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Chicco NextFit Review

Chicco NextFit
0
Overall Score
Ease of Install - Latch
Ease of Install - Belt
Ease of Use
Comfort & Quality
Weight & Size

Bottom Line

When it comes to quality-rich comfort and the ultimate safety for your child, the Chicco NextFit is here. A flexible and reliable convertible car seat with smooth design, ease of installation, and trouble-free cleaning.

What We Like

  • Convenient installation
  • Sturdy steel-inforced frame
  • Non-rethreading harness
  • Nine recline positions
  • Washable pad

What We Don't Like

  • Expensive
  • Heavy and bulky
  • Difficult belt lock-off

Are you shopping around for your little one’s car seat upgrade or expecting a baby? Convertible car seats come in various sizes and shapes with different features, all providing comfort and safety to your child to some extent. These car seats remain at your service until your child no longer needs a convertible seat.

Looking around for options turns out to be a hectic task because some of them are not suitable for your car, and others not much feasible or safe. If you know exactly what type of car seat with specific features you are looking for, your life becomes more manageable.

After comprehensively testing, analyzing, and reviewing, our product experts have already gone through the hard research part for you. We will share every aspect of a renowned car seat made by Chicco in this Chicco NextFit Review to help you make the right decisions with confidence and relaxation.

Overview of the Chicco NextFit

The Chicco NextFit is one of the best convertible car seats on the market because of its flexible, safe, and comfortable structure. The entire Chicco product line comes with various useful features as it adheres to quality standards. Some of the excellent characteristics of Chicco NextFit are as follows:

  • LockSure belt path lock
  • DuoGuard side-impact protection
  • Steel reinforced powerful frame
  • Nine recline positions
  • A good quality washable pad
  • SuperCinch force-multiplying tightener

The variety of headrest and recline positions it provides is one of the best for your child’s comfort. As a parent, it provides ease of use as you wouldn’t have seen before in other convertible car seats. The design of Chicco NextFit is smooth as well as one of the best in Chicco car seats.

From the first ride of your baby until the ride he/she will feel more comfortable switching to a booster seat, Chicco NextFit is a charm to have. It comes with a lifespan of ten years, making it more durable and reliable for your child.

See also: Best Convertible Car Seats

Things to Consider Before Buying a Chicco NextFit

Does your little one like to sleep in the car? Fortunately, the Chicco NextFit comes with a comfortable multi-layered fabric that keeps your child happy during the drive. Its advanced infant insert is one of the most reliable features for newborns.

Are you unfamiliar with the car seat’s installation? With the help of insightful labels and the seat manual, you don’t need to worry about installation and set up anymore. Adjustable harness and recline positions add value to its flexible structure.

Chicco NextFit comes in various models with its unique qualities and features. Remember to look at them before you finalize your decision to buy the perfect car seat according to your needs. These models are as follows:

  • NextFit Sport: This is an entry-level car seat that is not suitable for newborns because it doesn’t come with an infant insert. The starting weight limit on this car seat is 12 pounds.
  • NextFit Zip: It’s a level-up of the Sport model and comes with an “EZ zip & wash” cover that easily removes the cushion. Since it comes with an infant insert, you can use it for newborns.
  • NextFit Zip Air: For “Breathable 3D Air Mesh” backrest, which regulates body temperature, it’s a perfect choice. Especially if you are living in hot climates, it will bring all the comforts of NextFit series alongside breathable and quality-oriented fabric.
  • NextFit Zip Max: The car seat with an extended rear-facing room. If your child is taller, the Zip Max is ideal for you because it provides about 25% more legroom than usual convertible seats. It offers approximately all the features of previously mentioned models.

If you have an excellent sound budget to spend on a reliable car seat for your kid, Chicco NextFit is here. You need to consider some crucial aspects before you buy a new companion for your little one. From installation to safety measures, our product experts have brought all of these essential aspects to you to help you gain ultimate confidence in the buying process.

Key Features

Installation and Setup Process: Smooth and Effortless

Being a convertible car seat, the Chicco NextFit can be installed in both rear-facing and forward-facing configurations. There are multiple ways you can set up the car seat. Whether it’s your first time installing a car seat or are familiar with the LATCH or seat belt installation, setting up the NextFit is equally simple.

Choosing the appropriate recline position is also crucial, alongside setting up the car seat. Luckily, the seat has indicating marks about which position will be the most suitable for your baby. The younger your child is, the more recline is required. By squeezing the lever on the front side of the NextFit, you can easily adjust the recline position.

Is your car LATCH installation-friendly? The NextFit provides you the ability to set it up using the stronger LATCH system of your vehicle. At first, you just need to adjust the correct recline position for your child. You can find lower anchor connection spots where the car’s backrest and seat cushion meets in the back seat of your vehicle. Just push those anchors until you hear a click sound.

