The First Years True Fit Premier Convertible Car Seat Review

The True Fit Premier convertible car seat from The First Years is one of the best available today. It has a 3-piece infant padding that provides a better fit for small babies, plus a removable headrest to allow for easier rear-facing installation in compact cars. The True Fit Premier is the only convertible car seat available now that features an anti-rebound foot. This car seat is packed with convenience features that make it simple to install and use, and the instruction labels guide you through the installation process quickly.

This car seat will accommodate babies from 5-65 lbs, and can be used rear-facing and forward-facing. The rear-facing weight limit is 35 lbs. The top portion of the car seat is removable, so when you're installing it rear-facing for a baby that weighs less than 20 lbs, you have more room to get the correct installation angle, even in a small car. There's a line on the car seat shell that instructs you to put the headrest back on when your baby's head touches the line, or when the baby reaches 20 lbs, whichever comes first.

Other features on The First Years True Fit Premier convertible car seat:

• no-rethread harness
• push-button LATCh connectors
• anti-rebound foot
• removable infant padding, strap covers and buckle cover
• seatbelt lock-offs
• snap-off cover
• two recline positions
• adjustable crotch strap (no rethreading necessary)
• easy=to-read angle indicator
• LATCh connector and top tether storage spots
• clear instruction labels and stickers on the car seat

First, I really like the anti-rebound foot on this car seat. While a few other car seats have a rear-facing tether option to accomplish the same mission, the foot is very easy to use and doesn't require you to find a suitable spot to attach a tether.

The removable headrest is nice for smaller cars, or for seating positions where an adjacent front seat passenger may need a little more legroom. Removing that headrest makes the car seat quite a bit shorter. The level indicator is very easy to use, and has colored bars that quickly show you whether or not you have the angle correct.

LATCh installations are very easy in both positions, thanks to the push-button connectors and the slits in the seat cover that allow you to tighten the belt from a different angle if necessary. I found seatbelt installations to be easy in the forward-facing position.

Harness height is an incredibly fast adjustment on this car seat. You just pull out the knobs on either side of the seat, move them to the desired position, and let go. Smooth the straps and pull them through the correct slots in the front padding, and you're done! The buckle position also adjusts easily. Just push the button by the buckle and slide it forward or back.

The snap=off cover is a very nice feature as well, since car seats tend to get pretty dirty over time. You won't need any tools or curse words to take this cover off, or to replace it after washing.

There are labels everywhere on this car seat. Stickers direct you to the correct belt paths, sewn labels tell you how to use the lock-offs and remind you how to adjust the harness. This car seat won't let you forget how to install it!

This is a big car seat. It's heavy, at almost 20 lbs, and fairly wide to boot. However, it does have a narrower base, so it may be a good fit for "puzzling" with other car seats in a three-across situation. If you're looking for a small or lightweight car seat, though, this one may not be your best choice.

The anti-rebound foot takes up a lot of space in the rear-facing position. The removable headrest helps, but you do have to put the headrest back on around 20 lbs. That means you'll still need the space to install rear-facing with the headrest, so that your baby doesn't have to go forward-facing too soon. In small cars, I'd suggest trying the rear-facing installation with the headrest (you can try a slightly more upright angle, since your baby would no longer be a newborn when you add the headrest). If you can't make it fit with the headrest, you may not be able to take advantage of the full rear-facing weight limit. Since rear-facing is 5 times safer for kids through age 2, this is an important check to make before you buy.

The built-in seatbelt lock-offs were tricky to use in some installations, particularly rear-facing. They take some practice to use correctly. The instructions say to use the lock-offs, so you can't just switch to the vehicle belt locks instead.

While the anti-rebound foot folds underneath the car seat for forward-facing installations, it doesn't always stay folded when you need to carry the car seat outside of the car. If you're not careful, the foot will swing down and "kick" you in the shin. That's a fairly minor annoyance, but if you'll carry the car seat between cars often, you'll want to adjust your carrying position accordingly.

There are some errors in the instructions. A student in one of my CPST training classes spent 15 minutes looking for a red knob that was mentioned in the instructions. As it turns out, the knob is blue, not red. That sort of error can increase frustration for parents and can waste a lot of time, as well.

For many families, this car seat should be a good fit. It's easy to install and use in most situations, particularly if you'll be using LATCh. For seatbelt-only cars, I'd try it out before buying if possible, to be sure you're OK with how the lock-offs operate. There are easier seatbelt lock-offs on the market.

The anti-rebound foot and clear instruction labels give The First Years True Fit Premier convertible car seat an advantage over many others that are available now. Putting the foot in place is very easy, and offers additional protection most crashes. Anti-rebound features are particularly helpful for rear-facing infants in rear-end crashes.

Overall, this is one of the best convertible car seats you can buy right now. It's easy to use, allows for extended rear-facing and a high harness weight for forward-facing, and provides a good mix of safety and convenience features. Average cost - $225.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.