Maxi-Cosi Pria Max vs. Safety 1st Guide 65: Which is Better? (2024)

Hi there! We're here to help you decide between the Maxi-Cosi Pria Max and the Safety 1st Guide 65.

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 Maxi-Cosi Pria Max and the Safety 1st Guide 65 are two convertible car seats designed to grow with your child—each has its own strengths that cater to various parenting needs and preferences.

The Pria Max by Maxi-Cosi is an all-in-one convertible car seat known for its exceptional comfort, safety designs, and longevity. This car seat accommodates children from infancy to toddlerhood, offering both rear-facing and forward-facing configurations and a high back booster setup. Parents who value a car seat that invests in adjustable recline positions, enhanced safety features, and easy maintenance will find solace in this model. One standout trait is its magnetic chest clip, simplifying the process of securing your child while also ensuring they remain safe throughout the ride. However, parents might encounter slight difficulty during the installation process and find its bulky design inconvenient for compact cars.

On the other hand, the Guide 65 by Safety 1st is an affordable alternative that doesn't compromise on the basics. It offers rear-facing and forward-facing modes and aims to be space-efficient, capable of fitting three-across in many vehicles—a bonus if you have multiple young children to transport. This car seat also provides side-impact protection alongside a 5-point safety harness for your child's wellbeing. Despite its affordability, it has faced criticism for its installation process and leg room when in the rear-facing mode, causing discomfort for taller toddlers.

While both are FAA approved for rear-facing and forward-facing modes, the Pria Max has the additional boost of being suited for high back booster mode as well. This means the Pria Max by Maxi-Cosi could be a more flexible choice for parents who travel frequently and require a seat that adapts to various travel conditions. Furthermore, the Pria Max accommodates a higher maximum weight in the forward-facing configuration than the Safety 1st Guide 65 does (65 lbs versus 40 lbs, respectively), ensuring your child can stay in this safer position for a longer time.

From a budget perspective, Safety 1st Guide 65 has an advantage. Although it maintains basic safety features and offers space sufficiency that's lacking in the Maxi-Cosi alternative, its drawbacks might outweigh the lowered cost for some parents. The complaints about installation and comfort in rear-facing mode, especially for taller children, cannot be overlooked.

Overall, if budget isn't a primary concern, Maxi-Cosi's Pria Max could be a reliable, comfortable, and more versatile choice that grows with your child, ensuring a greater return on investment in the long run. Conversely, for parents with budget restrictions and a need for a compact design (perhaps with multiple car seats or smaller cars), the Safety 1st Guide 65 could serve as a capable and valuable choice, provided the potential issues are carefully considered.