To make sure the seat is locked, pull on it. To further aid the setup process, recline the back seat a little bit. Assure that the anchors are not beneath the seat because if it happens, safety is compromised. Attach the seat to LATCH connectors in a way that the LATCH anchors are clear and out of the way of the seat.

At first, you should pull the “pull first” strap to tighten the lower anchors as much as possible. Follow the process for the “pull second” the same way to ensure its been securely fit. Check the backseat upright to ensure it is properly tightened.

Recommendation: Make sure the car seat doesn’t move more than an inch in any direction after installing it to ensure safety and proper installation.

To uninstall the car seat, on the LATCH anchors, you can simply push the red button, and it will get released by the LATCH connectors. Although you can use the LATCH system or seat belt setup, we recommend using the LATCH if your child’s weight and the car seat’s weight combines up to 65 pounds.

The Chicco convertible car seat offers easy installation through the seat belt as well. There are only a few steps to get you ready for a comfortable ride. To do this, just unsnap the cover to reveal the belt path, which helps to place the belt in the proper path.

Reclining the car seat is surely the very first part of the game. Open the lock off and feed the seat belt to the correct belt path. There are various belt paths for rear-facing and forward-facing configurations, so; you must choose the appropriate one.

Buckle the seat belt and pull the shoulder belt towards you. In this way, you can assure the belt is tight enough to provide confidence in a good grip. While pulling, wiggle the seat side to side to ensure a tighter and reliable fit. Check for a secure fit by trying to move the seat in different directions and making sure it’s not been moving more than an inch.

Age Range: Birth through Age 8

Are you ready to welcome the new baby? The Chicco NextFit is here to provide ultimate comfort and safety to your little one. The infant insert it comes with is designed to host your child from even 5 to 11 pounds. It helps your child get in a more comfortable and safe position at a vulnerable age.

You don’t need to pay extra money for the infant insert as it comes with the car seat free of cost. Unlike other manufacturers, most of the additional accessories come with it without external charges that make it a lovely choice by parents.

Some of its specifications are as follows:

  • Rear-Facing Mode: Suitable for kids weighing 5 – 40 pounds
  • Forward Facing Mode: Suitable for kids weighing 22 – 65 pounds
  • Height Limit: Most suitable for kids below the height of 49 inches

Since the Chicco NextFit comes in different sub-models, you should look at the car seat specifications beforehand. The most commonly used version of it is Chicco NextFit Zip, a standard one that comes with all the primary features that your child needs.

With adjustable harness and recline positions, it becomes much easier to place your child into it regardless of all the worries. Until your little one will need a booster seat or be able to use the vehicle’s seat, it will be there throughout their entire childhood providing ease and comfort all the time.

Design: Gentle

When it comes to the design, Chicco doesn’t compromise on almost anything. The flexibility of the recline positions to the durability and reliability of its fabric all comes with it. Although the convertible car seat Chicco is large and bulky, shockingly, it fits in almost all medium-sized cars.

The weight of the seat is 25 lbs, and the width is 19 inches. Some of its design characteristics, like the five-point harness system and ReclineSure, are the most notable and worthy features. The five-point harness system is completely adjustable and fits very well.

The crotch strap is also adjustable with multiple positions giving your child a comfy environment as they grow. Thanks to its ComfortFlex harness system, which helps you get your child seated by staying out of the way during the child seating process.

Do you want to have almost unlimited options to recline your baby? Yes, the ReclineSure of the Chicco NextFit is here to solve all of our problems. Your child can be reclined in 9 different positions depending on the suitability of the vehicle and comfort od your little one.

Having 6 headrest positions makes it stand out from other convertible car seats. It provides maximum protection to your child’s head. Luckily with the NextFit, when we adjust the headrest height, the harness straps automatically adjust to a correct height.

The SuperCinch is Chicco’s latest LATCH tightener, which uses force-multiplying technology to get secure and easy fitting. Moreover, its design supports the latest techniques and makes it easy to install. With the help of LockSure, installing the seat via belt path has also been much easier. It keeps the seat belt intact and in place to ensure better safety.

The materials used in the NextFit are one of the finest ones – soft and quality-rich as compared to other vehicle seat manufacturers. The finishing is also quite smooth and supports the cleaning process. The seat is extra-well padded, and the foam feels like a good quality memory foam.

Strap covers are also easy to remove when there are hot, sweaty days, and your child feels uncomfortable using them. Lets air circulate help your little one being cool and comfortable. Despite other manufacturers, the Chicco NextFit comes with a convenient cup holder that can be used to host favorite drinks, snacks, and even toys of your escape master.

Cleaning: No Problem

Fortunately, the fabric of the Chicco NextFit is machine-washable. It’s quite easy to remove the cover and wash it. You can just look at the instructions on the manual or the manufacturer’s video to understand how the cover can be removed.

