2017 Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 Infant Carseat Review
Maxi-Cosi is Europe’s most popular brand of premium carseats. Even though the Maxi-Cosi carseats sold here in the U.S. are not the same seats that are sold in Europe (due to different standards and regulations), American parents are embracing the brand and everything that it stands for – safety, comfort and style.
The Mico Max 30 is the newest infant carseat from Maxi-Cosi and it offers a few significant upgrades over the previous Mico AP and Mico NXT models. Namely a 30 pound weight maximum and the addition of an anti-rebound bar on the base. But they didn’t stop there. The Maxi-Cosi team was ambitious and wanted to be the first carseat manufacturer to offer a completely customizable product! Do you really want a white base and shell with a black cover and a pink canopy and inserts? No problem as long as you’re willing to wait up to 3 weeks for shipping. And if you don’t want a custom Mico Max 30 there are still plenty of amazing and fun fashion choices to choose from, plus the basics like Black and Grey.
2017 Mico Max 30 Specs & Features:
- Rear-facing only: 4-30 lbs.; 19 – 32″ (1″ rule also applies)
- 4 harness height positions
- 2 crotch strap/buckle positions (plus adjustable crotch strap length for smaller babies)
- Air Protect® technology for enhanced side-impact protection
- Adjustable base with anti-rebound bar
- Premium push-on lower LATCH connectors
- Thick energy-absorbing EPP foam
- Extra large canopy
- Easy to remove cover is both machine washable & dryer safe
- FAA approved for use in an airplane
- 8 year lifespan before expiration
Extra Mico Max 30 bases are available for $99.99
Each Mico Max 30 comes standard with a wedge cushion insert (mandatory for low-birthweight babies who weigh between 4-5 lbs.), a round head support insert, a buckle cover and harness strap covers. All of these extras are entirely optional but the lower body wedge insert is required if you have a preemie who weighs between 4-5 lbs. The purpose of the wedge insert is to boost a small newborn a little higher if his or her shoulders are below the bottom harness slots without it. The wedge insert will probably be helpful for smaller newborns but may not be needed for many full-term newborns.
Mico Max Measurements:
- Harness slot heights: 7.5″, 8.75″, 10″, 11.25″
- Lowest harness slot height with wedge shaped lower body insert: about 6″
- Crotch strap/buckle positions (without insert): 4″, 6″
- Internal shell height: 21″
- Width of base footprint at beltpath: 9″
- Length of base footprint: 21″
- Width of base at widest point: 16″
- Width of carrier at widest point: 18″ (outside of handle)
- Carrier weight: 9.2 lbs. with all inserts; 8.8 lbs. without inserts
Fit-to-Vehicle
Recline angle indicator – there is a level line indicator molded into the side of the carrier. There is no level indicator on the base itself.
Installation with LATCH – The Mico Max 30 is very easy to install with the premium push-on lower LATCH connectors. The base has 3 recline positions. The lever to change the recline positions is on the back of the base. Choose the recline setting that allows you to achieve a level line on the carrier (and make sure you’re parked on level ground to begin with).
Center LATCH installation with non-standard LATCH spacing is allowed if the vehicle manufacturer specifically allows it, the lower anchor bars are spaced at least 11″ apart and you can achieve a tight installation in that center position.
Installation with seatbelt – The Mico Max 30 is relatively easy to install with seatbelt, however, this seat does NOT have a built-in lockoff device so it’s very important to understand how your seatbelt locks if you’re going to install with seatbelt instead of with lower LATCH anchors. All vehicles made after 1996 have seatbelts that can lock in some way to hold a carseat tightly in place during routine driving. Most vehicles have switchable retractors but some vehicles or specific seating positions have locking latchplates instead. It’s important to know what your vehicle has and to understand how these features work before you install this carseat with a seatbelt. See your vehicle’s owners manual for specific information on how to install a carseat in your vehicle using the seatbelt. If you have questions, please visit our car-seat.org forum and we’ll be happy to help answer them.
Installation without base – the Mico Max 30 can be installed safely without the base using the typical American belt routing method (Euro belt routing is not currently allowed). The carrier is secured directly to the vehicle with the seatbelt. This is very handy if you’re traveling by taxi or airplane. No need to lug the base around with you! However, you have to know how to lock the seatbelt in the vehicle that you’re going to be riding in.
When the lap/shoulder belt is routed correctly – it will look like this:
Fit-to-Child
As you can see in the pics above, Mico Max 30 will fit preemies well with the wedge insert. Some full term newborns, like my 20″ doll pictured above, won’t need to use the insert but you might get a better fit if you shorten the crotch strap length by routing the anchor back through the 2nd slot. Start with the crotch strap in the inner-most position; take the metal anchor from the back of the shell and route it up into the opening for the 2nd buckle/crotch strap position (pics below). If you’re using the wedge – don’t also shorten the crotch strap. I tried that and it made the fit worse on the little preemie doll.
