Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat, Ashten

Why it's worth it

The Extend2Fit is a three-stage convertible that holds a child rear-facing to 50 pounds, then carries them through a harness and a highback booster. An extension panel adds up to five inches of legroom, which is what makes that long rear-facing window livable.

It keeps your child rear-facing longer than most seats in its class. The rear-facing harness works from 4 to 50 pounds, and pediatric guidance is to stay rear-facing until your child reaches the seat's top weight or height. Plenty of less expensive convertibles stop at 40 pounds, which for a tall four-year-old can mean turning the seat around a year early. With this one, you don't have to.

The extension panel is what makes that number usable. A four-position panel slides out to add up to five inches of legroom, so a long-legged toddler isn't folding their knees against the seat back. Cramped legs are the complaint that pushes most parents to turn a seat forward early. It's a comfort problem, not a safety one, and solving it lets you follow the rear-facing advice without a daily argument.

From our review of 5 child car seats, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +It keeps your child rear-facing longer than most seats in its class
• +The extension panel is what makes that number usable
• +It covers three stages, so this may be the last seat you buy
• +The everyday adjustments don't require rethreading anything

What to know

• –It's a big seat, and you'll feel that in a small car
• –Booster mode has a waiting period, and the cover is a chore