based on 1,081 reviews
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Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Description
Graco, one of the most trusted names in car seats, presents the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Toddler Car Seat. With good looks and a sturdy steel frame, the Nautilus from Graco protects children in three different modes. First as a front-facing 5-point harness seat from 20 – 65 lbs, second as a belt positioning high-back booster from 30 – 100 lbs, and third as a backless booster from 40 – 100 lbs. With such a high 5-point harness weight capacity, following car seat safety best practices becomes much easier.
BENEFITS FOR MOM & DAD
Parents love the sleek look of the Graco Nautilus, which blends well with most car interiors. Easily keep the car seat clean thanks to the removable and machine washable cover. With a high harness weight capacity and the ability to convert to a booster, the Graco Nautilus may be the last car seat you will need to purchase once baby can safely ride forward-facing.
Installation: The Graco Nautilus installs with ease. Attach the back onto the seat, slide the headrest on, and pop the arm rests to the seat, and you’re ready. Install the Nautilus using LATCH or your vehicle’s seat belts. The Nautilus works three ways:
- As a 5-point harness seat (20 – 65 lbs and 27″ – 52″)
- As a belt-positioning booster (30 – 100 lbs and 38″ – 57″)
- As a backless booster (40 – 100 lbs and 40″ – 57″)
Note: Your vehicle’s manual may state a set weight limit for its LATCH anchors (40 or 48 lbs). For use with children above this weight while still in the 5-point harness, the seat must be installed using vehicle seat belts. As a backless booster, use only the vehicle lap and shoulder belts to secure both child and seat. You may install the seat with LATCH or seat belts for both the harnessed seating configuration and the high back booster mode; however, you cannot use LATCH to install the Nautilus as a backless booster.
Convenience: Clean the Nautilus’ cover by machine washing in cold water on the delicate cycle and drip drying. With a narrow profile, the Nautilus fits well in many cars. Neutral fabrics and a modern look don’t overwhelm your style.
BENEFITS FOR JACK OR JILL
Generous padding keeps kids happy. Cupholders offer children their own personal spot for juice. The wrap-around head support keeps sleepy heads from drooping and the super cushy padding makes for happy car rides.
Comfort: Armrests let junior lounge. Generous cushioning throughout supports little bodies and invites contended road trips. Cupholders add to the feeling of a big-kid seat. When your little angel nods their head, side wings prop them up.
Safety:
- 5-point harness up to 65 lbs forward-facing
- Includes energy absorbing EPS foam
- Meets or exceeds New Car Assessment Protocol (NCAP) – peak Crash Force approximately 2X current Car Seat Standard
- Meets or exceeds FMVSS 213
Note: Safety experts recommend that car seats not be used for longer than a period of 5 – 6 years. Graco has addressed this by recommending use for up to 6 years WITH the seat back attached as either a harnessed seat or booster and for use up to 9 years as a backless booster without the seat back.
COMPARISON
The Britax Frontier 85 features a higher weight capacity (85 lbs) than the Graco Nautilus. The Frontier has only two modes: as a 5-pint harness seat and as a high-back belt positioning booster. While the Nautilus does have a lower harness weight capacity than the Frontier, the budget friendly price-point and easy installation is certainly worth keeping in mind.
Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Details
- 3-in-1 multi-mode Car Seat for longer use 20 pounds to 100 pounds
- Extended 5-point harness for children 20-65 pounds
- Converts to High-back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds
- Converts to backless booster for child 40 pounds to 100 pounds
- Steel reinforced frame for durability
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Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat Customer Reviews
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4.4
out of
5
based on
1,081 ratings.
531 user reviews
Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat, Matrix
Graco, one of the most trusted names in car seats, presents the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Toddler Car Seat. With good looks and a sturdy steel frame, the Nautilus from Graco protects children in three different modes. First as a front-facing 5-point harness seat from 20 – 65 lbs, second as a belt positioning high-back booster from 30 – 100 lbs, and third as a backless booster from 40 – 100 lbs. With such a high 5-point harness weight capacity, following car seat safety best practices becomes much easier.
BENEFITS FOR MOM & DAD
Parents love the sleek look of the Graco Nautilus, which blends well with most car interiors. Easily keep the car seat clean thanks to the removable and machine washable cover. With a high harness weight capacity and the ability to convert to a booster, the Graco Nautilus may be the last car seat you will need to purchase once baby can safely ride forward-facing.
Installation: The Graco Nautilus installs with ease. Attach the back onto the seat, slide the headrest on, and pop the arm rests to the seat, and you’re ready. Install the Nautilus using LATCH or your vehicle’s seat belts. The Nautilus works three ways:
- As a 5-point harness seat (20 – 65 lbs and 27″ – 52″)
- As a belt-positioning booster (30 – 100 lbs and 38″ – 57″)
- As a backless booster (40 – 100 lbs and 40″ – 57″)
Note: Your vehicle’s manual may state a set weight limit for its LATCH anchors (40 or 48 lbs). For use with children above this weight while still in the 5-point harness, the seat must be installed using vehicle seat belts. As a backless booster, use only the vehicle lap and shoulder belts to secure both child and seat. You may install the seat with LATCH or seat belts for both the harnessed seating configuration and the high back booster mode; however, you cannot use LATCH to install the Nautilus as a backless booster.
