Posted by The top rated convertible car seats on this list are ones that transition from rear-facing to forward-facing and use a 5-point harness restraint system. They’re made to accommodate infants and children from as little as 4-5 lbs. and up to 50-65 lbs. depending upon the style.
While convertible car seats are made for infant use, they are more ideally utilized once your baby has outgrown their infant carrier car seat. You can’t carry your infant in a convertible car seat outside of the car. Nor can you use it in combination with a stroller. This is because convertible car seats are big, bulky and heavy. They typically weigh between 15-25 lbs. Talk about solid construction!
If you’re past the point of needing an infant carrier, then you’re ready to purchase one of the top rated convertible car seats on this list. It’ll last through your child’s toddler years until he or she outgrows the weight and height limitations of the seat (around 4 or 5 years of age).
If you’re still using your infant carrier car seat, then these convertible car seats are perfect for a second car in the meantime.
Have a family member such as a spouse or grandparent who will drive with baby less frequently?
They’ll enjoy having a car seat they can use for many years from the get-go… or until you’re ready to put it in your own car!
What are the top rated convertible car seats based on?
To make the list, I’ve selected convertible car seats that receive high ratings from both consumers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).
The NHTSA sets car seat safety regulations and gives a star rating to each car seat based on its overall ease-of-use. Each convertible car seat on this list has a score of 4 out of 5 stars or higher.
Furthermore, these top rated convertible car seats wouldn’t make the list if they didn’t have excellent ratings from verified consumers. You can read the customer reviews by clicking the review link next to each seat.
5 Top Rated Convertible Car Seats
Finally, below are the 5 top rated convertible car seats on the market. They are all available on Amazon with Free Shipping for your convenience.
Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat
Child Size: Infant to “Big Kid”
Rear-Facing: 5-40 lbs. | Forward Facing: 20-65 lbs. | Child Height: 49” or less
The Britax Marathon car seat is the best convertible car seat if you’re looking for simple installation, solid construction and #1 safety ratings.
This car seat features Britax’s easy “ClickTight” installation system. This foolproof system gives you piece of mind that the car seat is always properly installed, no matter who puts it in the car.
Watch how Britax Clicktight installation works here.
The Britax Marathon weighs 25 lbs. – It’s a solid car seat that is super comfy for your little one, while offering optimal impact protection. It’s no wonder that Britax has been awarded #1 in car seat safety technology.
Graco My Ride 65 Convertible Car Seat
Child Size: Infant to “Big Kid”
Rear-Facing: 4-40 lbs. | Forward Facing: 20-65 lbs. | Child Height: 49” or less
The Graco My Ride 65 has a sleek and narrow design and weighs in at just 15.8 lbs. This convertible car seat is perfect for those who have limited space in their vehicle. Have triplets? It may fit 3 in a row depending upon the size of your vehicle’s back seat.
A lightweight car seat like the Graco My Ride 65 is also great for traveling by plane. It is FAA approved for use on aircraft. And, since it is not as heavy as other convertible car seats, it is much easier for toting through the airport.
Chicco NextFit Sport Convertible Car Seat
Child Size: Baby to “Big Kid”
Rear-Facing: 12-40 lbs. | Forward Facing: 22-65 lbs. | Child Height: Up to 49”
The Chicco NextFit is built to accommodate babies and growing toddlers in the rear-facing position (12-40 lbs.) to the forward-facing position (22-65 lbs.). With 9 recline positions and soft cushioning, your child will love riding in the comfort of this plush, convertible car seat.
Even better, installation is easy for you. The Chicco NextFit has a SuperCinch LATCH Tightener making it easy to pull the 25 lb. car seat tightly against your vehicle’s seat. This gives it a firm and secure installation each time.
You’ll also never have to rethread the harness. It adjusts automatically with the headrest as your child grows!
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Convertible Car Seat
Child Size: Infant to “Big Kid”
Rear-Facing: 5-45 lbs. | Forward Facing: 22-65 lbs.
The Peg Perego Primo Viaggio weighs only 11 lbs. making it the most lightweight convertible car seat on the list. This is extremely advantageous if you will be switching it in and out of different vehicles often. Less huffing and puffing for you!
Being lightweight also makes this Italian-made car seat a more viable option for airport travel. Paired with the fact that the Primo Viaggio Convertible is FAA approved, you can lug it through the airport and check it with ease or use it on the aircraft.
Britax Advocate ClickTight Anti-Rebound Bar Convertible Car Seat
Child Size: Infant to “Big Kid”
Rear-Facing: 5-40 lbs. | Forward Facing: 20-65 lbs. | Child Height: 49” or less
If you’re looking for the best of the best when it comes to safety in a convertible car seat, the Britax Advocate is it.
The Britax Advocate has the same great features as the Britax Marathon listed above (super comfortable for baby, Clicktight installation, solid 30 lb. construction, and #1 safety ratings), with a couple extra safety features.
The Advocate has 3 layers of side impact protection (the Britax Marathon has 1 layer). It also has the additional anti-rebound bar. In the event of a crash, the anti-rebound bar reduces the rebound rotation up to 40% when in the rear-facing position. This unique feature helps you attain the ultimate goal: limiting your child’s risk for injury.
Conclusion
Each of the 5 top rated convertible car seats above are made to keep your baby or toddler rear-facing for as long as possible before turning to the face-forward position. This is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
With that being said, always be sure to check the sizing specs for each individual seat to make sure it is the proper fit for your child. No matter how “top-rated” a car seat may be, it won’t effectively keep your child safe in the event of an accident if your child is too big or too small for it.
The last thing to note about these convertible car seats is that they do not convert into a booster seat for older children. This means that you will need to purchase an additional booster seat once your child has reached the maximum height or weight limitations of the car seat.
More Top Rated Convertible Car Seat Styles
The convertible car seats on this list are great for babies to small children around 4-5 years of age. Not quite what you were looking for? Don’t worry, there are other convertible car seat styles to consider.
An all-in-one convertible car seat, for example, transitions from infant rear-facing to toddler forward-facing to big kid booster seat. Find the list of 5 best all one car seat styles here.
Have a 3 or 4 year old already? Consider a harness to booster seat. They convert from a forward-facing 5-point harness car seat to a booster seat that uses your vehicle’s own seat belt system. Find the list of 5 best harness to booster seats here.