Graco ComfortSport Convertible Car Seat Review

The Graco ComfortSport convertible car seat can be used rear-facing from 5-30 lbs., and forward-facing from 20-40 lbs.

• Five-point harness with front adjuster.
• Three harness height positions - 8.5", 11.5", 13.5".
• Two buckle positions.
• Removable head pillow and cupholder.
• EPS foam liner for impact protection.

The Graco ComfortSport convertible car seat is one of the least expensive car seats available (for the basic models). The initial price is a budget-friendly $80-120.

The installation of the Graco ComfortSport car seat is pretty straightforward. The belt paths are easy to access and I had no trouble installing the car seat in several vehicles, both rear-facing and forward-facing.

The harness is simple to adjust in height and tightness. However, you will need to re-thread the harness when changing the height.

The padding is cushy and comfortable, plus the ComfortSport comes in several different fabric styles, from sweet pink flowers to modern patterns. Underneath the cute fabric is an EPS foam liner, which absorbs crash forces better than the plastic shell alone.

The ComfortSport car seat shell is narrow, which might make it easier to install alongside other car seats in smaller cars. It's also a pretty light car seat, when compared to other convertible seats, so it may be handy for those travel by air often or who need to carry the car seat around a lot.

The biggest flaw in the Graco ComfortSport is that the harness heights are too low to hold most children until they're actually ready to move to a booster. As a child passenger safety technician, I work with a lot of parents and see lots of different kids in this car seat. I have seen children who outgrew the ComfortSport before they were even really ready to be switched to forward-facing, let alone into a booster. The 13.5" top harness slot on the Graco ComfortSport is the lowest I know of, out of all convertible car seats.

A second major drawback is that the ComfortSport car seat only rear-faces to 30 lbs. Most other car seats now rear-face to 35 lbs, so you'd need to turn your baby forward-facing sooner in the ComfortSport versus other seats. Current research indicates that we should keep babies rear-facing until age 2 or longer, which will be difficult for most toddlers in this car seat.

The harness straps are somewhat thin and will twist easily. You'll need to smooth the straps each time to keep them working properly.

The harness adjuster is also set fairly low on the front of the car seat. When the ComfortSport is rear-facing, it can be difficult to reach the harness adjuster.

Because of the low harness heights and the low weight limits, I don't recommend the Graco ComfortSport for most families. Even though the price is pretty good, you will likely need to buy a second harnessed car seat before your child is ready to move to a booster, so that makes up for the price in a hurry.

If you have some specific need that the ComfortSport addresses, if you need a very narrow car seat, or something light weight, for example, it is not a bad car seat. Just be aware that it may have a short useful life, particularly if you have a tall toddler.

When compared to the lower-priced and lighter-weight Cosco Scenera, the ComfortSport has few advantages. The ComfortSport does have nicer padding than the Scenera, as well as the EPS foam liner, which the Scenera lacks. However, the Scenera has a 35-lb. rear-facing weight limit and a top harness slot that is a full inch higher than that of the ComfortSport, which makes it more likely to fit your child at least through the recommended rear-facing years.

If you can go up in price a little bit, Graco's My Ride 65 convertible car seat is an outstanding choice for about $150. It rear-faces to 40 lbs. and has a 65-lb. forward-facing limit, plus taller harness heights. It is significantly wider than the ComfortSport, though.

While I don't think the Graco ComfortSport car seat is a bad one, in general, it is not one that I recommend, simply because other car seats harness higher, rear-face longer or cost less.