Best Travel Car Seat for 5 Year Old (2023)

Just like toddlers, preschoolers also need a car seat in a cab and airplane. But making an impulse purchase without checking the features of the seat can put you in trouble. 

That’s why I have spent 120 hours doing the hard work so you can travel with your kid. I have listed five of the best car seats for a 5-year-old that you cannot ignore. 

Best Travel Car Seat for 5 Year Old 

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

Evenflo Maestro Sports is the best overall car seat for a 5-year-old. It has forward facing orientation and comes in different colors. 

This car seat for 5 years old gets an overall rating of 4.9/5

• It offers enough legroom. 
• It has a dual cup holder. 
• It comes with a shoulder belt guide. 

Evenflo Maestro Sports deserves the first spot on the list because it comes with upfront harness adjustments so your kid can travel safely. 

Why buy Evenflo Maestro Sports?

• This car seat offers video installation support. 
• It is easy to clean. 
• It is super easy to install. 

Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster is the best car seat because it is safe, comfortable, and durable. In high-back booster mode, it offers sufficient room. It has an upfront harness adjusted for a snug and accurate fit.  

Evenflo Maestro Sport Harness Booster comes with thick padding. It is easy to remove and wash. As the car seat is lightweight, you can comfortably carry it around.  

It has a strong and durable structure. It is great for growing kids because the belt guide helps in correctly positioning the vehicle belt across the shoulder. Thus, your kid stays safe and comfortable throughout the journey. 

It is one of the few car seats with live video installation support. You can watch the video to get the correct tools for seat installation. It has been tested with rigorous side impact and dynamic rollover tests. 

The car seat comes with two cup holders and is a true value for money. Hurry and purchase this car seat today, 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• It is affordable and comfortable. 
• It can be used by kids till 8 years of age. 
• Easy to install.  

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• The cup holder can come off. 
• It has a 6-year expiration. 

#2 Best Harness Booster: Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 Harness Booster Seat, Proof

If you want a car seat for 5 years old that has a 5-point harness, Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 should be your choice. It is an ideal car seat for a toddler to youth. 

This car seat for 5 years old gets an overall rating of 4.5/5

• It can be upgraded from a forward-facing harness to a highback and backless booster. 
• It meets industry safety standards. 
• It has a Simple Safe Adjust harness system. 

Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 has been an excellent harness booster for 5 years old. The minimum eligible weight for using this car seat is 40 pounds. 

Why buy Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1?

Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 is a stunning car seat available in black color. Its headrest and harness can be adjusted quickly in one motion. It is lightweight and easy to carry, which makes it great for active parents. 

It has an 8-position adjustable headrest that can be adjusted per the child’s height. You get 2 easy to clean cup holders for keeping drinks and snacks. This car seat’s open-loop belt guide makes it easy to position the seat belt properly. 

This car seat has harness pads at a slightly wider distance, so your kid stays comfortable throughout the journey. You cannot miss getting this car seat if your kid is bigger than average. 

You can save a couple of inches by folding the cup holder because they are not totally removable. The car seat uses blow-molded plastic for reduced weight. This foam offers proper padding and absorbs energy very well. 

The car seat is easy to install. But depending on your vehicle type, the installation can get confusing. Avoid using bleach while cleaning the car seat. 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• It has a washable body pillow, seat pads, and a harness cover. 
• You can easily convert this car seat between different modes. 
• It is affordable. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• It doesn’t come with a harness or manual storage. 
• Push-on connectors are not available. 

#3 Best Booster Seat: Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 Booster Car Seat, Sweet Berry

Are you switching from an infant seat to a booster car seat? You can purchase Cosco Finale DX because it has impressive features that can be used in both modes. 

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

• It is lightweight and easy to move from car to car. 
• It exceeds Federal Safety Standards. 
• The deluxe fabric of this car seat gives a comfortable ride. 

Cosco Finale DX perfectly fits the best booster seat category because it is safe for kids up to 100 pounds and 52 inches. 

Why buy Cosco Finale DX?

• It has an IIHS Best Bet rating to be used in the booster mode. 
• The fabric of this car seat is easy to wash and dry. 
• It can fit 3 across most vehicles. 

Cosco Finale DX is an impressive car seat. It comes with a 5-point safety harness to easily wrap up kids all the way up to 65 pounds. 

No matter what mode you use this car seat, its deluxe fabric will give you a comfortable ride. Also, this car seat feels lightweight and easy to transport in both modes. It is a must-have for families who travel frequently. 

It can properly fit 3 across in the backseat of the car, allowing you to travel with more kids. What’s more? Well, the seat pad of Cosco Finale DX is easy to remove and clean. It is also dryer-safe. Thus, you don’t need to stress about the mess created by children while traveling.   

The expiry time of the base of this car seat is 10 years. It meets the IIHS best bet rating for safety in the booster mode. You can surely find many cheaper options, but Cosco Finale DX is the best and most comfortable car seat you can purchase. 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• It is very narrow. 
• It comes at a pocket-friendly price. 
• It can be used for kids up to 7 years old. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• It requires a top tether. 
• You cannot use LATCH in booster mode.  

#4 Best Adjustable: Mifold Hifold fit-and-fold Highback Booster Seat

Are you looking for an adjustable highback booster car seat designed for 5 years old? Well, you can purchase a mifold hifold fit-and-fold Highback Booster Seat. It comes in a forward-facing orientation. 

