You’ve probably come to this article because you’re looking for the best purple car seat for your child. But choosing a car seat by color alone won’t cut it – all car seats pass the same Federal crash tests, but that doesn’t mean they’re all created equal. Some of them are easier to install, fit children better, fit different cars better or have great extra features for convenience and safety. It’s important to do your research before picking a car seat based on color alone.
In this article you’ll find some of the best purple infant car seats, convertible car seats and booster seats. Whether you’re shopping for purple car seats because you love the color or because you think one will convince your child that riding in a car seat is cool, read on to help you wade through the options to and make a good decision for your family.
Psssst… if you’re a little flexible on color there are also some great pink car seats out there
Table of Contents
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The best purple infant car seat options
There are some wonderful purple car seats for infants available now – you can find everything from budget-friendly models to advanced safety features without sacrificing your personal style.
Chicco KeyFit 30 & Chicco KeyFit 35
I’ll admit that I have a soft spot for the Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seat. Both of my kids rode in KeyFits. My daughter was in a serious accident while riding in her KeyFit and came out totally unscathed. Aside from my personal preference, what makes the Chicco KeyFit 30 one of the most popular infant car seats in America?
The KeyFit does a great job of balancing fantastic ease-of-use, a reasonable price tag and good fit for a wide range of babies. The included infant insert provides a great fit for all but the smallest newborns and lasts nearly every kid until their first birthdays. The numerous recline options built into the base make it a cinch to achieve the correct recline angle without annoying pool noodles or rolled towels. Both the LATCH and seatbelt installation options are easy to use, even for nervous first-time parents.
The purple Chicco KeyFit 30 is a lovely color called Juneberry. The cheapest place to buy it is usually direct from Chicco, as they offer a $50 discount when you sign up for their email list. You can also check prices at Target, Walmart and Amazon. There isn’t a purple Chicco travel system option, but we loved using our Keyfit with the matching Keyfit Caddy. Be sure to also pick up an extra base (or consider getting the upgraded KeyFit 35 base that I’ll discuss below, which is also compatible).
The biggest downside of this purple baby car seat is that it is outgrown sooner than some of the more recent infant car seats – when your child hits 30 pounds or 30″ or has only 1″ of car seat shell above her head it’s outgrown. Even if only one of those limits has been reached, it’s game-over.
To address that limitation, Chicco released the new Chicco KeyFit 35 recently (also available at Walmart, Target and Amazon). It brings in a lot of great features from the original KeyFit 30 plus some great additions from the Chicco Fit2. Most notably, its size limits have been extended to 35 pounds and 32″ (plus the shell is 1″ taller) so it’ll last average size babies several more months. It does take up a little more space than the original KeyFit, so keep that in mind if you drive a compact car and need to put it behind one of the front seats rather than in the middle.
In addition, the KeyFit 35 adds a handy no-rethread harness and an anti-rebound bar on the base to improve crash performance. If you plan to travel with the KeyFit 35 and leave the base at home, you’ll be able to use the more stable “European seatbelt routing” when you install the KeyFit 35 in a taxi or Uber.
The purple Chicco KeyFit 35 is also adorable! The seat fabric is charcoal with polka dots and the harness pads and buckle pad are lilac to match the underside of the canopy. In my humble opinion, it’s the most stylish of the purple infant car seat options – but thankfully it doesn’t give up anything when it comes to substance. Don’t forget to pick up an extra base if you want to leave an extra in a second car.
Key stats:
-Weight 9 lbs
-Rear-facing size limits: 4-30lbs, up to 30”
Pros:
✔ Extremely easy to use
✔ Fits newborns well
✔ Great for compact cars
✔ Moderate price tag
Cons:
✘ Basic features
✘ Won’t last as long as other options
Evenflo Advanced LiteMax
The Evenflo ADVANCED LiteMax 35 is one of the lightest infant car seats around but the appeal goes far beyond its weight. The entire LiteMax family offers a great fit for even the tiniest babies thanks to its unique 3 pound minimum and tons of harness adjustment options. The 32″/35 pound limit on the upper end means pretty much every baby can use this car seat for at least one year, if not longer.
What makes this version “advanced”? It features Evenflo’s SensorSafe chest clip that can alert parents if the chest clip is unbuckled while the car is moving, if it’s getting too hot in the back or even if baby has been in the car seat too long (especially important in light of the tragic stories of children being forgotten in hot cars).
The Evenflo LiteMax ADVANCED also has an easy to use base to make correct installation a breeze. There’s a button to pop out the angle adjustment, so no rolled towels or pool noodles needed. It also has an easy-to-use lock off to help with seatbelt installation. If you plan to install with LATCH, the LiteMax ADVANCED has premium push-on connectors.
If you plan to install your LiteMax in two cars, consider buying the Evenflo LiteMax DLX base for your primary car. The Advanced seat is compatible with it and it adds a load leg for improved crash performance. It’s a true bargain for a base with this feature!
What’s the downside? Simply put, the entire LiteMax family are space hogs! The car seat and base themselves are longer than some competitors and Evenflo requires 1.5″ of space between the car seat and a vehicle seat in front of it. That requirement doesn’t apply if you’re installing the car seat in the middle, but it can still make compatibility a challenge in compact cars – especially if you’ll be installing it next to a car seat for an older child.
