The 8 Best Infant Car Seats, Tested by Parents and Babies

What are the most important characteristics of a top infant car seat? According to Bloch, a certified child passenger safety technician at Consumer Reports, the answer is simple: “It fits your child, fits your car and is easy to use.” The KeyFit Max Zip ClearLux infant car seat, a new offering from Chicco for 2025, features plush comfort for baby, a straightforward install and a 10 out of 10 score from our parent product tester for ease of use. This model takes the performance we’ve come to expect from KeyFit car seats and adds the kinds of premium features you don’t normally see on a car seat at this midrange price, earning it a Best of The Bump award for overall best infant car seat. (See all of this year’s Best of The Bump winners.)

Our product tester Macie, mom of a 12-week-old, found the KeyFit Max Zip ClearLux super easy to install when used with either LATCH or the car seat belt, giving it a perfect score of 10 in this category. Like all KeyFit seats, this one features a spring-loaded leveling foot (to help get the right angle for your car) and two bubble level indicators (to ensure a proper recline for baby) plus the brand’s SuperCinch LATCH tightener (to get a tight fit without straining or stress). “This car seat was extremely easy to install compared to other infant car seats I have personally installed,” says Macie, who appreciated that it took under 10 minutes thanks to the clear instructions. “The car seat base once installed using the LATCH system feels very secure in my vehicle.”

LATCH systems are typically straightforward to use, but seat belt installations tend to be tricker for parents, depending on the car seat. Thankfully that wasn’t the case with the ClearLux, which features Chicco’s LockSure steel-reinforced seatbelt locking system. “It’s also very simple to install the infant car seat with the seat belt,” Macie confirms—in fact, it took her less than five minutes. “I personally prefer the LATCH system installation, but the seat belt also feels secure and safe.” You can even use the car seat belt to install the car seat without the base, thanks to the seat’s European belt path—perfect for when you’re hopping into a taxi.

It was just as easy for Macie to find the right fit for her baby as it was to install in her car. “My daughter seems very comfortable in this car seat and it features a great amount of padding,” she says. “The headrest supports her head perfectly, and when napping on a car ride her head does not drop forward.” The headrest can be slid up and down with the push of a button and automatically adjusts the no-rethread harness to the right height. In fact, comfort is a key point in this new KeyFit model—it features a luxurious merino wool fabric that’s naturally flame-retardant and free from harmful flame-retardant chemicals. This was a huge plus for Macie, who also loved that “the beautiful fabric” is GREENGUARD Gold certified.

The nontoxic fabric was just one of the reasons Macie gave the KeyFit Max Zip Clear Lux a perfect 10 out of 10 score for safety. It also features an anti-rebound bar that provides extra stability in the event of a crash and has the added benefit of offering more legroom as your child gets older. “I love this feature and it did not impact the base or car seat fitting into my car,” Macie says.

The only drawback Macie flagged was that the seat is on the heavier side. And she’s not wrong—at 10 pounds, it’s not quite the heaviest on our list, but it’s up there. In the end, though, it’s a small complaint next to the wealth of extra features the KeyFit Max Zip ClearLux offers, especially the zip-open mesh panel and pull-down SPF 50+ canopy, which Macie says “offers an amazing amount of coverage.” The canopy is fastened with magnetic buckles, which Macie tells us “attach very fast and hold up extremely well. I have not had any issues with the magnets coming apart.” In fact, Macie (and her daughter!) loved the car seat so much, she tells us she plans to continue using it as her main car seat. “We even bought a matching stroller by this brand to make a complete travel system.”

Dimensions: 28.8" (L) x 16.7" (W) x 24" (H) | Weight (seat): 10 lbs. | Weight (base): 8.5 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 30 lbs. | Height limit: 32"

Graco is earning a reputation at The Bump for offering high-quality car seats at a price that comes in well below their competitors. The brand took home several awards in this year’s Best of The Bump series for its budget-friendly offerings, including the Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX, our winner for best budget-friendly infant car seat. This inexpensive marvel rings up at under $140, which is a solid $100 less than the next-lowest price on our list. More importantly, though, that price break doesn’t come from a compromise on quality. The car seat boasts a good crash test rating from Consumer Reports, as well as the kinds of bonus features you don’t often see on a budget pick, like an an adjustable base with a pendulum level indicator to help with proper installation, and a multi-position canopy that can be positioned to block the sun at any angle—an especially nice feature for when you clip the seat into any Graco stroller and take baby for a walk.

