Best compact convertible car seat for big baby

[LizK]

My 7-month-old has grown out of his infant seat and I would like to get a convertible seat. He's a big boy at 20 pounds and is currently in the 100th percentile for height (who knew that was possible!), so I would like a seat that will fit him for awhile. One of our cars is a 2002 Passat with no LATCH system. The infant car seat barely fits behind the passenger seat--the passenger seat cannot go back fully and isn't super comfortable if someone tall is riding. We have a forward-facing convertible seat behind the driver for my 4-year-old, so putting a seat in the middle isn't an option.

Suggestions for a compact, convertible seat that has fairly high weight/height limits?

Thanks!

 

[eduller]

I also have a 100th + percentile kid. My suggestions, in order of personal preference and for a good fit in a Passat, for you would be:

-Clek Foonf - pricey and currently has a 43 inch RF height limit but easy to install, doesn't take up a ton of room front to back, and RFs to 50 lbs for heavier kids. I actually got one for $325 on an Amazon deal so good deals can be found.

- Graco MySize/Headwise 70 - I have one installed RF passenger side of a tiny '04 Ford Focus hatchback with a very decent amount of room for the front passenger. I HATED this seat when I first got one because the chest clip is stiff and the crotch buckle has a "trick" to it. In fact, I returned the first one I had in favor of the Foonf for a different vehicle because the person using the Foonf has arthritic hands and I couldn't see him unbuckling this thing. I still don't think anyone with weak or problem hands would have an easy time, but I do now have a MySize 70 as a spare seat in my mom's car. After working with the buckle for several minutes and figuring out the sweet spots, I have come to find it tolerable. I am not sure I'd use it as an everyday seat, but I would probably get used to the buckle if I had to. You can't beat the price, and it's the tallest RF seat you can get in the U.S.

-Diono Radian - People seem to either love it or hate it. I have read too much about the harness straps coming loose on their own, the company has a bad reputation, and the seat is HEAVY. But with the angle adjuster, it takes up very little front to back space, is very tall and narrow, and has a high RF limit. I liked the fabrics and found the buckles to be very easy to operate.

 

[Stelvis]

I would probably get a Size 4 Me/Headwise. Or a Nextfit.

 

[LizK]

Thoughts on the Safety 1st Guide 65? Looks pretty good for its price and reviewers say it is compact.

My older son is actually in the Diono Radian now and we love it, but it's front facing. I guess we could flip it around to see how it would behave rear facing.

 

[KaiLing]

The Guide 65 is fine, but won't last a big kid as long as some other seats. But your big kid is not as big as my big kid (my 3 month old was 20 lbs...) so maybe I'm unnecessarily biased.

Buying the Guide 65 for your younger is not the most inexpensive option, long term, though: if you have a radian already, I would *certainly* flip it around, buy the angle adjuster (a piece of foam made by Diono that makes it sit more upright), and get your older child a FF only seat. That seat would likely last until your little kid outgrows the Radian, then you can pass it down and get your older kid (say when he or she's 7 or 8 year old) a dedicated booster. If you'd like recommendations for your 4 year old let us know. When I took my 4 year old out of his FF radian and got him a new FF seat he was much more comfy.

 

[LizK]

Thanks, KaiLing. Yes, I'll take recs for dedicated ff seats, too! The Diono is in our Honda Odyssey now, so I would still need another rf convertible if the Diono works in the Passat. I don't think the seat size issue is as big of a deal for the Odyssey, since there is much more room there, so the Diono could also just be flipped in the Odyssey and a dedicated ff added.

My head is swimming with all the options...