Best Car Seats of 2025

We think the Graco 4Ever DLX is the best car seat on the market because it has impressive third-party crash test results, boasts thousands of positive customer reviews, and  protects your child from infancy until they're ready for a seat belt. 

But we know every parent has different priorities when shopping for a car seat, so we rounded up the best-of-the-best for various categories, including the Chicco Keyfit 30 as the best infant carrier seat, the Britax Poplar S Convertible as the best car seat for extended rear-facing safety, and the Safety 1st Turn and Go DLX as the best rotating car seat.

Check out each of our top picks plus essential car seat dos and don’ts below.

There's a lot to think about when choosing a car seat. We asked seasoned parents if they had any advice for new parents about buying a car seat. Here's a compilation of their tips.

Becca Susong is a pediatrician, lactation consultant, and mom. She recommends looking for a car seat that will allow your child to face the rear of the car until age two—but ideally as long as possible.

All car seats have height and weight limits for the rear-facing configuration, and the general rule of thumb is to max out these limits before switching to a front-facing car seat.

Depending on your child's growth rate, they could face the rear of the car until about the age of 6 with some of our favorite extended rear-facing options below. 

"A correctly installed $80 seat is safer than a fancy $500 seat that's installed wrong," says Dr. Susong. No matter what car seat you end up buying, you'll need to spend time learning how to install it properly. But some installation procedures are undoubtedly easier than others.

"Start practicing early," she advises. "Install it a couple of weeks before your due date and play with the straps on a stuffed animal. Yes, it feels silly, but it helps so much." She recommends driving to a local fire station or car seat safety event to have your car seat checked by professionals for extra peace of mind. 

Consider looking for a car seat that's easy to install and lets you know when it's done correctly. Keep an eye out for:

• Car seats that use the LATCH system (metal rods in the back seat of cars made after September 2002). 
• Car seats with built-in levels or other visual indicators that help you know if the seat has been installed correctly.
• Clear installation instructions on the seat, complete with visual diagrams. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) puts car seats through a rigorous ease-of-use test and scores them one (poor) through five (excellent). We reference those scores throughout our reviews to help you pick a car seat that's easy to use. 

All the parents we talked to said their car seats get really messy, whether it's from a spilled drink or a diaper blow-out. "Parenthood is messy," says mom of two Heather Watters. She recommends looking for a car seat that's not only easy to clean, but also easy to take apart. "Some car seats make it so hard to get the covers off, it turns into a full afternoon job," she says.

Look for a car seat with an easy-to-remove cover that can be thrown in the washer and dryer. Car seats with machine-washable fabrics are getting easier to find these days, but many must be air dried. 

"Test the seat in your car if you can," says Watters. "Some seats just don't fit well in certain models, and no one tells you that until you're sweating in the parking lot. The extra ten minutes you spend researching could save you a lot of stress." 

Check the car seat's dimensions to make sure it will fit in your car, especially if it has to butt up against other car seats. "Not all seats are created slim," warns Dr. Susong. 

Buying a car seat can be a surprisingly personal decision. Here are some things you might want to look for:

• A lightweight infant carrier
• A rotating "turn toward me" design
• An extra base for a second car 
• Recline positions for longer trips
• Large cup holders
• A rebound bar or leg load for extra peace of mind 

Amy Johnson says she was motivated to get a rotating base because her back was aching trying to buckle her kids into the car. "The ability to rotate the seat to face out towards the parent is a game changer," she says. 

"Here’s the pediatrician in me jumping in first: all car seats sold in the U.S. meet minimum safety standards. That means you don’t have to buy the most expensive one to keep your baby safe," says Dr. Susong. 

Some parents like 2-in-1, 3-in-1, or 4-in-1 car seats as affordable options because they don't have to buy another seat every couple of years. Others prefer to buy as they go just in case their needs change. There's no right or wrong way to go about it—it's entirely up to you. 

Extremely popular among parents, the Graco 4Ever DLX is our top choice for a 4-in-1 car seat because it supports kids from infancy until the age of 10, performed well in third-party crash tests, and is highly adjustable. Given its long-lasting lifespan, the Graco 4Ever’s price is one of the best on the market. 

• Go ahead and buy the Graco 4Ever DLX if you want to make a practical, economical purchase that will last for years.
• Keep shopping if you want an extended rear-facing option or a removal infant carrier.

All car seats sold in the US meet minimum safety requirements, but many parents want a car seat that protects their child better than average. The Graco 4Ever DLX does just that. In third-party tests, this car seat demonstrated some of the best chest and head acceleration scores, which means your child is more likely to stay snug and secure in this car seat during an accident.

We also love that the Graco 4Ever DLX accommodates children up to 49 inches and 40 pounds in a rear-facing position. It’s not the highest we’ve seen (check out the Britax Poplar 2 and Graco Extend2Fit below), but it’s definitely above average.