Key stats:
-Weight 7.8 lbs
-Rear-facing size limits: 3-35lbs, up to 32”
Pros:
✔ Budget-friendly
✔ Fits preemies extremely well
✔ Very light
✔ Lock-off for easy seatbelt installation
✔ Load leg if you purchase the DLX base
Cons:
✘ Requires 1.5″ between car seat and front seats if not installing in the center
✘ Limited stroller compatibility
Evenflo Gold SecureMax
If you read the Evenflo ADVANCED Litemax description above, pretty much all of that applies to the even fancier Evenflo Gold SecureMax. What are the differences? The Gold SecureMax adds even more premium features!
From a safety perspective, the biggest difference is in the new SecureMax base. It has a load leg that dramatically decreases the amount that the car seat rotates in an accident. That’s a huge safety feature that has been standard in Europe for many years but is just arriving on the scene here in America. The price tag is a real bargain for that level of safety features. Most US car seats with a load leg cost at least $100 more. (The SecureMax base is similar to the DLX base mentioned above, which you’d have to buy separately from the LiteMax Advanced).
To improve ease-of-use, the SecureMax offers a no-rethread harness to adjust the height of the shoulder straps – remember that they should always be at or below the shoulders for a rear-facing child. The shell is nice and tall, so it’ll fit most kids well past their first birthdays. Note that the LiteMax above is approved for babies as small as 3lbs but the SecureMax is not currently included in Evenflo’s update list. Babies are rarely released from the hospital under 4 pounds, but if you suspect that yours may be that tiny then the ADVANCED LiteMax may be a better choice.
From a more aesthetic perspective, the Evenflo Gold SecureMax has upgraded fabric on the seat versus its less expensive counterparts in the LiteMax family. And if you really like the idea of an pinkish purple travel system, you’ll find it in the opal Evenflo Gold SensorSafe Pivot Xpand travel system.
I got a chance to play with the Xpand stroller recently and I’m impressed! It uses a creative system to convert the built-in stroller seat into a bassinet for long walks with your baby. But if you’re on-the-move, it’s easy to pop the car seat on the stroller frame instead. Even better, it’s called “Xpand” because you can easily move the included stroller seat to the front of the stroller and put the SecureMax infant car seat on the top when you need to push two kids around! It is a slightly different fabric set than the opal Evenflo Gold SecureMax, which is lavender fabric with a pink insert; the version that comes in the travel system leans a little more to pink than purple.
Key stats:
-Weight 9 lbs
-Rear-facing size limits: 4-35lbs, up to 32”
Pros:
✔ Excellent value
✔ Fits preemies extremely well
✔ Lock-off for easy seatbelt installation
✔ Load leg for additional stability
Cons:
✘ Requires 1.5″ between car seat and front seats if not installing in the center
✘ Limited stroller compatibility
Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX
The new Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX is a great budget-friendly car seat for families who expect to bring home a full-term newborn since it offers 6″ bottom harness slots when you use the included insert. This would not be the best choice for parents expecting preemies or multiples, who usually arrive on the smaller side. It goes up to 32″ or 35 pounds or 1″ of shell height above the head (whichever comes first), so it’ll work for nearly every baby until at least their first birthday.
The LX version comes in this beautiful purple and black combination. The purple newborn head and body inserts do need to be removed once your baby hits 12 pounds.
This is an awesome choice for compact cars since it doesn’t take up much room from front to back – it’s the smallest of the cheap infant car seats. If you’re installing it without the base for travel or to save even more space, you have the option of “European routing” (wrapping the shoulder belt around the back of the seat for extra stability) just like with some of the options above.
If you want a purple travel system, combine the SnugRide Lite LX with the Graco NimbleLite in matching Hailey fabric (also available at Target). It’s not the fanciest stroller, but you’ll be able to continue using into the toddler years.
The trade off for the bargain price, light weight and compact size is that this Graco infant car seat is pretty basic. You won’t find extra safety or extra convenience features. The base that comes with the SnugRide Lite 35 LX does have some nice improvements over the regular Lite base, like an easier level indicator and several recline options. If you’ll be moving the seat between multiple cars you can consider buying the fancier and easier-to-install SnugLock base for your primary car – it adds a SnugLock arm for easier seatbelt installation as well as premium lower anchor connectors and a more useful recline option. You could also opt for the SnugLock DLX Graco infant car seat base, which further adds an anti-rebound bar to improve crash performance.
Key stats:
-Weight 7.2 lbs
-Rear-facing size limits: 4-35lbs, up to 32”
Pros:
✔ Budget-friendly
✔ Fits newborns well
✔ Great for compact cars
✔ Better insert than basic SnugRide Lite
Cons:
✘ Basic features
✘ Stiff fabric and limited padding
✘ Limited stroller compatibility
Safety 1st onBoard 35 LT
The Safety 1st onBoard 35 LT is a newer option in the budget-friendly car seat category and the Wisteria color is beautiful! While other purple carseats bring in color through the entire cover or the infant inserts, here you’ll just find it on the canopy – which probably helps keep the price down while also giving it a sophisticated look.
