Question Cosco Apt 50 convertible car seat

I have an almost 14-month old. She is still in her infant carrier because A) she still fits and B) it's more convenient for me to strap her in & run her out to the car that I've had warming up than it is to stand in the cold to buckle her. I plan on keeping her rear-facing until AT LEAST her second birthday and then forward-face harnessin until 50 pounds, ideally, so I'm looking for a convertible seat that meets those requirements. The Cosco Apt 50 is very appealing due to the price. The complaints I've read about are the Cosco seats being hard to install. --I will not be switching seats from car to car. My husband & I each will install ours and they will be there for the long haul. Another complaint is they aren't as "cushy" for the kid. I'm a stay-at-home mom so she's in it maybe twice a week for 20-ish minute spurts so that's not a concern. My main concerns are safety. I cannot find any crash test reviews on it. Does anyone have any information on the safety of this seat and/or safety comparisons to other seats? The only comparisons I can find are price/weight/height/dimensions. Any information you have is greatly appreciated!

All seats pass the same testing standards, and information is not really released beyond that. That is why you can't find comparative safety information: it doesn't exist. I would suggest you try installing it before you buy it, if you can. It sounds like that is the main thing holding you back, so it would be good to try it. It sounds like your daughter is average to small, so the APT 50 could get her to at least 3 years old rear facing, which is pretty good!

Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it!

Cosco seats aren't very soft or cushy indeed. If you wanna read face thru 40-50 pounds, id recommend a Diono seat of any model, the Rainier goes to 50lbs, but some kids don't hit 50lbs until age 7-8, I think that's really pushing the limits too far. I'd go with Britax Highway or Pavilion for a lower-budget seat, or the Chicco NextFit has. 6yr warranty and 45lbs limit for rf. hope you find the right seat that lasts 2-3 years for rf.

The Nextfit only goes to 40 pounds, not 45. And OP made it clear that price is a concern for her. All the seats you posted are well over $200.

The Apt is a fine choice for extended rear-facing (most kids seem comfortable enough in it); however, it's not likely to get most kids to 50# forward-facing as it is typically outgrown by height before weight.

As Melody wrote, all seats are tested to the same standards. Millions of kids ride in Dorel seats.

Original poster, another seat to potentially look at is the Evenflo SureRide (also called the Titan 65 (but not the regular Titan)). It's more expensive than the Apt, but will last longer FFing - definitely until she's ready for a booster.

A downside is that the SureRide takes up a lot of space front to back when rear-facing. I'm not sure how it compares to the Apt in that regard.

Are you planning on having any more kids? You could, for example, get an Apt now, and if your oldest still needs to be harnessed when the new baby is ready to move out of the infant carrier, you could pass the Apt down to the baby and get your oldest a SureRide or Evenflo Maestro or something for longer FFing harnessed.

lgenne said:

The Nextfit only goes to 40 pounds, not 45. And OP made it clear that price is a concern for her. All the seats you posted are well over $200.

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the basic radian car seat (R100) often goes on sale at amazon for $181. it only harnesses FF to 65lbs, but that will get most kids to a booster. It is still a good bit more expensive then the Cosco Apt, but the extra 15lbs from 50 to 65 could be years longer in the harness. it can also be a pain to install, but OP said she does not plan to uninstall or move the seats, so if she can get a good initial install, it would be fine.

The only downside I see to the Cosco Apt 50 is the width. with those cup holders, its 22.5" across. (compared to 17" for the radian). Oh how I wish the Cosco NEXT went to 50lbs. it is much more narrow, but has a max 40lbs even FF. sigh. maybe next year, ah?

I have a Costco APT 40. I just replaced it and am going to sell it. It isn't a cushy seat. My daughter has used it for about a year in our sitters turned back up sitters car and never complained about being uncomfortable.

I have 2 main reasons for getting rid of it:

1. the install - in the beginning it took me 30 minutes and 3 pool noodles to get it in place. I have to push both front seats all the way up and collapse them forward to be able to have enough room to install the seat tightly. Because it takes up a good bit of space front to back, her husband kept uninstalling the seat every weekend so he could fit in the front seat. I was having to re install it every Monday morning...no thank you!!!. Although I'm much quicker at it now, it's still a big pain. It also takes someone who knows who knows what they are doing to get a good install.

2. It doesn't last that long. Granted the 50 will get you further than my 40. But if I added the $60 I paid for the Apt, plus the $80 ish I'd pay for a budget forward facing harness seat, than I could get a Graco clone seat (I think the Contender is on sale right now for $100), or the Sureride for cheaper and likely use it until she could ride in a booster.

Overall, as far as safety and comfort, because it was installed in the middle, I have no complaints. Harness is easy to buckle, and tighten and the seat has lots of slots to get them in the right position. As far as cushy goes, people forget that when you only weigh 20-40 pounds you don't need all that mush cushion to be comfortable.

The Scenera NEXT is a much easier to install seat, it's at Walmart now for $44, might be worth a look, if the OP ever checks back in
SureRide is more likely to last a lot longer, I've fit it in an old Kia Sportage (tiny car!), but with short front passengers.