The car seat cover is machine washable, and you don't have to uninstall the car seat in order to remove the cover. Unfortunately, you can't toss it in the dryer. 

The only other hiccup we found with the Graco 4Ever DLX was the low "ease of vehicle installation" score it received from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). When tested in the rear-facing position, NHTSA noted the following pain points: 

• An average-sized male hand may have difficulty routing the seatbelt through the LATCH system.
• Padding must be moved to route the seatbelt.
• Labels do not explain how to use the LATCH system or show an image of a child correctly positioned in the seat.

These aren't total dealbreakers, but you should expect a learning curve when installing the car seat. 

Bottom line: The Graco 4Ever DLX has thousands of positive reviews for a reason—it's a high-quality car seat that meets the needs of parents and kids.

We chose the Chicco Keyfit 30 as the best infant car seat because it has a convenient carrying handle, a sun shade, and easy-to-use base. Plus, it's relatively affordable and a big hit with parents. 

• Go ahead and buy the Chicco Keyfit 30 if you want a car seat with a removable carrier and don't mind purchasing another car seat in a year or two. 
• Keep shopping if you want to stretch your investment by purchasing a convertible car seat.

The Chicco Keyfit 30 performed well in third-party crash tests. In fact, compared to all other infant car seats on our list, the this car seat did the best job stabilizing the head region during test dummy crashes. 

The carrier weighs 9.5 pounds, making it neither the lightest nor the heaviest infant car seat on our list. It’s compatible with at least eight strollers, which is pretty good. The padding can be washed on a cold cycle, but it should be hung up to dry.

The Chicco Keyfit only works for babies weighing 30 pounds or less. That means your baby will outgrow this model quickly, and you’ll be in the market for another car seat before you know it. However, many of the convertible car seats on the market don't have carrying handles or sun shades. If you want to be able to carry your baby to and from the car, you'll typically need a car seat designed for infants—and the Chicco Keyfit 30 is definitely a favorite among our team and the parents we talked to.

There’s also room for improvement in the Keyfit’s NHTSA ease of use score. Overall, it earned four out of five points. Most of the report’s comments refer to poor or missing instruction labels.

Bottom line: If you want to run errands with your newborn or just want to buckle them in without disturbing their sleep, the Chicco Keyfit 30 is a popular and practical choice. 

The Britax Poplar S Convertible is our top pick for an extended rear-facing car seat because it supports kids who weigh up to 50 pounds or measure 49 inches tall in the rear-facing configuration. 

According to Stanford Children's Health, kids typically reach 49 inches and 50 pounds—the rear-facing limits of the Britax Poplar S Convertible—between the ages of 6 and 8.  At that point, they can switch to this car seat's front-facing configuration until about age 10. 

In some car seats, kids outgrow the rear-facing configuration by 18 months, so the Britax Poplar S Convertible's height and weight limits are truly exceptional. 

• Go ahead and buy the Britax Poplar S if you want luxury perks like easy-care fabric and an anti-rebound bar.
• Keep shopping if one of the luxury perks you want is a rotating car seat. 

We like the Britax Poplar S because it protects kids for about 10 years (just like the Graco 4Ever DLX), keeps them in the safest position for much longer than the competition, and is easy to use.

We love that it comes with an anti-rebound bar that can be used in both the rear- and front-facing configurations to minimize whiplash during an accident. Its two cup holders are removable and dishwasher safe, and the car seat cover can be tossed in the washer and dryer.

On the downside, the Britax Poplar S doesn't have a removeable infant carrier. If your little one is asleep in the car seat, you'll have to disturb them when you arrive at your destination. 

Bottom line: The Britax Poplar S Convertible 2-in-1 car seat is a well-made, high-quality car seat made with superior safety and ease of use in mind.

If you like the Britax Poplar 2 but want a more affordable option, we recommend the Graco Extend2Fit. It supports a rear-facing configuration for kids up to 49 inches tall and 50 pounds, exactly like the Poplar 2. Then, it transforms to a forward-facing seat until your child is 65 pounds. An extendable platform supports their feet as they grow. 

• Go ahead and buy the Graco Extend2Fit if you're a fan of the Graco 4Ever DLX but want an extended rear-facing option, or you like the Britax Poplar 2 but want to save some money.
• Keep shopping if you want to splurge for extras like a removable infant carrier or swivel base.

The Graco Extend2Fit is an affordable convertible car seat that should last for about 8 to 10 years before your child outgrows it. As we've mentioned, it's a close competitor to the Britax Poplar 2 and costs about $150 less, but it lacks an anti-rebound bar and dryer-friendly fabric. However, the foot rest is unique to the Graco Extend2Fit and could help make this car seat more comfortable in the rear-facing position over time. 