When it comes to the Chicco NextFit Zip, the process of cover removal is even easier. Thanks to its unzipping technique, you just need to unzip it, and the pad can be removed. Removing and washing the seat pad has not been much easier than that.

The cup holder is also dishwasher safe that provides much convenience, especially if your kid is a naughty one. Since the material is soft and smooth, spills can be removed easily, and even you can wipe them out by using ordinary cleaning sprays.

There is only one thing that you might not like, and that is the heavyweight of the seat. It causes challenges to your biceps while bringing it home from the vehicle and vice versa. But overall, the car seat cleaning process is much easier and convenient than other convertible seats.

Safety: Cherished

The Chicco NextFit is backed by a steel-reinforced frame and a powerful structure. With the technology of DuoGuard – a double layer of side-impact protection- promises proven real-time safety that other seats are unable to provide. In our thorough review, we have analyzed every bit of its safety measures to help you decide the best car seat according to your preferences.

The crash test results of Chicco NextFit are one of the average ones, but various advanced safety features enrich it. The ease of use it provides while setting up safety settings are one of the best ones.

The layers of DuoGuard combine a deep rigid shell and EPS energy-absorbing foam. The shell has also been vitalized by the reinforced steel frame, which provides extra protection. Chicco has never compromised on car seat safety, that’s why the NextFit comes with all the essential features.

Are your facing problems guessing out which recline angle would be the safest? Well, thanks to the RideRight feature of the Chicco NextFit that consists of a bubble level indicator on both sides of the car seat. It helps you to ensure that you are reclining your infant within safe angles.

Price: On the Higher End

Despite the worthy features of Chicco NextFit, it comes with a price range of $250 to $350, depending on the model you choose. Less expensive models such as NextFit Sport doesn’t have an infant insert, so there are ups and downs in features concerning the price and models.

The capabilities of NextFit are beyond the price as it comes with many add-ons that other car seat manufacturers don’t provide for free. Its sleek and safe design elements make it more compact, and the reason being it high-priced comes into our minds.

Do you have a limited budget? Unfortunately, the Chicco NextFit is a high-priced seat, making it difficult to decide if you have a bounded budget. After our review, we can confidently say that from the harness system, forward-facing, and rear-facing conversion options to easy to install capabilities, the Chicco NextFit is worth paying.

Specs

  • Product Name: NextFit
  • Product Brand: Chicco
  • UPC: 049796605655
  • Dimensions: 21 x 19 x 26 inches
  • Colors: Nebulous, Carbon, Juniper, Geo, Corvus, Vivaci
  • Expiration Date: 8 Years of Lifespan from the Manufacturing Date
  • Warranty: One Year Warranty

Competition: Outstanding for Ease of Use

There are many convertible car seats on the market. According to your needs, you should choose the best option available. Our product experts have compared some of the best competitive car seats of the Chicco NextFit. Let’s dig into the insights.

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat: The Graco Extend2Fit is a convertible car seat with a relatively low price tag. It comes with a price range of $170 to $200, which is quite reasonable as compared to the NextFit. The Extend2Fit comes with 10 headrest positions and can host children from 4 to 50 pounds in rear-facing and 22 to 65 pounds in forward-facing configurations. It has fuss-free harness storage that holds the buckle out of the way. The Inright LATCH system makes the seat easy to install. As of our review, both of these car seats are easy to use, have multiple conversion abilities, a good harness system, and other similar specifications. But, the material quality that NextFit provides is matchless. If your primary goal is to have a car seat with quality and your budget is not that limited, we recommend going for the NextFit. But, if you are on a tight budget, Graco Extend2Fit is an excellent option to consider.

Evenflo Tribute LX Convertible Car Seat: The Evenflo Tribute is an all-in-one seat that can be used as a forward-facing, rear-facing, and booster seat. With a price range of just $110 to $170, this car seat stands out from the crowd of other expensive car seats with approximately the same specifications. In our comprehensive review of the Evenflo Tribute, we have observed that it comes with versatile capabilities. It is also quite simple to use and configure with your vehicle. When it comes to the harness, it is backed by Infinite Slide, a tremendous harness feature for perfect fitting. Overall, the Evenflo is an excellent limited budget option, but it lacks providing the quality comfort that comes with the NextFit. If the NextFit is feasible and you only want to use it for quality comfort until your child outgrows it, it’s the best option. If you want a car seat that will last for a long time with a reasonable budget, Evenflo is for you.

The Verdict

It’s Time to Ride in Style!

The Chicco NextFit has been engineered for comfort, safety, and peace of mind. It’s easy to use, convenient, versatile and built for reassuring protection. We recommend buying the Chicco NextFit if your budget allows you to do it because it is undoubtedly one of the best convertible car seats available around.

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? See more: 10 Best Convertible Car Seats

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