Please click image for more info
It's incredibly rare to find a convertible car seat that can protect a child from infancy through their first several years of life for less than $100, but the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX does just that. It's an affordable convertible car seat designed for children from 5-65 pounds.
This lightweight convertible car seat has a lot of great benefits and features for a car seat in its price range, so let's take a closer look.
Overview of Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX
The Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX fits children from 5-40 pounds in rear-facing mode, then from 22-65 pounds in forward-facing mode. It is also light weight, at less than 13 pounds, and is designed to conserve adult leg room when installed rear-facing. It can even fit 3-across in many vehicles, and is FAA approved and light enough to make air travel easier.
Even though it is small and light weight, the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX is still a safe car seat, with side impact protection and plush foam padding. The five-point harness adjusts over time with five harness positions and three buckle locations, so it keeps pace with your child's growth.
Safety
What are this model’s NHTSA ratings? All car seats sold in the US must meet strict federal safety standards, so the NHTSA does not rate car seats for safety. Instead, they offer ratings and evaluations for ease of use. According to the NHTSA, the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX has earned (for the forward-facing installation):
- Side impact protection? Yes
- Energy-absorbing base? Yes
- Metal frame? No
Longevity
Ease of Use
Does this model have:
Ease of Installation
Comfort and Quality
Expiration
Video Overview of Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX
Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Specs
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Rear-facing weight limit | 5 - 45 pounds |
Rear-facing height limit | 19 - 40 pounds |
Forward-facing weight limit | 22-65 pounds |
Forward-facing height limit | 29-49 inches |
Car seat weight | 12.79 pounds |
Car seat dimensions | 17 x 22 x 23.5 inches |
Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Features
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Safety features | |
Ease of use | |
Longevity features | |
Quality and comfort features |
Who is the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Most Suitable For?
This car seat can be a bit tricky to install in the rear-facing position, and the lowest harness position is still too high for the smallest of infants. It even has slightly lower NHTSA ratings (3/5 stars) for the rear-facing position. For that reason, it may not be the perfect convertible car seat to fit from infancy onward; most parents and babies feel more comfortable with this car seat in the forward-facing position. For parents who want a convertible car seat that allows newborns to travel in the greatest comfort and safety, and grows comfortably along with them, this may not be the best car seat.
On the other hand, its light weight, portability, and affordability make it a great backup or occasional car seat for friends, family, or occasional caregivers who want a simple-to-use car seat that will keep pace with a child's growth. It's a fantastic option for plane travel, a backup car seat, or for people who only occasionally need a car seat (or second car seat). It is affordable, lightweight, easy to use, and has plush padding that helps keep children comfortable for years.
What is included with the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX?
The Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX doesn't come with any accessories, but there are a couple additional items you may want to consider:
An angle adjuster
For rear-facing installations, it may be difficult to get the correct recline with the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX. Cosco suggests using one or two tightly-rolled towels or a pool noodle beneath the seat to get the correct angle. You may also want to consider this angle adjuster from Diono.
Harness pads
Because the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX is a narrower car seat, the harness straps are close together, and some parents find that they rub uncomfortably on a child in the seat.
Harness pads or covers are an affordable accessory that makes the harness more comfortable and prevents rubbing. This set from BC Inter is a fast, affordable way to make the car seat harness more comfortable, and it comes in two sizes.
Since this car seat is so affordable, it's worth a few extra dollars for accessories to make it more useful and comfortable.
Pros and Cons of Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX
Pros
Cons
Cosco Might Fit 65 DX Installation
Cosco Kids has produced a number of helpful installation videos, to guide you through each type of install.
For a video covering rear-facing installation with the LATCH system, you can watch it here:
For rear-facing installation with a vehicle belt, you can watch it here:
For forward-facing installation with the LATCH system, the video is here:
For forward-facing installation with a vehicle belt, the video is here:
They also have a helpful video to help you find the expiration date on the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX, which can be seen here:
Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Manual
The Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX owner's manual can be found here:
Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX vs. Cosco Easy Elite
Despite being made by the same company, there are big differences between the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX and the Cosco Easy Elite.
The Cosco Easy Elite is a convertible 3-in-1, with rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster seat modes that can fit infants from as small as 5 pounds and 19 inches up to 80 pounds and 52 inches. As a 3-in-1, it naturally weighs more than the Mighty Fit, at 16.35 pounds vs. 12.79 pounds. It comes with a newborn insert pillow and a removable cup holder. It also has an adjustable head rest. The harness must be rethreaded when the cover is removed for cleaning, and when converting the seat between installations, but, unlike the Mighty Fit 65, it does not need to be rethreaded when adjusting for fit as a child grows.
Like the Mighty Fit 65 DX, the Easy Elite is narrow enough to fit 3-across in most vehicles, if you remove the cup holders, and both models have side impact protection. Both models also have a 5-point, adjustable 5-position harness. Both models are designed to install rear-facing while preserving passenger leg room, and both have LATCH and vehicle belt installation options.
Unfortunately, both car seats have similar parent complaints about difficulty with rear-facing installation, but the Easy Elite scores slightly better on that front, and has earned a 4/5 stars from the NHTSA for ease of use when rear-facing.
Since the Cosco Easy Elite is a true 3-in-1, with a longer lifespan and improved ease of use for only a slightly higher price, it makes sense to invest in the car seat with less rethreading, an adjustable head rest, a built-in cupholder and newborn insert pillow, and simpler installation.
However, if you are planning on using the Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX as an occasional or backup car seat, it's still an excellent choice for portability, affordability, and convenience.
Matthew Bass Cosco Mighty Fit 65 Review
Conclusion
The Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX is a good car seat, with a few flaws that can be addressed with the purchase of some affordable accessories. The harness positions may be too limited, with only five positions, and too narrow, to be comfortable for all children. Many parents struggle with rear-facing installation, and feel as though the seat is unstable or insecure even with the use of level-adjusting towels or accessories. It is higher rated and easier to install in the forward-facing position. Because of its rear-facing limitations, it may not be the perfect single car seat from infancy onward.
Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX (click image for more info)
The Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX remains an exceptionally light weight and affordable convertible car seat, making it a great option as a backup, for use during air travel, or for occasional use by a family member or care giver. It is light in weight and easy to carry and store, and adjustable to keep pace with a child as they grow. And of course it is made in the US, and exceeds federal safety standards, so it's a great way to keep children safe in a vehicle.
With two kids of my own, I’m passionate about child safety! I’m a research nerd who’s on a mission to make the world a safer place for kids – starting with car seats!
To contact me directly please click here.
Leave a Reply