On the other end of the baby scale – the Mico Max 30 can accommodate big babies too. Lucas was a little snug in this seat but he still fit and he’s a BIG 8-month-old who is definitely ready for a rear-facing convertible seat.
Cover/Maintenance:
The Mico Max 30 cover is made of self-wicking fabric and it’s very easy to remove. You don’t have to take the straps off the splitter plate or remove the buckle to get the cover off. One of the nicest features of this seat is that the cover is both machine washable and dryer safe! This is the first infant carseat that actually allows you to toss the cover in the dyer! Machine wash the cover and headrest pad on gentle cycle using cold water. Tumble dry on low heat for 10-12 minutes and remove immediately. Harness covers must be washed and dried separately to avoid damage from the velcro.
FAA-Approval/Lifespan/Crash Guidelines/Inflatable Belts:
- FAA certified for use on airplanes
- 8 year lifespan before expiration
- Must be replaced after any crash
- Installation with inflatable seat belts is NOT allowed
Stroller Compatibility
Adapters to use Mico Max 30 as travel system are included with compatible Maxi-Cosi Kaia and Quinny strollers. The Maxi-Taxi is a new lightweight frame designed specifically for Maxi-Cosi infant seats.
Adapters for Maxi-Cosi infant carseats are also available for use with certain strollers from Baby Jogger, Bugaboo, Bumbleride, Countours, Jané, iCandy, Mamas & Papas, Micralite, Mountain Buggy, Phil & Teds, Quinny, Stokke, UPPAbaby, and Valco Baby
Mico Max 30 Advantages:
- Very lightweight carrier
- Air Protect® technology for enhanced side-impact protection
- Thick EPP foam (durable and less likely to crack than EPS foam)
- Anti-rebound bar on base
- Premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Fits preemies well with insert
- Well-padded, moisture-wicking premium fabrics
- Large canopy
- Easy to remove cover
- Cover is machine washable & dryer safe
- Compatible with many premium brand strollers that offer a Maxi-Cosi adapter
- Made in USA!
Disadvantages: (In fairness, these aren’t necessarily problems but I list them here to inform potential consumers of specific Mico Max 30 issues)
- Lacks a no-rethread harness – which really isn’t a big deal, it just means that you have to detach the harness from the splitter plate and route the straps through the next set of harness slots as baby grows. The trade-off is that the harness is very easy to tighten and loosen and it can be removed and replaced if necessary.
- Lacks a lockoff device for easier seatbelt installations
- Single level line for correct recline angle
- No recline angle indicator on base
- Continuous harness
- Harness strap covers too big and bulky for newborns – manual does states not to use them if they interfere with proper positioning of the chest clip but most parents won’t notice that little blurb on pg. 30 of the instruction manual.
Conclusion:
The Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 offers some nice upgrades not available on the other Mico models (AP & NXT). The lightweight carrier (under 9 lbs!) and oversized canopy will be appreciated by many parents and the anti-rebound bar is a desirable feature to have on a premium product. The moisture-wicking fabrics will hopefully help to keep sweaty babies from overheating in the hot weather although I haven’t been able to test that feature out to see if it makes a noticeable difference. For parents who are able to take advantage of a LATCH installation – the installation is a breeze. And even though the seat lacks a no-rethread harness and a lockoff for seatbelt installations, it’s still relatively easy to install and use correctly. I love the bright, colorful fashions that are available and the fact that you can customize the Mico Max 30 to suit your personal tastes and style. Carseats are mandatory but bland and boring fashions don’t have to be!
For more information on the Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 visit their website: http://www.maxi-cosi.com/us-en/products/car-seats/infant/mico-max-30-infant-car-seat.aspx
Thank you to Maxi-Cosi for generously supplying the Mico Max 30 sample for this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are those of CarseatBlog.
Hi! I have a Maxi-cosi AP20 but its cover needs to be changed. Does the Mico Max 30 cover works weel on AP20?
*I’m from Brazil and I’m looking for this information on internet but I found nothing, not even on Maxi-cosi page
Thanks for helping
Hi Camila, the Mico Max 30 is a little bit bigger than the Mico AP so the cover probably won’t fit. Call Maxi-Cosi customer service. I’m sure you can order a replacement cover for your Mico AP 2.0 directly from them. Good luck!
Thank you for your reviews! I am choosing between the Mico Max and the Aton Q. Safety is the most important issue for me. It appears the Aton Q has more safety features? Weight of seat is also important as i am small and not that strong after 5 months bed rest. Is the Mico Max significantly lighter than the Aton Q? And a huge consideration is installation. I have two cars this will go in- though I could get two different seats, one for each car. The first car has a pretty small back seat. The second car is a 2003 Eurovan that does not have latch capability. And the center seat where I would like to put baby only has lap belt. I could put seat on either side but car has no airbags or anything. Can the base of either of these seats be installed without latch? Can either be installed with only lap belt with or without base? And between the two which would be a safer seat to always have installed without base on a daily basis? Does Aton Q have self locking for seatbelt? Both appear like this install option is meant to be used only on occasion. Thank you!
