Diono Radian 3QXT+ FirstClass SafePlus 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat, Rear & Forward Facing, Safe Plus Engineering, 4 Stage Infant Protection, 10 Years 1 Car Seat, Slim Fit 3 Across, Gray Slate

A Baby Tank!!!
Since I purchased this for a 15 month old, I can’t attest to using it for an infant with all the additional padding. But right out of the box it’s a pretty weighty seat. The steel frame adds some heft to it and it FEELS structurally sound. If you’ve installed a car seat before, it’s pretty easy to figure out the latch system it uses; A tether up top that secures it behind the seat and a lateral belt that you snake through the appropriate holes in the bottom/back and secure the buckles with a snap to the car’s latch system on either side. One thing I particularly like is the bottom belt latch strap has pull-release loops so you don’t have to twist your wrists in awkward positions to release the belt by pushing the buttons. The only thing, is the seat is tall so we had to remove the headrest on our back seat so it would sit flush to the seat. It took about 15 minutes to install it forward facing.Where I took off a star was the buttons for the adjustable straps to make them tighter to secure the car seat to the seat. They’re hard as hell to adjust and I had to have the hubby tighten them because I couldnt manage the leverage it takes to pull them. The button to loosen the straps just feels awkward—they’re hard to push in and seem to stick so it feels “off”. Makes you feel a little insecure about if you’ve done it right and car seat installation is one thing that you don’t want to make a mistake on. However, once you tighten the belts it doesn’t seem like they’ll loosen by themselves. Tested it by giving the seat a good tug in all directions.When we were shopping for seats, I was going to go for a lower priced seat because it wouldn’t be used as much in daddy’s car. My hubby just suggested we buy the same Maxi-Cosi Magellan seat that I have in my 2019 Expedition because he liked the magnetic top harness buckle. But, I decided to hold off. After seeing the store model of the Diono seat, I got curious about the brand and did a little research. I’m glad that I did.Daddy’s car is a 400hp Ford Explorer ST with bucket backseats and no middle seat for the added protection. I liked the ALL safety features considering that it could ONLY be installed on the driver or passenger side w/airbags. The extra plastic cube thingamajig that goes on either side depending on which side you install it on feels flimsy when you attach it. But a basic understanding of physics means that anything that can help add resistance to force from a side impact is a good thing. It adds another two layers of safety, surprising as it is, considering it’s basically a plastic box. Another plus is the harness buckle button is larger and EASY to press. My Maxi-Cosi’s buckle is small and a complete nuisance to press with nails and a wiggling tot. The cup holder seems like an after-thought though.I figured the cost of the seat is worth it—especially since it will support up to 120lbs. Plus it’s in a pretty kick-ass red that complement his dad’s car which is murdered out black with red brake calipers and red interior lighting.So…if you want something that’s stylish and seemingly filled to the brim with safety features or you have a car where a center-seat install is impossible, this seat is the way to go. Just make sure you got an extra strong set of arms to help with the belt tightening.

Beast of a Seat
Let me preface this by saying I am a professional nanny who has taken multiple car seat classes and done hundreds of car seat installations for a variety of seats and cars. These Diono seats are tanks. They are not easy to install and require a few “tricks of the trade”. I was able to get a safe install (and had a CPST verify) while nine months pregnant in the Florida summer heat without TOO much trouble, but I would not recommend this seat if you are going to be switching it between cars or having someone unfamiliar with car seat installations transporting your child (grandparents, friends, etc).I drive a 2016 Honda Civic and my two year old son has been in a Diono Randian RXT installed in the middle seat since birth. I chose Diono because I needed a slim seat to maximize back seat usage and I wanted something that would last from newborn to booster. I was very excited about the new QXT seat for my newborn because it addressed some of the issues I had with the RXT.Side impact protection- this seat offers greater side impact protection in both the shell of the seat and the attached pod than its predecessors did. I feel completely comfortable having my newborn in the rear passenger seat.Anti-rebound bar- the older Dionos have a strap you attach to the front seat tracks which decreases rotation in a crash, but it can be difficult to set up and leaves excess strap laying everywhere. The anti-rebound bar is supposed to be the replacement, however, due to the design of the seats in my car, the bar does not completely brace against the seat. It will still reduce some rotation in a crash, but not as well.Newborn usage- my first son was two weeks late and a decent size, so the RXT worked well from birth but would not be ideal for a small baby. However, the QXT has some awesome newborn features and keeps the new baby at a perfect angle and keeps his head from flopping around.Rear facing foot attachment- the foot attachment at the bottom slips into the crack of your back seat to achieve the desired angle, but I’ve learned that some vehicles do not have a suitable crack for this to be positioned in. It is pretty much impossible for me to get a safe rear facing install in my mother’s Subaru, so I have a Chicco nextfit as an easy to install spare seat for her car. This issue hasn’t been rectified in the new QXT.Overall, I am quite pleased with the seat so far. My older RXT has held up well and my toddler is always comfortable so I expect nothing less from this new series. I love that I can have both boys in the back of my little car along with full usage of my rear driver’s side seat. This seat has also passed extensive safety tests beyond the required testing and will hold up exceptionally well in the event of a roll over crash. Be sure to research compatibility with your vehicle and give yourself plenty of time to achieve a safe install after reading the manual and looking up videos online.

I have two of these seats; one I purchased direct from the manufacturer, and the other from Amazon.They are a great seat. They are fully adjustable, solid construction, and the covers come off to machine wash. The fact that it’s a narrow seat doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable; the seat actually expands if you have the room. It’s also a 10 years from PURCHASE expiry, so it’ll last quite a while.The customer service from Diono is great as well. We had a plastic piece break on the side impact device, and they promptly sent out a replacement after a couple photos were sent.The only downsides (and I don’t think it’s that much of a downside) are that this seat is heavy, and that’s because of the steel frame construction, and the price.At about 25 lbs it’s a bit awkward to carry around, but we also bought a carry bag and it works excellent.The cost is a bit high if you don’t find it on sale, but if you find it at $430 CAD, its pretty decent deal for what you’re getting.

Great car seat. It’s obviously very well made, super comfortable materials, and very smooth to buckle and adjust the straps. Much more so that the Uppababy Mesa we were using before.The only issue is the size. If you have a small car, I wouldn’t recommend this for rear-facing. It’s absolutely huge. I have a Mazda CX-5 (crossover SUV) and I had to move the front passenger seat all the way to the dash to fit it in rear-facing mode. Anybody in the car besides baby had to sit in the back. Now that it’s forward facing its great.

Unnecessarily complicated and miserable to instal and use, but possibly the best product of it’s kind on the market. Maybe, one day, Tesla will realize people need an entire kid-chair in cars, something that re-configures automatically, using battery power, and thus installs itself like an inflatable octopus with a cup holder and a built in game-screen and an auto-wipe washroom…. Hmmmmm.EDIT Oct 2020:. Side plates will easily break away, yet remain attached, if you lean on them. The hinge and pin system is open and weak. These plates may or may not be critical in a crash, they look more useful for adjustable comfort then for pritectuon. However, the low quality enginneering indicates this product should perhaps be recalled globally, but so far DIONE is ignoring the supplied photo evidence.