Bottom line: The Graco Extend2Fit is a great choice for parents looking for an extended rear facing car seat that isn't too expensive. 

The Safety 1st Turn and Go DLX is our pick for best rotating car seat because it turns a full 360 degrees and supports kids up to 100 pounds thanks to its integrated high-back booster seat. Although it retails for over $300, we've seen it on sale for more than 30% off, making it one of the more affordable options on our list. 

• Go ahead and buy the Safety 1st Turn and Go if you want to make it as easy as possible to get your baby in and out of the car.
• Keep shopping if you want a car seat with a removable infant carrier or extended rear-facing capacity. 

There's a lot we like about this car seat, right down to its dryer-friendly fabric. It has two dishwasher-safe cup holders, plenty of padding around the shoulders, and diagrams that help with installation. And let's not forget that it swivels—a fantastic feature that makes it much easier to get babies and toddlers in and out of the seat.

You'll sacrifice some rear-facing years with this car seat since it can only handle kids up to 30 inches tall in that configuration. But you should get about 10 years of use out of in total. 

Bottom line: The Safety 1st Turn and Go is easy to use and works for several stages of growth. 

In third-party tests, the Primo Viaggio Nido exceeded federal standards for head injury criteria by about 55% and exceeded chest acceleration standards by over 20%.

The Primo Viaggio Nido suits children up to 35 pounds or 32 inches tall. It’s relatively lightweight as an infant carrier, weighing around 10 pounds.

We think a hand-wash-only car seat liner like the Primo Viaggio Nido is really inconvenient for busy and tired parents. But if you already have a routine for hand-washing items, perhaps you’ll be undeterred. 

The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 is a rear-facing car seat with a removable infant carrier weighing about 9.9pounds. Children can use the UPPAbaby Mesa until they’re 32 inches tall or weigh 35 pounds, which is the most common height and weight limit that we found in rear-facing car seats.

With an expiration date of seven years, your UPPAbaby Mesa V2 will be ready to go if you welcome another kiddo home in the future.

Like all car seats for sale in the US, the UPPAbaby Mesa V2 passed federal safety standards. But compared to other car seats on the market, this model’s just average. 

We’re disappointed to see the Doona barely squeaked past the minimum federal safety standards according to third-party testing. While it is technically safe because it does meet those standards, other car seats have performed better in crash tests.

Still, the Doona has some noteworthy safety features, including an anti-rebound bar to prevent the car seat from lurching toward the rear of the car. It also includes two layers of plastic and foam for side impact protection.

Don’t let the nearly $550 price tag make you skip this one automatically. You do get two products in one for that price: a car seat and a stroller. You won’t want to use this car seat as a carrier, though, since it weighs a hefty 16.5 pounds. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem since it always has wheels ready to go.

Your baby can use the Doona as a car seat until they’re 32 inches tall or weigh 35 pounds. The padding can be washed on a cold cycle but shouldn’t be thrown in the dryer. 

It appears Babyark has thought of everything, including magnets that hold up the harness while putting baby in the seat and the zip off cover for easy washing.

The Babyark includes 14 sensors embedded in the smart base, which will alert you to the following in real-time through its mobile app:

• If the car seat is installed properly or not (with foolproof guiding lights)
• If the child is buckled or not
• If the child is forgotten in the vehicle
• If the car seat is unusable after a crash

The regular price tag is steep at $1,190, but you will get what you pay for. Plus, the brand offers sales to help make this advanced car seat a bit more affordable.

As a 4-in-1 car seat, the $400 Britax One4Life’s main competition is the Graco 4Ever DLX. The Britax One4Life has better extended rear-facing capabilities, but the Graco 4Ever DLX scored better on third-party crash tests. We think it's worth sticking to the more affordable Graco 4Ever DLX or choosing a different Britax model. 

The Graco SnugRide SnugLock (about $230) is a rear-facing-only infant car seat that scored quite well on the chest-acceleration portion of the third-party crash tests (46 g-units) but showed average results in the head-injury criteria portion (606).

We appreciate that it’s easy to use, can accommodate taller kids (up to 35 inches) and has machine-washable padding. But you can only use it with Graco or Joovy strollers.

For the price, you might as well spend a little bit extra and go for the Graco 4Ever. It will last nearly 10 times longer and offers even better crash-test results.

The Clek Foonf is meant for children weighing at least 14 pounds. This makes it impractical in our book because you’ll have to buy another car seat for your newborn anyway. And the Clek Foonf retails for about $580. It doesn’t make sense to pay more money for reduced use.

To be fair, the Clek Foonf does have the best third-party test results in terms of chest acceleration. If it also had the best head-injury criteria results, we’d have to give it a closer look. But many other car seats outperform it in that regard. We think your money would be better spent on a different car seat.

