Are there best infant car seat for small cars on the Market?…
If you have a small car, you have probably noticed how hard it is to find a car seat that will fit at the back seat or actually in the front passenger seat especially in the recommended rear position.
The good news is that you don’t have to risk the life of your child or replace your cozy car; with good research and window shopping you can get the best car seat for small cars as rare as they are.
The best car seats for small cars enable you to carry your baby in the car seat and still have enough room left for other passengers and luggage.
They are also lightweight and safe enough for your child.
Ideally convertible car seats are usually bigger and take up too much space in your car but it’s still possible to find best convertible car seat for small car.
Convertible seats are the best because you will continue to use them even after the baby is over two years old in front facing position.
Table of Contents
- 1 Best Convertible Car Seat For The Money.
- 1.1 1. Diono Radian RXT Convertible Car Seat.
- 1.2 2. Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat.
- 1.3 3. Graco SmartSeat All-in-One Car Seat.
- 1.4 4. Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat.
- 1.5 5. Britax USA Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat.
- 1.6 6. Disney APT Convertible Car Seat, Mouseketeer Minnie.
- 2 Buying Guide For The Best Infant Car Seat For Small Cars.
Best Convertible Car Seat For The Money.
1. Diono Radian RXT Convertible Car Seat.
Diono Radian RXT is the top pick for good reasons. It is so small and compact that you can place three of them at the backseat of your car.
This lightweight convertible car seat comes from a big family of car seats that will carry your child safely for years from the time they are 5 pounds to 120pounds.
Once the child outgrows the rear facing position at about two years of age, they go to the front-facing position for another couple of years and then to the booster position when they are actually in school.
Diono Radian RXT is designed with the child’s comfort in mind because it comes with memory foam and an infant body support cushions tucked under the seat.
It also has an adjustable headrest and amazing sidewalls to ensure the baby is comfortable even when they fall asleep.
However above everything else this Diono Radian RXT is all about safety with the patented SafeStop energy absorbing harness, EPS foam to protect against impact and a steel alloy frame.
It has been thoroughly crash tested and it’s very easy to install in the car.
Drawbacks:
It’s fairly expensive and tightening the straps on this car seat is really hard work.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat.
This Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat is one of the smallest convertible car seat on this list and it carries kids of 9 to 40 pounds on rear-facing position and up to 70pounds on front-facing position.
It is made with self-wicking fabrics and it’s well-padded to ensure the baby is dry and comfortable throughout the trip.
Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 is all about comfort and convenience; it comes with TinyFit system for small babies and it can recline to three different positions depending on the baby’s age and mood.
It also comes with an integrated cup holder and you can adjust the headrest and harness quickly with one hand.
Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat has superior side walls for impact and air protection and the stay in car base is actually adjustable.
Maintaining this car seat is incredibly easy because the fabrics are removable with simple snap and you can machine wash and dry them.
This car seat wins the award for the safest and most compact convertible car seat because of the FlexTech multidirectional impact management.
You can fit two or three of these car seats behind you and still have room for luggage.
Drawbacks:
The seat belt buckle is fixed to fit a small baby so if you have a toddler you will have to rethread.
3. Graco SmartSeat All-in-One Car Seat.
Graco SmartSeat All-in-One best car seat for small cars is the only one you will ever need because its all-in one; from the time your child is 5 pounds in rear-facing position to when they are 65 pounds in forward facing position.
When the kid is big enough for school but you still want them to be safe, this car seat converts to a belt-positioning booster until the child is 100 pounds.
The best value convertible car seat must ensure optimum safety for your child and this Graco SmartSeat is not left behind.
The steel reinforced seat enhances durability and strength even in case of accident while the EPS energy absorbing foam protects the kid from impact.
This five-star rated car seat has been crash tested in more ways than one and installing it is very easy.
It has these cool seat-to-base indicators that will help you know when the seat is secured properly to the base and you won’t have to guess.
It’s very easy to adjust the harness on this car seat and the headrest adjusts to six different heights which will come in handy as your child grows.
Graco SmartSeat reclines easily to five positions even when the child is on board and it’s very easy to clean.
Drawbacks:
This car seat is heavy and removing the covers to wash is incredibly difficult.
4. Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat.
Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat offers the most recline options with Recline Sure 9-position leveling system and this means they fit nicely in many types of cars including small vehicles.
