Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsGreat-Designed Easy Installation, Ok Width, Very Heavy
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019
My goal in a convertible car seat was obviously, safety first, but also something that didn't take up too much space (both width and length), was easy to install safely, had a cover that could be removed easily for cleaning, and easy to use in the day-to-day.
After doing a LOT of reading and research, I ended up ordering my top 4 options, 3 that were in the $250-300 range: the Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat, the Chicco NextFit Zip Convertible Car Seat, the Diono Radian 3RXT Convertible Car Seat, and one economical one: Evenflo SureRide DLX Convertible Car Seat ($100). I ended up keeping the Britax though none of the 4 had everything I was hoping for.
I drive a Hyundai Ionic and wanted a convertible car seat that would fit in the middle seat with a chicco keyfit 30 on one side and a passenger on the other with a tolerable level of comfort. I installed each seat I purchased in the middle seat next to the chicco keyfit 30 and my reviews are based mainly off of this position. I hope all my efforts can help others. I was not asked to rate these seats by any of the companies or sellers, my hope is to help others in a similar situation.
Pictures below of the seats are in the following order from left to right: Britax, Chicco, Diono, and Evenflo.
Britax Boulevard:I was very impressed with the ease of fastening with the seatbelt. I didn't even try with the anchors because the seatbelt was so easy and is the recommended method. It kept the seat impressively secure both in the window or the middle seat front or rear facing. A big downside was that the seat covered the buckle for the window-seat belt (in my car) so a third passenger option is impossible unless you purchase an extender which is what I decided to do (you can find them for around $20).
I am unimpressed with the cooler material option which I ordered as there are small circles cut out of the top layer of material and I can imagine it being a disgusting mess in the future. I cannot comment on the actual benefit of the material since keeping the child from over-heating in very hot climates could outweigh the nasty crumb-hoarding that could happen.
It is tricky to understand where the indicator should be on the level when it is rear vs. front facing but once you figure it out, that's not a problem.
The cover removes fairly easily but there are a few separate pieces to be removed which could be nice if only a part needs washing, or a pain if all parts need washing.
The shoulder belt insert moves up and down very easily to adjust with the changing height of the child.
Chicco NextFit Zip:I had high hopes for this one since I have loved the Chicco Keyfit 30 but I was disappointed and expected more with such a high price. The zip-off cover seems very handy. The seat was very difficult to install and I could not get a safe installation in my car with it next to the infant car seat either back or forward facing. The installation back-facing behind the passenger seat with the anchors was easy but I was not able to tighten it enough to be safe and forward facing I could not figure out a way to transfer the anchors to the back for use at the back (they are also only approved for up to 40lbs) and it was challenging to get the seatbelt tight enough for a stable installation.
The pro is that I was able to fasten the passenger seatbelt when the seat was positioned in the middle of the backseat. It felt cosier than the Britax Boulevard but because of the style of the base and fastener connections, it kept as path open for fastening.
It is easy to change the recline, lever releases cleanly. Clear instructions for leveling based on rear or front facing.
Diono Radian 3RXT Convertible Car Seat
I bought this one even though Consumer Reports did not give it a very good rating (their reviews at the time of my research were based largely off of ease of correct installation since that is such an important factor in safety). They advertise as being able to sit 3 across and this is definitely a great option if that is a main priority. It is very heavy, can fold up a bit for easier storage, and definitely has a lower profile as is clear in the photos. It can take up a bit more space when rear facing so the passengers in the front would likely lose more leg space as compared to these other seats. I really wanted to like this one enough to keep it, but the cover is much more complex to remove and though you can probably get a good installation, it just takes a lot more effort and time. If I ever had to put 3 across in my car, I would buy this as a third seat. With three across (of the brands mentioned above) though, it would be very challenging to get it installed and for the child to use the in-car seatbelt unless you get an extension.
Evenflo SureRide DLX Convertible Car Seat
This carseat hardly compares to the others. It is much simpler, but that is what I would expect for one with a much more reasonable price. The biggest pro is the weight which is about a third of the others. My sister-in-law has 5 children, owns this seat, and loves it. Her favorite aspect is the ease of cleaning the cover and this one definitely is the easiest compared to the other 3. There is nothing fancy about installation and with it in the middle next to the chicco keyfit 30, like the chicco nextfit and diono, it is very challenging to get the seat secure. The width dimensions are similar to the Chicco NextFit and Britax thought the Britax is about 1/2 and inch smaller than both. I will likely buy one of these in the future to use as a travel seat when flying due to it's light-weight and to prevent damage to my nicer every-day use car seat.
