Best Car Seat Buyer’s Guide: Best Car Seats for Toddlers


Best Car Seat Buyer’s Guide: Best Car Seats for Toddlers

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Meta Description: With a whole world full of things your little one has never seen, you and your toddler are likely always on the go. A good car seat is necessary for keeping your growing child safe while with you in the car. Read this guide to learn the best car seats for toddlers and discover which one is the best for your child.

Best Car Seat Buyer’s Guide: Best Car Seats for Toddlers

The day came way too fast; your little baby is now a toddler. Although the first car seat seemed so big when you first put your little one into it, your child has suddenly outgrown the infant car seat and will need a larger one to accommodate a growing body. This guide will list the best car seats for toddlers so that you can choose the absolute best for your child.

Product FAQs

Why Should You Buy a Car Seat for Your Toddler?

Just because your toddler has grown so much since being just a baby doesn’t mean your little one is ready to ride in a car without a car seat. Toddlers still have many years to go before they will be able to ditch the car seat for good. A car seat is essential for helping absorb the shock your children experience while you drive and to save their lives if they are in an accident.

How Do You Choose a Car Seat for a Toddler?

When choosing a car seat for your toddler, you will want a car seat that can at least be used in both front-facing and rear-facing positions. If you don’t want to have to buy a separate booster when your child outgrows the car seat, you should consider buying an all-in-one car seat.

Where Can You Buy a Car Seat?

You can buy a car seat from online vendors such as Amazon or most major retailers such as Walmart or Target.

How We Determined Our Ratings

We researched all the car seats on this guide and rated them based on their safety, durability, convenience, design, comfort, versatility, and price. Although we provided the average customer rating for each product, we also list a rating of our own based on how these products measure up to our rating system.

Overall Price Range

Car Seats range from about $80 to $700. On average, you can expect to pay $150 to $200 for a decent car seat. Most of the car seats on this guide fall within this range, but there are a few car seats we reviewed that are close to $400.

Top 10 Best Car Seats for Toddlers

Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat

Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat

This car seat is made to grow with children until they are big enough to transition to a booster. The headrest and harness adjust at the same time, and there are nine recline positions. The SuperCinch Latch Tightener makes it easy to secure the car seat, and there are two bubble levels to help you set the car seat at the right angle in both rear-facing and front-facing positions. Most of these features are labeled on the car seat for your convenience.

Pros

  • Very easy to adjust the harness and recline
  • Visual indicators to help you secure the car seat
  • Removable cup holders

Cons

  • You will need to buy a booster when your child is too big for this car seat
  • Expensive two-stage car seat

Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

This car seat will grow with toddlers all the way until they are old enough to sit in the back seat of a car without a booster. There are four positions to this car seat: rear-facing, front-facing, supported booster, and backless booster. This car seat can fit children up to 120 pounds and can adjust to best fit your toddler. There is an adjustable headrest and harness system that can adjust to 10 different heights and a six-position recline.

Pros

  • Four different car seat positions
  • Can fit children up to 120 pounds
  • Easy to adjust

Cons

  • This car seat uses the LATCH system which isn’t as safe for larger toddlers

Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat

Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat

The main benefits of this two-in-one car seat are that it is super convenient to adjust and extremely safe. The harness on this car seat has 14 different positions. The Click & Safe Snug Indicator clicks to let you know when the harness is tight enough. This car seat also has two layers of side impact protection, a steel frame, and an impact absorbing base to ensure your little one stays safe no matter what happens.  

Pros

  • Uses the safe, patented ClickSafe installation process
  • Makes an audible click when the harness is tight enough
  • Very safe, comfortable car seat
  • Easy to adjust the harness to your toddler’s needs

Cons

  • Expensive option
  • Does not transition into a booster

Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat

This car seat can fit rear-facing toddlers up to 40 pounds and front-facing toddlers up to 60 pounds. You can adjust the harness to your child’s height by simply sliding it to where it needs to be, and it is so simple to adjust the recline positions that you can do it while your baby is sleeping. You can feel certain your toddler will be safe since Evenflo is the industry leader in safety and Rollover Standards.

Pros

  • Affordable option for all-in-one
  • Easy to adjust the recline and harness positions
  • Very safe car seat

Cons

  • Uses LATCH system

Nuna RAVA Convertible Car Seat

Nuna RAVA Convertible Car Seat

The Nuna RAVA is a much more expensive option for a toddler car seat, but it is made to look and feel luxurious. Nuna adds a belt tensioning plate so that it is convenient for you to use its car seat belt installation technology. This car seat allows for extended rear-facing seating since it can fit children up to 50 pounds. It even offers extended leg room to help taller, older toddlers who are still in the rear-facing position feel comfortable.

