Cobalt Coupe Owners! Britax Boulevard/Chicco NextFit??

bekabug · Jul 29, 2014

I have read so many threads at this point without seeing a direct answer and my head is spinning so I am starting my own.

I have a 2006 Cobalt Coupe and a 31 inch, 28 pound 9 month old. I also have a 6' 2" husband. I'm 5' 2".

Baby is too tall for his Chicco KeyFit 30 as of today. I'd like a Britax Boulevard G4 (first choice) or a Chicco NextFit to install in the middle seat and to rear face as long as possible (as long as we can stand it, really) beyond his first birthday. This car is way less than ideal but our other vehicle is a 2-seater 1993 Dodge Dakota pickup so that is a definite no go.

Our local BRU doesn't stock the Boulevard G4 so I can't test that specific seat. The BRU is 45 minutes away so I need to have a much better grasp of the fit before I waste the gas and drag all of us over there. Neither may work at all so I could save us a trip.

My questions:

Who has actually installed one of these Britax or Chicco seats, rear facing, in a Cobalt Coupe?
If yes, do you have pictures?
If you have a Cobalt Coupe and you went with a different convertible seat, what fit the best?
Is there something very similar to the Boulevard G4 at BRU that they actually stock in the store so I can get an idea of how it fits?

Thanks!

jgomez411 · Jul 29, 2014

bekabug said:
I have read so many threads at this point without seeing a direct answer and my head is spinning so I am starting my own.

I have a 2006 Cobalt Coupe and a 31 inch, 28 pound 9 month old. I also have a 6' 2" husband. I'm 5' 2".

Baby is too tall for his Chicco KeyFit 30 as of today. I'd like a Britax Boulevard G4 (first choice) or a Chicco NextFit to install in the middle seat and to rear face as long as possible (as long as we can stand it, really) beyond his first birthday. This car is way less than ideal but our other vehicle is a 2-seater 1993 Dodge Dakota pickup so that is a definite no go.

Our local BRU doesn't stock the Boulevard G4 so I can't test that specific seat. The BRU is 45 minutes away so I need to have a much better grasp of the fit before I waste the gas and drag all of us over there. Neither may work at all so I could save us a trip.

My questions:

[*]Who has actually installed one of these Britax or Chicco seats, rear facing, in a Cobalt Coupe?
[*]If yes, do you have pictures?
[*]If you have a Cobalt Coupe and you went with a different convertible seat, what fit the best?
[*]Is there something very similar to the Boulevard G4 at BRU that they actually stock in the store so I can get an idea of how it fits?

Thanks!

If you are planning on rfing as long as possible, then I would stay away from the Britax. They are notorious for a lack of legroom for rfing and they won't last nearly as long as the Next fit (and with a kiddo who is already 31" tall at 9 months, it will be outgrown much sooner).
I had a 2007 Pontiac G5 coupe (same car as yours) until my DD was a year old (and before I knew very much about car seats!) and I had a Safety 1st Onside Air in the center (not a fan of that seat though!) The Next fit is supposed to be good for smaller cars though, and if it had been out when my DD was younger, I would definitely have looked at that as my first choice.
Hope that helps!

jjordan · Jul 29, 2014

Carseatblog recently updated their comparison of rear-facing space for convertible seats. In the vehicle that was tested, the Nextfit took up the same amount of front-back space as a Britax convertible when the Nextfit was installed at an upright angle. Both of them are quite good with front-back space, so I'd say you have a good chance at either working. The pp is correct that the Nextfit does last longer, which might be important for you since you have a kid who is starting out pretty tall!

If the BRU stocks the Marathon G4, Pavilion G4, or Advocate G4, they are all the same size (front-back) as the Boulevard.