Nuna Exec Next Review

Crash Test

While not the tippy-top of crash test results, the Exec is above the average in our crash test analysis.

All of the seats in the review are assumed ot be safe and meet federal guidelines. We intentionally run our crash testing a bit faster and on a more modern sled to push the seats a little beyond federal requirements. Our goal is to identify seats with that little something extra that may indicate an additional margin of protection beyond the average seat.

The Exec mirrors the best in the group for the most part, with a g-force spike that is higher.   Credit: GearLab and MGA Research

The Exec Next chest clip sensor results are compared to those of the Graco 4Ever, one of the best-performing seats in the group.   Credit: GearLab and MGA Research

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The Exec Next is one of those seats that performed better than the average seat, with sensor readings for fewer g-forces than most competitors. Both the head (HIC) and chest clip sensors recorded lower g-forces, and together they are among the lowest in the group. For parents seeking a potential edge on safety, the Exec could be one to deliver.

Ease of Install - LATCH

Installing the Exec with LATCH is one of the easiest in the group, with only a couple of seats making it more straightforward. It has push connectors on a flexible strap, no level indicators, and a lock off.

Rear-facing installation is relatively easy, but adjusting the leg rest to the correct position requires some patience. The cup holders need to be opened or removed to reach the pathway, and the headrest needs to be moved all the way up, so you'll need to readjust it when installation is complete.

Installing the Exec rear-facing using LATCH is relatively easy with a useful tensioner and lockoff.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

Installing with LATCH or the vehicle belt requires popping out the Exec cup holders. They can be pushed back in when installation is complete.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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It isn't that this installation is hard; there are just a lot of steps. We also had to move the fabric and padding out of the way, and while it only required a few steps, we ended up unsnapping all sorts of parts unnecessarily until we knew what we were doing. Loosening the harness was easier than unsnapping the SIP, and we wish there were some kind of level to indicate we'd done it right.

The LATCH storage area serves as the tightener, and the tether can twist up, making it frustrating to sort out. Feeding the belt is easy, and getting it tight enough to close the lock off didn't require any feats of strength. Tensioners make the process so much easier, and it feels snug and secure when installation is complete.

The Exec has push style connectors on a flexible strap that routes the same way the vehicle belt does.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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Forward-facing was almost the same, with the biggest gripes still being the headrest adjustment and twisty tether strap. Uninstalling is easier if you remove the tether strap first, and unless you need to for travel, we wouldn't bother trying to stuff all the parts back in the tensioner compartment because it is a pain to take them in and out.

The recline adjustment is easy, but is likely more for comfort than installation since there is no level. In rear-facing, we were limited by the folded legrest; in forward-facing, we are limited by the vehicle seatback.

Ease of Install - Belt

Installing the Exec Next with the seatbelt is about as easy as they come. Given that all convertible seats will require seat belt installation when your little one surpasses the LATCH connector thresholds, this is a good thing.

The Exce belt pathway is color-coded with a built-in lockoff. In rear-facing mode, the leg rest acts as an anti-rebound device, and it takes some practice to get it to the right angle to use the pathway. The cup holders need to be open, but you can close them once installation is complete if you want to.

Rear-facing installation of the Exec requires threading the belt or strap through the cup holder slots and using a tensioner/lockoff under the seat padding.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The forward-facing installation of the Exce uses a different pathway across the back of the seat and a lockoff under the seatback padding.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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This rear-facing installation takes time, and there are lots of small things to mess with to get it done. You have to move the headrest all the way up, and you need to pull loose a lot of fabric and padding to reach the tensioner. It only requires undoing two snaps, but until we figured it out, we unsnapped a bunch of random stuff trying to access the lock. Loosening the harness prevents the need to unsnap the SIP and gives you plenty of room to do what you need to, but it still feels all too convoluted compared to many competitors. There is no level, so there is some guesswork here as well. For a seat this spendy, we would love to see fewer steps or confusion. At this price, it feels like it should install itself, and it isn't even close.

The Exec lockoff is easy to access, thread a flattened belt over, and press closed.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The Exec's belt pathway has color-coded stickers.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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The tenisoner and lockoff work great. There is no strain to get them closed. The angle is odd, and we had to press harder than in forward mode, but most adults will have no trouble. The buckles get in the way, but magnetic holders help keep them from falling into the seat. It feels stable with minimal movement. Uninstalling also has multiple steps. Sure, we did them, but darn it, why are there so many?

Installing the Exec forward-facing is easy, but there are many steps. This path is also color-coded, and there is less to remove, shift aside, or unsnap. Getting the belt tight enough and closing the lockoff was also more straightforward. It is stable with minimal wiggle. You might be able to get it tighter, but the lockoff is harder to close. Uninstalling has lots of steps, but they make sense and aren't hard. Even the tether is easy to loosen, and this can be a problem for some seats.

Ease of Use

The Exec isn't the easiest seat to use, with some features that resulted in an overall average result.

Harness

The Exec has latch plate holders on the sides, which is a blessing because they freely move up and down on the straps, making them hard to find with a kid in the seat. We ended up accidentally flipping them upside down more than once, and they were more tense holding them to the strap. There is nothing game-changing with this setup, and the buckle is easy enough to press to release the plates.

We love the simplicity of the straightforward Exec chest clip.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The padding on the Exec crotch strap stays out of the way.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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The chest clip is easy to use and one of our favorite styles. There is a press button to release instead of a pinch. The sides are easy to marry in the middle, and there is less likelihood of pinching skin or clothing in the clip. It was easy to open and close.