It fits even tiny preemies well, with a minimum height of 19″, and will last until 32″ or 35 pounds – the shell is tall enough to get some kids to almost 1.5 years old. It’s also very lightweight, like the Graco above. The fabric has a nice smooth feel, and is noticeably softer than the material on the SnugRide Lite.
The Safety 1st onBoard 35 LT is straightforward to install, which is always a blessing for the exhausted, frazzled parents of newborns. It can also be purchased as part of the Safety 1st Smooth Ride travel system, which is an extremely affordable option.
One downside of the car seat is that the base only has two settings for the recline foot: in or out. If popping out the recline foot doesn’t recline the seat enough that the line on the side of the seat is level with the ground, you’ll need to use a pool noodle or a rolled towel instead.
Key stats:
-Weight 8 lbs
-Rear-facing size limits: 4-35lbs, 19-32”
Pros:
✔ Budget-friendly
✔ Fits preemies well
✔ Great for compact cars
✔ Nicer fabric than other budget seats
Cons:
✘ Basic features
✘ Limited stroller compatibility
The best purple convertible car seat options
Graco SlimFit3 LX/Graco True3Fit
It’s no exaggeration to say that the brand new Graco SlimFit3 LX 3-in-1 has been the buzz in pretty much every CPST discussion board since it was announced at the end of 2020. This is the “one ring to rule them all” kind of seat. This is one of the most functional purple convertible car seats you can buy, and it comes in at a very reasonable price tag for what you get.
What’s so great about the Graco SlimFit3 LX all-in-one car seat? For starters, it’s actually slim – unlike it’s original counterpart the Graco SlimFit. The names are unfortunately similar to each other, but the new SlimFit3 is one of the narrowest convertible car seats or all-in-one car seats on the market today at just 16.7″. It’s even narrower than the Diono Radian series and the new Baby Trend Trooper, which are both known for their svelte profiles. The Graco SlimFit3 LX is going to help so many families looking for the best car seats for 3-across situations, including in those who need car seats to fit in the 3rd row of minivans. You’re even allowed to pop off the cup holders to save space.
The other stand-out feature of the Graco SlimFit3 LX is that it’s one of the best all-in-one car seats when it comes to working in all three modes: rear facing, forward facing and high back booster seat. A lot of all-in-one car seats have a booster mode that’s either outgrown quickly or isn’t practical for school-age booster riders who want to buckle themselves. This is a car seat that can truly last kids from birth until (close to) its expiration 10 years later.
One downside for some families (though not ours) is that the rear-facing weight limit is 40 pounds. That’s fine for most kids, as it’s the average weight of a 4 year old. However, if you have a baby that’s tipping the scales toward higher percentiles or you want the option to rear face your child beyond 4, you’ll want to keep reading for a few other options with a 50 pound rear-facing limit (like the Clek Foonf and Fllo or Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1).
Installing the Graco SlimFit3 LX is also straight-forward whether you’re installing with LATCH (up to 40lbs rear facing or 45lbs forward facing) or with the seatbelt (inflatable seatbelts are ok but can’t be used with the lock-off). There are multiple recline options for both harnessed modes, which you can choose based on your child’s age as well as the slope of your vehicle seats.
While the 18 pound weight wouldn’t make it my first choice to travel, if you’re willing to pull it on one of these it could be a great option – especially for taller kids who will outgrow the 40″ rear facing limit of lightweight convertible car seats early. The extremely narrow profile means you’ll be able to pull it down the airplane aisle and easily squeeze it between the airplane arm rests.
If I was on the market for an all-in-one car seat (or convertible car seat) this brand new Graco purple car seat would be extremely high on my personal list.
Key stats:
-Weight 18lbs
-Shell height 30”
-Max harness height 18”
-Rear-facing size limits 5-40lbs
-Forward-facing size limits 22-65lbs, under 49″
-High back booster size limits 40-100lbs, 43-57″, age 4+
Pros:
✔ Fits from newborn to (almost) the end of booster years
✔ Works well in all modes
✔ Extremely narrow
✔ Easy to install
✔ Works with inflatable seatbelts
Cons:
✘ 40lb rear facing limit won’t get big kids to 4 years old
✘ No advanced safety features like ARB or load leg
Clek Foonf/Clek Fllo
If you like the concept of a super narrow convertible car seat loaded extra safety features, then it doesn’t get any better than the Clek Foonf. The purple
Clek Foonf is called “aura” and it’s gorgeous! It has purple fabric on a white shell, while the coordinating Clek Fllo is called “prince” and has the same purple fabric on a black shell.
The Clek Foonf is just 17″ wide, making it one of the best convertible car seats for 3-across. If you’re squeezing three Foonfs in your backseat, naturally you won’t have space for cup holders for anyone – which can be tough when you’re road tripping. But if you have room for a cup holder, you’ll need to buy one separately. That’s kind of a bummer for such an expensive seat!