That balance of what you get for the price you pay hit home with our product tester Steph, who used this car seat with her 4-month-old. She gave the SungRide 35 Lite LX a 10 out of 10 score for value for money, telling us, “Since it was so cheap, I was a bit worried it wouldn't be that safe, but I found it to be a really great car seat overall.”

The car seat features an adjustable base with level indicators and was “very easy to install using LATCH. It felt very secure once it was in place,” Steph says, giving it a top rating for ease of installation. Removing the base to switch cars didn’t take much muscle either. “The most difficult part was loosening the strap, but frankly I was glad because it meant it was very secure in the first place.”

It’s also worth noting that this seat is extremely lightweight—not the lightest on our list, but at just 7.5 pounds, it’s close. It would make a great affordable choice if you’re looking for a second car seat that grandparents can carry, or a travel backup to take on a flight. (And good news on that front: It’s FAA-approved for air travel.) Steph found the seat’s light weight and budget-friendly price didn’t impact its size or ease of use. “The seat itself is pretty spacious which is great for our big baby and getting the seat to click in and out of the car was really easy,“ she reports.

Steph’s son particularly liked the high-contrast black and white pattern lining the interior of the sun canopy that is a design feature in select colors—the kind of pattern that’s great for infant visual development. “He appreciated the black and white contrast and would stare at it a lot,” she says. In fact, Steph gushes, “My son actually preferred this car seat to his much more expensive convertible car seat that we've been using since birth! I would've bought this one from the beginning if I'd known.”

Dimensions: 18.1" (L) x 15.5" (W) x 27.4" (H) | Weight (seat): 7.5 lbs. | Weight (base): 4.8 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 35 lbs. | Height Limit: 32"

Every parent wants the safest infant car seat for their baby. And while every option on the market has to meet federal standards, some models, like the Best of The Bump-winning Romer Juni infant car seat, offer a higher level of safety, so parents can have maximum peace of mind. The Juni combines five major safety features in one seat: An anti-rebound bar to stop the seat from moving backwards in a crash; a load leg to prevent it from moving forward; rigid LATCH connectors to provide a more secure installation; a steel support bar to maintain the whole assembly’s integrity and a belt tensioner/lockoff mechanism. As Bloch tells us, “Belt lock-offs, particularly those that also help to tension the belt, generally make installation easier and help with getting tight installations.”

None of these features were lost on our product tester Tija, who tested the Romer Juni with her 5-month-old and gave it a perfect 10 out of 10 score for safety. She especially liked the load leg, a feature found on only 40 per cent of the car seats we tested. “The load leg was one of my favorite features once I learned that it minimized movement during sudden stops, and it was easy to set up,” she tells us. “This makes me feel like this car seat is safer than others I’ve used in the past because none have come with a load leg before.” And with all this focus on safety, it should come as no surprise that the Romer Juni received a “best” crash test rating from Consumer Reports.

Installing a seat with this many bells and whistles might seem intimidating, but Tjia tells us it was no big deal. While she did need to watch a couple of videos, she reports that her first attempt in each mode was only 10 minutes for LATCH connection, and about 15 for seat belt installation. Green installation indicators confirm you’ve done it correctly. You can also install it using the European belt path without the base. Once the seat was in place, Tija tells us, “it felt very secure. Clicking the seat on and off the base was extremely smooth! Both methods felt equally secure once installed properly.” It was just as easy getting her child in and out of the seat, thanks to the adjustable carry handle, which Tija could lower with one hand, and the magnetic harness holders that keep straps out of the way.

