2017 Diono Radian RXT Review: The Folding Carseat that’s Great for 3-Across and Extended Rear-Facing
See our review of the updated 2019 Diono 3RXT here
Updated 11-08-18
Recall notice: most Diono convertibles, including the Radian RXT, were recalled in October 2017. See recall details here. 2018 Diono Radian RXT models currently for sale have revised (lower) weight limits and other modifications so this review only applies to RXT models manufactured before the October recall. Updated review is coming soon.
The Diono Radian RXT fills a niche for parents and caregivers looking for a narrow carseat that can hold a big kid. The Radian line of seats is known for being 3-across friendly—when you have a tiny back seat, these are the carseats you generally look at first. The Radian R-series, the R100, R120, and Radian RXT, all have basically the same shell design but features distinguish them from each other. Diono discontinued the R100 and R120 in September 2018 and refreshed the carseats in the form of the 3 R and 3RX. This review will focus on the previous version of the RXT, but the information is similar for all the Radians and we have a review of the new 3 RXT forthcoming.
| Radian Model |
RF Weight Limits
|
FF Weight Limits
|
Booster Weight Limits
|
Features
|
| R100
*Discontinued |
5-40 lbs.
|
20-65 lbs.
|
50-100 lbs.
|
|
| R120
*Discontinued |
5-45 lbs.
|
20-65 lbs.
|
50-120 lbs.
|
|
| RXT
|
5-45 lbs.
|
20-65 lbs.
|
50-120 lbs.
|
|
Radian RXT Weight and Height Limits
- 5-45 lbs. rear-facing with at least 1.5” of carseat above the child’s head or total height of 44”
- 20-65* lbs. forward-facing with a child less than 57” tall
- 50-120 lbs. as a booster with a child 40-57” tall, and child’s shoulders must also be at or above the 4th set of harness slots
*models manufactured prior to 9/5/17 have a forward-facing weight limit of 20-80 lbs.
Radian RXT Overview
- One of the narrowest convertibles on the market: makes a 3-across much easier!
- SuperLATCH deluxe push-on connectors
- 3 crotch/buckle strap positions
- Safe Stop Load Limiter
- Full steel reinforced frame and aluminum reinforced sides
- Folds flat for travel and storage
- Lined with EPS foam
- 12-position adjustable headrest
- 5 harness slot positions
- Rear-facing tether capability
- Low profile makes loading and unloading child easier
Radian RXT Measurements:
Harness height: 9”, 10.5”, 12”, 15”, 17.5”
Crotch strap depth: 3.5”, 5.5”, 7”
External widest point: approx. 17” at widest point at shoulders, 16.5” at widest point at thighs
Internal widest point: approx. 14” at widest point at shoulders, 14.5” at widest point at thighs
Seat weight: 26.5 lbs.
Installation
Rear-Facing Installation
Installation of the Radian is either easy or hard; there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground with this carseat. In order to install the Radian rear-facing, you must first attach the rear-facing base/boot. That base will set the recline for you automatically—you will not need any rolled towels or noodles to achieve a proper angle. In fact, Diono does not allow the use of rolled towels or noodles with Radians.
For an older child who has good head control and can sit upright unassisted, the Angle Adjuster accessory can be used under a rear-facing Radian to make it more upright and give front seat passengers inches more legroom too.
The RF belt path is a closed belt path, meaning it’s enclosed in plastic. If you’ve got big hands, you’ll have trouble fitting the seat belt or SuperLATCH belt through the belt path; I’ve got average-sized hands and have trouble. Because it’s closed, tightening the belt for a tight installation is difficult too. The best way to get a carseat tight is to pull the belt in the same direction as the belt path, but with a closed belt path, you can’t. You’ll eventually get it tight—it takes you longer to do so.
Forward-facing installation
Installing the Radian forward-facing is easier than RF because the cover can be pulled away for access to the FF belt path. Vehicle buckles that are on short buckle stalks or that are even with the vehicle seat may cause concern because the seat belt will bunch in the latchplate the tighter you pull. This is normal for this carseat.
Special forward-facing concerns:
Adjustable Bottom: When installing the Radian forward-facing, models manufactured after May 2016 require that the forward-facing adjustable bottom be lowered, but only if the child is over 25 lbs. Most forward-facing children will be over 25 lbs., so that means you should lower it before installing the Radian FF. Models manufactured before May 2016 have the option of using it, but it increases your chances of a successful FF install.
Safe Stop Load Limiter: This small strap that is attached to the back left of the carseat when you first receive your Radian is called a load limiter. Its purpose is to increase the amount of time over which your child feels crash forces. If you install the Radian FF for a child who weighs under 40 lbs., you must use the Safe Stop. The Safe Stop is never used rear-facing.
