Since Evenflo was kind enough to send us a complimentary new Symphony 65 child restraint to review, I decided to focus on comparing this Evenflo 3-in-1 to the other popular Evenflo convertible – the Triumph Advance. For the sake of full disclosure – the Triumph was not a freebie from Evenflo, rather something I bought with my own funds to use as a training seat in our CPS Technician certification classes.
*UPDATE: Check out our full review of the newest Symphony 65 e3 model HERE.
Symphony 65 & Triumph Similarities
Harness Height Adjustment: Both seats utilize Evenflo’s new “Infinite Slide Harness Adjustment” technology which allows you to raise or lower the harness height simply by moving the red tabs on the top of the harness straps up or down on a track. Really. Really. Simple.
To Tighten & Loosen Harness: The harness straps on both seats tighten and loosen at the hips instead of at the shoulders (like most other carseats on the market). FYI – the harness is NOT removable on either seat.
Rear-Facing Weight Limit: Both of the models shown are rated to 35 lbs in the rear-facing position OR are outgrown by height rear-facing when the top of the child’s head is 1″ from the top of the shell. Update: the newest Symphony 65 models and the newest Triumph models are both rated to 40 lbs in the rear-facing position.
Lowest Harness Height: Both seats have very similar bottom harness heights. The lowest harness height positions on both seats measure about 8″ (due to the infinite harness mechanisms – measuring harness height is a little subjective). This could make either seat suitable for many full-term, average to large newborns. The dolls in these pictures measure 20″ long and are roughly the size of a newborn weighing approximately 8 lbs.
Tallest Harness Height: Both seats have a similar top harness height of about 16″. Again, due to the infinite harness, it’s a bit subjective.
Rear-Facing Height Room: When the Sym65 is adjusted to the 2nd lowest headrest height (max height for use in the RF position), both seats measure approximately 23″ to the top of the shell/headrest.
Weight: They are both relatively heavy but this is to be expected. Almost all well-made convertible and combination seats on the market today are heavy. According to my bathroom digital scale – the Triumph weighs 18 lbs and the Sym65 is slightly over 20 lbs.
FAA Certification for Airplane Usage: Both seats are certified by the FAA for use in commercial airplanes. However, the Symphony 65 can only be used (rear-facing or forward-facing) with the 5-pt harness on a plane. Since all booster seats require using a lap/shoulder seatbelt and since aircraft seats only have lap belts – it isn’t possible to use any booster on a plane. The Symphony 65 in booster mode is no exception. Now, whether or not either of these seats will actually fit in a standard coach seat is another matter. Honestly, I have no idea but hopefully someone who has BTDT will comment to let us know.
Symphony 65 & Triumph Advance Differences
Lifespan/Expiration: The Symphony 65 has an 8 year lifespan before it expires. The model I have was manufactured in Dec 2009 and the back of the shell (just below the metal bar that the tether strap is attached to) has a stamp that says “DO NOT USE AFTER 2017”. The Triumph model that I own has a 6 year lifespan before it expires. The model I have was manufactured in March 2008 and has a stamp on the side of the shell (on one side, just under the opening for the rear-facing belt path) that says “DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT AFTER DEC 31, 2014″
Harness Adjustment: The Symphony65 has a front harness adjuster strap – the Triumph has knobs on the sides of the seat.
Forward-Facing Weight Limits: The Symphony65 has a maximum weight rating of 65 lbs for the harness – the Triumph Advance is rated to 50 lbs with the harness. However, since they both have very similar top harness heights of approximately 16″ – it’s likely that most children will outgrow the harness on the Sym65 long before before reaching 65 lbs. Taller, thinner kids might even outgrow the harness on both seats before reaching 50 lbs. My son is 5 years old, 46 lbs and 45.5” tall in these pictures and as you can see, he is close to being too tall for the 5-point harness. On both seats, the slits in the cover are a bit deceptive – the top notch on the harness track doesn’t go all the way to the top of the slit in the cover.
Installation Modes: The Symphony is considering a “3-in-1” seat. It can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing with the 5-point harness. It can also be used without the harness as a belt-positioning booster (using just the vehicle’s lap/shoulder seatbelt) for children who have outgrown the 5-point harness either by weight or height. For more on the Symphony 65 as a booster please see my previous blog review HERE. The Triumph Advance is a rear-facing, forward-facing convertible carseat. It cannot be used as a belt-positioning booster.
