Chicco KeyFit 30 Review

Chicco (kee-ko) is the largest baby-centric brand in Europe and is part of the Artsana Group. The Artsana Group is a lifestyle company that offers a variety of products that include feeding gear, baby gear, and medical supplies. Pietro Catelli founded Chicco and provides baby-related equipment to children from before birth to preschool age, and their products are currently in more than 120 countries.

Performance Comparison

Crash Testing

The crash test analysis result for the Keyfit 30 is just above the average for the group, with sensor results for each location coming in better than the average results in our crash testing. All of the seats in our review meet the federal guidelines for safety and should, therefore, be considered safe.

We ran our tests a little faster and with a more modern sled to determine which options might provide a margin of safety over the standard and compared to the competition. This seat has head and chest sensor results that are better than many competitors in our tests, but they weren't good enough to make it into the top-tier results. Its best result was in the HIC (head) sensor, which showed G forces below the average. The chest clip sensor results were also good, with G forces lower than the average. Nothing is disappointing about its performance in the crash test, and it is the best-performing Chicco in this review, but it didn't match the results of the higher-scoring seats with lower G forces recorded in their sensors. If your goal is a Chicco seat with the best crash test results, this is for you. However, if you are open to other brands and the best crash test results are your priority, you might want to look elsewhere.

Ease of Installation LATCH

Installing the Keyfit 30 using LATCH is one of the easiest installation methods for this seat, but it isn't as easy as most of the competition, including other Chicco options.

This base has flexible straps attached to the push-style LATCH connections. There is no anti-rebound bar or load leg. The connectors have a guide to help you keep them on the right side, and minimal tightening needs to happen. It has one strap to tighten, and it pulls smoothly. We did use a knee on the base to ensure it was tight enough. There is no tensioner, but it doesn't seem to need one to help with installation or with getting things tight enough. The pull direction is perfect for ease of installation.

The seat is stable when installed with very little wiggle. The bubble indicators remained in the proper installation position without needing adjustment after installation.

Recline Adjustment

The level adjustment on the Keyfit 30 has five levels and a bubble indicator on either side of the base. The levels adjust easily with nice clear increments. You press one button on each side of the base simultaneously to initiate the movement.

Ease of Installation - Belt

Installing the Chicco with the vehicle belt instead of LATCH is about the same for difficulty, so if possible, we'd still recommend the LATCH over the belt if available.

The belt pathway is color-coded, with built-in belt lock-off but no tensioner. The belt pathway is easy to access and maintain but is slightly less open than competitors. Even if you can't fit your hand in the path, you can pass it to your other hand on the opposite side. We had to sit on the base or put a knee on it to get enough pressure to tighten the belt, likely because there is no tensioner, so it is on the installation to provide the pressure. Luckily, the base has a relatively flat surface for comfortably placing a knee. The lock-off also feels a little too far back on the base, and it wasn't a natural feel to get the belt to it.

Once installed, it passes the wiggle test, and while not as tight as you might want it to be, it feels stable in both the sedan and small SUV test cars. It would likely feel more stable with an anti-rebound bar.

Ease of Installation - w/o the Base

Installing the Keyfit 30 without the base is the most challenging method for this seat. It scores below the average for the group, and while not the hardest, we aren't convinced it is the best choice for those who plan to install their carrier without the base regularly.

Installation includes the American belt path with the vehicle belt across the foot of the carrier. The path is not color-coded but is evident and easy to access. The installation level indicator is a line decal on the carrier's side.

There is a note on the belt path, but the fabric means it isn't apparent, and you must bend over to see it. The lack of shoulder belt utilization means it is a simple installation without much hassle. The belt doesn't slide in like some other seats; you have to thread it. Depending on your car, you might need a towel for installation, but we didn't on our two test vehicles this go around. The shoulder belt on the car makes tightening kind of awkward. We struggled to get this installed tight enough, and it felt wobbly in both test cars.

Ease of Use

This seat is one of the easier options in this review to use, with above-average performance in our tests for everyday functionality.