The safety upgrades are where Clek really shines. For rear facers, the Foonf comes with an anti-rebound bar to stabilize the car seat in a crash. As a bonus, it also provides a few extra inches of leg room for extended rear facing. You can up the ante with an optional rear-facing tether as well. Once your child is forward facing, they’ll be protected by the Foonf’s crumple zones – the same way a car manages crash energy.
Because the Foonf is so heavy, you will need to use the seatbelt to install it starting at 25 pounds for rear facing or 35 pound for forward facing. The Foonf has lock-offs for both directions, so it’s pretty straightforward. When the seat is forward facing, you can actually use both the seatbelt and the Foonf’s integrated rigid LATCH (along with the top tether, as always) for improved crash performance. Note that the Foonf is unique in allowing LATCH and seatbelt together, and there are very few other seats on the market that allow it (even Foonf’s younger sibling Fllo does not permit it).
The Clek seat fabrics are really interesting. Their purple fabric (whether you buy the aura Clek Foonf or prince Clek Fllo) are made of their proprietary wipe-clean C-Zero Plus. Even milk spills are no match! The Foonf and Fllo both have plenty of padding but offer a firmer ride than something like the Chicco Fit4 or Nextfit.
If you plan to use your Foonf for a newborn, you’ll need to pick up their aptly-named “infant thingy” infant insert. It bumps the Foonf’s minimum size down to 5 pounds/19″ and can stay in the seat until 22 pounds/33″ (whichever comes first).
The Foonf does sit really high up rear-facing due to its base, so many families find that it’s not ideal for flying with a car seat and it can be tough in cars with lower rooflines. If you want lots of the awesome Clek features but a more plane-friendly design consider the Clek Fllo, its sister seat.
Overall, the Foonf is an excellent choice for safety-focused parents or those who need to install three car seats in a row.
Key stats:
-Weight 36lbs
-Shell height 25”
-Max harness height 17”
-Rear-facing size limits 14-50lbs, 25-43”
-Forward-facing size limits 20-65lbs, 30-49”
Pros:
✔ Great for fitting 3-across
✔ Nice, stain-resistant fabric
✔ Anti-rebound bar for better rear-facing crash performance
✔ Rigid LATCH for easy forward-facing installation
✔ Lock-offs for rear- and forward-facing seatbelt installations
✔ 9 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Extremely heavy
✘ Extremely expensive
✘ Detachable rear-facing base
Britax One4Life
All-in-one car seats are all the rage now, which I completely understand. Who wants a graveyard of outgrown car seats down in their basement? And who needs to keep spending a few hundred dollars every couple of years for a new car seat?
The new Britax One4Life (also available here) is competing hard for the “best all-in-one car seat” title – and it’s made right here in the USA! Honestly there isn’t much you won’t find on this car seat. The One4Life includes rear facing, forward facing and highback booster seat options.
It will fit most kids from early infancy until it expires at age 10. It also has extremely generous rear-facing limits (50lbs/49″, which is the size of an average 7 year old), so it’s a great step once your child has outgrown their infant car seat. Yes, it’s pricey. But you probably won’t need to buy anything more than an inexpensive backless booster seat at the end.
Kids will love the cushy cover, harness pads and two cup holders. Parents will love the easy installation with ClickTight technology, no-fuss harness height adjustment and so much more. Britax strongly recommends using its ClickTight seatbelt installation method rather than LATCH since it’s extremely easy and can be used at any weight (while LATCH must be discontinued once kids reach 30-35 lbs). The lower anchors are tucked away because they really don’t want you to use them. See how easy the installation is here:
It’s a fairly wide car seat so not ideal for installing next to another car seat (or sitting next to an adult) but it’s very compact front-to-back so it’s a good choice for cars where leg room might be a concern.
Key stats:
-Weight 30lbs
-Shell height 30”
-Max harness height 19”
-Rear-facing size limits 5-50lbs, up to 49”
-Forward-facing size limits 22-65lbs, up to 49”
-Highback booster size limits 40-120lbs, 44-63”
Pros:
✔ Truly lasts from birth to adult seatbelt size
✔ Easy seatbelt installation with ClickTight
✔ Packed with great features
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Extremely heavy
✘ Very expensive
✘ May not fit the tiniest preemies or newborns well
Chicco Fit4
If the Chicco Nextfit and the Chicco MyFit harnessed booster got together and had a baby, it would look a heck of a lot like the new Chicco Fit4 all-in-one car seat. And that’s a really good thing! The Chicco Fit4 Carina color isn’t quite as vibrant as the purple Britax One4Life or purple Clek car seats, but it’s a more muted magenta color.
The Fit4 offers a great fit from newborns through booster seat riders by using different inserts for each weight range (which they have dubbed the “Fit Kit”). Newborns use the Stage 1 and 2 inserts together, while rear facing kiddos over 16lbs only use the Stage 2 insert. All of the inserts come out once you switch the seat to forward facing, and booster riders have the option of a seatbelt pad for added comfort (I’m a little jealous of that!). Thankfully all of the pieces are clearly labeled to avoid confusion.
