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When choosing the right car seat for your family’s needs, it’s almost a no-brainer that you should go with a convertible one. Or, in other words, one that your baby can use throughout all stages without worry over needing to eventually buy a new one to suit their needs when they grow out of their first car seat. This Recaro ProRide Convertible Car Seat review could either make or break your decision on going with this particular car seat, but at least on paper, it definitely has what most parents need in getting their baby a car seat that’s long-lasting.
Eventually, you’ll need the proper booster seat for your child, but until they reach that 65-pound mark, you can use this car seat for all of your child’s travel needs, and that means getting used to it for years.
Table of Contents
Recaro ProRide Convertible Car Seat
Whether you plan to go on a long road trip or just need to go out and run errands with your baby in tow, the Recaro ProRide has the kind of comfort and stability you need. Its Dual Air Flow Comfort System along with the CoolMesh material makes the fabric plenty breathable, while the ergonomic shell of the car seat adds comfort beneficial to your baby or toddler.
Plus, the cushion insert is easily removable for washing or when you’re ready for your child to move up to the next stage of the car seat. At every level, there is a certain amount of comfort offered that also adds safety, and those are one of the most important parts of any car seat.
Features
- The car seat is designed with safety as a priority, with full body side impact protection, the safe and comfortable PUR foam headrest, and a twist-preventing Safety Stripe System for the harness straps.
- The five-point harness is easy to adjust and change as your child grows.
- For easy forward-facing belt lock installation, there is the simple TrueLock belt lock-off.
- There’s also a rear-facing recline to add comfort, safety, and proper installation of the car seat in this position.
- The push-button, built-in LATCH system is easy to use and safely secure to your car’s back seat without some of the hassles that other car seats add.
Pros
- The side padding of the Recaro ProRide is not only safe but adds extra support when your toddler falls asleep in the car seat.
- The cool mesh material in the car seat’s fabric does not trap the heat like the plus fabric of some other car seats.
- It’s easy and simple to tighten and secure the seatbelt and LATCH system.
- You can use it for a long time until your child has reached 65 pounds and only requires the proper booster car seat.
Cons
- There are no cup holders, which can be inconvenient, especially on long car rides.
- Since the ProRide sits high, it might be better suited for SUVs instead of sedans.
- Using the LATCH in rear-facing can be difficult to properly attach it.
How Others Compare
Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
Graco is arguably one of the more popular baby brands out there. So, it should come as no surprise that the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat is comparable to all that the Recaro ProRide Convertible Car Seat offers. It can be used for infants and toddlers, with rear-facing requirements landing at 4-50 pounds and forward-facing being appropriate for toddlers from 22-65 pounds.
It also provides five additional inches of leg room for your little one in the back seat, adding to their overall comfort, and the six-position recline means both safety and comfort for your baby.
Since it’s obviously meant to grow along with your baby or toddler, the headrest also adjusts to 10 different positions as they grow taller. You can also easily adjust the harness straps and store the buckle out of the way with the Fuss Free harness storage.
Pros
- It fits easily in the back seat of most cars, regardless of their size.
- There’s a lot more leg room than you’d find with most other car seats, especially for rear-facing.
- You can keep your little one rear-facing for longer, while still giving them comfort and safety in the process.
- Overall, the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat is also easy to adjust.
Cons
- At times, the seat belt straps will twist more easily, so untangling them becomes a big chore.
- Tightening and securing the seat via the LATCH system initially may prove to be something you need help with to get it done.
- Actually installing the car seat isn’t as easy as some of the other leading ones out there.
The Graco Extend-2-fit is a durable option that adapts to your toddler's needs as they grow. This makes it Amazon's Choice in Convertible Car Seats, and a must-have for us.
Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat
The Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat looks comfortable and accommodating right off the bat, with its layers of cushions and clean edges. In reality, it really is versatile, as it could be the only car seat you’ll ever need, including a booster seat mode.
Your baby can use it rear-facing from 5-40 pounds, with forward-facing from 22-65 pounds, and the high back booster seat from 40-110 pounds. It also boasts an easy 60-second install, with auto-retracting Sure LATCH connectors that can sometimes be stressful with other car seats.
There’s also a big emphasis on safety with this particular car seat since it has E3 side impact protection, which is designed to significantly reduces side impact crash forces up to 50% through three layers of protection against car accidents.
Pros
- You can use the car seat from infancy up until your child no longer even needs a car seat at all.
- It’s a large and comfortable car seat but still manages to fit in the back seat of most cars, even if there’s more than one car seat installed.
- The safety precautions are taken very seriously with the car seat in order to meet or exceed all standards.
- You probably can’t beat the quick and easy install of the Evenflo Symphony DLX All-In-One Convertible Car Seat.
Cons
- Although it’s a safe car seat, it may not support your baby’s head very well if they fall asleep while in it.
- Without a bubble level, it may be hard to know if you have the car seat at just the right angle when rear facing.
- Some parents may find that it doesn’t recline enough for their infant to be totally comfortable in the car seat.
Britax Marathon G4.1 Convertible Car Seat
Like the ProRide, you can use the Britax Marathon G4.1 Convertible Car Seat for a long time with your baby or toddler in both rear and forward-facing positions.
Its signature SafeCell Impact Protection is padding designed to keep your baby or toddler safe while surrounding them inside the car seat and absorbing any crashes. There’s also a 12-position harness to grow along with your child that you can adjust with a simple button and keep your child in the safest and most comfortable position in the car seat.
It’s designed to be rear-facing for babies from 5-40 pounds and forward-facing from 20-65 pounds, so you can really use it as your baby and toddler grow, even if you’ll eventually need a booster car seat.
Pros
- The material and padding are soft and cushiony enough without overheating your child.
- There are multiple ways to adjust the car seat to get the best and safest fit for your child as they grow.
- It’s steel-reinforced, which adds to the strong safety features of the Britax Marathon G4.1.
- As your little one grows, the straps are easy enough to adjust to be able to fit them comfortably and safely.
Cons
- The straps then go across your baby’s hips might feel too tight for them and even dig into their legs.
- There’s only one rear-facing recline position.
- The Britax Marathon G4.1 Convertible Car Seat might be out of some families’ price range, especially since you’d eventually need an additional booster seat.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to a reliable and safe convertible car seat, it’s not hard to see that the Recaro ProRide Convertible Car Seat offers a lot.
Safety is clearly the number one priority for the company and with this particular car seat, it definitely shows. Since most children can use it well beyond their toddler years, the price tag is likely worth it to most families, especially since it means you won’t need to buy another full car seat for your child.
There are certainly comparable car seats to see that other brands do indeed offer some of the same strong qualities that make a convertible car seat great, but the Recaro ProRide Convertible Car Seat is undeniably one of the more top-tier car seats offering comfort, safety, and longevity, and for a fair price.