Because a car seat is all about safety this Chicco NextFit has exclusive super cinch latch tightener that enables the user to get the most secure fit without much effort.
ts from rear to forward facing position is very easy thanks to the integrated slide path.
The headrest and harness can be adjusted to six different heights and positions in the course of your child’s growth.
The color schemes on this car seat are really great because they hide any wear and tear or stains although the pad inserts can be removed and machine washed in an instance.
The NextFit padding is classic and ensures your baby’s head is safe from impact.
Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat has great features such as the removable infant insert for newborn babies, built-in lock-offs to make installation easy, LATCH storage compartments and a thermal insulated cup holder.
It is a great convertible car seat that will serve you until your child is big enough to sit on their own.
Drawbacks:
The material used on the car seat is not ideal for hot climate because it can get hot.
5. Britax USA Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat.
Britax USA Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat uses ClickTight Installation System which is the safest and easiest installation technology in the market.
All you have to do is open the car seat front, run the seat belt across and click the seat shut.
Britax USA best compact Convertible Car Seat has more than enough safety features including SafeCell impact protection that entails energy absorbing base, steel frame and V-shaped tether that ensures the seat wont rotate.
It also has staged-release stitches to ensure the seat won’t move back and forth during a crash and a deep foam liner to absorb energy and protect your child’s head from impact.
Tightening the harness and straps on this car seat is not a guessing game because it has a Click and Safe indicator and audible click to confirm when the harness is properly tightened.
This harness can also be adjusted up to 14 different positions while the buckle can be adjusted twice to cater for your child’s growing needs.
If your car is really small and you still want to travel with the baby, this Britax USA Boulevard is the best choice because it’s a really small infant car seat.
This car seat will serve you from the time your child is 5 pounds in rear-facing position until they enter pre-school.
Drawbacks:
This car seat is a bit pricey and the pads cannot be removed to machine-wash.
6. Disney APT Convertible Car Seat, Mouseketeer Minnie.
Besides being the most beautiful car seat in the world, this Disney APT Convertible Car Seat has great side impact protection for you little one.
It’s designed to handle kids from 5 to 40pounds as a compact rear facing car seat and 22 to 40 pounds forward facing.
Comfort is guaranteed in this car seat thanks to the Minnie touch evident in the mouse-ear head rest and sweet soft pink silhouette.
Disney APT Convertible Car Seat has a secure 5-point harness that you adjust up-front as your child grows to ensure they are secure and comfortable.
Other great features in this Disney APT Convertible Car Seat include LATCH to make installation easy and two cup holders for you and the baby.
The adorable Minnie features and colors make this seat very pleasing to children and it even soothes them to sleep.
It is a small and lightweight car seat that will leave ample room for other passengers and even luggage.
There is nothing like a car seat that children enjoy from the time they are infants to when they are old enough to leave it.
Drawbacks:
Disney APT Convertible Car Seat is better for kids who are over 6 months because it’s a bit wide.
Buying Guide For The Best Infant Car Seat For Small Cars.
Buying the best infant car seat for small cars is one of the most important decisions you will ever make because it will determine the survival of your precious child in case of a crash.
The main thing one should look for in small toddler car seats is safety; it must be installed correctly and it must meet and surpass federal safety standards in a crash test.
It is easy to think that that the best convertible car seats for compact cars are expensive but you can get high quality at a very affordable cost.
Other factors to consider before buying the best infant car seat for small car include;
- Size:
The best car seat for small cars should be lightweight and compact enough to fit in the smallest vehicle and still leave room for other passengers and luggage.
The size is reduced by having a narrower seat that lacks unnecessary features like cup holders and extra winged sides.
- Extra Features:
The safest car seat must have some special safety features and technologies like side impact protection, EPS foam, and energy absorbing harness and TinyFit system for new born babies.
The more safety features it has the better.
- Ease Of Use:
The best car seat on the market should be easy to install properly and features like push-button LATCH makes things easier.
It should also be easy to convert from rear facing position to forward facing and the harness and head rest should be adjustable to cater for growing children.
- Comfort:
Your child will spend a lot of time in the best rear facing car seat for small cars and even sleep there so comfort must be guaranteed.
Well-padded seats, multiple recline positions and a good harness all contribute to comfort.
A head rest should also be available and adjustable according to age and the fabric should be soft and machine washable.
Conclusion:
All the above choices are good convertible car seats so they will serve you for a couple of years.
You can find the best infant car seat for small cars in any price range but it’s not recommended to buy a second hand seat for safety reasons.