Here at CarseatBlog we’re very familiar with the Evenflo Symphony which first debuted back in 2008. We’ve reviewed the first and second generation models of this popular 3-in-1 and we’re happy to report that the version with enhanced “e3” Side Impact Protection technology continues to impress!
Our most recent review of the 2015 Symphony DLX models can be found HERE.
First, let’s clarify that there are two versions of the Symphony that are currently available on store shelves. The Symphony DLX (previously named the Symphony 65 e3) is the premium model with SureLATCH connectors and deeper headwings for enhanced protection in side-impact crashes. The Symphony 65 LX model has different headwings, lacks the high-end e3 foam (but still has plenty of energy-absorbing EPP foam) and has nice push-on lower LATCH connectors instead of Evenflo’s patented, self-ratcheting “SureLATCH” connectors.
Both models are very nice although I personally prefer the DLX version with deeper headwings if your child is going to be riding in either of the outboard seating positions in your vehicle. If you plan on installing the carseat in the center position of your backseat (which is considered the safest spot in the vehicle since it’s the furthest away from any potential point of impact), then I think either model is fine. Of course it never hurts to have more protection than your child might need but if you’re drawn to the LX model because you prefer the standard push-on connectors, or if you’re just trying to stay within your budget – the LX model still has a lot of great safety and convenience features to offer.
Currently, the “Porter” and “Ocala” fashions (pictured below) are available on Amazon.com and may offer the best Symphony DLX value.
Evenflo Symphony 65 e3/DLX Specs:
- Rear-facing: 5-40 lbs, at least 19″ tall, top of the child’s head is at least 1″ below the top of the headrest in either of its two lowest positions
- Forward-facing with 5-pt harness: 20-65 lbs, at least 1 year old, height of 50″ tall or less (shoulders must be at or below top harness position and top of ears must be below the top of CR headrest)
- Booster mode with vehicle lap/shoulder belt: 40-100 lbs, at least 3 years old, height 43.3 – 57″ (top of ears must be below the top of CR headrest)
Features:
- Infinite Slide harness system easily adjusts to the perfect height for your child
- Single crotch strap/buckle position
- 3 position recline (1 for RF, 2 for FF)
- Premium lower LATCH attachments (either self-ratcheting “SureLATCH” connectors on e3/DLX model or push-on “Quick Connectors” on LX model)
- Thick, energy-absorbing EPP foam which lines the headwings (e3/DLX model has extra foam in the padded cover)
- Integrated steel bars
- 5-position adjustable head support (bottom 2 positions for RF)
- LATCH attachments can still be used in booster mode
- TruTether Adjuster (available on certain models) has indicator which turns green to signal when tether strap is secured tightly enough
- Infant head/body insert
- Attachable cup holder
- FAA approved for use in aircraft (with 5-pt harness)
- 8 year lifespan before expiration
Measurements:
- Lowest harness height: 8″
- Highest harness height: 17″
- Single crotch strap/buckle position: 6.5″
- Booster Mode: 17″ to bottom of extended headwings. The belt guide is actually a little higher but the child’s shoulders will contact the bottom of the extended headwings first, so I count that as top height in booster mode.
- Weight: 20.0 lbs (according to my digital bathroom scale)
- Narrow footprint measures 10 1/2″
Usage Modes & Installation Comments:
Rear-facing: Must use the fully reclined (#1) position. Seat is outgrown in the RF position when child hits 40 lbs or when child’s head is 1″ from the top of the shell with the headrest raised to the 2nd (from bottom) headrest position. I measured 23″ to the top of the headrest in this second position. There is a level-to-ground arrow line on the base. If you need to use a piece of foam pool noodle (or a tightly rolled towel) to help achieve the appropriate recline angle in your vehicle – the pool noodle goes under the edge of the base as pictured below. Do NOT use the tether strap in the rear-facing position but make sure it’s secured to its storage point and not hanging loose where it can fly around in a crash.