It has to be said, putting this many features into a car seat doesn’t come cheap. At close to $500, this is one of the more expensive options on our list. This is a premium seat—and it has a stylish look to match. “The car seat felt thoughtfully designed with a modern, sleek aesthetic,” says Tija, adding, “The fabric feels soft and high-quality! The car seat looks clean and premium. Overall, I’d rate the quality as excellent.” Plus, the seat fabric is naturally flame-retardant without the addition of chemicals. And when you add up everything you get, Tija thinks it’s worth the investment: “This is a great car seat, if it’s in your budget.”

Dimensions: 28.1" (L) x 16.9" (W) x 24.1" (H) | Weight (seat): 9.3 lbs | Weight (base): 11.6 lbs. | Weight Capacity: 4 to 30 lbs. | Height Limit: 32"

Over and over in our research, we found that parents had one major warning about infant car seats: Look out for the weight! However easy to carry it might seem now, you’re going to have to put a whole human being in it, and they’re only going to get bigger over the course of use. (And as parents ourselves, let us tell you: The struggle is real!) That’s where the Nuna pipa aire rx comes in. It earned a Best of The Bump award for best lightweight infant car seat for a reason: At only 6.2 pounds without accessories, it’s the lightest seat we looked at. Even with the full canopy attached, it’s still just 8.4 pounds. “The car seat looks heavy but it’s actually very lightweight and the weight distribution makes it so easy to carry! “ says our product tester Noora, who used the pipa aire rx with her 5-month old, and awarded the seat a 10 out of 10 score for ease of carrying.

Of course, “lightweight” doesn’t mean “flimsy.” Noora described the safety features on the pipa aire rx as “excellent,” and we’re inclined to agree. It’s got a 17-position built-in load leg to ensure a perfect fit in any backseat—including the middle—whether you’re using the base and rigid LATCH connectors or the European belt path to secure the seat directly into a cab. “I feel so comfortable with the sturdiness of the car seat,” Noora says. It also boasts an anti-rebound panel and side impact protection—perhaps one reason why independent crash testing conducted by Consumer Reports found that it offered the “best” level of crash protection available.

Other perks of this model include a magnetic canopy offering full coverage; breathable, stain-resistant fabric with no added fire-retardant chemicals, and an extra liner that you can insert when the other one is in the wash. “I love the features of the car seat. It’s designed very well,” says Noora. “It’s very comfortable for my baby and he really enjoys it. He’s happy sitting in it when we are traveling long distances,” she adds. But fair warning, all of these impressive features come with a hefty price tag: At $650, the pipa aire rx is the most expensive product on our list. For many families, this is going to be a lot of money, especially for a product you only use for a year. But if you’re going to be carrying the seat a lot, moving it regularly between vehicles or running tons of errands where you lift the seat in and out of the base several times a day, this premium, lightweight car seat is a standout choice.

Dimensions: 27.3" (L) x 17.5" (W) x 23" (H) | Weight (seat): 6.2 lbs. without accessories | Weight (base): 16.8 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 30 lbs. | Height limit: 30"

Not every car seat manufacturer publishes their crash testing results, but Clek posts their results for the Liing infant car seat right on the brand’s website. And we have to say, it fared impressively well on impact across the board, particularly for preventing head injury. But you don’t just have to take their word for it—Consumer Reports also awarded the Liing the “best” level of crash protection. We have a huge amount of respect for the transparency Clek shows with this practice and would love to see more companies follow their lead. In the meantime, though, we’re happy to give the Liing a Best of The Bump award for best infant car seat for crash testing visibility.

This solid crash performance is no doubt helped by the Liing’s additional safety features such as side impact protection and an energy-absorbing metal load leg that even works in the center seat (which is generally considered the safest spot, but not every car seat can be installed there!). “I was admittedly skeptical about the stabilizing [leg], worried it would take up valuable floor space in front of the seat, but it didn’t obstruct the area and provided additional peace of mind,” our product tester Kimberly says, giving the Liing 10 out of 10 scores for safety and features and design.