LATCH Installation
The SuperLATCH connectors are the deluxe push-on style connectors, but the connectors are beefier with 4 attachment “pawls” instead of the standard 1 pawl. There is an adjuster on one side of this strap. There are storage areas at the top of the shell to store the LATCH and top tether connectors when not in use. The tether strap can be used rear- or forward-facing. While tethering a forward-facing child restraint with a harness is always recommended, a top tether is not required for this seat.
vs. 
Weight Limits for SuperLATCH
| Radians manufactured before September 2009 | 48 lbs. or vehicle manufacturer’s limit, whichever is lower |
| Radians manufactured between September 2009 and March 2014 | In vehicles manufactured after 9/1/05: use SuperLATCH to carseat weight limit
In vehicles manufactured before 9/1/05: use SuperLATCH to 48 lbs. or vehicle manufacturer’s limit, whichever is lower |
| Radians manufactured beginning in March 2014 and newer | 35 lbs. rear-facing
40 lbs. forward-facing |
Once your child reaches the weight limits for SuperLATCH, switch to the vehicle seat belt for installation, whether rear- or forward-facing.
When the carseat is used as a booster, however, it may be LATCHed in at any weight. This is because the LATCH is simply holding the carseat to the vehicle while the seatbelt is restraining the child and will be the device taking crash forces.
Center LATCH installations with Non-Standard Spacing:
Diono allows LATCH installation in the center seating position if the vehicle manufacturer allows it and the LATCH anchor bars are spaced 11-14” apart.
Inflatable Seat Belts
Diono has determined that the Radian carseats can be installed with inflatable seat belts found in Ford Motor Vehicles. This does not include Mercedes vehicles or inflatable seat belts found on aircraft.
Fit to Child
The Radian RXT comes with an infant head pillow and body support. These items are optional and you can remove them at any time.
The Radian also comes with 2 sets of harness pads: a memory foam-padded set that Velcro around the chest clip and a much longer set that are rubberized on the back with metal slides on the end. The shorter harness pads MUST be used forward-facing for children under 65 lbs. (optional for rear-facing). The longer, rubberized set MUST be used forward-facing for children over 65 lbs.
Because of the well-padded cover and memory foam in the seating area, the Radian is a comfortable carseat. It won’t fit small newborns well, even with the body support, because the bottom harness slots are too high. Most kids make it easily to belt-positioning booster seat age in the harness.
The headrest provides just enough support to be comfy without getting in the way. When the Radian RXT is rear-facing and the child is using either of the bottom 2 harness slots, the headrest must be moved to the top-most position.
When used as a booster, the shoulder belt has a tendency to get caught in the shoulder belt guide. This is more pronounced in older versions of the RXT and Diono has tried to fix this problem in the latest update. It’s a serious problem when the shoulder belt gets caught in the belt guide because if a child leans forward and the shoulder belt doesn’t retract automatically, it stays loose and floppy on the child and could lead to the child being severely injured in a crash. The belt fit and geometry is otherwise very good and even earns it an IIHS Best Bet rating as a booster, but the IIHS doesn’t measure booster fit with real, moving kids.
Cover/Maintenance/Ease of Use
The cover is well-padded with a comfortable texture. Diono recommends hand washing or a front loader washing machine. Definitely hand wash the memory foam! Line dry.
The harness adjuster tightens with a tug-tug-tug motion that may take some getting used to by some caregivers. The harness height adjusts from the back of the seat. Each strap is removed from the metal splitter plate and rethreaded through the correct harness slot. Use the slots at or below the shoulders for rear-facing, above for forward-facing. Children whose shoulders are above the top harness slots, yet still weigh less than the maximum forward-facing harness weight limit, may continue to use the carseat. For those children, the tops of their ears must be below the top of the carseat.
FAA-Approval/Lifespan/Crash Guidelines
The RXT is FAA-approved for use in aircraft. It also is a heavy restraint weighing in at 26.5 lbs., so if you do travel with it, you’ll want to use a luggage cart to avoid having to carry it. The RXT does come with a padded shoulder strap for carrying and I suggest buying another to be able to carry it backpack-style if you intend to carry it. Since the Radian seats are some of the narrowest on the market, you won’t have any problems fitting one in a plane seat AND the tray table will be able to come all the way down for a forward-facer. For rear-facing, the Angle Adjuster may make the seat fit depending on the pitch of the seats on the plane your flying. Buying a snack for the person in front of the carseat certainly doesn’t hurt ;). Remember that it can only be used with the harness on the plane since belt-positioning booster seats can’t be used on planes.
Radians manufactured before May 2016 have expiration dates of 8 years as harnessed seats, 10 years as belt-positioning boosters. Radians manufactured as of May 2016 and newer have 10 year expirations from date of purchase (or DOM if you didn’t save your receipt).
