I looked at a lot of Convertible seats, but was most interested in the Clek Funf, the Maxi Cosi Pria, the Britax Marathon 70, Chicco Nextfit, the Diono Radian, and the Combi Corocco.
I went online and checked reviews and that's how I narrowed it to the above list, but in store, I was able to see each seat in person, and honestly I was really set on the Clek Funf until I felt it with my hand. It's hard as a rock and did not look comfortable at all. I want my daughter to be able to sleep in her car seat on long trips so we both don't go insane, so this was a big deal for me. So the Clek was out.
I asked the saleswoman about the Chicco Nextfit. I like that it has way more recline options, but she told me it wasn't her favorite chair because even though it offered a wider recline selection, it was not really a perk. All the other seats I was interested in still offered 2 reclines for rear facing and that was plenty. I wasn't impressed by any of the other features on the Chicco so I moved on.
Comparing the Maxi Cosi to the Britax Marathon, the Maxi Cosi just seemed so much more comfortable, and so much more plush, I thought my daughter would be more comfortable in it. I also liked how plus the Combi Corocco was but it was just a little too small. It would be perfect for a smaller vehicle, but I've got the 2014 Edge (yes, I ended up buying it), and I have plenty of room.
Pros of the Maxi Cosi:
- Comfortable - like... I want to take a nap in it if I were small enough
- My daughter doesn't get angry about being in it
- My daughter falls asleep like magic in this seat
- Easy to tighten and loosen the straps
- Buckles go in separately, meaning you don't have to connect the two buckles before connecting them with the lap buckle.
- 2 reclines are perfect, my daughter prefers sitting up more and the more upright position is perfect
- Solid install, very tight and secure
- This seat has been tested thoroughly and is very safe which is reassuring for me
- the cup holder is awesome and perfect for putting toys or sippy cups in
- I like the storage pouch for the instruction manual in the back of the seat
- big enough that my daughter can stay in it probably until she's 4 or 5 but small enough it doesn't force the passenger to move their seat up to an uncomfortable level (or at all so far)
- Forward Facing limit is 70 lbs and 52"
- Rear faces up to 40 lbs (so easily till my child is 2 unless she doubles her weight before that)
- Head rest and harness adjust really easily by lifting a handle in the back, which means no tedious re-threading. This should be a standard in all car seats.
Cons of the Maxi Cosi:
- I feel like the straps could be easier to tighten, sometimes I feel like I'm pulling so hard I'm going to injure my daughter just to get them tight enough
- It's hard to wash if you have a big accident, because it's so cushioned, it's very absorbent. I've been lucky not to have more than a little spilled milk but I ended up just spot cleaning instead of trying to wash the whole thing...
- It's wide, making it harder for you to have someone sit next to it. This is fine in my Edge, but if I were going to stuff 2 more people back there with her, they would need to be smaller in order to remain comfortable. I am expecting again and am a little concerned that when I add another car seat in the back it's going to make it impossible to sit anyone else in the back seat.
- It can be harder to put my daughter in the seat because it's so tall and sits so high I often find myself narrowly missing hitting her head on the car door frame.
I think the Pros outweigh the Cons on this seat, I would absolutely buy it again!