Buckle

This buckle has a flush release button, which is nice for longer nails. It isn't as large as we'd like, but it is easily workable. The shoulder strap prongs don't pop out independently, so you need to pull them out yourself. The buckle and crotch strap has no padding to impede the process. The one-location crotch strap could be a problem if the baby is bigger. The chest clip has a circle button in the center you press to pull apart the two sides. It is smooth and doesn't get hung up on anything.

Harness Tightening/Loosening

Tightening and loosening is very easy. Each strap has its own hole instead of joining as one in the back like some of the competition, so the strap is easy to pull. The button has no flap or effort to hide it, making it easy to access.

Harness Adjustment

This seat is a rethread style height adjustment. This means you must detach the straps from a clip on the back and move them from one slot level to another on both sides. It isn't necessarily hard, but you can't do it with your baby in the seat, and it is more involved than non-rethread adjustments. There are only three height options. The T bar on the Keyfit 30 isn't wide enough for the straps, so you shove them in a bit to put them back on.

Carrier to Base Connection

The carrier-to-base connection is better than the average combination we tested. The lighter weight of the carrier helped make the process easier. We didn't see a way to do it wrong accidentally, but given there are no indicators, we recommend giving it a good tug to make sure the connection is good. Removal is done with the lever on the back of the carrier and pulling up on the handle once it is released from the base.

Handle

The handle on the Keyfit 30 has three possible positions, all of which are allowable for driving. The handle can fold all the way back to prevent the carrier from rocking when not attached to the base. Moving the handle past the canopy when closed is hard, and we believe this won't be very pleasant to deal with regularly.

Canopy

The canopy frame is a bit wobbly, which causes the canopy to move only one side at a time, and you either need two hands to adjust it, or you have to do each side one at a time. If it were more rigid, it would be an easy one-hand maneuver.

LATCH and Manual Storage

The Keyfit 30 has little cubbies for LATCH storage. There is no mechanism to keep them in place, but it was snug enough that they stayed in place when we tipped and shook the base. It also has a flip-open holder for the manual on the base on the side facing the front seat. It works well and keeps the manual out of the way of messes.

Comfort/Quality

The Keyfit 30 scores below the average by a hair for comfort and quality. However, it is also the lowest-priced Chicco we tested.

Fabric and Padding

The fabric on the infant insert and headrest feels smooth on the skin, but the headrest has stitching throughout, which seems unnecessary and could be abrasive or itchy to sensitive skin. The lighter grey seat material is better than the black sides, which are less friendly, but both should be in contact with clothes more often than skin.

The padding around the neck is minimal compared to the competition, and the padding on the sides and rear end area isn't much better. There doesn't seem to be much comfort padding on the back, and you can feel hard when you press down. While we liked the neck padding, overall, it pales compared to the nicer seats we tested.

Handle and Canopy

The handle has a nice rubber grip and is ergonomic with a circular design, not a thin handle. The sides widen somewhat, so it is more comfortable to scoop it under your elbow. We like it more than most.

This canopy is smaller than most. It is durable and didn't snag when you ran an open paperclip across the fabric.

Shell

The shell's outer surface is smooth with limited spaces for gunk to hide, and it should be easy to keep clean, wiping with a wet cloth. It doesn't look as nice as some competitors, but it gets the job done.

Weight/Size

The Keyfit 30 is lighter than the competition, with a carrier weight of 9.3 lbs. While not the lightest seat in the group, it is certainly more manageable for carrying than those that come in closer to 12 lbs.

Should You Buy the Keyfit 30?

If you are sold on a Chicco seat and want the best crash test analysis score, then the Keyfit 30 is the one to go with. It is a higher-scoring seat than average and performs better than much of the competition. However, if you want the best seat or even the highest-ranking Chicco, you want to look elsewhere.

What Other Infant Car Seat Should You Consider?

If you want a Chicco seat to go with your Chicco stroller, then the Chicco Keyfit 35 is the one we prefer. With a slightly higher price tag, you get better performance in most metrics and only a slightly lower crash test analysis. If you are not married to the Chicco brand, and your budget has a lot of wiggle room, the best all-around seat with the highest overall score is the Clek Liing. This seat performs tops in crash testing, is easy to install, and offers nice features like rigid LATCH and a load leg.

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