Diono recommends replacement after any crash.
Advantages
- 3 Crotch Strap Positions: Having a choice of crotch strap positions makes the harness more comfortable for bigger kids.
- Low and narrow footprint means it’s more likely to fit in tight spots.
- Padded Cover: A thickly padded cover, plus the memory foam in the bum area, makes for a comfy seat.
- Folds flat for travel and storage
- Low profile makes loading and unloading child easier
- Can be installed with Ford Motor Company inflatable seat belts
Disadvantages
(In all fairness, these aren’t necessarily problems but I list them here to inform potential consumers of specific Radian RXT issues)
- Low LATCH weight limits
- Harness Adjuster: It’s tug-tug-tug can be frustrating for some used to a smooth adjuster on an infant seat.
- Installation: Often more difficult depending on the vehicle, with a higher learning curve due to the various features.
- Snug fit of the shoulder belt in booster mode is poor; shoulder belt can get caught leaving slack.
- Heavy for a carseat designed for travel
Conclusion
The Diono Radian RXT is a solid convertible seat with great rear-facing features. Its high height and weight limits accommodate big kids both rear- and forward-facing, yet it takes up less space than many of its competitors. For narrow backseats or 3-across situations, you simply can’t beat the width of the RXT. Features like rear-facing tethering, thick padding, and solid construction make the Radian RXT a solid purchase.
Thank you to Diono for supplying the RXT used in this review!
Ok thanks again Heather! This site sure makes the daunting task of choosing a car seat much easier! Especially for those of us who have to do our shopping online!
Our 14-month old is tall and we’re ready to move from the infant bucket to a convertible seat. We’re looking at the Radian because we travel quite a bit and want to have one seat that we can use in the car and take on planes with us (she will ALWAYS be in a restraint on planes). Do you know if the Radian will install rear-facing on a plane (typical economy class)? It seems like the only other option is to buy a smaller seat that we’ll just use for travel, though we’d rather avoid having to buy two.
Mari, the biggest difference is that the NextFit is taller, so it will last a taller RFer for longer. It also has built-in lockoffs, which may make installation easier, but you have locking seat belts in your ’99 Camry, so it’s not like you’d be using a locking clip anyway. They both have fine Italian fabrics, though Peg’s has a little more refinement :).
Ok thanks so much Heather! I think I’m going to go ahead and go with an easy adjust harness for hubby’s car. Is there a major difference between the Peg Viaggo 5-70 and the Chicco next fit? My husbands 99 Camry does not have LATCH and we will be using the restraint rear facing.
@Jen, were you installing with LATCH or the seat belt? It can be tough to get tight because of the closed belt path–you can’t lift the cover and grab onto the LATCH strap or seat belt and pull it tight. What you have to do is pull from the other side of the carseat, through the belt path. If you’re doing a seat belt install, how close is the buckle to the edge of the belt path?
We just tried to install in our 2011 Honda CRV and 2013 Chevy Silverado. With both, the carseat reclined too far back, and there was no way anyone could ride in the front passenger seat. We also could not get the seat fastened tightly. The base moved easily from side to side. I am going to get the angle adjuster, but does anyone else have any recommendations for how to make this work?
It depends on how often you’ll be switching between the kids. If it’s only once every couple of weeks, I probably wouldn’t mind doing it. But if it’s going to be more frequent than that, I’d look for a seat with a no-rethread harness where you just push the button and lift the headrest.
Ok thanks! Good to know that the Radians have a rear tether! I didn’t know that, since there are no stores near me that carry these types of car seats I will need to order one online. I think the low sides of the Radian will work better for my 3 yr old climbing in and out so thank you for pointing that out. Now all that’s left to decide on is what to get for hubby’s car. We want to get one car seat that either child can use but his 2000 Camry does not have LATCH. Do you think the Diono would work ok rear facing with switching 2 different size kids in and out or should we just opt for something like the Chicco Nextfit or Peg Perego Viaggio 5-70 with easy adjust harnesses?
@Mari, it’s great having small kids in the carseat world! It’s a tough call. We don’t know exactly when the new Diono models will be out. Testing can sometimes take longer than expected, pushing the release date for them back into the summertime. While both the Radian and Foonf are comparable for rear-facing, consider how they’d fit in your van. The Foonf is relatively high up vs. the low Radian. That may make a difference in how your 3 yr old gets into the seat.
As far as we know, the new Diono models will have the rear tether, like the Radians, for anti-rebound control.
I like that the Foonf has an anti rebound bar. Will the new Radian have any anti rebound features?
