The Driving Woman - The Car Seat Diaries: Recaro Como Convertible

The Car Seat Diaries: Recaro Como Convertible

Recaro, the company that has been designing racing and sport seats for race teams and carmakers around the world for decades, added five new models to its child safety seat lineup this year (here), and we were able to secure one of the new seats to put through our battery of real-world test scenarios (read: I’m using it as my primary car seat in Edmunds long-term vehicles to shuttle my toddler around for a while).

We’re testing the Como Convertible car seat in Cobalt, which weighs 20 pounds, sports five different headrest and harness positions and retails for $249. It fits children from 5 pounds to 70 pounds, from birth to 8 years old (as long as they’re shorter than 50 inches tall).

Recaro car seats are on the higher end of the spectrum, competing against similar products from Britax and Peg Perego. This can be seen in the price point of the $249 Como (for reference, you can get a bare-bones car seat for between $45 and $60, and there are a lot of other possibilities on the way to $250 and beyond), as well as its premium features like motorsports-inspired side impact protection in the form of extra large wings, bolsters and energy-absorbing foam, and a sleek, velvety microfiber upholstery that’s especially nice for kids who love to rub soft surfaces.

In the short time I’ve spent with the Como, I’ve been able to install it easily in a variety of vehicles thanks to its really simple installation process -- though lugging all 20 pounds of it along with my laptop bag when I go to and from our office parking garage may get old quick. I also really appreciate how solid it feels and its no-nonsense but stylish design. So far my daughter likes the new seat (especially since it’s her first experience forward-facing in a car seat, as she’s too tall to sit rear-facing in the Como), but I’m curious to see if those extra large wings, which do much for side-impact protection, will become an annoyance to her when the novelty wears off and she wants to see out the windows.

Stay tuned for more impressions about the Como as we put it through the rigors of toddler life.

Posted by Bryn Apr 4, 2008 5:03 pm

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Categories: Car Safety | What Women Want in a Car | Rants and Raves

Comments

blackadder5639 - Apr 4, 2008 5:14 pm (#1 Total: 9)

Bryn, will two of those Como seats fit the back seat of the Cobalt? I'm thinking of parents who may have twins.......

irismg - Apr 6, 2008 8:36 am (#2 Total: 9)

"though lugging all 20 pounds of it along with my laptop bag when I go to and from our office parking garage may get old quick."

You only do this once or once in a while, dear. You strap in the car seat, then you leave it there, forever or until you need another use for the back seat. That's what my co-workers all do. A walk through the company parking garage all tell this tale.

ktoepke - Apr 7, 2008 1:36 pm (#3 Total: 9)

Long Beach, CA

I'm with Bryn on the hassle of carrying car seats from the parking garage to the office each day. Especially since our office complex requires us to take two separate elevators to get from the garage to our office suite.

Because we change test cars nearly every day, we can't leave anything, even car seats, in the car during the day.

Not exactly a real-world problem for most folks, but an annoyance for us. Although, friends aren't real sympathetic to our complaint since the up-side is we drive a new car every night...

Kelly

SubyTrojan - Apr 7, 2008 2:05 pm (#4 Total: 9)

Santa Monica, CA, USA

Recaro child seat! :o)

Go, Bryn! Go!

Kwaku, Bryn was saying that the cover of the car seat she is testing is in the color "Cobalt." She isn't saying that the seat was being tested in a Cobalt. :o)

http://www.recaro.com/index.php?id=3314&region=3&L=2

researchqueen - Apr 8, 2008 11:30 am (#5 Total: 9)

Los Angeles, CA

Well, some of us drive a new car every night, the rest of us are just plebes.

Joanne

ahightower - Apr 8, 2008 1:13 pm (#6 Total: 9)

Texas

I wonder why they don't put LATCH anchors in the middle position in more cars. The middle position is the safest/farthest from side impacts, but I often see LATCH anchors only on the outbard seats, so you have to use the seatbelt to install the child seat, which is supposedly more likely to be done improperly, right? Is there any rule about using the LATCH anchors that are intended for the outboard positions with the car seat in the middle?

researchqueen - Apr 10, 2008 10:31 am (#7 Total: 9)

Los Angeles, CA

ahightower -- I wouldn't use the LATCH anchors for the middle seat if they weren't designed for it.

I'd have to do some research to totally answer your question, but remember that a lot of middle seats are still convex -- they're curved a bit. Without a flat seat, you can't properly anchor a child seat. That might be one reason you don't see more LATCH anchors in the middle. Still, I think you'll see more middle LATCH seats on the newer cars.

ahightower - Apr 10, 2008 1:54 pm (#8 Total: 9)

Texas

I see your point. But if it's not flat, is the seatbelt in the middle any better than LATCH off to one side?

researchqueen - Apr 11, 2008 12:06 pm (#9 Total: 9)

Los Angeles, CA

Not really. Check out our article, Best Cars for Kids in Car Seats: http://www.edmunds.com/advice/womenfamilies/articles/103824/article.html. It goes over all this and more.