Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX Review

In 1942, Russell Gray and Robert Cone launched the Graco metal fabrication company. Gray decided to leave the company after 11 years of service, prompting Robert to hire engineer David Saint to help create new products. Taking inspiration from a fellow worker, Saint created a swing for soothing babies from the idea of an outdoor glider swing. The baby swing was an immediate success, and Graco sold millions and became one of the world's most successful baby product producers. They make everything from car seats and some parents favorite strollers to top-ranked travel cribs and favorite high chairs.

Performance Comparison

Crash Testing

The higher-than-average crash test analysis results are the primary reason we like this seat despite the largely below-average performance in the other metrics.

With lower head (HIC) and chest sensor results than most other seats (lower is better), it is hard to argue with the potential safety of this inexpensive seat. This Graco has one of the group's lowest chest clip sensor results, giving it an initial edge over the competition. Combined with the impressively low HIC sensor result, it is easy to see how it became one of the top scorers in our analysis. All of the car seats in this review are considered safe and meet the federal guidelines for crash testing. We ran our test a little faster and used a sled that more closely mimics modern vehicles. Given the more stressful testing, we think the impressive results for this seat indicate it potentially offers an additional margin of protection over the average infant car seat. Given that it has one of the lowest prices in the group, we find the results even more impressive.

Ease of Installation LATCH

The seat is one of the most difficult in our review to install using the LATCH method. Given that the entire concept behind LATCH functionality is to make installation easy, it is a huge disappointment that any seat would score this low.

It has no anti-rebound bar or load leg. It features the less expensive hook-style LATCH clips that are easy enough to attach but are significantly harder than other types to release from the anchor points.

Releasing the LATCH anchors was such a chore that it turned us off during testing. It would be best if you had excessive slack to push the clip forward to twist and unclip it from the anchor point. This is hard because you can't see what you are doing, and if your hands are larger, it could be hard to get them inside the cushions to operate the clip. Tiny breaks for weeping are allowed here; we did.

The direction of the strap pull is intuitive, and there is nothing in the way, but we still struggled with getting it tight enough and found ourselves wishing for a lock-off or at least a tensioner. It passes the wiggle test, but it wouldn't be hard for Graco to make this easier.

Recline Adjustment

The recline has four adjustment levels. The handle is easy enough to push down for angle adjustments.

The level indicator is a needle style/notch attached to a hinge that flutters somewhat and requires patience when assessing.

Ease of Installation - Belt

This Graco did not perform well in any installation test, and this method is also a disappointment; though it is the second easiest for this seat compared to the two other methods, it is still one of the worst in the test group. The inability to keep the vehicle belt tight hurt its overall score in this metric.

The belt pathway is not color-coded; sticker indications point to the path. The slots for the belt are smaller than we'd like, and it felt busy and challenging to ensure our belt wasn't twisted.

The base lacks a lock-off or tensioner, making it hard to get tight and stay tight. This lack of tensioner or lock-off was disappointing, given how many options now include one or both tightening helpers. No matter how successful we thought we were getting the vehicle belt tight, it always got looser before installation was over. It passed the wiggle test, but we suspect many parents won't like how wobbly it feels. The recline adjustment is designed better than some, and the indent helps avoid searching for it smashed into the vehicle seat. The dial indicator takes time to settle, so you won't know if you have it right immediately.

Ease of Installation - w/o the Base

The easiest installation method for this Graco is without the base, but before you think this method is a breeze, it still scored lower in this metric than almost every other seat we've ever tested.

The Lite uses the American belt pathway, which is the vehicle belt's lap portion across the carrier's foot portion. This option is not color-coded but is pretty straightforward and obvious with decal stickers. It also has a decal with a line on it for leveling.

It wasn't easy to tighten the belt enough to get it snug and pass the wiggle test. We ended up using a rolled-up towel, getting in the car, and pushing on the carrier to get the vehicle belt tight enough to feel okay with the installation.

We prefer the European method that uses the shoulder portion of the vehicle belt around the back of the carrier, which seems to snug it in tighter to the vehicle seat and, in our opinion, feels more stable.

Ease of Use

This seat uses the simple American belt path where the lap portion of the belt goes across the foot portion of the carrier. It isn't color-coded but a straight path with obvious side clips to thread through. There is a line on the side decal for leveling purposes.

It was hard to get this seat tight enough, and without the shoulder strap around the back, it never felt all that stable. We prefer the European style for this reason as the shoulder strap use helps snug the carrier into the vehicle seat, giving, at the very least, the appearance of being more stable. We ended up using a rolled-up towel more often than not and had to install it a handful of times in each test car before we felt like we had it right.

Buckle

The buckle is large and fits our tester's thumbs horizontally and vertically. It is somewhat indented, and the design means those with longer nails will be relegated to one-way pushing, but it worked well. Hitting the button left or right will release only one side, though we struggled to do this as often as hitting it dead center. The shoulder strap prongs take a little effort to pop in place, but there is a loud click for connection confirmation, which is reassuring. You have to pull them out when you release them, as they don't pop out independently. They have no internal friction mechanisms, and they tend to slide down the strap and can end up under the baby instead of off to the sides.