Installation with the SureLATCH connectors was quick and easy in the several vehicles I tried. However, I know from prior Symphony 65 experience that that isn’t always the case. Evenflo provides a nice tip in the instruction manual if you’re having trouble getting the LATCH belt to tighten sufficiently using the SureLATCH connectors. And if you can’t get the seat tight enough (less than 1″ of movement from side-to-side and front-to-back when tugging at the beltpath) no matter what you try – switch to a seatbelt installation instead. Just make sure you understand how your seatbelt locks in your vehicle because there is no lock-off device on this carseat for seatbelt installs. Your vehicle owners manual will provide all the details you need on how to secure a carseat with the seatbelt. If you still have questions or need more guidance, please visit our forums at www.car-seat.org and we’ll be happy to help you sort it all out!
Forward-facing: For a child weighing between 20-40 lbs you may install using either the semi-reclined (#2) position OR the fully upright (#3) position. For a child weighing between 40-65 lbs you MUST use the fully upright (#3) position. It’s pretty easy to figure out which of the 3 positions you’re in but Evenflo gives you a nice visual indicator anyway. The arrow on the base lines up with an arrow on the shell and tells you which position the seat is in.
Again, installation with SureLATCH was quick and easy in the several vehicles I tried. However, as I mentioned above, I know using the SureLATCH connectors isn’t always a cake walk. If you’re having issues, try the tip from the manual posted above. If that doesn’t work – switch to seatbelt. Pictured below is installation with seatbelt and top tether. The seat is in the fully upright (#3) position. The SureLATCH connectors are stored by clamping them onto the D-ring that is sewn onto the cover.
Lower anchor LATCH limits: If the child weighs more than 40 lbs, use seatbelt plus tether to install the seat instead of using the lower LATCH anchors in your vehicle. Evenflo recommends using the top tether for all forward-facing installations regardless of the child’s weight or the installation method. The wording in the manual isn’t as clear as it could be. They use the term “LATCH” when they are referring to just the lower anchors and lower anchor connectors. Technically LATCH is an acronym which includes both the lower anchors and tether anchor but that’s not how they use the term in the manual. I think this wording may be more confusing to CPS Technicians and advocates than to consumers. I think most average consumers hear “LATCH” and automatically think “lower anchors”.
Switching the lower LATCH Connectors: The Symphony 65 e3 model has a clear, unique method of switching the lower LATCH strap from the rear-facing beltpath to the forward-facing beltpath and vice versa. You need to unhook the bottom of the cover to see what you’re doing (otherwise you’re going to tangle the straps) but it’s a great feature. The DLX model does not utilize the same setup.
Center installs with non-standard LATCH spacing: Evenflo recently announced that they allow all their seats to be installed in the center seating position with LATCH if the spacing between the lower anchors is 11″ or wider AND if the vehicle manufacturer permits it. This allowance is retroactive. Just make sure you’re not blocking access to an outboard seatbelt buckle if you decide to use LATCH in the center seating position. You don’t want to create an unsafe situation for another backseat occupant just to use LATCH.
Belt-Positioning Booster Mode: Must use the fully upright (#3) position. Harness isn’t removable so there’s a process involved to re-route and store all the components properly. Can continue to use LATCH attachments to secure the seat to the vehicle (seatbelt secures child) unless there is some obvious reason not to do that – like having offset lower anchors that don’t line up with the position of the seatbelt.
Fit to Child Comments:
On the bottom end of the range, this seat would likely fit an average to large newborn well. The doll used in these pictures is 20″ long and is similar in size to an 8 or 9 lb newborn. The infant head/body insert supports the small doll well and the harness straps are level with the shoulders in their lowest position. To be honest, I thought the infant insert made it more challenging to get the doll positioned and buckled in correctly but it did help the harness to fit the small doll better. If you’re planning to use this seat for an older baby, you definitely won’t need to use the insert – it’s pretty small and clearly made for a newborn.