I’m choosing between this, the Nuna Pipa, and Cybex Aton Q. In your opinion, is having a load leg better than the anti-rebound bar?
Also, does the Mico Max take much more space than a Pipa (or Aton Q) when installed with the base? Seems like the anti-rebound bar takes up quite a lot of space there.
Hi Alex, yes the Mico Max 30 does take up more space front-to-back than Pipa or Aton Q because of the ARB. Honestly, if I has to choose between the 3 products, I would choose Pipa. I think it offers the best combination of features for the price. Good luck with your decision!
My lo is 2 months old and I have the mico 30. Its material fabric makes him to sweat a lot, although we have cold season already. I’m worry for the hot weather since we live in the desert and we reach the 3 digits in the ternomether. Please let me know a suggestion to this issue.
I have installed as said and found my infants head drooping forward. Is it safe for me to adjust even though it will not be ground level.
Hi Joan – unfortunately it isn’t safe for the seat to be installed any more reclined than the level line indicates. Sometimes you can make seats more upright (for older babies and toddlers that have good head/neck control) but we can never make seats more reclined than allowed because that can compromise crash protection. I have 2 suggestions for you – first, make sure that when you check the level to ground line that you are parked on level ground. Being parked on an incline will skew the line. (I aplogize for stating the obvious but since I’m not there I can’t see what’s going on.) Second, try taking out the head insert that goes behind and around the head. You don’t need it and it might be pushing your baby’s head forward just enough to cause the head dropping. Also, just fyi – we don’t worry about the head tilting sideways towards the shoulder – we only worry about the head dropping forward with the chin on the chest. If you can’t seem to fix the issue – call Maxi-Cosi. They have GREAT customer service and they can probably troubleshoot the issue with you. Good luck!
I notice the handle goes all the way back on this seat. If the bar keeps the seat level, does that mean it would be ok to keep an infant/child in this seat when its not locked into a base or stroller?
So disappointed with the maxicosi prezi carseat. I purchased the car seat late 2014, my first child was born in February 2015. We are now expecting our second child and have been informed that NO double stroller is compatible with the prezi carseat and that they not producing the prezi carseat anymore due to the fact of the non compatibility of this car seat to strollers. I’m so disappointed I paid alot of money for this ‘highend’ car seat to only not be able to use it for my baby. I have had nothing but issues with this ‘ premium’ carseat from the positioning of the baby being way to upright while in the base causing the child’s head droop forward, to the restraint buckle loosening and so much more. I am not happy with this product and really think the company should do way more research before releasing a new product and only to pull it off the shelves wasting parents hard earned money. Buyer beware make sure YOU research this company’s products before you buy don’t take the word company, check for reviews!!
Hi Mildred, I’m sorry that you’re disappointed with your Prezi infant seat. You are correct that that model is now discontinued but I think that has more to do with other issues than with stroller incompatibility. I am surprised to hear that no double stroller is compatible with the Prezi since so many strollers are designed to work with Maxi-Cosi adapters. I would keep researching before you give up.
I just want to point out for our readers that this review is for the Mico Max 30 infant seat which is completely different from the Prezi infant seat you own. I wish you luck finding a compatible double stroller or finding a new infant seat that you like better!
What’s the total length of cataract installed? Seeing how it will fit lengthwise in the car
Will The fashion kit for the mico 30 fit other mico models?
I think it does but you should check with customer service to be sure.
How much does the carrier actually weigh? I couldn’t find it on the Maxi Cosi site. Also, how much does the big 8 month old Lucas weigh? Trying to get a good idea of the size. Thanks!
Hi Samantha, I have weight listed under “measurements”. Carrier weight: 9.2 lbs. with all inserts; 8.8 lbs. without inserts. In these pics Lucas weighed about 25 lbs. He was snug in there but he still fit. HTH!
Does the old AP car seat fit into the new Max 30 base (with the AR bar)?
Yes. We have an Mico AP and a Mico Max 30. We use them interchangeably with both bases in either car. Both the Mico AP and Mico Max 30 also work with the Maxi Taxi stroller frame.
Can someone explain what “Length of base footprint” means? is this the combined length when the car seat is in the base? That would make sense, but I want to make sure.
Hi Justin, no – it’s just the measurement of the flat surface on the bottom of the base that contacts the vehicle seat cushion. https://carseatblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mico-Max-30-base-installed.jpg
HTH!
Ok, I know some parents who have to have a certain color and that’s what they base buying choices on… and sometimes use aftermarket products. Customizable seats are a fantastic option as an alternative!
Neato! I saw a Mico with the white shell and really had to look carefully at it to make sure it wasn’t a super-ancient white seat from the 90’s.