Best Travel Car Seat for 4 Year Old (2023)

Taking trips with kids is fun, but if you are not equipped with the right tools, it can become stressful and challenging. Don’t worry; I know just the right thing you need for a safe drive with your kids. It’s car seats. 

I have compared baby seats based on their comfort, quality, and value for money and listed them below. 

Scroll down to purchase the best car seat to travel with your kid in comfort and style. 

Best Travel Car Seat for 4 Year Old 

Here are 5 of the best car seat recommendations:

#1 Best Overall: Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster Car Seat

Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster is the best car seat for a 4-year-old. It comes with upfront harness adjustments, allowing your kid to sit safely throughout the journey.  

This car seat for 4 years old gets an overall rating of 4.6/5 

• It has a dual cup holder for drinks and snacks. 
• It comes with a shoulder belt guide. 
• It is easy to clean. 

Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster falls correctly under the best overall category because it is comfortable and stylish. 

Why buy Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster?

• It has a 5-point harness booster that fits kids from 22-50 lb. 
• It includes live video installation support. 
• It offers sufficient legroom. 

For preschoolers, Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster seems to be the best option because it is safe, comfortable, and durable. As a forward-facing harness, it offers proper height limits. Also, you get sufficient room in high-back booster mode. 

The amazing features and stylish look of the Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster make it an all-round package. Its padding is easy to remove and machine-washable. The car seat is light enough to be easily carried while traveling.  

This car seat is pretty affordable and durable. The belt guide helps you correctly position the across the shoulder of your kid while they grow. This way, your kid gets maximum safety and comfort. 

Evenflo Maestro has been tested above and beyond for safety reasons. It has undergone rigorous side impact and dynamic rollover tests. It has two cup holders. 

In addition, it includes live video installation support so that you can get the tools for the correct car seat installation. It’s a great value-for-money product you cannot afford to miss.   

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• This car seat is designed for kids from ages 3 to age 8. 
• It is affordable.  
• You can purchase Evenflo Maestro in four different colors. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• It has a narrow set harness with no covers. 
• It has a 6-year expiration. 

#2 Best Highback Booster: Graco Affix Highback Booster Seat with Latch System, Atomic

Do you want to switch the infant car seat with a highback booster seat for your 4-year-old kid? If so, Graco Affix Highback Booster should be your choice. It comes with lower LATCH straps, which keep your kid seated throughout the journey. 

This car seat for 4 years old gets an overall rating of 4.3/5 

• This booster car seat is designed for kids from 40-100 pounds. 
• It has a one-hand front adjustable LATCH system. 
• For better comfort, it has a multi-layer headrest. 

Graco Affix falls correctly under the best highback booster car seat because it is great for big kids up to 57 inches tall. It offers a secure connection to the vehicle. 

Why buy Graco Affix Highback Booster?

• This car seat has been crash tested to exceed the security standards. 
• You can easily convert this car seat into a backless booster. 
• It has a 6-position headrest. 

Graco Affix Highback Booster is designed for big kids to make them feel more independent, safe, and comfortable during the journey. It is affordable and stylish.  

It can fit any car regardless of its size. But you must still compare the measurements before making a purchase. If the backseat of your car is not roomy, do not opt for a 3-across seating arrangement. 

The smooth seat belt guide and wide armrests make it easy for you to buckle up the kids during the trip. It is lightweight enough to be used easily during traveling. In the high back booster mode, you don’t need a headrest. 

Graco Affix Highback Booster is quite safe for 4-year-old kids. The LATCH system on the straps comes as a safety feature, but you don’t necessarily have to use them. This car seat has easy installation.  

Overall, the Graco Affix car seat is perfect for 4 years old because it comes with all the necessary features for safety and comfort. It can be easily converted from a highback booster to a backless booster. 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• This car seat can be easily installed. 
• It has a well-padded seat with a smooth and wide seat belt guide. 
• It has an optional LATCH feature, which you can use to prevent the seat from moving. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• The armrest of the car seat is not adjustable. 
• Cup holders are not large enough for large cups. 

#3 Best Booster Seat: Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 Booster Car Seat, Sweet Berry, 1 Count (Pack of 1)

Do you want to purchase the best booster seat for your 4-year-old kid? Well, the Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 booster should be your choice. In forward-facing mode, it can handle 65 pounds, and in belt-positioning booster mode, it can handle 100 pounds. 

This car seat for 4 years old gets an overall rating of 4/5 

• The slim design of this car seat makes it easy to fit 3 across vehicles. 
• It is lightweight and easy to carry. 
• The fabric of this car seat is deluxe, which offers a comfy ride. 

Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 is the best booster seat for 4 years old because it keeps the kids up to 100 pounds and 52 inches safe. 

Why buy Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1?

Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 is a must-have car seat for 4-year-old kids and families who are always on the go. It is lightweight and ideal for traveling. Either carry it in your hand or put it inside a stroller; either way, it feels light. 

The price you pay for Cosco Finale is worth the quality. Surely, you can find cheaper options in the market, but they come with compromised safety and comfort levels. The padding of this car seat is really thick, which makes it comfortable. 

It has a cup holder for easily carrying drinks during your journey. It is dishwasher safe and can be detached from either side of the car seat. The expiry time of the car seat base is 10 years.

It meets the IIHS best bet rating for safety in the booster mode. Families traveling with multiple kids can install three of these car seats side-by-side. The seat pads are machine-washable and dryer-safe. 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• It is designed for kids from 3 to 7 years of age. 
• It is affordable. 
• It is very narrow. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• Booster mode involves the risk of potential seatbelt retraction. 
• LATCH cannot be used in booster mode.