For rear-facing toddlers this seat offers a high, 40 lbs weight limit and decent height growing room although it’s far from best in class in the height dept. I wish Evenflo would allow the headrest to be used in taller height settings. Currently, only the bottom two headrest height positions can be used in the rear-facing position. It’s definitely tall enough to get most kids to 2-3 years old in the rear-facing positions but if you’re one of those parents who wants to rear-face forever without buying another seat down the road, this probably won’t fit the bill. On the plus side, it offers great leg room and doesn’t take up as much room as some of the other, larger convertibles when rear-facing. Pictured below is a petite 22 month old at 22 lbs and 31″ tall.
On the top end of the range most kids will outgrow the 5-pt harness by height before reaching the 65 lbs weight limit. Pictured below is a leggy 48 lb, 49″, 6 year old. She is just at the top height setting on the harness. Kids with long torsos will outgrow the harness more quickly than kids who carry their height more in their legs.
I found great belt fit on both of my models but this seat isn’t very tall in booster mode and it won’t be the last seat your child needs before they can pass the 5-Step Test and ride safely in just the adult seatbelt. The extended headwings on the e3 model actually reduce the amount of growing room a child will have in booster mode. My 7.5 year old, 50″ child wasn’t comfortable in booster mode because the extended headwings protrude down and contacted his shoulders. Personally, I think it’s a reasonable tradeoff. I’d rather have the enhanced SIP of the extended headwings at the cost of a little bit of booster height. There are plenty of dedicated highback and dual mode boosters on the market that can accommodate older, taller kids.
Symphony 65 e3/DLX Advantages:
- 3-in-1: Can be used rear-facing, forward-facing with 5-pt harness and as a belt-positioning booster
- Deep headwings are great for sleeping and enhanced side-impact protection (SIP)
- Infinite Slide Harness System
- Generally easy to install properly with LATCH or seatbelt
- Nice buckle design – easy to buckle and unbuckle
- Easy to tighten/loosen harness straps
- Good rear-facing leg room
- Narrow footprint helps with FF installations in narrow seating positions
- Tether strap should be long enough not to require an extender from Evenflo
- Can use LATCH in booster mode
- FAA approved for use in aircraft (with 5-pt harness)
- Good value for the price
- Cushy & Comfortable (lots of padding in cover)
- Good fit on my models when used in booster mode
- Cover is relatively easy to remove and machine washable (cold water, delicate cycle)
- Made in USA!
Disadvantages: (In all fairness, these aren’t necessarily problems but I list them here to inform potential consumers of specific Symphony 65 e3 issues)
- Wide (not a good choice if you need it to fit next to another CR)
- Harness tightens and loosens at the hips rather than at the shoulders (not a bad thing – just different)
- Harness straps can twist somewhat easily if you’re not careful
- Harness cannot be removed or replaced
- SureLATCH isn’t a sure thing in all vehicles
- No EPP foam behind the head for smaller children
- Lacks harness strap covers (and you’re not allowed to add them either because they might interfere with the Infinite Slide adjuster mechanism)
- No lockoff device for seatbelt installations
- Not very tall in booster mode
Summary:
Overall, the Symphony DLX is a great product with many unique and innovative features. This seat is extremely easy to use correctly. The harness straps tighten and loosen easily with a central front adjuster mechanism. The only difference is that the straps tighten and loosen at the hips rather than at the shoulders. The infinite slide harness adjustment system allows you to set the harness height correctly, and quickly adjust it whenever the child has a growth spurt. The shell height (head support) can be increased or decreased with a simple, one-hand adjustment. There is nothing difficult or awkward about the buckle or the chest clip. Really, when it comes to ease of use – it doesn’t get much easier than this. Just be attentive with the harness and fix it right away if you notice that it’s starting to twist as it routes through the buckle tongues.
