Best, Better or Basic Crash Protection Rating? How does your convertible compare?
Over 18 months ago, Consumer Reports implemented a new, more rigorous crash test for carseats and released the results for their rear-facing only infant seat tests. CR’s goal in creating the new test and criteria in rating seats wasn’t to recreate the wheel; every carseat on the market in the U.S. must be able to pass a basic crash test to be sold and thus considered safe. Consumer Reports wanted to find out which seats provide the best head protection since head injuries are very common in crashes, even among properly restrained children.
This new test was designed by an automotive safety engineer and peer-reviewed by an independent crash-testing expert with 40 years of experience in the field. It is conducted on an actual contemporary vehicle seat (a 2010 Ford Flex 2nd row seat) with a floor below it, unlike the government test which has a 70’s era back seat test bench with no floor. There’s a simulated front seat back, called the blocker plate, installed in front of the test seat to mimic a front seat, which is used to test potential injury. The speed of the test is set at 35 mph. Testing is performed at an independent, outside testing facility. The new “Crash Protection” ratings scale will no longer use the circular blobs, but will instead indicate “basic,” “better,” or “best” at providing crash protection above and beyond baseline safety standards. Those who follow vehicle ratings will recognize the 35 mph test as the same speed that at which the NHTSA NCAP test for vehicles is run. CR’s new test applies 36% more energy to carseats than their old test protocol. A more severe test would presumably show greater distinction among carseat performance.
So what did CR’s 2015 tests of current convertible carseats find? Specifically, only in 1 rear-facing test out of 25 (4%) did one dummy’s head strike the blocker plate, or simulated front seatback. In contrast, in the infant seat tests, 16 out of 30 (53%) infant seats tested had dummies striking the blocker plate. What does this mean for your child? It means a taller carseat will provide better head protection for taller babies. For this reason Consumer Reports now recommends moving your baby into a rear-facing convertible “sooner, rather than later”, and not waiting until the infant seat is maxed out.
Consumer Reports crash tested convertible carseats in up to 7 configurations,both forward-facing and rear-facing, with various dummy sizes, using LATCH or a 3-point seatbelt. Several convertibles that received CR’s top “Crash Protection” rating of “BEST” are also on our Recommended Carseats List. We chose the Chicco NextFit, Evenflo SureRide and Graco Size4Me 65 because of their many excellent qualities. The SureRide has the distinction of being a top performing model in crash test results and a CR Best Buy along with the Cosco Scenera NEXT, because of their high overall score and bargain pricing. We have a review of the SureRide here and our review of the Scenera NEXT is forthcoming.
In addition to the new Crash Protection Rating, Consumer Reports still gives each model an overall numeric “Score.” This is based in part on the Crash Protection Rating and also other more subjective factors, such as ease-of-use and fit-to-vehicle in various modes. The Chicco NextFit and Britax Marathon ClickTight* had the top overall scores in this round of testing. CarseatBlog regards both among our favorite recommended convertibles as well. The next batch of high scoring seats overall include the Evenflo SureRide (also Titan65), Cosco Scenera NEXT, Graco Contender 65, Graco Size4Me 65 (also Headwise 65) and the Graco My Ride 65. These models all earned a Consumer Reports “Recommended” rating and all but the My Ride 65 are on CarseatBlog’s Recommended Carseats list. Subscribers to Consumer Reports can see the complete ratings HERE.
These ratings are for Convertible carseats only. “All-in-One,” “3-in-1,” and “4-in-1” carseats that have a booster mode will be tested at a later date. (This includes the Graco 4Ever, Graco Milestone, Evenflo Symphony and Diono, among others.)
More info from Consumer Reports:
Top 5 Rated Convertible Car Seats
Why You Should Buy a Convertible Car Seat Sooner Rather Than Later
FULL Consumer Reports Overall Ratings and Scores (Subscribers Only)
| Convertible Carseat Model | CR Crash Protection Rating |
|---|---|
| Chicco NextFit | BEST |
| Evenflo SureRide/Titan 65 | BEST |
| Evenflo Triumph 65 | BEST |
| Graco Size4Me 65/Headwise 65 | BEST |
| Safety 1st Chart Air 65 | BEST |
| Safety 1st Complete Air 65 | BEST |
| Britax Marathon ClickTight* | BETTER |
| Clek Fllo | BETTER |
| Clek Foonf | BETTER |
| Combi Coccoro | BETTER |
| Cosco Scenera NEXT | BETTER |
| Evenflo Tribute | BETTER |
| Graco Classic Ride 50/Ready Ride | BETTER |
| Graco Contender 65 | BETTER |
| Graco My Ride 65 | BETTER |
| Maxi-Cosi Pria 70/Pria 85 | BETTER |
| Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 5-65 Convertible | BETTER |
| Safety 1st Guide 65/Guide 65 Sport/Eddie Bauer XRS 65 | BETTER |
| Britax Boulevard (G4)/Marathon (G4) | BASIC |
| Britax Roundabout (G4) | BASIC |
| Cosco Scenera/Safety 1st onSide Air | BASIC |
| Safety 1st Advance SE 65 Air+ | BASIC |
| Recaro Performance RIDE | Read our blog |
| www.CarseatBlog.com | ©2015 All Rights Reserved |
* Britax Boulevard and Advocate ClickTight models were not tested, but are currently under evaluation and will be added to these ratings when completed.
