Graco Nautilus Elite: First Look Review
The
The Graco Nautilus is a very popular combination seat that converts from a front-facing child safety seat with a 5-point harness to a booster, either high-back or backless. Because of these three modes, Graco calls it a “3-in-1″, though parents should be aware that it does not install rear-facing like some other “3-in-1″ products. The Nautilus accommodates kids front-facing with harness from 20 to 65 pounds, from 27 to 52 inches tall, subject to other height restrictions. It can also be used as a high-back booster from 30 to 100 pounds for kids 37 to 57 inches tall. Finally, it can be used as a backless booster from 40 to 100 pounds for kids 40 to 57 inches tall.
The Nautilus Elite is packed with great features. It starts with a steel reinforced frame. Pivoting side wings around the head are lined with energy-absorbing EPS foam. Graco claims it is side impact tested for occupant retention with the 5-point harness. In addition to the required federal crash testing, they have also tested to the NCAP crash test pulse, one thought to be more severe than the minimum standard. The box also notes that it is tested to the federal standard at extreme hot and cold temperatures. There is an easily adjustable 3-position recline setting. The cover is soft, but not plush, and seems well padded and comfortable. There are a couple of storage compartments and a cupholder. The belly pad, used to keep a hot buckle from touching the child, is perhaps the best one I’ve seen on any model as it always seems to stay in place.
As you can see in the video above, the shoulder belt lock-offs are a nice addition. Though the standard Nautilus usually installs fine in most newer cars without lock-offs, the Elite can save some time and hassle in some situations. That includes vehicles that do not have the LATCH system, models that do not allow you to use LATCH in the center seat and for kids above 48 pounds (see owners manuals for more information).
My son is 5 years and 4 months old and somewhere just over 45 pounds and 45 inches tall. My daughter has long outgrown the harness, as her shoulders are above the top slots that I measure to be about 18.25″ for seated torso height. She is also near the limit of the high back booster mode, as you can see below. She just turned 10 years old, is 55 inches tall and weighs 79 pounds. Both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit her well. The shoulder belt guides appear open enough so as not to catch the seatbelt in most vehicles.
Disadvantages? For an Elite version, it lacks premium LATCH hardware with push-button adjusters and releases that would have been a great improvement over the basic hooks and tilt-lock adjuster provided. As I mentioned in the video, it may not work in some vehicles with fixed head restraints or short seat cushions. It did work fine with the head restraints in my 2006 Honda Odyssey (above), but I had to remove the head restraint in our 2010 Toyota Prius to keep it from pushing the Nautilus away from the vehicle seat. The Nautilus is a heavy seat: about 26 pounds. As I have mentioned in other reviews, I am disappointed to see models like the Nautilus Elite continue the trend of manufacturing in China, especially since it is not a budget model. Finally, we don’t suggest that you use a combination seat starting at the 20 pound minimum allowed by Graco. We prefer to see kids remain rear-facing well beyond 20 pounds and to at least 2 years old, preferably longer!
Overall, the Graco Nautilus is a very nice combination seat. We continue to recommend it for older kids who are no longer rear-facing. As for whether to buy the Elite version or not? That is up to you! The shoulder belt lock-offs can be very handy for seatbelt installs and the adjustable headwings are a nice feature, too. Whether you choose the Elite version for the extra features or the
This review sample was provided by Graco Baby (thank you!). Stay tuned for another opinion in a full review!
Reader Comments
I’m so glad you posted this! My mom has really bad arthritis in her hands and has a really hard time getting my kids out of their car seat when she has them. We need her to take the kids this weekend, and were thinking of getting her a new seat for my FFing 3.5 year old son. I remembered this morning that she had an easy time with DD’s (was DS’s) SS1 buckle, so I thought of the Nautilus!
Tomorrow we’re going to trade in a Scenera at the BRU trade in event and get the Nautilus Elite for my mom! My parents have a much easier time with a belt lockoff. This review was extremely helpful!
Graco says once current stock is gone, they’re switching to a traditional push-button on all seats, including the Nautilus/Nautilus Elite. If you like the side-push button buckle, call or write and tell them that! They won’t continue it without customer input that it’s desirable.
Oooh, I didn’t know it was a BRU exclusive! Good point about the regular old LATCH hooks, These might be more tempting with nicer push on connectors (No one really seems interested in the belt lockoff, and the headwings don’t seem to move much, so the extra $20 is only spent if someone likes the brown cover…too bad it’s not a color that would match all cars better :/ )
Correcting myself, I see you have a different color from the ones they have in store, Gabe, which is a very nice, soft cover, it just clashes with gray interiors (matches most shades of french fries, gold fish, and cheerios, but no one seems convinced when I tell them that is a good thing, lol).
Julie, I’m with all thos parents that don’t like Gabe. It just looks like an old couch to me although I guess I might tolerate it if I had a tan interior. I’m so glad they have another option! I think it might be perfect (aside from not having some cute boy cover) if it had push-button LATCH connectors.
I did write to them regarding changing the buckles. The current buckles allow my mom to use to 2 hands to open it, and therefore are much easier to use.
We bought the seat today, and so far I love it. It wasn’t super easy to put together, but other than that it was great. The belt-lock-off is one of the reasons we got the ugly Gabe. My parents have a much easier time using the seat belt rather than the lower anchors and I love the lock off for them.
Thanks again for this timely blog!
Oh great point! I intended to mention that the Nautilus is “Some Assembly Required” but completely forgot! It’s also requires disassembly to convert to booster mode and back, but it’s not too bad.
I bought both of my daughters this carseat a few months back. I really love them, but I have one problem. When my girls fall asleep there heads fall foward. It looks unsafe and uncomfortable. Do you have any comments or suggestions?
I just bought a Nautilus today (not Elite) at Target. They’re on sale right now for $125.99. Overall, I do not like it as well as my Frontier 85, but there are some things I prefer on the Nauti. For example, my son can buckle and unbuckle himself in it, whereas I have to do it for him in the Frontier.
For such a lower price, and with good reviews all over car-seat.org, I do think this is a great seat for the price. At full price, or price of the Elite, I would definitely go for the Frontier on sale somewhere, assuming you can install it well in your car.
Thanks for the review. It pointed out some things that I had not yet noticed in the seat.
We got the Elite for my daughter and she’s been happy with it. We have a Frontier in our minivan and didn’t want to spend as much money for our second vehicle. She had a STRONG preference for the Frontier over the regular Nautilus. She loves to rest her head against the wings on the Frontier and they are too wide for her liking on the regular Nautilus.
We tried her in the Elite, moved the adjustable headwings, and she was happy! She likes them moved in as far as possible and will nap or rest with her head against one.
The Gabe pattern is really soft and she likes that. The insert for smaller children is extra cushy but can only be used with smaller children. My kids are still rearfacing in other seats when they are short enough to use that cushy pad.
Thanks!