As far as I’m concerned, the positives far outweigh the few negatives which is why the Evenflo Symphony is on our list of Recommended Carseats. However, this seat may not be the best choice for parents who want to keep their child rear-facing beyond 2-3 years. It’s also wide so not a great option if you need it to fit it next to another CR or put 3-across in your backseat. Other than that, this seat has many great safety and convenience features that will appeal to a majority of parents and caregivers. Just remember to “try before you buy” whenever possible and at the very least hold onto the box and the receipt until you’re sure this seat works well for your child in your vehicle!
For more Symphony 65 info check out our previous comparative reviews:
The 3-in-1 Throwdown: Evenflo Symphony 65 vs. Graco Smart Seat!
Evenflo Symphony 65 vs. Triumph Advance: Comparative Review of Features
Installation videos can be found on Evenflo’s website here: http://www.evenflo.com/support.aspx?id=460
Thank you Evenflo for providing the Symphony 65 e3 used in this review! No other compensation was provided and the comments and opinions are entirely those of CarseatBlog
I have the symphony 65 E3 DLX, and it seemed great but my daughter cries hysterically in it and always says it’s too tight. I finally got her to tell me what part of the seat truly bothered her and it’s the lack of padding on the back. It feels like fabric wrapped around plastic and is pressing against her spine. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there a solution other than buying a different seat?
We have the Symphony 65 e3 and absolutely love it. We just recently tried to use it with the seat belt and had a terrible time getting it to work. Luckily, our son is still in the range to use the Latch system. The one complaint I see with this review is it says the Latch system can be used with the booster. Please check your car manufacturers manual about weight limits using the latch. Ours is only able to be used up to 48 pounds.
Hi Wendy, happy to hear you love your Symphony! When your son reaches the LATCH weight limit for using the 5-pt harness, please seek out the assistance of a CPS Tech who will help you to achieve a proper, tight installation with the seatbelt. Usually the Symphony is very easy to install with seatbelt once you understand how the seatbelts in your vehicle lock. As for LATCH weight limits – they don’t apply to booster seats because the seatbelt is actually doing all the real work restraining the child. When you use the LATCH anchors to secure the Symphony in booster mode they are just keeping the carseat in place in a crash. They aren’t bearing the full force of carseat + child in a crash like they do when using the 5-point harness. HTH!
Love the seat, but the latch not so much. Rear facing its easy to install. I went to switch to forward facing and the latches don’t even come close to reaching the connectors in my car. I’ve tried everything. It’s too bad that the retract on the latch system isn’t long enough to install properly and using the seatbelt from the car you don’t get a snug fit. Very frustrating!
Have you moved the straps inside the seat (lift up the seating pad and you will see the criscross straps)? That happened to me. Once I moved the straps to the right place for forward facing, i had no problems reaching the connectors.
I am not able to connect both SureLatch and QuickConnector while front facing on position 2 on the Symphony LX 65 Crete on 2012 ML350. It was not a problem while rear facing. I bought the seat from Costco. Anything that I got to do? Right now it is either of the latch along with the tetherhook. Is that OK?
Does the strap not reach the lower LATCH anchor bars in the vehicle? If that’s the case – the problem is that you need to move the straps into the forward-facing beltpath. When you move from rear-facing to forward-facing (or vice versa), you have to manually move the lower LATCH connectors into a different area. More info here: https://carseatblog.com/30683/the-wrong-belt-path/
Depending on which model Symphony you have, your lower LATCH connectors are either “SureLATCH” (big grey connectors) or “Quick Connectors” (typical black push-on connectors). It’s one or the other but regardless you need to use both LATCH connectors plus the top tether. Or, use seatbelt plus top tether. But if you use seatbelt you must understand how the seatbelts in your vehicle lock. I suggest trying to troubleshoot the LATCH issue and find a local CPS Technician to help you out. Good luck!
