Maxi Cosi Pria 85 Convertible Car Seat Review
The car seat comes with a soft carrier that can be detached to reduce the weight of the car seat by 50 percent. It's a great choice for parents who want to make the most of their investment.
The belt is fitted with a visual indicator which changes from red to GREEN to indicate when it has been correctly tightened. This ensures that your child's safety in the seat in the event of an accident.
Height
Dorel Juvenile Group (Dorel) is recalling certain Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 convertible car seats because the head excursion when using the lap belt only without the tether in forward facing mode may exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213, "Child Restraint Systems." This can result in your child being less protected from injury in the event a crash. Visit their recall page to check the model number and manufacture date of your child's car seat.
The seat is extremely comfortable, and it has plenty of padding on the headrest to provide comfort to your child as they ride. It also comes with torso side impact protection which is a great feature to have that can avoid head injuries in the event of collision. Its shell is simpler to clean than most seats because it's open. You can clean off grime from the buckle area and the seat back. It has two integrated cup holders that feature the rim of rubber. However, they are too small for larger snacks or sippy cups.
The crotch covers are difficult to remove, and kids might complain that it pinches them when they use the seat. The cover also covers the lengthy rigid belt stalks, which can be difficult for older children to use when they are buckling themselves up in booster mode. This seat has a shorter rigid path than its rivals and is therefore more difficult to install and may require assistance from an adult.
For rear-facing seats, the Pria comes with three crotch buckles which differ in size and location, but it only allows them to be used with children up to 85 pounds or 52" tall. This is a lot, and many children will outgrow their seat before reaching that height particularly if they are used in the highest harness position which requires the shoulders to be higher than the top of the fully extended headrest.
It has a good line level on a decal for the belt of your vehicle but there is no color-coding or lock off to inform you when it's at the right angle for install and is sturdy enough. It's also very heavy and requires some wrestling to keep it in place during installation. It was an average seat for its ease of use with the anchors for LATCH, however the tether anchor was easier to use than most other seats in this review.
Weight
Maxi Cosi is known for quality and this seat is no exception. The fabrics are extremely soft and soft, and the seat is super comfortable to ride in even for long rides (though getting kids out and in can be a gruelling exercise). The seat comes with three ways to adjust the headrest and harness height. It also comes with built-in harness holders that keep the straps from getting in the way while allowing a child in and out. This seat also has two washable, machine-washable cup holders with an open design that can fit bottles and sippy cups with handles.
The seat has a lower rear-facing limit than the majority of its rivals, with a maximum weight limit of 40 pounds and 43 inches. It will be difficult for most children to reach age 5 in this seat, before they have to change to a high-back booster. The crotch buckle can only be used in one position when forward facing and we expect that most kids will outgrow this seat before they reach the belt-positioning booster stage.
The seat comes with a cushioned harness cover to protect the chest sensor when using the crotch buckle while in forward-facing mode. We found it more difficult to remove than the other seats and are curious about how it will hold up after repeated washings, but it's machine-washable and dryer-safe. The Pria 85 Max comes with the magnetic ClipQuik chest clips, which are designed to be easy for caregivers to operate but difficult for children to remove themselves.
Similar to the Pria 85 Max, this seat has a fairly low rear-facing limit of 39 pounds and 41 inches. It will be a challenge for a lot of youngsters to use until they reach the 5 year mark, and there's only one forward facing position on the strap for the crotch. The process of installing the seat is easier than most of the other seats we've tried. The LATCH anchors are simple to use, and the molded line on the decal that shows that the seat is placed at the correct angle for installing a belt is helpful for parents who are just starting out.
Head Circumference
This seat is well-padded with a headrest as well as a SIP area that will be suitable for children to ride in. It comes with 14 adjustments for height for the headrest. This allows you to raise your child’s head as they get older. This will help ensure that their head doesn't get too close to the seat back, which can result in serious injuries in the event of a crash. The headrest also has an infant insert that can provide extra padding for your child to feel more comfortable.
Recommended Reading of the Maxi-Cosi is soft and luxurious. It's more difficult to clean and remove than other brands however it can be washed in the washing machine on a cold setting. We also like the fact that the user manual stores inside the cover, instead of being attached to the harness straps. This makes it easier for caregivers to access when installing or using the car seat.
When you are considering this car seat, it is crucial to keep in mind that the top tether is attached with clip. This clip is designed to minimize head movement in the event of an accident. The tether is not required by the i-Size regulations, but it could be a helpful addition to your child's safety. The manual suggests the tethering of your child when they weigh less than 65 pounds. It also suggests that caregivers keep their hands away from the harness when putting on the harness.
It is worth noting that the Cosi car seat weighs slightly more than other seats in its class and its wider width could be a problem for families using it in rental vehicles or taxis. It has two forward-facing recline positions. The second is more reclined than position 1. This can create a gap between your child's head, and the car seat in the event of a crash.
This seat has fantastic crash test results for sleds, which is a great indicator of its overall safety. It also has a huge amount of padding and is simple to put together and use. It's a great choice for parents who want to make sure their child is protected in any situation.
Neck Circumference
It's not as important as the head circumference for car seat safety, however it is still crucial to take into consideration the neck size of your child. A properly fitted car seat should allow your child travel with their head held. Test this by placing your child's face in the car and observing whether their head is touching the back of the seat. If this is the case, it's time to move them to the next level of a car seat.
The new iSize car seat differs from the older R44/04 car seat in that it utilizes length instead of weight to determine the grouping for a particular seat. This is because children of the same age can differ greatly in height (tall/short) and weight (light/heavy). The length calculation also is a consideration that a child may have an increase in height at any time and get out of their current car seat sooner than anticipated.
The Pria 85 Max convertible car seat is designed for up to 85 pounds, and can accommodate children up to 52 inches in height. However the crotch buckle may be a bit short and may pinch children's thighs when they are sitting in the seat for extended periods of time. Luckily, Maxi Cosi includes a strap for the crotch that you can use to alleviate this issue.
The Pria 85 Max outperformed many of its competitors in sled crash testing. This is a sign that the seat was constructed to the highest standards of safety. It should provide your child with extra protection in a collision.
The only drawback of this seat is the difficult installation. While it does come with a built-in ISOFIX base however, it doesn't have a locking mechanism, and it could be difficult to install the belt by routing it through the lower anchors. It is also top-heavy. This means that you'll have to wrestle with the seat in order to keep it straight and thread the vehicle belt through. It is a little difficult and could take several tries to master this.