) should go bellow the armpit level. The best convertible car seats have multi position headrest positions the seat also has multi recline positions as well. Having a cup holder is a great. What’s better is having a cup holder on each side. Best of all there’s no rethread harness. This is the type of seats i’ve selected so no more wasting time with the rethread harness. Quick list of other features to check out: chest clip, position headrest
headrest positions, harness holders, harness straps, harness system, shoulder strap positions, harness adjustment.

What would be a good alternative for a convertible car seat?

There are many alternatives here’s a short list of them: maxi cosi pria infant car seats, nuna rava infant seats, cosco scenera next backless booster, cybex sirona m high back booster, britax marathon clicktight 4 in 1 car seat, chicco nextfit zip belt positioning booster, safety 1st grow and go 4 in 1 car seat, primo viaggio convertible infant seat. Also if you’re interested in the best car seat then you can check it out here. Many parents use that list to make the final call. The best convertible car seats are recommended by the american academy of pediatrics these seats include the: maxi cosi pria 4 in 1 car seat, nuna rava rear facing car seat, cosco scenera next forward facing seat, safety first grow and go forward facing position (rear facing position). For example the graco extend2fit rear facing and forward facing seat comes with an extension panel which is used as a leg rest. As you know the leg rest provides more comfort for the child.

What is the best choice for a convertible car seat?

The best convertible car seat on the market is one that is safe, comfortable, and easy to install. The latch system is an important safety feature that helps to keep the seat in place during a collision. The anti rebound bar is another safety feature that helps to protect your child in the event of a crash. The fo data shows that this car seat has a high safety rating, and it is also comfortable and easy to install. It is also important to choose a convertible car seat that will fit in your car. If you have a small car, you might want to consider a slim convertible car seat. These seats are designed to fit in smaller cars, and they still have all of the same safety features as other convertible car seats. No matter what type of car you have, there is a convertible car seat that will fit your needs.

What should I look for if I’m buying a convertible car seat?

When it comes to choosing the best convertible car seat for your child, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, consider whether you want a booster seat or a full-sized car seat. Booster seats are good for children who have outgrown their infant seats but are not quite ready for an adult seatbelt. full-sized car seats, on the other hand, provide more support and can be used for children of all ages. Second, look for a seat with a steel frame. This will provide added safety in the event of an accident. Third, make sure the seat fits snugly in your vehicle’s seat. You don’t want it to be too loose or too tight. And finally, consider the clek foonf convertible car seat. It’s one of the safest and most comfortable convertible seats on the market, and it comes with a five-point harness system that will keep your child secure in all kinds of weather conditions.

Why are convertible car seats so popular?

Convertible car seats are some of the most popular on the market as they can be used for both infants and toddlers. Many convertible car seats are designed with energy absorbing foam that helps to protect your child in the event of a collision. They also usually have adjustable headrests and shoulder straps to provide a comfortable and secure fit as your child grows. In addition, convertible car seats can often be converted into belt positioning boosters, which is perfect for when your child is ready to ride without a car seat. When choosing a convertible car seat, it’s important to consider your child’s age, weight, and height to ensure a proper and safe fit.
 

Last Updated on October 24, 2023 by Brian Beasley