The Symphony has 3 “recline” positions (fully reclined, semi-reclined and upright) but there are rules involved:
- When installed rear-facing (5-35 lbs) you MUST use the fully reclined (#1) position
- When installed forward-facing for a child weighing between 20-40 lbs you may use either the semi-reclined (#2) position OR the fully upright (#3) position
- When installed forward-facing for a child weighing between 40-65 lbs you MUST use the fully upright (#3) position
- When used with vehicle’s lap/shoulder belt as a belt positioning booster you MUST use the fully upright (#3) position
The Triumph Advance also has 3 “recline” positions but with different rules:
- When installed rear-facing (5-35 lbs) you MUST use the fully reclined (#1) position
- When installed forward-facing for a child weighing between 20-50 lbs you may use either the semi-reclined (#2) position OR the fully upright (#3) position
To clarify, neither seat can be switched back and forth between upright and reclined once it’s installed. I think many parents mistakenly believe that this is a feature of a carseat with different recline setting but that is rarely ever the case. You cannot just reach back and recline the seat when a forward-facing child falls asleep in either of these carseats. In order to switch from the fully upright to the semi-reclined position (assuming the child meets the criteria to use either), you would need to remove the child and re-install the carseat.
Chest Clip: The Sym65 has the newer style Evenflo chest clip which is considerably smaller than the old style chest clip used on my Triumph Advance model. However, it appears that Evenflo has switched over to the newer style chest clips on all their newest Triumph models.
Buckle Positions: The Sym65 has only 1 buckle position. The Triumph Advance has 2 positions for the buckle/crotch strap.
Crotch Strap Length: The Sym65 definitely appears to have a longer crotch strap than the Triumph Advance. The crotch strap on the Sym65 is removable (you invert it when using the seat in booster mode) but the crotch strap on the Triumph Advance is not removable.
Infant Inserts: Both of these seats came with infant body inserts and head support pillows. However, neither seat comes with any type of harness strap covers. It is important NOT to use any type of after-market harness strap covers with either of these seats as the pads may interfere with the red tabs on the top of the harness.
LATCH attachments: The Symphony 65 has Evenflo’s new, unique self-ratcheting “SureLATCH” lower anchor connectors – the Triumph Advance comes with either hook-style LATCH connectors or the push-on style lower LATCH connectors (depending on the trim level). Generally, only the higher-end Triumph models are the ones with the push-on style LATCH connectors. The Triumph model that I have used for this review has the standard hook-style LATCH connectors.
Switching LATCH Connectors (from rear-facing to forward-facing beltpath): The Sym65 has a clear, unique method of switching the lower LATCH strap from the rear-facing beltpath to the forward-facing beltpath and vice versa. The Triumph does not use the same system (at least not on the 2008 model that I have) but I think it’s a great concept and I’d love to see Evenflo use this set-up on all their convertible models.
Energy-Absorbing EPP Foam: Both seats have it but the way it is distributed is quite different. A baby would not have any EPP foam behind their head in the Sym65. Not until the child’s head is closer to the top of the seat (with the headrest in the lowest position) would there be any benefit from the energy-absorbing foam on the Sym65 headrest. However, on the plus side, I would like to point out that the foam in the headrest is deceptively thicker than it appears since it is recessed into the plastic.
Overall Height: Since the Sym65 can also be used as a BPB (belt-positioning booster) it makes sense that it can be adjusted taller than the Triumph Advance. The Sym65 has an adjustable headrest with 5 different height positions. But again, with options – come rules:
- Rear-facing the headrest can be in either of the 2 lowest positions
- Forward-facing the headrest should be positioned so its bottom is nearest to the red harness tabs
- Booster mode – adjust headrest so vehicle’s shoulder belt crosses the center of the child’s collar bone – midway between shoulder and neck
“Footprint” of base: The seat bases are shaped differently and this could make a big difference in certain installations. The Triumph footprint is wider and has a square, boxy shape. It measures 14″ across. In contrast, the Sym65 base is contoured and more narrow near the forward-facing beltpath which could make a big difference in smaller vehicles or very narrow center seating positions when the seat is installed forward-facing. The narrow end of the base measures 11″ across.
All in all, both the Symphony 65 and the Triumph offer some excellent features. Like all other carseat models, there are pros and cons to each and it’s really up to the consumer to prioritize which features are most important for their particular situation. As always, the best advice is to try (with the child in your vehicle) before you buy, whenever this is possible. At the very least, keep the box and the receipt until you know it’s going to work out.
*Update: There are two new models of Evenflo Symphony 65 currently available. The first is the Symphony DLX (aka Symphony e3). The DLX/e3 model has deeper head wings with e3 foam technology and SureLATCH connectors. The new Symphony LX model has the original shape headwings (so it’s basically the same size and shape as the Sym65 shown in our blog pictures) and it has push-on style LATCH connectors (Evenflo calls them “Quick Connectors”) instead of the self-ratcheting SureLATCH connectors. All Symphony models going forward are rated to 40 lbs in the rear-facing position.
For more information on child passenger safety, please visit our forums at: www.car-seat.org
Hi Amanda,
My son has been using Symphony since he was 3 months old. At 9 months he was 31 1/2 inches tall. Symphony has been a great choice! At 11 months he is still sitting very comfortably rear-facing. I don’t have the measurements but we have a Toyota Camry (it’s small) and Symphony is tight like any other carseat but fits okay.
