Maxi Cosi Infant Car Seat Vs. Chicco KeyFit 

This rundown is all about identifying which of these infant car seats is suitable for your needs.

The main difference between the Maxi Cosi and KeyFit infant car seats is that the Chicco KeyFit has a leveling system. This feature has been proven to provide correct installation 90% of the time. 

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Chicco is a renowned brand in the baby items industry. However, the KeyFit 30 is not a perfect product, and you may find the Maxi Cosi Mico more comfortable for your baby. 

By the end of this article, you’ll be better positioned to choose between the Chicco KeyFit 30 and Maxi Cosi Mico 30. 

Our Pick

We’ve chosen the Chicco KeyFit as our winning model since it helps parents address installation problems with a leveling system. This car seat excels in crash tests, and it executes each feature carefully to meet your baby’s safe travel needs. 

Key Specs of Maxi Cosi 

Maxi Cosi	Specs
overall size (inches)	31 x 18 x 16
carrier weight (lbs.)	8.11
baby weight limit (lbs.)	5-30
height limit (inches)	32
material	Polyester
color options	4

Key Specs Of Keyfit

KeyFit 30	Specs
overall dimensions (inches)	27.5 x 16.5 x 24
weight limit (lbs.)	4 – 30
max height (inches)	30
carrier weight (lbs.)	9.5
base weight (lbs.)	7
height adjust positions	3

About Maxi Cosi Infant Car Seat 

The Maxi Cosi Mico 30 car seat is a top-rated carrier with many positive reviews on consumer reports. Many parents appreciate its safety features, ease of installation, and ergonomic handle. 

Maxi Cosi Mico 30 focuses on the baby’s first year of life. It fits children up to 32 inches in height and 30 pounds in weight. Suppose your newborn weighs four pounds, no need to worry about the fit for a few months. The carrier comes with a comfy infant pillow to support the baby’s neck and head. 

Toting your little one around can quickly become tiring. Maxi Cosi makes this infant car seat with lightweight materials amounting to only 8.1 pounds. It’s easy on the arms, plus the handle is contoured to curve around your hip. 

Maxi Cosi no longer uses chemicals to make its car seats fire retardant. It picks materials that meet flammability standards while skipping wool and fire-retardant treatment.  

This model takes safety features seriously by having several layers of impact-protecting foam. It also has side-impact protection to keep the baby’s brain and spine safe in case of an accident. 

This infant car seat comes with a no-rethread harness. It’s a huge safety feature since you can confidently put back the seat cover. The seat also has a moisture-wicking fabric that’s machine washable and dryer-safe. 

This infant car seat transfers from the car base to a Maxi Cosi stroller in a snap. There are also plenty of Maxi Cosi adapters that allow you to attach the infant seat to compatible strollers from other brands. Say you have a baby jogger; Mico 30 will help you continue your routine.  

There are at least a dozen strollers that are compatible with the Maxi Cosi when using an adapter. A few of them are the Baby Jogger City Mini 2 / GT2 single, Babyzen Yoyo+ and YOYO2, BOB single strollers 2016-present, and of course, Masi Cosi strollers.

Features

• Lightweight but can carry babies weighing up to 30 pounds
• Impact-protecting foam keeps the baby safe in case of an accident
• No chemical use
• Comes with an infant pillow

Pros 

• Lightest rear-facing car seat
• American-style belt path 
• Machine washable and safe to tuck in drier 
• Contoured handle curves around your hip
• No rethread harness allows for easily adjustable straps

Cons 

• Lacks a leveling system 
• Canopy tends to sag

About Chicco KeyFit 30 

Chicco KeyFit 30 is hands down the number one option in many parents’ minds. From the security to the comfort, it seems to have everything going for a rear-facing seat. Some may say it’s over the top. So, let’s see what it’s all about. 

You can also compare Chicco KeyFit 30 vs Nuna Pipa. 

One of the reasons Chicco KeyFit 30 is the most popular is that you can have it in the base in under a minute. It’s not a race here, but attaching it is a breeze with the high-quality LATCH connectors. The SuperCinch strap on the car base allows you to pull on it to bring the seat closer. Once you hear a click, it’s installed correctly. 

Now, did you know that Chicco KeyFit 30 always emerges on top in many government front-impact crash tests? EPS foam absorbs impact during an accident while the infant insert offers additional protection for small or premature infants. 

