Convertible Car Seat Review

Choosing a convertible car seat

This report discusses convertible car seats, which can be used in the rear-facing position for newborns and infants up to about 30 pounds and in the front-facing position for older babies and toddlers up to about 40 pounds (or more depending on the model). See our companion report on infant car seats if you want a car seat that doubles as an infant carrier. Also see our report on booster seats for toddler car seats and booster seats for older kids.

The most extensive safety testing can be found at ConsumerReports.org, which conducts crash tests with methods similar to those used by the federal government. The book "Baby Bargains," by Denise and Alan Fields, also offers a wealth of information on baby gear. Although the Fields don't conduct crash tests, they do examine every other aspect of the car seats and compare their own reviews to those of ConsumerReports.org, explaining any discrepancies between the two. The "Baby Bargains" companion website contains updates to the information provided in the book. "Baby Bargains" also covers more models than ConsumerReports.org, which has only tested 16 current convertible seats.

The third and final site that earns a high ranking in our review section is the official site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which offers a comprehensive ease-of-use rating system. This system assigns each seat a rating from one to five stars for labels, instructions, securing the child, installation features and overall ease of use. While this is helpful, it's not nearly as comprehensive as the convertible car seat reviews found at ConsumerReports.org and in "Baby Bargains."

Bloggers improved their coverage of car seats this year, and CarSeatBlog.com is a true standout. Author Heather Murphy takes ConsumerReports.org to task for its bare-bones ratings and lack of transparency, but this site is still a long way off from presenting a true challenge to the leaders.

Owner-written reviews have also continued to evolve. Buzzillions.com, which draws content from various online sources, now consistently has the largest review base and ratings volume. With an exceptional user interface and additional features like user-type sorting and aggregate lists of pros and cons, Buzzillions.com is becoming a contender for top user-review site. Amazon.com and Epinions.com remain trusted and relatively unchanged.

Convertible car seats serve a few purposes. First, they are an alternative for parents who do not wish to buy new car seats as their child grows, since they can generally hold an infant from birth until the child has reached 40 pounds (or as high as 65 or 80 pounds for some convertible car seats). These seats can be secured to face rearward until a child is at the right height and weight, at which time the seats can be turned around (converted) to face forward. Most experts say a baby should be placed in a dedicated infant car seat -- which faces rearward and is designed to allow an infant to recline at a safe angle -- until the child is at least a year old and weighs more than 20 pounds. Pediatricians and NHTSA officials now recommend that babies and toddlers be kept in rear-facing car seats for as long as the seat will allow (usually 30 or 35 pounds) even if they're well beyond a year old.

Britax, a British company that has sold car seats in the U.S. for more than 10 years, sweeps reviewers' picks for the best convertible car seats, even though they cost more -- sometimes twice as much -- as other convertible car seats. In reviews, parents generally agree that the price is worth it.

With car seats, price isn't necessarily and indicator of quality, however. Although the expensive Britax car seats get good reviews, the even more expensive Recaro Signo (*Est. $300) cracked during ConsumerReports.org crash tests in a simulated 30 mph frontal impact. The Signo still meets federal standards, however, because "the shell did not crack completely, and because the location of the crack would not come into contact with the child," ConsumerReports.com editors say. Recaro has also recalled Signo car seats manufactured between Feb. 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2008, because of concerns about the harness strap adjuster.

A recent version of the Evenflo Triumph Advance (*Est. $150) also failed ConsumerReports.org's simulated 30 mph frontal impact. Evenflo was quick to respond with a redesign, and the newer version passes all government tests and independent crash tests by ConsumerReports.org. The Evenflo Triumph Advance gets good feedback from parents. Owners posting to user-review sites say it is comfortable and easy to adjust, although some report problems with twisting straps. The NHTSA, however, gives this convertible a below-average ease-of-use score. Otherwise, the Evenflo Triumph Advance has good features like washable pads and energy-absorbing foam, and it's rated for children who are 5 to 35 pounds in the rear-facing position, and 20 to 50 pounds in the forward-facing position. It's worth noting that Evenflo didn't change the name of this model after its redesign. As such, it's important to note when a car seat was made, not just whether that particular model is highly rated.