#4 Best Design: Britax Grow with You ClickTight Harness-2-Booster Car Seat

If you are looking for a comfortable and safe car seat, which is also stylish, Britax Grow should be your choice. It comes in a different color and forward-facing orientation. 

This car seat for 4 years old gets an overall rating of 4.2/5 

• It is a stylish car seat with an upgraded design.
• You can install it quickly in just three steps. 
• It is a 2-in-1 booster seat. 

Britax Grow is a stylish and comfortable car seat. It has cool flow mesh fabric, which keeps the seat cool and comfortable. 

Why buy Britax Grow?

• The car seat has soft pads to prevent the kid’s neck from rubbing against the harness. 
• Easy to clean and use. 
• It has 9 years of expiry.

Britax Grow is truly stylish and has amazing features. With affordable prices and better safety, this car seat has impressed parents around the world. 

The car seat comes with ClickTick for 3-step installation. Simple open, thread-buckle, and close the car seat. It can be easily upgraded from forward-facing harness mode to belt-positioning booster mode. 

It is designed using a high-strength steel frame and has a patented V shape tether. This car seat’s 2-layer side impact protection makes sure your kid does not hurt during the journey. The 5-point harness and 2 recline positions offer better comfort and safety to the 4-year-old kids. 

You get two cup holders and an armrest with the car seat. It is FAA approved and easy to carry. Overall, it’s a nice car seat, which comes with comfortable seating, a built-in crumple zone, harness pad covers, and more. 

What You’ll Love About This Product    

• It is a safe and lightweight car seat. 
• It follows NHTSA guidelines for replacement after a crash. 
• Harness for booster mode is optional; you can either store or remove it. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• The car seat does not come with a proper installation video. 
• The headrest is not easy to install. 

#5 Best Lightweight: WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat

If you want a car seat that is lightweight and easy to carry, WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat should be your choice. It is made of an aerospace aluminum-grade frame. 

This car seat for 4 years old gets an overall rating of 4.4/5 

• It comes with a standard/premium cover for easy travel. 
• It has a 5-point harness system. 
• It meets US safety standards. 

WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat is a premium lightweight car seat designed for families on the go. 

Why buy WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat?

• An FAA-approved sticker is on the bottom of the seat. 
• It is designed for safety. 
• It is strong and durable. 

WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat is an ultra-light and ultra-compact car seat. Families who want to travel regularly without compromising the safety and comfort of their kids should purchase this car seat.  

With WAYB Pico on your side, the bulkiness of a car seat will never be a matter of concern for you. Why? Because it easily folds up, making it easy to transport while traveling. 

This car seat has a 5-point harness and a headrest for better safety and comfort. Its frame is covered with breathable wool/polyester fabric, so the kid stays cool and comfortable during the journey. 

It meets all the safety rules of the FAA and National Highway Traffic. This car seat’s premium/standard travel bag is made of recycled polyester. The LATCH system is easier to use and provides a perfect fit. 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• This car seat is easy to install. 
• It is FAA-approved. 
• It is comfortable. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• It has a low height limit. 
• For some kids, the strap can be too short. 

Buying Guide for Car Seat for a 4 Year Old 

The endless options available in the market can make the process of purchasing a car seat difficult. But you can follow this buying guide to simplify the task. 

Check the below-mentioned things when choosing the best car seat for a 4-year-old:

Lightweight

When purchasing a car seat for a 4-year-old, you want it to be so you can carry it anywhere. But if the car seat feels heavy, it’s definitely not something you must get, especially if you are a frequent traveler with your kid.   

In addition, the seat’s handle should be easy to hold so you can use it without hassle. Lightweight seats can pass airport security checks and are also great during taxi transfers. Therefore, always check the seat’s weight and get the lighter one.

User-friendly

The main aim of using a car seat is to decrease the load and make traveling easy. But if the car seat is not user-friendly, you might not use it properly. Thus, it will become a burden. 

Easy-to-use car seats offer maximum comfort and better performance. They come with harness straps, a no-rethread harness, and a well-designed LATCH system. 

The covers of these car seats are easy to remove and clean. They have breathable mesh fabric to maintain better airflow. 

Easy Install 

You must never get a 4-year-old car seat with complicated installation techniques. That’s because then you cannot remove and reattach the seat quickly.

Research different options and compare them. Carefully look for car seats with easy installation without an expert’s help.

It’s better to choose a car seat with multiple installation techniques. However, refrain from using multiple installation methods together. You can also check types of car seat. 

Safety

No matter what car seat you choose for your kid, it must be safe. Look for car seats with NHTSA crash testing and ease of use. 

Car seats also come with an anti-rebound base or load legs for better safety. But you can skip these additional features and stick to the main safety features. 

High Height and Weight Limit 

You must always be mindful of the height and weight of the car seat. After all, you don’t want your kid to outgrow the seat after a few months. If it happens, you will have to purchase a new car seat all over again, which is not advisable. 

Comfort 

One big part of purchasing a car seat is to offer comfort to your kid while traveling. That’s why you must check for the padding thickness of the seat. If it’s thick enough, it will offer comfort. Also, check the quality of the headrest.  

Accessible

Your car seat for a 4-year-old needs to have accessible features, like cup holders, snack tables, and more. Also, it should be available in different colors.   

Conclusion

The endless options in the market can make the process of finding a car seat difficult. But we have mentioned 5 of the best car seats for 4 years old that will ensure the comfort and safety of your little kid.

You can also go through the buying guide to make sure your new car seat for 4-year-olds has all those features.