Hi there,
Thank you so much for writing this review! Upon reading this I headed over to the Babies R Us website and quickly found my self confused. They list a Evenflo Symphonu LX Platinum and a DLX model. Under the LX Platinum it said it had all the same features as the DLX. Could this be a misprint on their info or is the LX model broken into LX and LX Platinum; or is the LX platinum the DLX?
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=28879806&ab=BRU:bproduct_rr:Customers Also Liked:3
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=33790156&ab=BRU:bproduct_rr:Customers Also Liked:4
So Sorry I just want to be sure I am buying the right one!
Thanks, Ashley.
@Ashley – the main difference seems to be the LATCH connectors. The DLX models have the self-ratcheting “SureLATCH” connectors while the LX models have more typical (but still very nice) push-on LATCH connectors. Usually the DLX models have deeper headwings too but it’s hard for me to tell from the picture. I don’t think you can go wrong either way so get the model you like the best! 🙂 HTH!
Hi, we have this seat but lost the manual. I was wondering when we should convert from 5-point harness to the lap/shoulder belt method. Our son is 5.5 years old, 46 lbs and just over 40 inches tall. Is there a specific height or weight when you need to switch? And do you have to do anything different with the seat itself? I’m assuming we’ll have to move it from the middle seat (the safest spot in the vehicle) to one of the side seats? Does that mean we can’t use the tether anymore? Any info would be appreciated! Thanks.
We have been using this seat for about 2.5 years. I recently noticed the straps are fraying near the hip area when fully extended. Evenflo is currently refusing to replace it. And the straps cannot be removed to replace.
I just noticed mine doing the same yesterday and one of them is actually torn halfway through and the other frayed!
I have two of the car seats, because I have twins Both of them the straps are fraying. Very dissatisfied
Ours are fraying as well..A LOT!!!
@Kecia: Thanks for the quick response and clarifying what you meant by locking clip vs lockoff device. I think I remember being shown one when I was checking out other carseats at the store, now that you mention it. They really show make all parents learn and practice using one in those car seat safety classes. I had to use my infant carseat in a friend’s van that doesn’t have auto locking sealbelts and it was difficult to figure out. And I appreciate the advice for the harness straps. I will give that a go and see if it helps. Normally, I just pull his shirt collar up to act as a buffer.
@Carol – the locking clip is not a lockoff although a lockoff can serve the same function as a locking clip. But locking clips are a pain to use and most parents don’t use them correctly – or they use them when they don’t need to. A lockoff is generally much easier to use correctly and eliminates the need to know what type of retractor and latchplate combination your seatbelt has. Unfortunately, the Symphony does not have a lockoff feature.
I agree that the inability to remove the straps is a disadvantage if they can’t be sufficiently spot-cleaned. As for the harness straps – they really aren’t spaced closer than the straps on other seats but the design of the chest clip pulls them inward a little bit. Try lowering the chest clip just below armpit level (but still keeping it at mid-chest level) and see if that makes a difference. HTH!
You state that ther is no lock off device for seat bealt installation, but that is not true. I own a Symphony 65 e3 and the belt locking clip is located on the back of the base just below where you can secure the back tether for rear-facing installation. My only complaints with this seat are 1.) the fact that you can’t remove the straps to thoroughly clean them and 2.) The top of the harness straps are pretty close together (at least for my 22 month old who is about 25lbs and 30.5in tall, with a sitting shoulder height on 11.5in) and they rub against his neck enough to leave a red mark from tightening the straps.
Hi,
Thank you so much for this review.
I was wondering how this seat compares to Britax Pavilion or Boulevard 70-G3 in terms of safety and child’s comfort?
Thank you for this thorough review! We have an Evenflo Triumph Advance 65 DLX with my older son and love the infinite Slide Harness. It’s perfect for our unpredictable climate here in northern New England one day a big heavy coat, the next a t-shirt. I was debating between purchasing another Triumph or getting the Symphony. I love that this seat has the new SureLatch (one of my two complaints about the Triumph). I tested this out in the store and side by side it is actually a tad more narrow than the Triumph (my second complaint- the Triumph is a beast!) The small difference in price for the extend life of the seat is worth it to me. My boys are on the small side so my LO might get the full 8 years out of this seat!
