A few other factors to consider: While "big and bulky" might appeal to you, will your wife agree when she's trying to pull the sucker out of her trunk in 100 degree weather?
Also, while the stroller might move fine when empty, it might be a PITB to steer when you've got a 20 lb+ baby in the seat. This is a tough thing to check out when you don't have older kids.
Frankly, though, I'm much less concerned about stroller issues, than I am about the car seat. You'll probably find that you don't know exactly what your preferences are until you've been using the stroller for a while, and preferences change as your child gets older, seasons change, etc. Strollers aren't a life-or-death issue. Car seats are!
Make sure the seat you've chosen fits well in your vehicles, both of them! Remember that Evenflo doesn't allow the child restraint to touch the front seat, so you'll need more room in your vehicle for an Evenflo seat for some other brands. Some models are easier to install than others, but if the Evenflo base fits well in your cars, it doesn't matter whether it fits easily in a variety of other vehicles or not.
Make sure you can use the seat properly every trip. Do you hear it click into the base when you put it in the car? Do you know how to tighten the straps? That's easier on some models than others. It's important that the straps be snug around your baby to keep him/her in the seat during a crash. On some models, you really need to loosen the straps every time you take the baby out. On other models, it's fairly easy to get the baby out of the seat with the straps tight.
Again, what really matters is if you, your wife, and anyone else who will be strapping your baby into the seat or will be putting the seat into the vehicle on a regular basis can and will do it correctly every single trip. As long as the seat is used correctly every single trip, it will provide excellent protection in a crash.
Other factors that matter to some parents:
- How soon will the seat be outgrown?
- How easy is the seat to install in other vehicles (e.g., grandparents' or babysitters' cars or even taxis)?
- Does the seat work well for air travel?
- How comfortable is the seat? Does it have much padding?
- How much does the seat cost? You may want a more expensive seat to be "practically perfect" while being willing to compromise on an issue or two for a decent seat found on clearance.
There is no "best seat" for everyone. They all have pros and cons. All you need to do is find the seat that will work well to keep *your child* safe.