Just like the Nextfit, the Fit4 has 9 different recline position. The fantastic news is that you can use whichever one your child prefers as long as the bubble level on the side is in the correct position for that stage. They give you plenty of options for recline in forward-facing harness mode and even some in booster mode. It’s a great car seat for kids who like to sleep in the car!
The Chicco Fit4 comes with two of Chicco’s excellent “cupfolders”, cup holders than can fold in to make space if you have a tight squeeze. These work great for us and it’s so nice for kids to have two cup holders on a long drive! In case there’s a spill while you’re on the road, Chicco gives you the option to machine wash the fabric cover. Since you’ll be gradually peeling off the seat’s layers over a few years, it’ll have a better shot at looking new for the long haul.
One of the biggest downsides of the Chicco Nextfit is the high sides. They make it hard for parents to lift their rear facing babies in and for older kids to climb in themselves. Fortunately the Fit4 has lower sides to avoid that issue. While we LOVED our three Chicco Nextfits over the years, the lower sides and increased longevity are big enough improvements that today I’d recommend the Fit4 over the Nextfit. That said, if you’re on a tighter budget or want the convenience of a zip-off cover the Chicco Nextfit Zip comes in a stunning purple called Vivaci – available here, here and here.
The biggest downside of the Chicco Fit4 is that it can be a nuisance to install with a seatbelt when rear facing due to the extra padding you’ll have in place. You can get around this by installing with LATCH until 35 pounds, but that’s only allowed in seats that have dedicated lower anchors – usually just the outboard seats rather than the middle seat.
Key stats:
-Weight 25lbs
-Shell height 27”
-Max harness height 18.5”
-Max booster height 21”
-Rear-facing size limits 5-40lbs, up to 43”
-Forward-facing size limits 25-65lbs, up to 54”
-High back booster size limits 40-100lbs, 38-57”
Pros:
✔ One car seat from birth to (almost) seatbelt age
✔ Cushy, age-specific padding
✔ Built in lock-offs for seatbelt installation
✔ No-rethread harness
✔ Lower sides than the Nextfit
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Very heavy
✘ Harness can be a little narrow for some forward-facing kids
✘ Padding can make seatbelt installation a nuisance for rear facing
Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1
The Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 is an excellent choice for families who want to rear face their children comfortably for many years. The Extend2Fit’s generous 50 pound rear facing weight limit and super tall shell will allow average-size kiddos to rear face until almost 7 years old! While some parents worry that older kids’ legs will be cramped by rear facing, the extension panel of the Extend2Fit should give kids the extra room to sit comfortably for many years.
If you’re child loves purple, he or she will adore this lavender car seat for its color and how cushy it is. It’s also a sophisticated enough use of color that it won’t embarrass older kids riding in booster mode.
For parents, the Extend2Fit uses premium push-on LATCH connectors to easily install up until 45 pounds. After that, a standard seatbelt installation will work. Most kids will still need a backless booster seat after they’ve outgrown the Extend2Fit 3-in-1, but those are cheap and easy to come by. It’s also one of the more budget-friendly extended rear facing car seats currently on the market.
The Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 is not narrow enough to use for basically any 3-across installation scenario. It’s also not a good travel option due it its bulk – you’ll want to choose one of these instead.
Key stats:
-Weight 18lbs
-Shell height 30”
-Max harness height 18.5”
-Rear-facing size limits 5-50lbs
-Forward-facing size limits 22-65lbs, under 49″
-High back booster size limits 40-100lbs, 43-57″, age 4+
Pros:
✔ Fits from newborn to (almost) the end of booster years
✔ Excellent for extended rear facing
✔ Works well in all modes
✔ Works with inflatable seatbelts
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ No advanced safety features like ARB or load leg
Combi Coccoro
The Combi Coccoro is one of my favorite car seats. This isn’t just my favorite travel car seat, it’s my favorite car seat ever. That’s a bold statement coming from someone who’s crazy enough to have owned a few dozen over the years but it’s true. For our family, this was absolutely the best lightweight car seat for travel. The gorgeous grape color features two shades of purple, including the insert (which needs to be used until 25lbs).
The Combi Coccoro is an amazing little car seat. It weighs just 11lbs, is easy to install, has generous padding, a range of recline angles and more. It’s tiny enough to throw in your stroller seat and wheel through the airport, or you can even use it as a stroller seat with this universal caddy. In many ways, it’s the ultimate compact car seat for travel-loving families.
We love that it comes with lock-offs (built-in for forward-facing, separate piece for rear-facing but much easier than a traditional locking clip). The base is curved, so it’s easy to adjust the angle on the plane – more reclined for sleeping on the flight, less reclined if you’re in a tight spot with limited seat pitch. We give it the nod as the best carseat for flying.
It’s also perfect for installing in small rental cars abroad since it’s the most compact convertible car seat. It holds the title of narrowest convertible car seat at just 15.5″, and I’ve been able to use it in some really tight 3-across situations.
There are two downsides to the Combi Coccoro: size and price. But I thought you said the size was perfect? The Combi Coccoro just isn’t designed for huge kids. Average kids will hit the rear-facing limit of 33lbs around 2.5-3 and the forward-facing limit of 40lbs around 3.5-4.5. If your child is average or smaller, it’s still a great portable car seat for a 2 year old – especially if you plan on doing lots of traveling at that age. In the past the price of the Coccoro was really high for such a short lived seat – often over $200 – but we’ve been seeing much much cheaper prices on it lately.