As your little ones grow up, they need a car seat that fits them correctly. There are convertible car seats that shift and change with your child’s growth stages, or you can purchase a new car seat for every phase. Either way, the car seat needs to be easy to install and hold your child securely. No matter what stage your child is at, the best car seat is a properly installed car seat.

Infants to 3 years old: Babies and toddlers need to sit in a rear-facing seat until they reach the weight limit on the car seat. You can find convertible car seats that fit from infancy to 3 years old. Infant car seats have a shorter life span, fitting babies up to 12 months, while convertible models can fit older children up to 35 pounds (depending on the car seat model).

4 to 7 years old: Once your child reaches preschool age, they can typically sit in a forward-facing car seat. These seats generally fit kids from 40 to 60 pounds. When installing these seats, it’s especially important to fasten the top tether of your car seat to the vehicle’s seat. This can reduce head and neck injuries in case of a crash.

8 to 12 years old: This is typically when your child can transition from a forward-facing car seat to a booster seat. Depending on your child’s weight and height, they can use a belt-positioning booster or a backless booster seat. These seats are best for kids between 40 and 80 pounds and up to 4 feet 9 inches. See our recommendations for the best booster seats.

12 years and up: Until your kids are 13, the back seat is the best place for them to sit. Once your kiddos reach 4 feet 9 inches, they are generally big enough to use an adult seat belt in the back seat of your vehicle. This could be the back seat’s lap belt or lap and shoulder belt.

• 60 hours of research
• 55 parents surveyed
• 30+ car seat models scrutinized
• 17 data points compared
• 10 years of NHTSA data reviewed
• 3 parents interviewed
• 2 experts interviewed
• 1 huge spreadsheet
• 0 tears

We spent about 60 hours researching empirical data about car seat safety and usability, compiling it into a monster spreadsheet, and looking for stand-out winners for various categories. We also surveyed 55 parents and read hundreds of car seat reviews to understand how each model performs in the real world.

The NHTSA conducts crash tests on car seats to determine if they’re safe enough to be sold in the US. If too much force is exerted on the dummy’s head or chest during the crash test, the car seat is deemed unsafe and never hits the shelves.

According to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213), too much force occurs if the chest area accelerates faster than 60 g-units within 3 milliseconds. The head’s acceleration is measured over the course of 36 milliseconds and run through a mathematical calculation to determine the “head injury criteria” (HIC). The resulting HIC number must be less than 1,000. 

In other words, lower crash test numbers are better.

The NHTSA keeps its crash test data under wraps, but we found and compared third-party data to help you better compare the relative safety and performance of each car seat. Although there’s no guarantee that a child will be totally unscathed after a car accident in any car seat, we believe crash test data will help parents make more informed decisions.

The NHTSA created an “Ease of Use” rating system for car seats and publishes its findings every year.

We tracked down those reports and sifted through the data for you. Because the NHTSA recommends discarding car seats more than 10 years old, we only looked at data from the past 10 years.

The NHTSA evaluates child restraint ease of use across four categories:

1. Usability of labels
2. Usability of manual
3. Ease of securing the child
4. Ease of installation in a vehicle

Each car seat is given a category and overall rating on a scale of one through five, with one being the lowest and five being the highest. Ratings are weighted, which in this case means “ease of installation in a vehicle” is the most significant factor contributing to a car seat’s overall rating, and “usability of manual” is the least important factor.

Our pick for best child car seat is the Graco 4Ever DLX, but the other car seats on our lists are worth your consideration as well.

Every car seat passed the federal safety tests, but we love seeing extra features like a load leg or anti-rebound bar. And we know how important it is to have an easy-to-install seat with padding that washes up well.

That’s why we’re thrilled to see a variety of car seats that offer this blend of safety and convenience at different price points.

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• If My Child and I Were In an Accident, Should I Replace the Car Seat?
• Uber Makes Safety a Priority With Uber Car Seat Service

• Spurrier, Juliet, MD & Wend Schmitz, Baby Gear Lab, “Best Infant Car Seat with Crash Tests of 2021,” March 2023. Accessed April 14, 2025.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Revised Estimates of Child Restraint Effectiveness,” December 1996. Accessed April 14, 2025.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables," June 2022. Accessed April 14, 2025.
• Governors Highway Safety Association, “Child Passenger Safety.” March 2023. Accessed April 14, 2025.
• State of Rhode Island State Police Department of Public Safety, “Seat Belt Laws & Car Seat Recommendations.” Accessed April 14, 2025.
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “Child Safety,” June 2023. Accessed April 14, 2025.
• Mayo Clinic, “Car seat safety: Avoid 9 common mistakes,” May 2023. Accessed April 14, 2025.
• Sanford Children's Health, "Normal Growth." Accessed April 14, 2025. 
• American Academy of Pediatrics, "Child Passenger Safety," November 2018. Accessed April 14, 2025.