PS- another selling point for me- Evenflo makes most of their products in US! http://www.evenflo.com/Portals/0/MadeInUSA%20Product%20List%202013.pdf
I like this seat a lot but is there one that is very similar that has a higher back booster?
Has anyone used this car seat on a plane yet? I’m traveling with my 12 month old next month on Frontier Airlines and I got him his own seat but I’m worried that it won’t fit even though it’s FAA approved. Thanks!
Hello!
I have a 1 and a half month old and I’m looking at carseats just to see what I should get next. He’s already big and I keep going back and forth between this car seat and a Graco. I’m all for anything convertible for my son. I’m driving a Honda accord right now and plan in the next year or so on getting a bigger vehicle. I noticed you said it was wide. Too wide maybe for a standard car but think its a good size for an SUV? And should I go to the store I would purchase it at and have them put it in my car? I am really interested in this car seat and I want to make sure I’m getting my money’s worth.
Just wanted to comment that we’ve had this seat for a few months and it’s great. My husband finds the harness easier to adjust than our True Fit Premier and the installation is easy enough that I would trust the grandparents to do it. Since our son is only ~30th percentile for height (mostly legs) and weight at 16 months, he has tons of growing room even rear-facing. This seat will be with us for a LONG time!
I know this is an old post, but how did you find cleaning this seat was? that is my concern. My other one in my husband truck is pretty easy but I got this for my car since it looks a tad more comfy for my 18 month. thanks for your help.
Easy to take apart but padding in the cover folds and rolls in their pouches and are hard to get smooth, Velcro slips and stitching starts to fall apart after only a year
thank you!!
@Helen – I’m pretty sure the info has been posted in several different CPS-related publications but a quick google search for “Evenflo center latch retroactive” turned up this link: http://www.preventinjury.org/pdfs/INIP-Conference/Evenflo%20Product%20Update-Indiana%202012.pdf
If you scroll to the “product updates” you’ll see it stated in 2 different places. HTH!
Hi, I have a question about using LATCH in the center.
You wrote that Evenflo has recently retroactively allowed center rearfacing install using LATCH even if the vehicle doesnt have center LATCH. I searched Evenflo’s website and couldn’t find any more info on this. Do you happen to have the link or know where I could see this in writing?
Thanks!
Helen
This carseat was expensive and stylish, but I am very disappointed that the cheap foam side cushion snaps off so readily. When trying to contact the manufacturer by phone, a person on the West Coast US has to call before 2 pm in order to get someone, and the website states the carseat is too old to order parts for this model. The chintzy foam padding is formed into very thin pieces that snap and break with the weight of a person leaning onto the carseat to place the child in it or the impact of the child’s legs when kicking or being placed into the carseat.(necessary when the seat is in the center position,) I purchased the seat when my baby was born and apparently it’s too old to get parts for even though my baby is only 15 months old. What good is a carseat that converts to a toddler seat if it breaks and is out of date before the child reaches toddler age? The whole point of making a carseat that will fit an older child also is so the baby can use the same seat from birth to age 3 or 4 or so. I guess I have to shell out another 170. dollars for another seat…I guarantee it won’t be an Evenflo folks. Thanks for reading.
Very nice review. This is our favorite car seat. Thanks to this awesome review we decided to buy this carseat tomorrow.
Great review! I personally bought this seat for my 14 month old (rear-facing of course!), and I noticed that the headrest kind of pushies his head forward. Did you notice that when reviewing it rear-facing? I have to agree that the ease of use is fantastic! It’s such an easy seat to use! Tightening the harness at the hips did take a little getting used to, but overall I really, really like the seat!