The chest clip has a pinch mechanism for release, and it works well, and the sides are easy to pinch. The clip includes instructions and a diagram to remind you of proper placement.

Harness Tightening/Loosening

This Graco has the traditional strap pull to tighten and button push to release the harness assembly. The strap moves smoothly, and there is no resistance or feeling of hindrance. The button is hidden inside a slit in the fabric, and the slit is very small. Larger fingers might have trouble getting inside far enough to press the button.

Harness Adjustment

This seat has a rethread style of height adjustment for the harness. The harness shoulder straps must be removed from a splitter plate in the back, unthreaded through the slots on each side, and rethreaded through a different slot. The process isn't hard, but it is involved, and you can't do it with your baby in the seat. It has four possible shoulder positions and two crotch strap positions. The real bummer here is that the “head padding” doesn't move with the straps, which isn't a big loss since it isn't much support.

Carrier to Base Connection

Installing the carrier onto the base is better than most of the competition, but there is no indicator when you get it right. The lightweight carrier makes it easier than the heavier or more bulky carriers. Removing is also pretty easy with a straightforward release lever, but it can get hung up on the base if you don't lift enough in the upward direction.

Handle

The button on the handle is at the joint just before it goes from round joint to handle. The button position is intuitive, and you can use your thumbs or the base of your thumbs to engage it. The handle does brush the canopy and can pull the canopy from the carrier.

Canopy

The canopy comes forward about halfway over the carrier foot portion, and a bigger shade would offer more protection. It has several midway position options, and the canvas is thick enough to keep out the sun or bright lights, but the movement isn't even on both sides when you open it.

LATCH and Manual Storage

The LATCH storage on this base is disappointing and below average for the group. Storage is under the base, so you must flip it over to access them. You need to loosen the straps, and the button for this doesn't work as well as we hoped. The space is limited where you need to loosen the strap, and we found ourselves banging our hands around in frustration. We suspect this will likely be even harder for those with bigger hands.

Comfort/Quality

Given the lower price tag, it isn't a surprise that this seat offers some of the worst comfort and quality, in our opinion. With little padding and poor performance when compared side-by-side with other infant seats, the SnuggRide struggled in most quality aspects.

Fabric and Padding

Overall, the fabric and padding on this Graco are below average, and there are no ads on the shoulder or crotch straps. The lighter grey material in the head is softer and more skin-friendly than the black fabric underneath. The black fabric has a plastic feel and looks like a ripstop material.

The head has a halo-style thin padding that is more for looks than support, given the thinness of it. The infant insert is not much better and resembles the thickness and look of a pancake. The lack of padding or consideration for comfort is disappointing, but the price reflects what it lacks.

Handle and Canopy

The handle is somewhat better than the average for the group, but it still suffers from the handle/canopy collision we hate. The middle of the handle is slightly thicker and “pops out” for a better grip. It flattens out as it gets to the downward bend on each side. It lacks the rubber grip of other Gracos we've seen, which helps keep the unit lighter.

The canopy canvas is average size for the group and feels flimsy and somewhat like plastic more than fabric. It doesn't move evenly on each side and can get hung up on the handle.

Shell

The shell sides are very smooth, and two rubber-type strips are on the bottom to prevent the carrier from slipping on hard surfaces. Most of the warning labels are on the lower part of the shell.

Weight/Size

There are only two metrics where this Graco shines, and weight is one of them. If your goal is a lighter gith carrier you transport by hand and an impressive crash test score, then the SnugRide is one to consider. This Graco carrier weighs 7.6 lbs and is one of the lightest we've seen. This seat is one of the few that claim to be “Lite” and is.

Should You Buy the SnugRide 35 Lite LX?

This Graco offers better crash test results and analysis than much of the competition. Combining this with the wallet-loving price makes it easy to see why we gave it a thumbs up for Best Value. While it lacks in many key metrics and is not the best seat in the group or even the right fit for most families, we think there is a niche of folks out there who will love the peace of mind this seat can bring with its better crash test score. If your budget can't be stretched, this is the one we'd choose. If you have wiggle room or a generous family member willing to help, other reasonably priced options provide similar or better crash test results with less frustration during use.

What Other Infant Car Seat Should You Consider?

We prefer the Chicco Keyfit 35 or the Chicco Keyfit 30 over the Graco if you can swing a slightly higher budget. Both perform well for crash test analysis and are easier to install in every method. Given that installation mistakes can lead to potential industry (as indicated by studies), the Chiccos are good options. Add to this the higher performance in comfort, quality, and ease of use, and you have infant seats that are sure to please almost everyone. Also, while both are more expensive than the SnugRide, they are reasonably priced seats in our lineup, with many sporting a higher price. If you can extend your budget, we think you'll be glad you did.

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