Chicco NextFit Zip vs. Nuna aace: Which is Better? (2024)

Hi there! We're here to help you decide between the Chicco NextFit Zip and the Nuna aace.

Our goal is to provide you with the information you need to feel confident that you're choosing the optimal car seat for your family's needs and budget. Let us know if you have any other questions!

At A Glance

Our Thoughts

The Chicco NextFit Zip and the Nuna AACE are both car seats designed to grow with children and provide excellent safety and comfort features. However, these two seats target different stages of a child's growth. Diving into both, here is some advice on which one might suit your needs better.

The Chicco NextFit Zip is a convertible car seat, robustly constructed and designed with safety and simplicty in mind. It supports children up to 65 pounds and provides both rear-facing and forward-facing configuration. The NextFit Zip features a duo-guard protection system, a deep rigid shell and EPS energy-absorbing foam for side-impact protection, and a SuperCinch LATCH tightener for easy installation. It is designed to be simple to clean with a zip-off seat pad for machine washing. However, the seat's sturdy build can make this a bulkier option, which might restrict front passenger legroom in compact cars. Parents also report that the straps can be challenging to adjust and may fall beneath the child when unbuckled, so these are factors to consider.

On the other hand, the Nuna AACE is a versatile booster seat designed for children from around four years old up to children who weigh 120 pounds. It offers a 3-D growth system, adjusting in depth and height to accommodate children's growth. Its premium safety features include energy-absorbing foam and side-impact protection pods. The seat also boasts multiple recline options, making it adaptable for comfort and fit in various vehicles. Similar to the Chicco, the AACE has machine-washable fabric for easy cleaning. While this seat is praised for its sleek, modern design and high-quality construction, some parents found the cup holder design less than ideal, and the seat belt sometimes slipped out of the guide.

When deciding which seat to invest in, your child's current size and weight is a primary consideration. If your child is an infant or toddler, the Chicco NextFit Zip could be a more suitable option because of its extended use from infancy to school age. Its superior safety features offer heightened security which parents appreciate, and the easy-to-clean design is a big plus for the accident-prone early years. If, however, your child is a bit older and bigger, the Nuna AACE is a great booster seat that provides excellent safety features and is designed to grow with the child. Its sleek and modern design will appeal to older children while the easy cleaning and installation simplify things for parents.

In the end, both car seats represent good investments thanks to their safety features and design. However, if budget is a concern, it's worth noting that the Chicco NextFit Zip can be used from infancy through preschool while the Nuna AACE starts from the later toddler stage. Yet, the Nuna AACE does have a longer lifespan, accomodating children with a higher maximum weight limit, so the higher upfront cost may well be justified depending on your specific needs.