I’m looking for a new seat for my son. When we purchase the seat he will be 1 yr old as we are in a different country and will be visiting the states for his bday… Right now we have a Britax Roundabout 09 model that rearfaces 35#, 40 inches and ff 40# 40in. My son is 29 1/2″ at 8 months old and only weighs about 19lbs. I am really interested in the Symphony as I think it would grow well with him. Would you agree, since he is such a long baby? My other question is, we drive a GMC extended cab. The Roundabout fits great with extra room…Neither me nor my hubby are very tall (granted tall genes run in my family, hence where DS gets his length), but since it isn’t a full size backseat I’m worried about being able to use the Symphony…Does anyone have measurements from the back of their seat to the back of the Symphony when in the recline position rfing? Also, bc of DS’ length, is there a different car seat you think may work better?
Have you done any research on the new Symphony 65 with the e3 Side-Impact Protection? (Babies R Us has the “Hamilton” pattern and just came out with it.) If so, is it better than the original Symphony?
Also the ETA now upgraded their limits–the one at BRU now says it is RF to 40 pounds and FF to 65. Any comments on this improvement?
I am really stuck which to buy–the new Symphony, the new ETA, the Graco MyRide 65, or the Safety 1st Complete Air 65. Which would you recommend assuming they would all fit correctly into my car?
Thank you so much–I’ve really enjoyed reading through your blog. It has been very helpful!
We traveled for the first time with the original Evenflo Symphony car seat on an airplane. The base of the car seat does fit a standard economy seat on United Airlines, Boeing 757. We were in economy plus which kept our 2.5yr old toddler’s feet from touching the seat in front (I definitely recommend this). The width of the seat (17″) in economy plus is the same width as the standard economy seat on the Boeing 757. The arm rest had to be up in order for the car seat to fit well. We will be traveling soon on United in a few weeks on a Boeing 767 and expect no problems since the width of the seat is 18″ in economy.
Thanks for the comparisons, my search for a new car seat has left me with these exact 2 choices. My questions are..which one has an easier harness system? I thought the knobs were a cool feature on the triumph advance but is it easier just having the strap in the front like on the symphony?
AMY – If you think you may be interested in the Britax Marathon and you can wait a little longer before making your purchase, the new Britax convertibles are supposed to be hitting store shelves in the next few weeks. We’ll have a review here at CarseatBlog as soon as possible, so stay tuned! If you want help with your decision or are just looking for more opinions – feel free to visit our car-seat.org forums!
Thank you so much for that information. Honestly, I don’t think I am interested in either one of the above mentioned car seats, as I don’t think they would last long for my child. Between the Evenflo Symphony and the Britax Marathon, which would you prefer-taking into consideration both safety, and comfort (I.E. the head slump issue)? Thanks again for your time and info! Your site has really helped me in my obsessive car seat investigation!!
Oops, I guess I didn’t have my Alpha Omega installed correctly, because I was able to recline it while my son was in it. Thanks for the tip, I’ll double check its installation today. I’m also looking for another car seat for my almost 1-year old to use rear facing in the passenger or center seat of a 2005 Hyundai Sonata’s backseat (next to the AO sport). We have a True Fit Premier installed in the passenger seat right now, but I don’t think it will fit reclined once the headrest is reattached. So I was planning on moving that one to the Mercury (big old man) car that I drive. Is there any seat the will rear face in the center position next to the AO sport in a small sedan’s back seat? My son is a small 3.5 year old (31 pounds), so I’d like to keep him harnessed as long as possible and he likes his AO sport. We’ve considered the Graco My Ride 65 (I think it’s too tall to work & still leave room for me to ride in the passenger seat), the Evenflo Triumph Advanced (I saw it at Target & LOVE the knob adjusters) or maybe the Evenflo Symphony if I can find the extra money (its $189 vs $105 for the ETA at Amazon).
Thanks for your help!
~Penny.
Amy – the Symphony 65 does NOT recline on-the-fly. The only current (not discontinued) harnessed carseats that have that type of recline ability are the Maxi-Cosi Priori and the Combi Zeus 360.
Many seats on the market today have a semi-reclined position that can be used when the seat is forward-facing but you cannot switch back and forth between semi-reclined and fully upright without removing the child and re-installing the seat in a different recline position. Let me put it this way – if you can change the recline position while the child is sittig in the seat then the seat is no where near installed properly. I’ve seen how people do this and the reason they’re able to do it is because the seat isn’t installed tightly or tethered.
Please see the “Recline Rules” listed in this review above for determining which specific recline positions may be used for your child depending on her age and weight. Keep in mind that children who are still able to use the rear-facing position (under 35 lbs) benefit not only from superior crash protection but also from using the seat in the fully reclined (most-comfortable-for-sleeping) position.