Wow another great review! I have a 1 yr old and 3yr and am looking to get a new seat for my van. My 1 yr old is getting close to exceeding the 22lb weight limit of her infant seat (it is an older model) and my 3 yr old is getting close to exceeding the 33lb RF weight limit of his Combi Zuess 360. We want to keep both kids rear facing as long as possible so we will be moving my 1yr old to the Combi and getting a new seat for my 3yr old. We love what we have read about the new Radian coming out soon and I am willing to wait for it unless you would recommend something else like a Foonf? I will be using the latch system in my van. Are there any other seats you would recommend with a higher RF weight limit? My 3 yr old is kind of on the shorter side.
@Sharon, how does everything fit back there right now? Is it really tight or is there a bit of space? Is your 2.5 yr old rear-facing still? If so, the Radian might just be the seat you’re looking for, especially with the angle adjuster. Another very narrow seat is the Clek Foonf.
Hi
I have my 3 kids (ages 5, 2 1/2 and 1 y.o.) sitting across the backseat of my 2005 Toyota Camry. I own a Graco Snugride, a Combi Cocorro and a Graco High Back Turbo Booster.
My baby is outgrowing the Snugride and my 2 1/2 y.o. the Cocorro. I’d like to put the baby in the Cocorro and buy a new seat for the 2 1/2 y.o.
What seat would you recommend?
thank you very much
Sharon
@Rebekah, no, we haven’t reviewed any Recaro convertibles yet. As far as I know, Diono hasn’t addressed the issue of the headrest falling.
Have you reviewed the Recaro convertible option? Also, do you know if the RXT has been updated at all to address the concern about the headrest falling?
@Beth, the top harness slot height is fairly standard for convertibles. Diono has done specific testing to make the determination that it’s OK for shoulders to go over the slots *on their convertibles*. It’s not something I feel comfortable doing with my children, but since Diono says it’s OK, parents can make that decision for themselves and feel OK.
How do you feel about the harness height? I see that it’s 17.5 inches max, which would be kind of low if the child’s shoulders need to be at or below the harness slot when FF, but Diono is the only manufacturer that says it’s okay for the shoulders to be above the harness when FF. I guess I don’t really understand what makes that safe in this seat but not in others?
@Tasha, the Radian might work with the angle adjuster in the center seat if you’re relatively short. If you’re in the upper 5 foot-6 foot range, I’d say look at the Peg Convertible or the Chicco NextFit. The Britax convertibles would also fit nicely in your Fit and if your ds is maintaining a 50 percentile growth in height, he’d fit in a Britax seat rear-facing past age 3, if that’s your goal.
The reviews on this website are so useful, but making the final choice still seems impossible. We drive a 2013 Honda Fit. Our son is 13m, 30″ (50 percentile), 22# (30 percentile). He is close to outgrowing his Graco Snugride. What is the right car seat for the Fit? The Radian with the angle adjuster? The Peg Perego? The NextFit?
Thanks.
@Ashley, the 2 seats you’re considering are pretty different. What seat is your dd in right now? Are you going to turn her forward when she turns 2 or will you consider rear-facing her for longer? If you’ll rear-face her past age 2, then I would consider the Radian. With the angle adjuster, it should fit in your car fine and give you room up front too. The Recaro Performance Sport is a forward-facing only seat.
I am thinking of getting this carseat for my daughter who will be two in Jan.. Tryoing to se what people think abou tthis one and Recaro Performance SPORT Combination Harness to Booster Car Seat.. Since the seat she has now dosent fit in out car good.. We have a Honda CRV.. Thank yall for the feedback 🙂
@Rhiannon, the MDX does have a good-sized back seat for a mid-sized SUV; I’ve been pleased with it. You’ll have to move the front seats up for just about any rf carseat in just about any vehicle unless it’s a full-sized Lincoln Continental. I can’t remember now how far the front seat is moved forward, but it probably was pretty far. If you install it in the center using the seatbelt, it should be a better fit. How old is your child? You can also use the Angle Adjuster to get a lot more room for the front seats.
Great Review i just wish Diono would have more info on measurements like Clek has. I also have an MDX (2009) and looking to purchase but concerned about the length. Right now the Britax B-Safe fits only if the seat is moved up! The sales lady said the MDX is a large vehicle and can fit any seat… Making the passengers side a bit uncomfortable. So what i’d like to know is how far up is your seat?
Thank you for the great review. Was considering this as an all-in-one, but was surprised to find that the booster was pretty much useless (starts at 50 pounds! And doesn’t even work well as a booster).
Sorry if this has been asked, I couldn’t read through all the posts.
I also have an MDX and I’m just curious, does this work rf w/o the angle adjuster behind the driver without having to adjust the driver’s seat forward? If not, when installed in the center seat, can the passenger side sliding seat still slide forward past it? I’m interested in this for how narrow it is, but is it narrow enough for my other kids to still gain access to the third row?
Thanks.