Consumer Reports notes that their Crash Protection rating is an evaluation of a seat’s potential for providing an additional margin of safety. They consider even models that receive a BASIC rating to be safe.
We note that among the models with a BASIC Crash Protection Rating, the Britax G4 series convertibles received this rating due to lower performance with a 52-pound 6-year old dummy or a 62-pound weighted 6-year old dummy in forward-facing crash tests. In that these are smaller convertible carseats, we recognize that very few children will actually remain in them beyond 50 pounds. As such, we still feel they represent a very good option for both smaller vehicles and for younger children that will still receive good protection.
It is also notable that in their previous testing protocol, the Cosco Scenera was the only convertible carseat to receive the top rating of “Excellent” in their Crash Protection rating at a lower speed of 30 mph, while the Britax G4 models and the Cosco Advance SE 65 Air+ received Very Good Crash Protection ratings in the older test conducted at lower speeds.
What does Consumer Reports advise?
- Height Matters. Many infant and rear-facing-only seats have weight limits between 30 and 35 pounds, so you may think those seats are adequate until your child reaches that weight—at about 2 years of age. However, your child will more likely grow out of those seats, height-wise, before reaching those weight limits.
- You’ll Need One Anyway. In order to keep your kid rear-facing until their second birthday, you’ll still have to buy a convertible model. Not only do Consumer Reports’ child-seat experts encourage this strategy, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents keep children rear-facing until the age of 2. New laws in California, New Jersey, and Oklahoma require that all children under the age of 2 be in a rear-facing child seat.
- Best for Your Kids. These new results show that for kids around age 1 that convertible seats may provide some additional protection over an infant seat in protecting a child’s head.
- Safety Outweighs Inconveniences. Yes, moving to a fixed rear-facing seat means you lose the convenience and portability of the infant carrier. But your growing baby’s weight, combined with the portable seat, become heavy to lug around, negating the seat’s appeal. Plus, the Journal of Pediatrics found that it’s dangerous to let a baby sleep in an infant seat when outside of the car. So don’t worry about waking your baby when taking her out of a rear-facing seat. It’s the safer option.
- Make the Switch Now. To take advantage of a convertible seat’s added potential for head protection, we advise that if your child has not already outgrown her infant seat (many will), transition your child to a rear-facing convertible seat at age 1.
More info from Consumer Reports:
Top 5 Rated Convertible Car Seats
Why You Should Buy a Convertible Car Seat Sooner Rather Than Later
FULL Consumer Reports Overall Ratings and Scores (Subscribers Only)
We remind our readers that whether you are looking at our Recommended Carseats list, Consumer Reports or another website’s recommendations, the most important issues to keep your kids safe are these:
- Choose a carseat that fits your child and vehicle, one you can use correctly on each trip.
- Make sure your all passengers are using an appropriate restraint system
- Make sure the driver is unimpaired and undistracted.
Looking for more in-depth, technical information? See our follow-up article:
The CPS Technician’s Guide to Understanding the New Consumer Reports Crash Test Ratings
Would love to know why the Foonf only got “Better” instead of best. I thought I researched the heck out of car seats, I would love to know where it failed to thrive and what kept it from being a “best” option.
Sabrina, we don’t know exactly why the Foonf received a “Better” instead of “Best” rating. The good thing about these tests is that they give us a standardized starting point that is more up-to-date than NHTSA’s current test. It still matters very much at this point the old adage, “the best carseat for you is the one that fits your vehicle, fits your child, and is one that you’ll use correctly each ride.” All of us have seen even the very “best” carseats with the loosest installs and only the chest clip buckled and that won’t do the child any good. Parents, like you, who research and do your due diligence make even “Basic” seats very safe.
Where did you get the ratings from? Consumer reports website has very different ratings then what you listed here.
Hi Jennifer- Please make sure you are looking at the Consumer Reports new ratings for convertible carseats. THe ratings we posted reflect those on the press release they issued this month.
Surely the Diono is one of the tallest car seats around and should have been included. No car seat would offer better head protection that the Diono RXT IMO. This was an unfair oversight by Consumer Reports I think.
Hi Sheryl, the Diono models were not included because they were not in this category of carseats. They are technically considered all-in-one or 3-in-1 products. So, like the Graco Milestone, Evenflo Symphony and others in this category, they will be tested at a later date.
As a side note, the Radian no longer is among the taller rear-facing seats on the market. Various other newer models offer deeper, more robust sidewings that also adjust more easily and much lower for smaller toddlers and babies for increased head protection.
Were the Diono brand convertible carseats tested at all?
How was the graco nautilous rated?
The Graco Nautilus is not a convertible seat so it was not tested in this round. I’m sure at some point down the road Consumer Reports will test forward-facing combination seats and at that time the Nautilus will be tested and rated.
Would a 25 lb. child RF in a Roundabout G4 be considered more than Basic prtection?
The cheaper Sureride rates better than the Foonf? Wow!
