Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat {Review & Giveaway}

Up until recently, we have always purchased convertible car seats from a brand that I love and has held my loyalty. All car seats are safe, or otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to be sold, but some just have features that make me feel like my children will be especially safe riding in them.

So, when it came time for a new car seat for Bryce in my mom's car, I was planning to purchase the same brand we always have, but then I saw the Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 and I knew from looking at it that Bryce would be riding in extreme safety and comfort in that one!

It fits. The Pria 70 is designed to provide the right fit. It fits little occupants in the TinyFit™ system, starting at only 4 pounds and keeping them cozy up to 22 pounds. Remove the TinyFit system and it fits larger toddlers rear-facing from 18-40 pounds. When they're ready, turn it around to comfortably fit children up to 70 pounds forward-facing. It fits your family for the first ride home from the hospital. It fits for those first rides to elementary school.

We received the Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 in Total Black for review. From the second I pulled this car seat out of the box, I could tell just how safe it is. From the TinyFit system to the Air Protect Side Impact Technology, it just looks like an extremely sturdy, and safe, car seat.

Do you see the "air" markings on the sides? That is the Air Protect side impact technology, which immediately reduces impact forces to the head through the precise release of air. This technology is installed in both the main car seat, and in the TinyFit System. The Pria 70 was also engineered with the FlexTech advanced construction system for multi-directional energy management.

The Pria 70 came out of the box with the TinyFit System installed in it. This innovative system was specifically designed to fit small babies with low harness slots and a short buckle length. It will also save space by allowing for a more upright rear-facing installation, which leaves more room for adult occupants to slide past it if needed. This is especially important if you happen to have two car seats in your car, so that an adult can utilize the space in between the car seats. It also comes with a removable huggy insert which provides maximum comfort your new baby.

Since Bryce is now a "big kid", we had to remove the TinyFit System from the Pria 70. Unfortunately, there was no "owners manual" in the box, so we had to jump online to see if we could figure out how to remove it. It was simple, though, and basically slid right out. We then moved the harness straps up to the top position and the buckle into the middle position, and then had Bryce sit in it to adjust everything to fit him.

Once he was securely fastened in his new seat (and once he saw that it had a cup holder!) he didn't want to get out. He must have sat in it for 20 minutes in the middle of our dining room. Apparently it is very comfortable!

The installation in my truck was very simple. We installed it using the One Click LATCH system and anchored the tether in the back. It is locked down tight! The instruction labels on the side of the seat are color coded for the different forward and rear facing installations to help make it easier to be safe.

Adjusting the height of the harness is very easy on the Pria 70, which is a definite must-have feature for me. I absolutely hate re-threading the straps as my child grows, which is not a concern with the Perfect Fit Harness. There is a handle at the top of the seat, which adjusts the shoulder height from the front in one step. You simply push in from the back and slide it up or down.

There are two slots for the shoulder harness, so the only time you have to re-thread it is when you take the tiny fit system out. The TinyFit system utilizes the lower slot, and when you remove it, you move the straps up to the higher slot.

I also like that there are three different buckle positions. I have tested some car seats out in stores where the buckle position is either too loose or too tight for my child. Not only do I want my children to be safe, I want them to be comfortable too.

I want to quickly point out two more features that I like about the car seat. The first is the design. From a distance, the Pria 70 looks very plain, but it has these small circles embroidered in the one side just to give it a little bit of something extra. The second feature that I really like, and Bryce absolutely LOVES, is the cup holder. There aren't too many convertible car seats with cup holders, so I was glad to see one built into the Pria 70. Bryce not only stores his drinks in it, but there are usually a few little toys sitting in there too.

One last benefit to this wonderful seat, at least for us, is that it seems to be a little more breathable. Bryce tends to get very hot easily, and I have taken a seriously sweaty kid out of car seats plenty of times. Today was particularly warm, and he seemed to stay cooler in the Pria 70 than in his previous car seat. When we arrived home after a two hour drive, he was not sweaty at all.

I have now given up on my brand loyalty, and the Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 is definitely on my very short list of car seats that I love! In fact, we decided to leave it in my truck where Bryce does 90% of his riding, rather than installing it in my mom's car. I highly recommend this seat, and I am pretty sure Bryce does too!

The Pria 70 can be found at specialty retailers and online at Amazon.com for $249.99. While this is at the higher end of the price range for convertible car seats, this is a higher end car seat and worth every penny. After all, you can't put a price on your child's safety, and I want my kids to be as safe as they can possibly be when riding in the car.

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat~*~

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the Pria 70 at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. A big Thank You to Maxi-Cosi for providing the giveaway prize!