Pros

  • Installation system uses car’s seat belt
  • Offers a lot of leg room
  • Very comfortable, stylish car seat

Cons

  • Extremely expensive option

Diono Radian RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

Diono Radian RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

Although toddlers will be taking up more space than they did when they were babies, this car seat continues to take up as little room as possible. You can even put three of these car seats side-by-side in larger cars. This car seat is designed to allow toddlers to remain rear-facing until they weigh 45 pounds. There are 12 headrest positions, so it is easy to adjust the car seat to your toddler’s height. The EPS foam and aluminum reinforced head support help protect your child in an accident. 

Pros

  • Very narrow car seat
  • Easy to adjust
  • Very safe design
  • Great for tall toddlers

Cons

  • Very heavy car seat

Clek Fllo Convertible Car Seat

Clek Fllo Convertible Car Seat

This car seat has a sleek appearance and is very thin so it works well in compact cars. Just like the Diono, you could potentially fit three of these car seats side-by-side. This car seat is not made with brominated or chlorinated flame retardants that are harsh on the environment and potentially irritable to your child’s skin. The seat comes with a rebound bar that keeps your child safe and creates more leg room. This car seat allows for an extended rear-facing position for children up to 50 pounds.

Pros

  • Eco-friendly option that is safe for your children
  • Rebound bar adds extra safety
  • Comfortable, safe car seat

Cons

  • Expensive option
  • Can’t be used for infants or older children who need a booster seat

Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat

If you want to buy a car seat for your toddler that is under $100, the Evenflo Sonus is a great choice for you at only $79.99. Toddlers can remain rear-facing until they reach 40 pounds. Your child can only use this car seat for up to 50 pounds in the front-facing position. There are five different slots for adjusting the shoulder straps. However, you will have to rethread the straps.

Pros

  • Very affordable option
  • Exceeds safety tests

Cons

  • Hard to adjust
  • Low weight limits

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max Convertible Car Seat

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max Convertible Car Seat

This car seat is super comfortable and well-cushioned for your growing toddler. It also makes sure to protect your child’s head by using Maxi-Cosi’s patented Air Protect cushioning system. This car seat will last you longer since it can be used for toddlers until they weigh 85 pounds — most front-facing car seats have a weight limit of 65 pounds.

Pros

  • Very comfortable
  • Air Protect cushioning system adds extra protection
  • High weight limits

Cons

  • Expensive option
  • Cannot transition into a booster seat

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat

If your goal is to keep your toddler rear-facing for as long as possible, this car seat is great. Although most convertible car seats have a maximum weight capacity of 40 pounds for the rear-facing position, this car seat can hold toddlers up to 50 pounds. There is also an extension panel with four different positions that provide up to five inches of additional legroom for rear-facing toddlers.

Pros

  • Extended rear-facing
  • Affordable option
  • Adjustable leg room

Cons

  • Uses LATCH system
  • Does not transition into a booster

Comparison Table

Product

Detail

Our Rating

Check Online

Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat

Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat

Price: $299.99

Car Seat Dimensions: 20.5 x 19 x 26 inches

Car Seat Weight: 25.1 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 65 pounds

Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat

Price: $239.99

Car Seat Dimensions: 21.5 x 20 x 24 inches

Car Seat Weight: 22.75 pounds

Positions: Front-facing, rear-facing, booster, backless booster

Weight Limit: 4 to 120 pounds

Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat

Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat

Price: $299.99

Car Seat Dimensions: 23 x 18.5 x 23.5 inches

Car Seat Weight: 29.4 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 65 pounds

Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat

Price: $169.00

Car Seat Dimensions: 27 x 21 x 19.8 inches

Car Seat Weight: 21 pounds

Positions: Front-facing, rear-facing, booster

Weight Limit: 5 to 110 pounds

Nuna RAVA Convertible Car Seat

Nuna RAVA Convertible Car Sear

Price: $449.95

Car Seat Dimensions: 25 x 19 x 16 inches

Car Seat Weight: 27.2 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 65 pounds

Diono Radian RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

Diono Radian RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

Price: $239.99

Car Seat Dimensions: 16 x 17 x 28.5 inches

Car Seat Weight: 27.58 pounds

Positions: Front-facing, rear-facing, booster

Weight Limit: 5 to 120 pounds

Clek Fllo Convertible Car Seat

Clek Fllo Convertible Car Seat

Price: $299.00

Car Seat Dimensions: 22 x 16.9 x 26 inches

Car Seat Weight: 25 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 65 pounds

Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat

Price: $79.99

Car Seat Dimensions: 20 x 19.25 x 28 inches

Car Seat Weight: 13 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 50 pounds

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max Convertible Car Seat

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max Convertible Car Seat

Price:  $329.99

Car Seat Dimensions: 18.5 x 20.75 x 29.63 inches

Car Seat Weight: 23.75 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 85 pounds

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat

Price: $144.00

Car Seat Dimensions: 22.1 x 19.2 x 25.2 inches

Car Seat Weight: 23.2 pounds

Positions: Front and rear-facing

Weight Limit: 5 to 65 pounds

The Final Verdict

Our recommendation for the best car seat for toddlers is the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat. This car seat comes at a good price and will grow with your children until they are old and big enough to move on from car seats or boosters completely. 

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