Tightening the harness has more resistance when you pull the strap than some competitors, but it isn't the worst. We had more trouble in the rear-facing configuration than forward, but in the end, it is largely unremarkable, good or bad.

The harness release button is a little hard to access because it is completely hidden under a cloth cover. There is a little stretch where your finger goes, and shorter fingers might struggle to get deep enough. The button isn't stiff, and we found it easier to use with a thumb than with a finger. In rear-facing, it is harder to get to because the footrest angles up against the vehicle seatback, which kind of covers the slot. It is a minor design flaw, in our opinion, but when you spend this much on a seat, it feels more egregious than it would have on a seat half the price.

The shoulder straps on the harness are non-rethread, so you can do it quickly with your child in the seat. It has 12 positions with a 10-inch range from top to bottom. The headrest assembly moves fairly smoothly, and we had no difficulties finding a good fit for our kid testers. The crotch strap has 2 positions with a 2-inch range.

The Exec Next storage manual slides into a pocket on the footrest.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The LATHC storage pocket on the Exec is under the lock-off, and on the smaller side, making it a hassle to get all of the strap inside the pocket.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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LATCH Storage

LATCH storage for the Exec stores in the rear-facing tensioner lock. The tether can get in the way somewhat, and the entire process isn't as easy as clipping the connectors to a base, but there is plenty of room to fit everything inside without shoving it all in and hoping for the best.

Cover

Removing the cover is an involved process that took us almost 4 minutes to complete, but putting it back on was the real killer, at close to 10. There were no instructions on how to do it, which is kind of lame, since it can be a bit of a puzzle to put back on.

Taking it off went smoothly, with the trickiest part being the footrest plate. The headrest has levers to move to access the elastic loop for removal, and there were a couple of plastic pieces that hooked into “nubs.” Putting it back on isn't challenging, though it is time-consuming. We rather liked that it sort of snaps in place instead of requiring a bunch of tiny elastic loops to be threaded, but it is a puzzle.

It does come with a seat cover that can save you time if there is a spill or if you just like to keep things clean, but the fabric is more textured and may be more comfortable for older kids than for smaller toddlers with sensitive skin.

Comfort/Quality

The comfort and quality of the Exec Next are on point, with one of the highest scores in the group.

The fabric on the Exec leans into durability over softness, but it isn't abrasive, and it could easily last through the booster years. It is rougher than some Graco options, but overall, it is still soft enough for general comfort, even if it doesn't win awards for softness.

The padding is another story, however, this bad boy is akin to a La-Z-Boy with padding on padding on padding, creating a supportive, pillowy pile of plushness. The back has a plastic insert with padding on both sides; it isn't the densest, but kids don't weigh enough to fully compress it. We had smaller adults sit in the seat, and they raved about the comfort.

In forward-facing mode, the Exec's footrest helps prevent the dreaded leg dangle that plagues most convertible car seats.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

In rear-facing mode, the legrest on the Exec serves as a pseudo anti-rebound bar and a place to rest feet instead of the vehicle seatback.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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The real standout feature is the leg rest. In the forward-facing position, this leg extension helps shorter legs avoid the dreaded leg dangle many taller toddlers experience when switching to forward-facing. We suspect this, combined with the recline, could have anyone snoozing on the road in minutes.

The shell feels pretty typical, and nothing stands out where the shell and fabric meet. The tensioner and LATCH storage is under the seat, so if a large enough spill occurs, it will end up in this storage compartment, which will be a bummer to clean. There are also more small places for gunk to hide on the base than most. The shell has fewer stickers than many competitors', giving it a cleaner look.

The Exec comes with an infant insert, headrest cushion, and a wedge for smaller babies. While we aren't fans of infants in convertible seats, it is nice that they offer adjustments to accommodate smaller bodies under 11 lbs, as this increase in lifespan can make the high price more palatable.

This seat has two removable cup holders and 4 reclining positions for forward- and rear-facing configurations, and the reclining positions are easy to adjust.

Weight/Size

The Exec is about average for weight and size. It isn't lightweight, with several seats weighing 3-8 lbs less, and it isn't particularly narrow (18.3), though several seats are wider.

The added luxury of padding, the leg rest, and length make it a poor choice for anyone trying to reserve space for other people or things. But to be fair, it isn't the biggest offender in the group in terms of weight or size. At 26.4 lbs, it's surprisingly light given all the padding, but it is still heavier than average. Even when measuring it from front to back in rear-facing mode, it isn't the worst in the group, with a length of 28.7. Some seats are more than 4 inches longer, but if space is a concern, there are seats up to 4 inches shorter.

Should You Buy the Nuna Exec Next?

Probably not. No, really, no one needs this ridiculously expensive seat. We get it, it is niiiice to look at, and probably nap in. We bet some toddler somewhere has had the best dreams napping in this thing, drunk on too much milk, but the price is offensive, in our opinion. It isn't doing anything that good to justify this price beyond just looking like it stepped off the luxury showroom floor. So if you have money to burn, want impressive crash-test results, and luxury is job one, this could be an option. But if you aren't a trust fund baby and didn't sell your soul to a crossroads demon for endless money, there are much cheaper options that are just as good and cost less.

What Other Convertible Car Seat Should You Consider?