I absolutely LOVE this car seat. I had been searching for about 6 months after my 2nd child was born. She's freakishly tall and skinny so I knew she would need something beyond her infant seat sooner than later. Since I have another car seat in my SUV, I knew we probably couldn't get away with putting her (or her big brother) in the middle. Because of that fact, I wanted to make sure she had ample side-impact head protection if she was going to be sitting behind one of the passenger seats. The wings on the Symphony are excellent and very plush - my anxiety about her in a crash has gone down significantly! The adjustable headrest is a great feature, as I move it up all the way to make it easier for putting her in the darn thing. No matter what car seat you have, putting a kid in the car rear facing, especially once they get bigger, is always going to be a challenge. But it's worth the momentary struggle to keep them super safe while driving!
I had bought 2 other car seats and was sorely disappointed because at only 1 year, she was already halfway through the height adjustments for a seat that was supposed to last until age 4-5. No thank you! I had my eyes fixed on the Symphony DLX version until I realized that it's basically a higher priced version of the LX due to the fancy LATCH buckles (which, if you use LATCH, they look amazing! My car is older so I didn't need them). Since LATCH was not part of my needs, I decided to save myself roughly $30 on the LX in Crete. The colors are excellent and match my son's Evenflo Maestro in Bradley (color I could only find at Target). That wasn't a huge selling point but it was a nice bonus. The seat was easy to install even with a seat belt, and I didn't need any pool noodles to get the right angle (unlike some cheaper models). I was actually surprised that this seat wasn't as massive as I expected in the back of my car. You could still fit another (albeit, skinny) person in the middle seat if needed.
My daughter is very comfortable in this seat. She even stayed asleep in it when I took her out of my front carrier and put her back into the car! The harness is easy to tighten and loosen and the straps pull from the bottom, not at the shoulders. That takes a little getting used to but a feature that I am already beginning to love. Especially when she does fall asleep in the car, it makes the transfer to her bed a lot easier!
The cup holders are nice and flexible. We don't use them too often but I like that they expand to fit those weird-shaped sippy cups and such. I also hook on some toys to the elastic band for my baby to play with. Sometimes she gets silly and puts her feet in the seatbelt guides on the sides. I love that she seems very well protected but not cramped up with tons of padding and other space-inhibiters.
Overall, this is the best seat I could find on the market in its price range. There are more expensive ones out there but I now have my die hard, you-must-only-buy-$300+-car-seats friends, switching to Evenflo for their quality and affordability.
| Product Dimensions | 28 x 19.5 x 21.5 inches |
|---|---|
| Item model number | 34511714 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Minimum weight recommendation | 5 Pounds |
| Maximum weight recommendation | 110 Pounds |
| Maximum height recommendation | 57 Inches |
| Material Type | Foam |
| Care instructions | DO NOT lubricate or immerse in water any part of this child restraint, unless rinsing is permitted Plastic and metal parts may be wiped clean with mild soap and water and dried with a soft cloth. Do not use abrasive cleaners or solvents. Take care not to damage any labels. The harness can be wiped clean with mild soap and water. Allow harness to air dry. Machine wash the seat pad separately in cold water, delicate cycle. Tumble dry 10 to 15 minutes on low heat. |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Style | Symphony LX |
| Batteries required | No |
| Specification met | certified frustration-free |
| Orientation | Rear Facing |
| Rear-facing minimum child weight | 5 Pounds |
| Rear-facing maximum child weight | 40 Pounds |
| Forward-facing minimum child weight | 22 Pounds |
| Forward-facing maximum child weight | 65 Pounds |
| Harness type | 5-Point |
| Item Weight | 22.9 pounds |
