Best Convertible Car Seat Under $150

Top Convertible Car Seat Under $150 Reviews

Budget-friendly convertible car seats rank high in safety

If your budget dictates spending $150 or less on a convertible car seat, that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice safety -- which is the reason to buy car seats in the first place. The drawback to a less-expensive model is that it may not be big enough to take your child to the upper weight limit recommendations for a car seat, which means making another purchase later on and thus negating those initial savings. They also are not as easy to use as the higher-end models, so it's important to question how much convenience is worth to you when making your decision.

Even though they come with a much lower price, the Graco My Ride 65 (*Est. $140), Graco ComfortSport (*Est. $90) and the Safety 1st onSide Air (*Est. $80) rank as highly in independent crash tests as the most expensive convertible car seats on the market. The inexpensive Cosco Scenera (*Est. $55) does even better, scoring higher than the top-of-the-line models. Like their more expensive counterparts, the onSide Air and both Graco models have side impact protection.

All of the budget models featured here are LATCH-equipped for secure installation and have five-point harnesses to secure the child. The Graco ComfortSport and My Ride 65 also come with EPS energy-absorbing foam in the event of a crash. The onSide Air does not have EPS foam, but it does have air cushions placed in the seat's side wings that release air to stabilize the child's head and disperse force upon impact.

Inexpensive convertible car seats have fewer convenience features

Unlike higher-end car seats, some of the installation features on lower-priced car seats aren't as simple as pushing a button. All four seats in this category attach to the car's LATCH anchors with locking style hook attachments rather than push-button LATCH connectors, which may require digging between the seats. However, the majority of parents and reviewers find the Graco My Ride 65 relatively easy to install. Likewise, the Cosco Scenera, the Graco ComfortSport and the Safety 1st onSide Air get good feedback on ease of installation from owners, even though they have similar systems.

Harness adjustment is another point of differentiation between pricier models and those that don't cost as much. In the under $150 category, harness height on most models has to be adjusted from the back, which means that you have to uninstall the car seat to make this adjustment. However, all of these models do have the essential feature of harness-tension-adjustment in the front -- meaning that as long as the harness height is set correctly, all you need to do to secure the child in the seat is pull a strap (usually located at the front of the seat, between the child's legs).

The quality of the harness straps themselves tend to differ when you get into the lower-priced car seats. The Graco My Ride 65 does better than the rest, with a majority of parents and reviewers finding the harness relatively easy to use. One independent testing organization ranks the Graco ComfortSport as easy to use, but owners disagree, saying the straps can be difficult to impossible to adjust. Reviewers and parents both note that the harness straps on the Cosco Scenera tend to twist, making them harder to use. Reviewers say the harness straps on the onSide Air can be difficult to loosen once they have been tensioned.

All the seats in this category have at least four harness adjustment points, except for the ComfortSport, which means that taller children likely will outgrow its 13.8-inch harness height before they top out the weight limit. The Safety1st onSide Air is the only car seat in this category with an adjustable crotch strap, which is a considerable advantage as children grow.

Lifestyle considerations beyond price

If a buyer is looking for a less-expensive convertible car seat, the likelihood is that price is the most important lifestyle factor, but the seat must fit the car. The Graco My Ride 65 is a bulkier car seat, thanks to its side-impact protection and built-in cup holders, whereas the Cosco Scenera provides a fit that parents say allows you to place three of the seats across one back seat. The onSide Air and Graco ComfortSport also get better fit-to-vehicle rankings. The manufacturers' websites offer detailed measurements to help determine fit. However, it is worth noting that the models with better fit ratings all have considerably lower weight limits of 40 pounds in the forward-facing position.

It's in the area of weight ratings where the least expensive car seats begin to fall short. The Cosco Scenera, the Safety First onSide Air and the Graco ComfortSport all have upper weight ratings of only 40 pounds front-facing. The updated recommendations call for keeping children front-facing until they are 4 years old or weigh 80 pounds. This means the car seats may have to be replaced before the child is ready to give them up, which negates the cost savings -- an important issue if cost is the primary factor.

The Graco ComfortSport also has a rear-facing rating of only 30 pounds and a lower 13.8-inch harness height, compared to the 40 pounds of the onSide Air. Only the Graco My Ride 65 matches up to the most expensive car seats with a front-facing weight/height rating of 65 pounds and 50 inches. The rear-facing weight rating is 40 pounds. Both Graco models have removable head supports for infants, to help with proper positioning and comfort.

Both the Cosco Scenera and the Safety 1st onSide Air offer less padding and are considered less comfortable than the well-padded Graco My Ride 65 and ComfortSport. However, for quick trips around town or as a spare seat for a caregiver car or a second car, comfort is not as important a consideration. The Scenera and onSide Air have removable cup holders, which are easy to clean, compared to the built-in cup holders on the Graco My Ride 65. The seat covers on the Cosco Scenera, the ComfortSport and the My Ride 65 are easy to remove and are machine washable. The cover for the Safety 1st onSide Air is hand wash only. The Cosco Scenera offers a two-position recline. The Graco My Ride 65 does not recline, but it is described as a comfortable and roomy seat.

Graco My Ride 65 is the top pick in convertible car seats under $150

The best convertible car seat under $150 is the Graco My Ride 65 for its high crash test ratings, side impact protection, infant-positioning insert and high weight ratings that will take a child from infancy through childhood at an affordable price. It does come with fewer convenience features than more expensive models, but most reviewers say the lower price makes up for the lack of features.