Key stats:
-Weight 11lbs
-Shell height 22”
-Max harness height 15”
-Rear-facing size limits: 5-33lbs, up to 36”
-Forward-facing size limits: 20-40lbs, up to 40″
Pros:
✔ Compact
✔ Easy to install with LATCH or seatbelt
✔ Comfortable
✔ Closed belt path forward-facing
Cons:
✘ High price
✘ Low size limits
✘ Not approved for Canadians
The best purple harnessed booster seats
Chicco MyFit
My daughter has been riding in her Chicco MyFit every day for nearly two years and it’s much beloved in our family. She doesn’t have this beautiful Gardenia color, but we love it all the same.
The Chicco MyFit is in a category usually called “combination car seats” or “harnessed booster car seats”. It can function as a forward-facing harness car seat for kids who are 2+ (though the safest option is to rear face as long as possible) and later transition to a highback booster seat. If you’re shopping for purple carseats to convince an older child (who isn’t ready for a booster) to stay harnessed, this is a great option.
Pro tip: Save $30 when you sign up for Chicco’s email list and buy it here
What’s unique about the Chicco MyFit is that it has an extremely high height limit for its harness mode: 54″, or 4″6′. The maximum harness weight is 65lbs, tied for the highest weight harness currently available. Combined with the 20″ maximum harness slots, it’s the longest-lasting harnessed car seat on the market in 2021.
It’s also extremely comfortable if you’re a road tripping family. In harness mode, it offers four different recline options. There’s tons of padding all around, so it’s great for kids who like a squishy ride.
The only major downside it that the seatbelt lockoff can be a little finicky in some cars. I find that I really need to wiggle the seatbelt all the way in. But as long as you aren’t uninstalling and reinstalling on a daily basis, it’s not a big deal.
The booster mode on the Chicco MyFit is not the longest lasting, capping out at 57″ or 100lbs. Plenty of kids won’t quite pass the 5-step test at that time to use an adult seatbelt, so they may need an extra little boost from something like this.
But realistically you’re looking at average kids fitting in the Chicco MyFit until 9 years old in harness mode and 11 years old in booster mode. That’s a lot of usage to get out of a mid-priced seat!
Key stats:
-Weight 25lbs
-Max harness height 20”
-Max belt guide 21″
-Forward-facing size limits 25-65lbs, up to 54”, age 2+
-Highback booster size limit 40-100lbs, 38-57″, age 4+
Pros:
✔ Longest lasting harnessed booster
✔ Very cushy
✔ Four recline options
✔ Narrow option for 3-across
✔ 8 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Some kids may need a backless booster at the end
✘ Can be hard for young booster riders to buckle
✘ Lock-off for seatbelt installation is just “ok”
Britax Grow With You ClickTight
Though the venerable Britax Frontier has been discontinued for a while now, the replacement Britax Grow With You ClickTight harnessed booster is a fantastic new made in the USA car seat for families with tall kids. It comes in this beautiful shade of purple called Mulberry, which is sophisticated enough to take young riders into the tween years.
The Grow With You ClickTight is extremely easy to install, fits kids well for many years and will keep kids comfortable thanks to its generous padding. In harness mode it will fit an average sized kid until 7 or 8; after that it’ll still work as a highback booster seat until age 10 or 11 for average sized kids. By the time they truly outgrow the Grow With You, most kids will pass the 5-step test and be ready to use the seatbelt.
Note for those with short kids (like me): The Grow With You may not be your best choice unless you are committed to harnessing your kids for a very long time. My kids have not reached the 44″ booster minimum until 7 years old. By contrast, the Chicco MyFit above can be used as a booster seat for kids who are at least 38″ and 40lbs (and mature enough – at least 5 years old).
It’s on the wider side, so it’s probably not your best choice if you need to fit three car seats in a row. It also isn’t a cheap seat, though you’ll certainly get your money’s worth with such a huge size range.
Key stats:
-Weight 26lbs
-Max harness height 20”
-Forward-facing size limits 25-65lbs, 34-49”
-Highback booster size limit 40-120lbs, 44-63″; max belt guide 21″
Pros:
✔ Perfect for tall kids
✔ Nice padding
✔ Deep head wings
✔ Easy to install with Click Tight
✔ Cool Flow fabric for temperature regulation
✔ 9 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Can’t use as a booster for kids on the bottom of the growth charts
✘ Doesn’t convert to a backless booster
✘ No SecureGuard clip
✘ Wide footprint
The best purple booster seat options
Chicco KidFit highback booster seat
As with all of their car seats, Chicco puts two things first when designing new products: comfort for kids and ease of use for parents. They’ve knocked both out of the park with the Chicco KidFit. This has been one of our daily-use booster seats for two years and it’s one we often recommend to other parents.
It also comes in at a very reasonable price tag and sometimes pops up on sale. If you happen to need two booster seats, you can save $30 when you buy them directly from Chicco and sign up for their email list.