As for installation, the rigid LATCH system was “easy to install and [I felt] confident that the seat was in properly and not going anywhere,” Kimberly says. “While I’d prefer to use LATCH, the seat belt method was also easy to follow and the car seat seemed like it was sitting securely on the seat.” The seat can be reclined to seven different positions to ensure your child is situated safely. Plus, the Clek Liing is nice and narrow at just under 17 inches wide. Our product tester says this seat fit easily into her car alongside her toddler’s rear-facing seat—with plenty of room to spare for another car seat or passenger in between. It’s worth noting that while the base was simple to install, Kimberly felt that the seat was tricky to remove, finding the release clunky. “Even after using it for multiple car trips, I was unable to get a smooth release,” she reports.

The Liing boasts a number of nice comfort features for baby. “The design of the seat itself is wonderful,” Kimberly says. “The fabric and cushioning is very soft and makes for a very comfortable ride,” and is naturally flame-retardant. “The headrest has just the right amount of support to allow for my daughter to safely sleep in the car as we drive.” Kimberly also raved about the seat’s retractable overhead shade, which “extends farther than I have seen with other car seats,” she says. Conveniently, the shade also includes a flap that can be pulled back to check on baby, and it provides additional ventilation.

Overall, Kimberly was impressed by the Liing’s features, design, comfort and safety. She says, “The comfortable design and extra features like the extendable shade are wonderful, and my daughter is definitely a fan.”

Dimensions: 27.7" (L) x 16.9" (W) x 26.8" (H) | Weight (seat): 9 lbs. | Weight (base): 17 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 35 lbs. | **Height limit: 32"

Car seats can take up quite a bit of room in your back seat, and for families with multiple little ones, situating them all in the car can be a bit of a headache. Fortunately the Chicco KeyFit 35 ClearTex Infant Car Seat is designed with a slim profile, so you can install multiple car seats side-by-side and ensure every member of your growing family is safely secured. At 17.5 inches wide, the KeyFit 35 is one of the narrowest seats that we’ve tested (up to two inches slimmer than some on our list!). It pairs this slim profile with notable safety features (like an anti-rebound bar and GREENGUARD Gold certified fabric) and a lower price point than its big-name competitors, earning it a Best of The Bump award for best narrow infant car seat. After all, you don’t want to sacrifice overall performance just for smaller dimensions, and with the KeyFit 35, you don’t just get a slim car seat—you get a skinny workhorse that delivers everyday high performance.

Even better, narrow doesn’t mean a tight fit for your child. Our product tester Samantha found the seat roomy for her 5-month-old baby, and says, ”My baby seems very comfortable in the car seat—so comfortable he barely cries in this one and falls asleep in the car so easily. He has a lot of room to grow, with the headrest moving up higher and the space/length around his legs.”

This top infant car seat’s features include an extendable, five-position headrest that grows with baby, and an easily-adjustable no-rethread harness. “Getting baby in and out of the car seat is simple and straightforward, and the straps were smooth to loosen and tighten,” Samantha told us, giving the KeyFit 35 10 out of 10 scores for ease of use. She also gave top marks for ease of installation, thanks to some of the features we’ve already called out in the KeyFit series, like the SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener, the spring-loaded leveling foot and a steel-reinforced belt system for installing without the base. You won’t need a degree in engineering to ensure baby is strapped in properly—and if you’re going to do something three times in a row, you want it to be as easy as possible.

While the seat is heavier than some other models, our product tester gave the KeyFit 35 top marks for ease of carrying, telling us, “the handle is comfortable to hold.” Plus, the UPF 50+ extendable canopy will provide important sun protection when you’re on the go. It was also a hit with our survey respondents—Taylor, a mom of one, told us she liked the safety features, ease of use and ease of carrying.

Dimensions: 28.8" x 17.5" x 24" | Weight (seat): 10 lbs. | Weight (base): 8.5 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 35 lbs. | Height limit: 32"

One thing that came up repeatedly in our testing was parents’ preference for using a LATCH installation. Even in cases where the seat belt installation was relatively simple, a LATCH install was typically quicker and gave our testers a little more peace of mind. However, this can be a challenge if you’re regularly having to move the seat and base between different cars or using a lot of taxis.