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

• It has been the world’s most adjustable booster seat for 5 years old. 
• It comes with advanced multi-fold technology. 
• It is lightweight and feels convenient to carry. 

Mifold Hifold fit-and-fold is the best adjustable car seat because it comes with multi-fit technology, which allows it to be adjustable in 243 different settings. 

Why buy mifold hifold fit-and-fold Highback Booster Seat?

• This car seat is designed for kids above 4 with up to 100 lbs and 59 inches tall. 
• You can quickly fold it down for traveling. 
• It is regulated for global use. 

Mifold ifold fit-and-fold is the best adjustable car seat. The unique multi-fold system of this car seat allows it to fold down to a compact size for easy transportation. 

This car seat is designed to offer the most optimal fit to the booster rider. It has 3 widths for the body, head, and seat each. Plus, it offers nine head positions for the most comfortable and safe ride.  

Get this car seat for new booster riders, as it will fit them extremely well. It is also a great option for kids who are small in age but have grown up enough to use a booster car seat. 

This premium car seat not only grows with your kid, but it also offers the best seat belt fit. You can easily adjust it from four areas: body, seat, height, and head width. 

It uses ultra-light foam for superior impact resistance and to maintain lightweight. It meets and exceeds the NHTSA safety standards. It is globally accepted except in Australia.  

Overall, mifold hifold fit-and-fold is the best car seat for 5 years old because it is safe, portable, and adjustable.

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• It offers numerous size adjustments. 
• It is extremely narrow. 
• Its base comes with a 7 years expiration. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• It does not include a cup holder. 
• It is expensive but worth the price. 

#5 Best Side Impact: Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe High Back Booster Car Seat

Do you want to upgrade from an infant car seat to a car seat for 5 years old? If so, you can purchase a Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe car seat. It is an easy-to-use car seat that comes with tons of useful features. 

This car seat for 5 years old gets an overall rating of 4.1/5

• It can be easily expanded in height and width. 
• Its base comes with 8 years of expiration. 
• It is very roomy. 

Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe is the best car seat for side-impact, for it is designed using SafePlus engineering. 

Why buy the Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe car seat?

• It quickly folds for compact storage. 
• It comes with a rigid LATCH for quick installation. 
• It looks stylish. 

The Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe car seat is designed for ultimate portability. You can easily transform it into a full-size booster seat in a few seconds. Compared to other booster seats, it is 25% slimmer and leaves more space in the vehicle’s backseat. 

The FixSafe rigid LATCH system of the car seat makes it easy to install. It comes with 12 headrest positions. Its expandable side grows with your kid. Its fabric is machine washable and durable. 

Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe has a cup holder to keep drinks while traveling. It is crash tested and offers 8 layers of safe side impact protection. 

What You’ll Love About This Product 

• Each to buckle kids. 
• It comes with built-in airflow technology. 
• Highest height and weight limit. 

What You Won’t Love About This Product 

• It is too wide for 3 across seating arrangements. 
• A bit heavier than other folding booster seats. 

Buying Guide for Car Seat for a 5 Year Old

When buying a car seat for a 5-year-old, you need to consider a few things, including: 

Easy Installation 

When you purchase a car seat for a 5-year-old, you cannot overlook the ease of installation. If the car seat seems to have complicated installation steps, look for a different product. Why? Because you cannot easily install or uninstall such a car seat when needed. 

Car seats come with different installation methods, including the LATCH system. Such seats have two lower anchor connectors with tether anchors built for each installation to the car. LATCH seats make it easy to tightly secure the seat to the car, so the kid stays seated in one place throughout the journey. 

Check the ease level at which the seat can be installed in a forward-facing or rear-facing position with a LATCH system or belt. Depending on the vehicle, the car seat installation process can vary. So, you must choose a seat accordingly. 

Safety 

One can never compromise on safety while traveling with babies. Thoroughly check the car seat’s safety features because a minor safety issue can be a deal breaker. 

Unfortunately, most of the car seats available in the market are not certified before the sale. If you purchase such a travel car seat, it can put your kid in a difficult position. Thus, choose a car seat with NHTSA certification because those seats are crash-tested and safer. 

In addition, the car seat must come with energy-absorbing foam for reduced impact force. It should have a steel frame build but better support and durability. 

Furthermore, the car seat must have a no-rethread harness so you can easily adjust the harness without taking your kid out of the seat. Plus, the harness should be easy to adjust with one hand pull and release. 

User-Friendly 

The car seat you purchase for a 5-year-old must be functional and easy to use. To check the functionality, you can ask yourself: Are the buckles easy to use? Is the seat comfortable? Are the car seat straps easy to adjust? Can kids easily get in and out of their seats? And more. 

If you get satisfied with the car seat in terms of under-friendly recruitment, purchase it. Otherwise, look for another option. You can also check for different types of car seats.

FAA-Approved 

Your car seat for a 5-year-old needs to be FAA-approved if you want your kid to travel with you on the flight. If you have a car seat with no FAA certification, it won’t be allowed in an airplane.

Conclusion 

Finding and purchasing the best car seat for a 5-year-old can be tricky as so many options are available in the market. But you can reduce the work by selecting one of the car seats listed in this post. 

I have recommended the best car seats, which are safe and comfortable for 2 years old. So, get one for your little munchkin, so they stay safe during the journey.