There are plenty of colors to choose from, including more subtle options to match car upholstery and lovely colors for older kids like the lavender shade called Celeste.
For kids, the KidFit also offers generous padding and headwings. Our son has done plenty of road trips in his and never complained. The “cupfolders” are also very function – the perfect size and depth, but if space is an issue they easy fold in on themselves.
The Chicco KidFit booster seat has built in lower anchors to keep if from shifting around or from becoming a projectile in a car accident. That said, Chicco does recommend buckling it when not in use so that the top half doesn’t become a projectile. I’m not entirely sure how that could happen when it’s secured with the lower anchors (given how the bottom and back are attached to each other), but that’s their guidance.
The KidFit is technically a booster seat that reclines in that it has two positions, and that’ll work best if your car has back seats that recline (which is thankfully getting more common). But we’re keeping our younger one – who sleeps in the car often – in this awesome seat even when she’s ready for booster mode because it offers so many recline options!
The biggest downside of the Chicco KidFit line is that it’s not ideal for kids who are really tall. Even once you switch it to backless booster mode, Chicco caps riders at 57″. That said, it’s a great seat for petite kids who are old enough and mature enough to ride in a booster seat but not tall enough for some other options.
Key stats:
-Weight 12lbs
-Highback booster size limit 4yo/40lbs/38″ to 100lbs/57″; max belt guide 19.5″
-Backless booster size limit 40lbs to 110lbs/57″
Pros:
✔ Nice padding
✔ Supportive head wings
✔ Lower anchors
✔ 8 year expiration
Cons:
✘ The 57″ height limit means tall kids might need another backless booster down the line
✘ Seat isn’t wide enough for kids at the top of the growth chart
Clek Oobr high back booster seat
Clek has developed a great reputation over the last few years for their innovative, safety-focused car seats and boosters and the Clek Oobr booster seat is no exception. Kids and parents love it, and the rich purple Aura cover is stunning!
There’s a lot to love about the Clek Oobr. For kids, it’s got plenty of padding, deep headwings for sleeping, and even the option to recline (if it’s installed with LATCH). It’s one of only a few true reclining high back booster seat options on the market currently. While the seat might feel shallow to some kids when the back is on, once they’re ready you can remove the back to give a more spacious ride with the Oobr as a backless booster. The ride is firm rather than squishy, which is a matter of personal preference.
The Oobr is one of the narrowest booster seats available, so it’ll give you a good chance of fitting 3-across. With 9 years until expiration, it’s a great option for families with a younger sibling to pass it down to. The beautiful purple aura fabric is one of Clek’s C-Zero Performance Plus options, will stay looking new with just a simple wipe down.
Like the Chicco KidFit, the Oobr tops out at 57″. If you buy it for a child on the top end of the height curve, you might need to pick up an inexpensive booster to bridge the gap at the end of their booster riding days. It’s a very nice choice for kids who are average height or shorter.
Key stats:
-Weight 19lbs
-Highback booster size limit 4yo/40lbs/38″ to 100lbs/57″; max belt guide 20.5″
-Backless booster size limit 40lbs/40″ to 120lbs/57″
Pros:
✔ Great padding, including arm rests
✔ Supportive head wings
✔ Reclines for sleeping (when installed with LATCH)
✔ Narrow enough to fit 3-across
✔ 9 year expiration
Cons:
✘ The 57″ height limit means tall kids might need another backless booster down the line
✘ Seat is a little shallow in high back mode
Britax Highpoint high back booster seat
The new Britax Highpoint 2-stage booster seat (also available here and here) has a lot to offer for your family’s next road trip! The deep headwings offer great support if your kid still likes to sleep in the car during those long drives.
From a safety perspective, Britax is unique in offering the SecureGuard clip on their booster seats. It comes up between the legs and pulls the lap belt down a little to keep it properly positioned. It’s optional, but we used it when we rented a Britax highback booster seat and found it helpful for getting a great belt fit.
One downside from a comfort perspective is that the Britax Highpoint is not a reclining booster car seat. It sits fully upright, so younger car sleepers might not love it. The new Britax high back booster seat family isn’t quite as universally beloved as their older models like the Parkway.
The Highpoint is best for kids on the bigger end of the growth chart. If you have kids like mine who are old enough and mature enough for booster seats but still short, they may not meet the minimum requirements of the Highpoint.
It’s also worth noting that the lap belt in backless mode is too far forward for all but the biggest kids, probably because the back is so robust. You can either use the Highpoint until your child passes the 5-step test to ride with an adult seatbelt or plan to buy a backless booster down the line.
Key stats:
-Weight 12lbs
-Highback booster size limit 40lbs/44″ to 120lbs/63″; max belt guide 21.5″
-Backless booster size limit 48lbs/46″ to 120lbs/63″
Pros:
✔ Nice padding
✔ Deep head wings
✔ Cool Flow fabric for temperature regulation
✔ Optional SecureGuard clip for better lap belt fit
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Backless mode only fits kids at the top of the size range
✘ Can’t use for kids on the bottom of the growth charts
✘ Very wide when cupholders are in use
Graco Affix highback booster seat
The Graco Affix booster seat is a fairly basic booster seat, but it has a lot going for it. It’s affordable, it fits most kids very well and it fits most cars very well. As a nice bonus, it includes lower anchors to secure the booster seat to the car so it won’t become a projectile in a crash.