CS- we have no information on how any seats performed in other tests. We only know that the G4 models were given a BASIC rating due to a harness failure when tested forward-facing with a 6-year old, 52 or 62 pound dummy.
I can only tell you that I would have no concerns putting a 25 pound baby if they otherwise fit rear-facing in a Roundabout G4.
Confused. And I just took my tall 3 YO OUT of the Sure Ride because the straps are always twisting and crooked. How is that safe? I put him in a Foonf because everyone says it’s the best for forward-facing, but the Foonf got a lower rating. So…which would be safer for a FF 3 YO?
It is confusing, you’re right! Honestly, it’s impossible to determine which seat is actually safer for YOUR child in YOUR vehicle because there are so many variables that can’t be addressed in standardized crash testing. We have been told that the SureRide was the top performer of all 23 convertible seats tested but that doesn’t mean the foonf is inferior in any way. Do what works best for your child in your situation. The foonf received a BETTER score for crash protection which means it passed all of these more stringent tests without experiencing any structural failures or very high injury measures.
It would be nice if they had also compared more reclined vs more upright installs for RF (for seats that allow it that may have made a difference, especially with the infant seats) as well as some side impact or offset or rear impacts.
I agree, especially considering the emphasis on ramping and head injury.
I imagine side impacts will return eventually.
How did the Diono Radian RXT do or was it not included in this test?
It’s considered an all-in-one seat and wasn’t tested with the convertibles.
Models with a booster mode will be tested at a later date.
Greaat ..I wish they tested the brand I just got the Diono R100 .Its expensive, I just got it and I wanted to know how well it did with its steel frame !
Was the diono not tested?
No, Stephanie. It’s considered an all-in-one seat and wasn’t tested with the convertibles.
Could you please clarify how the Britax Marathon ClickTight is rated as “Better” (not “Best”), yet you also report, “For overall score, the Chicco NextFit and Britax Marathon ClickTight were the highest rated carseats.” Additionally, was the Britax Boulevard ClickTight model tested? Thank you! Your blog is one of my favorite resources and I am constantly referring other parents to your site!
I just saw other responses regarding the Boulevard CT. Thank you!
And I see now where the article was edited for clarification on my other question! Y’all are awesome!
Thanks! We have made a few updates in response to some of these common questions:-)
I’m confused about the Evenflo SureRide and Titan 65. Consumer reports rates the Titan65 a 74 with “BEST” rating for crash protection, while the SureRide is a 65 with only a “Very Good” for crash protection. But the links on this blog and on Consumer Reports for the Titan65 go to the SureRide DLX. Are these the same? If I buy the SureRide DLX, am I getting a “best” crash test rating or just a “very good”? This is very confusing.
Hi Ashley, you might be looking at their previous ratings for the SureRide, done earlier this year with their older protocol. In the new ratings, the SureRide has a higher score and a “BEST” rating, the same as the Titan 65 except for the price they list.
Any idea where the boulevard clicktight fits? Is it with the G4 series or the marathon?
Hi mckenna, the Boulevard ClickTight should perform similarly to the Marathon ClickTight. The Boulevard ClickTight is still being tested and will be added to the results when testing is completed. It is worth noting that the Boulevard ClickTight had the highest overall score in their previous ratings, so I expect it will do very well. It’s also one of our favorite convertibles and remains on our Recommended Carseats List: https://carseatblog.com/safest-recommended-car-seats/#CONVERTIBLE
We have the Diono Radian RXT, which isn’t even listed on this chart. We have baby #2 on the way and have been looking into Diono again. Does this research mean that we should look elsewhere?!
Hi Kristin, it is only because the Diono models fall into a different category that was not included here. “All-in-One”, “3-in-1” and “4-in-1” carseats that have a booster mode will be tested at a later date. That includes the Diono Radian, Rainier, Olympia and Pacifica models, the Graco 4Ever and Milestone, Evenflo Symphony and others.
Any reason why Diono seats weren’t tested?
The Diono models will be tested in the future, along with All-in-one and 3-in-1 carseats that have a booster mode, like the Graco 4Ever, Evenflo Symphony and others.
Is there a reason that the Britax pavilion has been left out?
Hi Kristen, the Pavilion is no longer a current model, so it likely was not available for sale when they purchased carseats to test. It is similar to the Boulevard G4.1. The Pavilion did well in Consumer Report’s previous ratings.
So did they not test all seats? For example, it looks like they only tested on Clicktight convertible?
Right- they did not test all convertible carseats. We wish they had tested the Boulevard in this first round, given its popularity. It is currently under evaluation and will be added when testing is complete. The overall rating should be very similar, just as it was in the previous ratings.
Thanks for this info!!! Do you know if Diono brand wasn’t tested, or were they tested but didn’t make the list for some reason? (My 13mo old is RF in a Diono Radian 100..I’m nervous! Ha)
These ratings are for Convertible carseats only. “All-in-One”, “3-in-1” and “4-in-1” carseats that have a booster mode will be tested at a later date. That includes the Diono Radian, Rainier, Olympia and Pacifica models, the Graco 4Ever and Milestone, Evenflo Symphony and others.