With the spring-loaded ReclineSure leveling system, you can adjust the seat’s fit to the various back seat designs of vehicles.

KeyFit 30 is comfortable for newborns up to one-year babies. It has additional padding to make the ride cozy for your baby. The seat gives more attention to the area around the neck with soft fabric. Also, the seat pad is removable, so it’s easy to keep clean. 

Your Chicco KeyFit 30 is compatible with Chicco strollers. It’s easy to remove from strollers with the one-hand release and two-position carry handle. You can read more Chicco travel system reviews to match it to the best. 

Features

• LATCH connectors connect the seat to the car seamlessly
• SuperCinch secures the car seat properly
• Leveling system allows compatibility with various cars
• Removable seat pads
• Compatible with several strollers

Pros

• EPS-lined shell 
• Easy LATCH system
• Removable insert for underweight infants 
• Machine-washable seat pad 
• Easy to transfer

Cons 

• Canopy is a bit small 
• Seat fabric is not as breathable 

Another interesting read: Chicco KeyFit 30 vs Fit 2

Similarities Between Maxi Cosi and Chicco KeyFit 

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• Weight Limit 

The Mico 30 and KeyFit 30 have a weight limit of 30 pounds. They can safely accommodate newborns and infants starting from four pounds with the help of the included inserts. The additional support is optional on the two seats, so you don’t have to include it when using either carrier. 

• Stay-In Car Base

You don’t have to buy a separate car base when purchasing these seats. You’ll get superior-quality bases that work seamlessly with these carriers. You can still buy an extra car base for a second vehicle if you tend to switch. 

• Can Install without the Base 

Many parents also hail taxis, and these car seats make it easy to use them without the base. Although none have a European-style belt path, they still meet Federal safety standards. The seats will install without the base when you pass the car seat belt through the front of the carrier.

Differences Between Maxi Cosi and Chicco KeyFit 

• Safety Features 

The Maxi Cosi Mico 30 and the Chicco KeyFit 30 do not have a shock-absorption chamber,  a load leg, or a rebound bar. But, the KeyFit 30 has EPS to absorb impact. EPS is an industry standard for energy protection. 

EPS is now outdated and is being replaced by EPP (Expanded Polypropylene). Mico’s five layers of padding provide similar if not equal impact absorbing capabilities. 

• Safety Rankings 

According to the many crash tests done on the two car seats, Chicco emerges way ahead of the Maxi Cosi. It scores high in head-impact score (HIC), front-impact crash tests, and sprints way ahead of other models twice its price tag. 

• Ease of Installation 

The LATCH system on both infant car seats makes it easy to attach them to the car’s base. These are not convertible seats, but Chicco KeyFit has a leveling system while the Maxi Cosi does not. So, KeyFit 30 ensures you will install the seat at the correct angle each time. 

Small piece of fact: the highest causes of safety issues in car seats come from seats installed at the wrong angle. 

• Comfort for Baby 

Maxi Cosi is winning it here as it includes five extra layers of padding for a snug ride. The adjustable canopy also stretches way ahead of the Chicco. The only qualm we have is that it does not extend to cover the legs, but this drawback is on both models. 

• Ease of Toting 

Yes, you can take both car seats on your arm. Maxi Cosi offers better tote-ability thanks to the contoured handle, and it’s lightweight at only 8.1 pounds. Compare that to the regular handle on the Chicco KeyFit, and you’ll find you’re constantly adjusting it for better carriage. 

Mico 30 looks fancy and exciting in your arm as opposed to the bare exterior of the Chicco KeyFit. 

• Value for Money 

Apart from costing almost the same, what the Maxi Cosi lacks in safety ratings makes up for in exceptional comfort and convenience. Chicco KeyFit 30 ticks lots of good boxes, but it ultimately doesn’t match the Maxi Cosi in comfort and toting. 

Conclusion

You could close your eyes and pick the Maxi Cosi Mico 30 or the Chicco KeyFit 30, and we wouldn’t blame you. 

If you live in the city and are worried about getting T-boned, you may have more peace of mind with the Chicco KeyFit. That’s considering its high safety rankings. 

For the parent who wants their baby sleeping in a cozy seat and be able to take your baby with you without crashing into other people on the street, grab the Maxi Cosi Mico 30.