The Affix works well for kiddos from age 5 until around 10. Once kids are tall enough to exceed the belt guide or no longer need the extra support of the side wings, you can remove the back and continue to use the Affix as a backless booster seat.
Key stats:
-Weight 10lbs
-Highback booster size limit 4yo/40lbs/38″ to 100lbs/57″; max belt guide 20″
-Backless booster size limit 40lbs/43″ to 10lbs/57″
Pros:
✔ Affordable price
✔ Supportive head wings
✔ Lower anchors
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ The 57″ height limit means tall kids might need another backless booster down the line
✘ Seat isn’t wide enough for kids at the top of the growth chart
Graco TurboBooster LX backless booster
The Graco TurboBooster LX backless booster is the bottom half of the Graco Affix discussed above. It’s not the fanciest booster seat, but it works well and the price is a real bargain! It comes with an optional shoulder belt adjuster clip that can be used to get the correct shoulder belt fit for kids who are on the smaller end of the allowed size range. Find more details on Graco’s website.
Some kids may still not get a safe seatbelt fit when they reach the upper end of the TurboBooster’s allowed size range. For those kids, the Graco RightGuide will bridge the gap well at the end of their booster years.
Key stats:
-Weight 4lbs
-Backless booster size limit 4yo/40lbs/43″ to 100lbs/57″
Pros:
✔ Affordable price tag
✔ LATCH to secure it when unoccupied
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ The 57″ height limit means tall kids might need another booster down the line
Chicco GoFit Plus backless booster
The Chicco GoFit is another seat we’ve used a lot over the years, and we love it! It’s essentially the bottom half of the Chicco KidFit I wrote about above.
It comes in two versions now: the regular GoFit (Grape) and the GoFit Plus (Vivaci), which adds lower anchors to keep the booster seat in place when your kid is getting in the car or if it’s unoccupied during an accident. Both versions have the same excellent padding, convenient cupfolders and nice long arm rests.
There’s not all that much to say about backless booster seats, but we really do like using this one. The only word of caution is that its upper height limit of 57″ may not be enough to get some kids to the end of their booster seat needs. Some kids might need a little boost like this one for the very tail end, but until that point they’ll be very happy to ride around on a cushy seat like the GoFit!
Key stats:
-Weight 5lbs
-Backless booster size limit 4yo/40lbs/38″ to 110lbs/57″
Pros:
✔ Great padding
✔ LATCH to secure it when unoccupied
✔ Nice, removable/foldable cupholders
✔ Long arm rests
✔ 8 year expiration
Cons:
✘ The 57″ height limit means tall kids might need another booster down the line
✘ Seat isn’t wide enough for kids at the top of the growth chart
Graco Turbo GO backless booster seat
The Graco Turbo GO is the least expensive car seat on this list, coming in at less than the price of a fast food lunch for the family. But we love ours! While we have the boring black version, purple-lovers will rejoice at the range of colors Graco offers for its oldest riders. The Graco Turbo GO also happens to be one of our favorite travel booster seats.
When it’s all set up, the Graco Turbo GO looks just like a regular backless booster seat with nice big belt guides that are easy for kids to use on their own. Ready to hit the road? The back part of the booster seat folds underneath to make it a more compact package. It can take a little “oompf” to open up, but overall it’s fast and easy. When folded it’s a good bit bigger than a Bubblebum, but it offers the advantage of being a more stable seating surface (and a wider one for big kids).
Note that the minimum height for this folding booster car seat is 43″ – many kids won’t reach that until almost 6 years old. Our son didn’t get there until almost 7 years old, so parents of shorter kids may need to look elsewhere. But the Graco Turbo GO is a wonderful choice for globetrotters who need more hip room and prefer a stable seating area.
At 3 pounds, the Graco Turbo GO booster seat is one of the lightest booster seats available. It’s also extremely affordable (and may be even cheaper at Walmart)! If your child is ready for a backless booster and you don’t mind the extra size or weight compared to the Bubblebum or if your child has outgrown the small seat of the Bubblebum, this just might be the best booster seat for travel.
Read my in-depth review of the Graco Turbo GO.
Cosco Topside backless booster seat
The Cosco Topside is one of the least expensive booster seats available, and it’s hands-down the most purple booster seat anywhere! The minimum height is 43″, but it’s really ideal for older booster riders.
Unlike nearly every other option on the market, it doesn’t include a shoulder belt adjuster strap. Wherever the shoulder belt falls, that’s where it lies. Because the shoulder belt goes over the armrest rather than under it, the seatbelt may sit too high on some young kids.
Key stats:
-Weight 2.5 lbs
-Backless booster size limit 40-100lbs, 43-57″
Pros:
✔ Extremely light
✔ Bargain price
Cons:
✘ No shoulder belt adjuster
✘ Routing over the arm rest can make the shoulder belt fit less than ideal in some cars for small children