Best and Worst Child Booster Seats

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently evaluated 53 new models of child booster seats, and found that almost all of them performed well, with the exception of Costco's Easy Elite and Highback 2-in-1 DX.

Booster seats are for children ages 4 and older who no longer fit in child-safety seats, but are still too small for three-point seat belts. Some children need booster seats until at 12 or even higher. Children using booster seats are 45% less likley to be injured in a crash.

Best Bets

• Aidia Explorer 2-in-1 (backless mode)
• Aidia Explorer 2-in-1 (high-back mode)
• Aidia Pathfinder (high-back)
• Aidia Scout (backless)
• Baby Trend PROtect Yumi (high-back)
• Baby Trend PROtect Yumi 2-in-1 (backless mode)
• Baby Trend PROtect Yumi 2-in-1 (high-back mode)
• Britax Frontier Clicktight (high-back)
• Britax Parkway SGL (high-back mode)
• Britax Pinnacle Clicktight (high-back)
• Britax Pioneer (high-back)
• BubbleBum Pink (backless)
• Chicco KidFit Zip (backless mode)
• Chicco KidFit Zip (high-back mode)
• Chicco KidFit Zip Air (backless mode)
• Chicco KidFit Zip Air (high-back mode)
• Evenflo Big Kid (backless mode)
• Evenflo Big Kid (high-back mode)
• Evenflo Platinum SafeMax (high-back)
• Evenflo SafeMax 3-in-1 (backless mode)
• Evenflo SafeMax 3-in-1 (high-back mode)
• Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 (high-back)
• Graco 4Ever All-in-1 with Safety Surround (backless mode)
• Graco 4Ever All-in-1 with Safety Surround (high-back mode)
• Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 (high-back)
• Graco Milestone All-in-One with Safety Surround (high-back)
• Graco Nautilus 80 Elite (backless mode)
• Graco Nautilus 80 Elite (high-back mode)
• Graco SlimFit 3-in-1 (high-back)
• Graco TurboBooster (backless mode)
• Graco TurboBooster (high-back mode)
• Graco TurboBooster with ComfortCore (backless mode)
• Graco TurboBooster with ComfortCore (high-back mode)
• Graco TurboBooster LX with TrueShield (backless mode)
• Graco TurboBooster LX with TrueShield (high-back mode)
• Harmony Big Boost Deluxe (backless)
• Harmony Dreamtime 2.0 (backless mode)
• Harmony Dreamtime 2.0 (high-back mode)
• KidsEmbrace Fun-Ride Backless Batman (backless)
• KidsEmbrace Fun-Ride Spider-Man (backless mode)
• KidsEmbrace Fun-Ride Spider-Man (high-back mode)
• Lil Fan Club Seat 2-in-1 (backless mode)
• Safety 1st Continuum (high-back)
• Safety 1st Elite EX 100 Air+ (high-back)
• Safety 1st EverFit (high-back)
• Safety 1st Grow and Go Air (high-back)
• Safety 1st Grow and Go EX Air (high-back)
• Safety 1st MultiFit (high-back)
• Safety 1st UltraMax Air 360 (high-back)

Check Fit

Results varied by child size and vehicle

• Britax Parkway SGL (backless mode)
• Lil Fan Club Seat 2-in-1 (high-back mode)
• Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 (high-back)

Not Recommended

• Cosco Easy Elite (high-back)
• Cosco Highback 2-in-1 DX (high-back)

As always, if you're shopping for a new car right now, I recommend you use TrueCar No Haggle, CarsDirect and NADAGuides to quickly see the best deals being offered in your area.