Best Infant Car Seats of 2024
CR's test results reveal top-rated infant seats that are safe and easy to install
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Rear-facing-only infant car seats tend to be the first type that most parents use when bringing their new baby home from the hospital and, for that matter, when transporting their baby for six months to a year.
Based on our testing, CR recommends switching from an infant seat to a rear-facing convertible or all-in-one no later than the child’s first birthday, but it’s important to choose a good seat from that very first ride, when the baby is most vulnerable.
It can be tricky to tell which seats are better—not to mention safer—as you shop. Not to worry: We’ll go through what you need to know when choosing that first child car seat and spotlight the best infant seats in Consumer Reports’ car seat ratings.
While all child seats have to meet federal safety requirements, our ratings are designed to provide information on those that provide a greater margin of safety.
“Based on almost 5,500 individual car seat installations and nearly 600 crash tests, these infant seat ratings represent a comprehensive and rigorous program that allows us to make distinctions between the car seat models and clear recommendations,” says Michael Bloch, who oversees child seat testing at Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. “They show the importance of buying based on test results rather than brand name or marketing slogan.”
How to Install a Car Seat
Child seats have come a long way over the years, but proper installation is key. On the “Consumer 101” TV show, Consumer Reports expert Jennifer Stockburger shows host Jack Rico what to do to keep little ones safe in a car.