With that said, the Symphony 65 isn’t known for causing head slump issues but the seat you have right now is. The AOE is famous for causing head slump because of the way the headrest forces the child’s head forward. HTH!
I am considering getting the Evenflo Symphony for my car. Other than safety, of course, a concern of mine is the recline feature. My daughter has a Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite and while we like it for the most part, it does not recline well and my daughters head flops when she sleeps. From what the box says on this seat, it “reclines while the child is asleep or awake”. Does this mean that it reclines while the child is in it and it is installed in the car forward facing? If not, is there another car seat that you suggest that will recline better? We will be making a 1200 car trip and need something she can sleep in without having a crick in her neck!
Thanks so much!!
Thank you for this great site! Coming back to this review now that our new EFTA has arrived… I thought it was interesting that our seat which was manufactured in February 2010 has a sticker that says it expires in *8* years. Did they change something in the specs, or did they just start using the Sym65 stickers on the EFTA? 🙂
Hi Vicki,
I have posted this question in another spot but I’m guessing you might have the answer here! I just installed the symphony 65 last night for our 9 month old daughter in the rear-facing position. Using the latch system, the crotch buckle hardly sticks out from the slot. Have we done something wrong? The latch system strap looks exactly as it should in the manual with the crotch strap underneath, but I’m not sure why it is so short!
Thank for the great reviews and the help!
Hi Vicki-
There are no standards for coach seats. They vary considerably by airline and even by the type of plane used. The Symphony 65 isn’t particularly large, so I suspect it would fit well in most airline seats, but it is impossible to say for sure that it would fit all of them.
Have you heard any word on whether the Symphony65 will fit in a standard coach airline seat? This is the car seat we have, and we are hoping to use it when we fly later this year. Thank you!
No, currently Evenflo does not mandate a certain amount of vehicle head support behind the Symphony. At this point only Dorel has such requirements. Although realistically, in a moderate to severe rear impact – most children in highback booster seats (regardless of whether they were made by Dorel, Evenflo, Britax, etc.) would likely benefit from the additional head support provided by the vehicle’s head restraints.
Like Donna, wondering if the symphony 65 requires a vehicle head rest?
Thanks.
MDR – both seats have similar amounts of RF leg room. I don’t think one seat has the advantage over the other in that dept. As for crotch room – both seats are pretty generous in that regard. The longer strap on the Sym65 does make a difference but I still think the ETA offers more room in that area with its outer buckle position being about 8.5″. In the photos of my 5 year old son modeling the ETA – he’s using the inner buckle position and is still comfortable. Keep in mind that diapers take up a lot of room too and once your kids don’t wear them anymore they’ll have some extra room in that area. HTH!
Thanks for the review!! I had two questions, please. Which do you think gives more rear-facing leg room? Second, which is more generous in the crotch area? I was drawn to the triumph advance because of the second crotch position being about 8.75 inches? But with the shorter crotch belt, how do they compare for actual room before you hit metal. My BIG son is not quite 3 and is just barely fitting into a Radian 65 on the outer slot (and that’s a somewhat more generous crotch on the market, I believe.) This seat will be for little sister to rear face in. She’s outgrowing her Snugride. Thanks for your input.
Does the Symphony 65 require a vehicle head rest when it’s adjusted up in booster mode?
We have a Symphony 65 that I’ve used both rear-facing for my teeny then 5 month old, and forward facing for my long torsoed almost 3 year old. I have to say, that while it’s not my favorite seat, and I think the Sure-LATCH could use some work, I’m very impressed with this seat It’s easy to use, the labeling and manual are VERY easy to read, and the harness adjuster is like BUTTER! I would love to see more 3-in-1 seats that work as well as this!
I don’t like that babies won’t have the eps foam behind their heads, but it’s not like this isn’t something we get with some seats… just not usually with this price tag.
I hope that evenflo will figure out a solution to this problem so that our littlest passengers will have the same amount of foam to help protect them as the older passengers.
I just got a Symphony65 – and love it. My daughter who is 25 months, 32″ and 24lbs is rear facing in it with plenty of room to grow – she has tons of leg room too. I will be off work on Thursday and will take some pics and post them so you can see how she fits rear facing in it!
Correct, it appears that they both offer similar amounts of rear-facing height room. I didn’t have any kids in that size range to model the Symphony but since there are plenty of pics floating around the forums of bigger kids RF in the ETA – that should give people a good idea of what they can expect.
So, while RF, they both offer the same amount of shell space? I’ve been wondering how tall the seat would be for RF when the headrest was in the second position. It doesn’t sound like much but if it is equal to the shell height on the EFTA, it would make a really great seat considering it makes a pretty good booster for many children, from what I have heard anyways