You can, of course, use the belt installation, which is perfectly safe. But if you want to save time and keep using a LATCH installation, the Graco GoMax is a good option. This infant car seat has a valuable feature that really stood out to us: Rigid LATCH connectors built directly into the seat itself, offering all the speed and security of LATCH installation combined with the convenience of going base-free. This standout innovation earned the Graco GoMax a Best of The Bump award for best infant car seat to use across multiple cars. And it was a big hit with our tester Ashleigh too, who tells us, “Installing using the rigid LATCH without the base was fast—around two to three minutes.” She describes this as a major convenience, and adds that this was “easily one of the most user-friendly car seats I’ve used.”

This feature isn’t the only thing the GoMax has to offer. At 17.5 inches wide, it has a surprisingly narrow footprint, but with a seat that Ashleigh says gave her baby room to sit without being squished. “My baby fit well in the Graco GoMax, with good support and padding, especially for a 6-month-old,” she says, adding, “The seat offers ample room for growth.” She expects to be able to keep using it comfortably right up until her child hits the one-year mark, at which point Consumer Reports recommends switching a convertible car seat.

The wide seat opening and easily adjustable straps made getting baby in and out of the car “smooth and straightforward” for Ashleigh. She also loved the no-rethread harness and the removable, machine-washable cover and inserts. As the built-in LATCH system and additional, thoughtful details prove, this is a car seat designed with convenience at the forefront. “ I love that there are a few different options for installation depending on your situation,” Ashleigh enthuses. “Easily one of the most user-friendly car seats I’ve used “

Dimensions: 18.2" (L) x 16" (W) x 28" (H) | Weight (seat): 10.9 lbs. | Weight (base): 5.9 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 30 lbs. | Height limit: 32"

One of the biggest benefits of using an infant car seat is the ability to lift the seat in and out of the car. It seems like a small thing, but it’s huge. “Take it from a dad,” says Daniel Carroll, our associate director, “if baby falls asleep on the drive home, you want to be able to move them out of the car without waking them. Otherwise, if your kid’s anything like my daughter, that’s it for naptime. They’re up.” And no infant car seat we came across makes that extraction process easier than the Safety 1st onBoard Slide, our Best of The Bump winner for easiest infant car seat to get in and out of the car.

Most infant car seats click into the top of the base, but the unique design of the aptly named onBoard Slide allows you to pull part of the base horizontally towards you (or glide it back), giving you easy access. With a slide of up to 8 inches, It’s particularly useful if your baby is positioned in the middle seat. This was our tester Emily’s favorite part of the testing process—she says, “The car seat slid out super easily, no stiffness at all. It makes taking baby out of the car super easy.” It let her get her baby out “safely and more efficiently,” and far more comfortably. Hoisting the car seat up is something you’ll be doing a lot—so if you can reduce the strain it causes, your back just might thank you later.

It helps that the seat is extremely light, weighing in at just 8 pounds—“one of the things I absolutely loved about it. I had an easy time carrying it around both with the baby in it and without her in it,” says Emily. “The handle is comfortable to hold due to the faux leather up top; it has a really good grip.”

If you’re worried that the unique sliding mechanism sounds like something that’ll be tricky to install, don’t be. In addition to the easy LATCH system, the belt lockoff arm makes installation with the seat belt a breeze. “My husband loved it and kept talking about how fast he was done [installing] it,” Emily says. “It took about seven minutes to set up and was so easy to see when it was installed properly because the switch turned green,” she adds, referring to the red-to-green indicators that tell you when the belt is tightened properly. And once it was in place, “The car seat felt very stable, safe and secure and compared to our last car seat. I love it because it seems as though the baby is in a better and more comfortable position.”

Emily also had high praise for the look of the car seat, which she described as “very stylish,” as well as its comfort for baby. “It is super soft and comfy and seems very high quality,” she says. The bottom line? “I would absolutely recommend [it]. I can tell my daughter was comfortable and I absolutely love how light the car seat is. I also loved the slide feature and how much more comfortable it makes it to take her out of the car with little to no extra effort.”

Dimensions: 28.8" (L) x 19.3" (W) x 24" (H) | Weight (seat): 8 lbs. | Weight (base): 3.2 lbs. | Weight capacity: 4 to 30 lbs. | Height limit: 32"