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It used to be the case that parents needed a different car seat for every stage of a child's growth. Newborns, infants, toddlers, and older children all have different safety considerations.
For a parent who knows that their child needs the right protection at every stage, the different options can be overwhelming. And car seats can be expensive; nobody wants to buy a new one every year or two as their child's needs change.
So today, car seat manufacturers are making convenient all-in-one car seats that switch installation modes to keep on protecting children for years – including the popular Maxi-Cosi Magellan.
Who is the Maxi-Cosi Magellan Most Suitable For?
The Maxi-Cosi Magellan is remarkably compact and lightweight for an all-in-one. Although it can protect children up to 120 pounds, and until they are ready to transition to an adult seat belt, it isn't bigger or heavier than convertible car seats that are only rated to protect children up to 65 pounds. So it has nearly twice the longevity, without taking up more space inside a vehicle.
It also has thoughtful features that provide for a child's long-term safety and comfort. The seat seams are tucked inward, rather than covered with ribbing as in many car seats, which can uncomfortably press against a child's legs.
It comes with removable harness covers that prevent chafing and help to provide a better fit. And the head rest has micro-positioning steps, rather than the limited number of harness positions on other car seats, so it can be moved to the perfect settings for every stage of a child's growth.
The Magellan has all these great features for a relatively affordable price, among other car seats in its class. For parents who want the longevity of an all-in-one that converts to a booster and can protect a child for all the years they need a car seat, the Magellan can keep them safe and comfortable without being as big, bulky, and heavy as other all-in-ones.
Pros and Cons of Maxi-Cosi Magellan
Pros
Cons
Overview of Maxi-Cosi Magellan
Most all-in-one car seats are big and heavy, because they have to be large enough to hold children at the upper end of the height and weight limits, even if it takes them years to grow into it.
The Maxi-Cosi Magellan, on the other hand, is an all-in-one convertible that is as light in weight and small in size as a much shorter-lived convertible. At 25 pounds, it compares favorably to other convertibles that weigh 30 or more pounds. And at just 20 inches high and less than 20 inches wide, it doesn't take up nearly as much space or visibility in a car.
The Magellan is an all-in-one with more convenience and versatility than you might expect, and still preserves precious inches of space inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
Safety
What are this model’s NHTSA ratings? All car seats sold in the USA must meet or exceed strict federal safety and crash test 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 Maxi-Cosi Magelland has earned (for the forward-facing installation):
The Maxi-Cosi Magellan has NHTSA ratings for overall ease of use of 3/5 stars each for the rear-facing and booster seat installations, for different reasons than the ones given for the forward-facing installation.
- Side impact protection? Yes
- Energy-absorbing base? No
- Metal frame? No
Longevity
Ease of Use
Ease of Installation
Comfort and Quality
Expiration
Video Overview of Maxi Cosi Magellan
Maxi Cosi Magellan Specs
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Rear-facing height limit | 40 inches |
Rear-facing weight limit | 5 – 40 pounds |
Forward-facing height limit | 49 inches |
Forward-facing weight limit | 22 – 65 pounds |
Belt-positioning booster height limit | 57 inches |
Belt-positioning booster weight limit | 40 – 120 pounds |
Car seat weight | 25 pounds |
Car seat dimensions | 24.88 x 19.56 x 24.63 inches |
Car seat life span | 10 year usage life span, 12 year expiration date |
Maxi Cosi Magellan Features
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Safety features | |
Ease of use | |
Longevity features | |
Quality and comfort features |
What is included with the Maxi Cosi Magellan?
The Maxi-Cosi Magellan comes with removable infant support pillows, removable harness pads, and two removable cupholders.
Maxi Cosi Magellan Installation
Maxi-Cosi have produced a number of YouTube videos that will help parents install and maintain the Magellan convertible car seat. For visual instructions on how to install it with LATCH in the rear-facing mode, you can see the video here.
For rear-facing installation with a vehicle belt, you can watch the video here:
For forward-facing LATCH installation, the video instructions are here:
and for forward-facing vehicle belt installation, you can watch the video here:
There aren't any videos specifically covering installation in high-backed booster mode.
There are also a number of videos that specifically cover subjects that are often a challenge for parents who own the Magellan, including videos on how to use and loosen the harness straps, or how to adjust the crotch buckle. While it would be nice if these operations were more intuitive or explained better in the manual, the videos are very helpful.
Maxi Cosi Magellan Manual
The Maxi Cosi Magellan owner's manual can be found here:
Maxi-Cosi Magellan vs. Maxi-Cosi Pria 85
The Magellan and the Pria are two of Maxi-Cosi's most popular car seats. They both feature the Air Protect safety system for side impact protection, and both have good safety ratings and parent reviews. However, in terms of function, the two car seats are very different. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the Maxi-Cosi Magellan and the Maxi-Cosi Pria 85:
Header | Maxi-Cosi Magellan | Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 |
|---|---|---|
Rear-facing child height | 40 inches | 40 inches |
Rear-facing child weigh | 5 – 40 pounds | 14 – 40 pounds |
Forward-facing child height | 49 inches | 52 inches |
Forward-facing child weight | 22 – 65 pounds | 22- 85 pounds |
Belt-positioning booster child height | 57 inches | N/A |
Belt-positioning booster child weight | 40 – 120 pounds | N/A |
Car seat weight | 25 pounds | 19.84 pounds |
Car seat dimensions | 24.88 x 19.56 x 24.63 inches | 29.7 x 20.8 x 19 inches |
Harness | Easy-adjust micro positions | Easy-adjust 14 positions |
Installation | Conventional LATCH | One-click LATCH |
Fabrics and padding | Premium quality, machine washable and dryer safe | Premium quality, machine washable and dryer safe |
With its higher-than-average rear-facing height and weight limits, the Pria is a great car seat for parents with big and tall children, who may not be able to fit into conventional forward-facing car seats for as long as is recommended by experts. It has a lot of the features people expect from a Maxi-Cosi car seat, like the premium fabrics, light weight, and ease of use.
However, the Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 is not an all-in-one. Parents who choose the will still need an infant carseat for newborns, and then later will need a booster seat for school-age children. In fact, they may need two booster seats; a high-backed booster and a backless booster, depending on their child's height and weight. Children less than 14 pounds, or over 85 pounds and 52 inches, will still need a different car seat than the Pria 85.
For virtually the same price, parents could choose the Maxi-Cosi Magellan, which converts from an infant car seat to a booster seat, and protects children at every stage in between. This all-in-one convenience makes the Magellan a great choice for parents who want one car seat for all of their child's needs.
Erica Moulton's Maxi-Cosi Magellan User Review
Conclusion
The Maxi-Cosi Magellan is a remarkably convenient all-in-one car seat. Although it protects children from 5 pounds all the way up to 120 pounds or 57 inches, at which point they can use an adult seat belt, it isn't as bulky or heavy as similar seats.
It has a lot of features to keep kids not only safe, but comfortable, for all their growing years. And it's reasonably priced for similar all-in-ones. The Magellan is a great way to keep your child safe while they navigate their growing world.
Maxi Cosi Magellan (click image for more info)
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!
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