Best infant car seat for classic cars
July 19, 2022Are you looking for the best infant car seat for classic cars? Here is a list of the best 5. However, before you can take that cautious, white-knuckled first drive home with your new baby, you must be properly equipped. An infant car seat can be used from birth until the child reaches the height of 30 inches or weighs 30 pounds. It varies by family, but the seat will almost certainly be included until a child is between 9 months and 2 years old.
All infant seats sold in the United States must meet the same safety standards. However, with over 60 models to choose from, navigating the purchase can be difficult. We’ve spent the last four years consulting safety experts, scouring reviews, talking to other caregivers, and putting our top contenders through real-world tests. And we’ve decided on three infant seats that do the best job of keeping you and your precious cargo safe and comfortable.
How we chose Simple to install
Because a proper fit is critical for safety, we prioritized seats that were simple to install and did not require excessive force.
Safe
We looked at independent crash test results and ease-of-use ratings (if available), as well as the individual safety features of the seats.
Field-tested
Instead of conducting our own crash testing, safety experts advised us to focus on how the seats performed in the real world.
User-friendly
We made certain that our selections were easy to carry, adjust, and use.
Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX – Best Infant car seat for classic cars
The Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX is the complete package of usability, quality, and value. When using the base, it’s one of the simplest infant seats to install, whether using a seat belt or the LATCH method. The SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX is a fashionable seat with a high-end appearance. It also has some nice extras usually reserved for more expensive seats, such as a removable seat pad for easier cleanup, harness straps that don’t have to be undone and rethreaded to adjust, and one-handed handle adjustment.
Graco SnugRide 35 DLX infant car seat has an anti-rebound base (a metal bar built into the seat’s base), which can help limit how much the seat rotates (or rebounds) after the initial impact of a crash.
Setbacks of Graco SnugRide 35 DLX
The SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX isn’t the lightest seat we tested, but it’s also not too heavy to carry comfortably, and it’s simple to use and click into and out of its base. The seat can accommodate babies up to 32 inches or 35 pounds (this is the category’s upper limit, and it’s likely to be more than most people will require). The only real disadvantage of the SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX is that its no-base, seat-belt-only installation was difficult to execute—it was difficult to get the seat in snugly, which is a common issue with infant seats.
Because most people prefer to use the base with their infant seat, this may not be a problem. However, if you intend to go without a base frequently, such as for frequent taxi rides or travel, the SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX may not be for you. It is also less compatible with stroller brands than our other two picks.
- Seat weight (without base): 1012 lbs.
- Baby height 32 inches
- Weight 35 pounds
Stroller compatibility: This seat is compatible with Graco strollers, the Baby Trend Snap-N-Go, and many Joovy strollers without the purchase of an additional adapter. It is compatible with more brands with an adapter (sold separately), including Baby Jogger, BOB, Mockingbird, and Thule.
IZI TWIST B-E ISIZE BE SAFE – Best Infant car seat for classic cars
The best premium car seat is a rotating seat that keeps your child rear-facing until they are four years old.
SPECIFICATIONS
- 15kg in weight
- Six months to four years of age
REASONS TO BUY
- Rotates for easy access to your child
- Easy to install and includes safety indicators
- Extra support for newborn babies
REASONS TO AVOID
- Expensive to buy
- Heavy to lift into and out of the car
- Takes up a lot of space
This i-Size car seat is an extended rear-facing seat, according to us. That means your child can travel in the safest position possible – facing the back of the car rather than the direction of travel – until the age of four. It also rotates, making getting your baby in and out of the car a breeze. We also appreciate the electronic indicators that ensure the seat is securely installed in your vehicle.
This seat has three layers of safety features, including built-in side impact protection in the seat shell, and has passed the world’s toughest crash test. It has four recline positions and an adjustable headrest with 11 settings. It comes with a baby shell and a head hugger to provide extra support for newborns.
KeyFit 30 by Chicco – Best Infant car seat for classic cars
The Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seat is the Coke Classic of infant car seats: It’s a crowd-pleaser for a reason, and it’s been a longtime favorite. The KeyFit 30 is simple and straightforward to set up, especially when using the LATCH system. Installing the base with the seat belt is also simple, but it does require some force to get it in tightly (we had to physically sit on the base to apply enough pressure) (we had to physically sit on the base to apply enough pressure). The KeyFit 30’s seat-belt-only, no-base installation, like that of our top-pick Graco seat, leaves a lot to be desired; it’s difficult to get it in snugly.
KeyFit 30 is lightweight (about a pound lighter than the Graco), comfortable to carry, and easy to adjust. The bucket seat slides in and out of the base with ease. It has a lower weight and height limit than our other two picks, so it may not be suitable for larger-than-average babies or families who want to use an infant seat for an extended period of time. However, it should be able to accommodate most tots for at least a year, which is usually sufficient.
Setbacks of KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat for Classic Cars
Although the KeyFit 30 costs slightly more than the Graco, it lacks some of the Graco’s convenient extras, such as the no-rethread harness, a removable seat pad, and one-handed handle adjustment. The KeyFit30 also lacks an additional safety feature, such as the Graco’s anti-rebound base or the Clek Liing’s load leg. However, we consider those to be extras rather than necessities. (Please keep in mind that the Chicco KeyFit 30 ClearTex is the same seat at the same price.) However, instead of the standard polyester fabric, the cover is made with Chicco’s new ClearTex fabric, which has received a Greenguard Gold certification for lower emissions and fewer added chemicals.)
- Seat weight (without base): 912 lbs.
- Baby height and weight limits are 30 inches and 30 pounds, respectively.
Stroller compatibility
This seat is compatible with Chicco strollers, the Baby Trend Snap-N-Go, and many Joovy strollers without the purchase of an additional adapter. It is compatible with many more brands with an adapter (sold separately), including Baby Jogger, BOB, Britax, Mockingbird, Thule, and Uppababy. (Note: We’ve been informed that the Chicco adapter no longer fits properly on the Baby Jogger City Mini 2. It is one of our top picks in our guide to the best infant car seat for classic cars, due to a minor model update in 2021).
LiteMax DLX Infant Car Seat with Load Leg Base by Evenflo
35 lbs, 32 inches | $$
If you’re looking for a more affordable infant car seat, LaBracio suggests Evenflo’s LiteMax DLX. “It’s consistently a top pick for a safe, affordable infant seat among child-passenger safety technicians,” she says. “It has a lot of features that are only found in much more expensive seats. It includes a load leg, which is a huge bonus in a $100 seat.” (A load leg helps to stabilize the car seat.) Other notable features include a no-rethread harness and an adjustable headrest, and light weight. Customers describes it as “really light” for an infant car seat. It can hold infants weighing four to 35 pounds.
