Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR Booster Seat

When it comes to buying any car seat, the two most important factors are safety and comfort. The Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR Booster Seat ($160) delivers both.

The deep head wings offer more than adequate protection in the event of a side impact crash. The seat is also sufficiently padded from top to bottom and meets all federal standards for a booster seat.

It’s one of the few booster seats on the market that offers a recline position. This is a tremendous asset to a road tripping family like ours. I was thrilled to see how easily my 5-year-old son was able to fall asleep in it. The deep head wings offer plenty of support for his head while he is napping.

The seat is very adaptable, providing multiple positions for the head rest and arm rests. Any size child will fit comfortably in the seat. My 55 pound 5-year-old is quite large for his age and has very broad shoulders. Previously he was riding in the Graco Ultra Cargo which we had purchased when he was 3-years-old. However, by the time he turned five, he was too broad for the narrow shoulder span of the seat. This will not be an issue with the Rodi XR. The headrest adjustments and the adjustable side wings provide enough flexibility to accommodate children of all sizes. Although we haven’t used the feature yet, the seat also easily converts to a backless booster.

My son likes to trade booster seats with his four year old brother. Although they are only a year apart in age, 18 pounds and 6 inches separate them. Therefore some adjustment of the booster seats is necessary when they switch. The Rodi XR quickly and easily adjusts to accommodate any size child. The head rest is effortlessly adjusted by grasping and pulling the handle at the top of the seat. The side wings easily push backward to accommodate a larger child or forward to cradle a smaller child.

Both my sons adore the Rodi XR. They find it comfortable to ride in and they like the sporty look of the dual colors. There are a couple of minor inconvenient features. The cup holder is easily reachable by my son; however it does protrude several inches from the seat. In the event that I need to use the middle seat of the car, the cup holder has to be removed to accommodate a third person. While I do love the recline feature it does make the seat slightly unstable and sometimes prone to tip to the side. This was more of an issue when we first got the seat. My son has now grown accustomed to the base and now knows not to lean all the way to one side.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic seat and I highly recommend it.

— Graceann