Best Car Seats for Extended Rear-Facing

What separates the best car seats for extended rear facing?

All four seats here rear-face to 50 lb, so the split comes down to install, size and what happens after the toddler years. The Graco Extend2Fit Convertible scores 8.7 at $199.99, and its extension panel gives a rear-facing toddler 5 extra inches of leg room. It installed tight in all three cars in under 4 minutes with LATCH. The Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Extend scores 8.3 at $429.99 and rotates to the door for buckling, which saves your back in an SUV. The Diono Radian 3RXT scores 8.1 at $299.99 and folds flat to carry like a backpack on flights. The Clek Foonf scores 7.7 at $549.99 and is the narrowest here at 17 inches wide.

What should you check before buying an extended rear-facing seat?

Protection and fit carries 35 of the scoring weight, so start with your back seat, not the spec sheet. Measure the space behind the front seats and check clearance for any rotating mechanism — the Evenflo needs room to swing, and it dominated the Civic back seat in our test. Ease of installation is 20 points, and that is where the Graco and Evenflo pull ahead: the Evenflo base installs once with a LATCH tensioner and the seat locks with a click, while the Diono rear-facing install needed the angle adjuster in two of three cars and the Clek's belt install took longest in our test.

Comfort and longevity is 15 points, so decide now whether you want a booster later. The Graco has no booster mode, meaning you will buy a booster separately. The Evenflo boosters to 120 lb, the Diono to 120, and the Clek does not list a booster mode. Cleaning and build is 10 points: the Graco cover is a chore to remove, and the Clek's steel and magnesium sub-structure is the build we handled most. Value is 20 points, and price ranges from $199.99 to $549.99.

Which one for whom?

• Graco Extend2Fit Convertible — for the longest rear-facing leg room under $300 and the quickest LATCH install.
• Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Extend — for anyone loading a toddler daily who wants rotation and a booster to 120 lb.
• Diono Radian 3RXT — for three-across seating and travel, since it folds flat and carries like a backpack.
• Clek Foonf — for the narrowest 17-inch footprint, a steel and magnesium frame, and no added flame retardants.

For most buyers the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible covers extended rear-facing with the most leg room and the easiest LATCH install at $199.99. Pick the Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Extend if you load a toddler every day and want a booster to 120 lb, or the Diono Radian 3RXT if you need three across and a seat that folds flat for flights. The Clek Foonf suits narrow back seats and buyers who want a 17-inch footprint with no added flame retardants.