Convenience: Clean the Nautilus’ cover by machine washing in cold water on the delicate cycle and drip drying. With a narrow profile, the Nautilus fits well in many cars. Neutral fabrics and a modern look don’t overwhelm your style.
BENEFITS FOR JACK OR JILL
Generous padding keeps kids happy. Cupholders offer children their own personal spot for juice. The wrap-around head support keeps sleepy heads from drooping and the super cushy padding makes for happy car rides.
Comfort: Armrests let junior lounge. Generous cushioning throughout supports little bodies and invites contended road trips. Cupholders add to the feeling of a big-kid seat. When your little angel nods their head, side wings prop them up.
Safety:
- 5-point harness up to 65 lbs forward-facing
- Includes energy absorbing EPS foam
- Meets or exceeds New Car Assessment Protocol (NCAP) – peak Crash Force approximately 2X current Car Seat Standard
- Meets or exceeds FMVSS 213
Note: Safety experts recommend that car seats not be used for longer than a period of 5 – 6 years. Graco has addressed this by recommending use for up to 6 years WITH the seat back attached as either a harnessed seat or booster and for use up to 9 years as a backless booster without the seat back.
COMPARISON
The Britax Frontier 85 features a higher weight capacity (85 lbs) than the Graco Nautilus. The Frontier has only two modes: as a 5-pint harness seat and as a high-back belt positioning booster. While the Nautilus does have a lower harness weight capacity than the Frontier, the budget friendly price-point and easy installation is certainly worth keeping in mind.
$119.95
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http://elitecarseats.com/3197/featured/graco-nautilus-3-in-1-car-seat/
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(5.0 out of 5)
Not at all what I expected
2 stars
Reviewer: M Vines , Kingsville TX Date: May 09, 2011
I bought this car seat a week ago, put it together in about 2 min and was able to easily adjust the straps and crotch strap to fit my 32lb 3 year old. She LOVED her new car seat so much I had to let her sit in it for a hour before it went into the car. Once in the car thats where the problems started popping up.
1. The crotch strap is on the farthest out position it can be, fits her now but wouldnt down the line.
2. Trying to tighten the straps is a pain, the strap you pull has a looped end but is slippery and even out cheap $50 car seat has a better grip.
3. trying to loosen is EVEN HARDER! I have to really reach up into the seat and lift the latch. Doing this with nails is not only difficult but painful, my husband had as hard of a time as I.
4. the shoulder straps didnt loosen enough for our child to easily put them on herself which she can easily do in our two other car seats. I compare it to trying to put on a coat thats two sizes to small and having to twist your arms.
(what number am I on?)
5. Once the straps are where they should be I noticed immediatly they we not even and one was tighter then the other. I read the manual front and back and took it apart several times and there was nothing that helped.
6. The seat insert always slid down every time she got in or we put her in forcing me to have her lean forward and then pull it up. She wasnt even on the highest strap setting and this was VERY annoying. I guess we could of used it without the cover but being rated for the weights it is it should of not been a issue.
I took this car seat back after three days, I really did like the look and the features like the cup holder. The seat is very heavy but I liked that it didnt shify position at all during turns like our current ones sometimes can. *no matter down tight they are strapped down* Ive not been able to find anything like this at any of the stores Ive been to which is REALLY disappointing.
just one small problem.
4 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , Newport, NC Date: April 03, 2011
my husband and i bought the car seat on our sons 1st birthday he is 3 now and I love the car seat. The only problem that i have with it is that the crotch buckle on the left side (if looking at it) wont click in. I mean it will go in but just the slightest tug on it, it pops right out. But other than that i love the car seat
Great Seat Comparable to Britax Frontier
5 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , Columbus, Ohio Date: October 06, 2010
First, I want to say that Graco markets this products for children ages 1 and older. This seat really should not be used for a 1 year old as children should stay rear-facing until age 2 as recommended from the AAP. Secondly, it doesn’t cradle a small child like they should. I also want to add that it is marketed to be able to use a belt positioning booster at 30lbs. I really wish Graco would change this as Britax has. It is recommended that children stay in a 5 point harness at MINIMUM of 4 years AND 40lbs!!!! That said, I love this seat. My 6 year old is still harnessed in her pink butterfly pattern seat. It is comfortable and super easy to install. I find it user friendly. The price is a great bargain for the use you can get out of it. I would recommend this seat for children outgrowing their convertible seats or any child over 2. When moving your child to the belt positioning booster (after they outgrow the harness weight/height), just make sure the belt fits your child well. Many times children are transitioned too early. This seat is a great higher harness seat.
Awesome
5 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , OK Date: September 16, 2010
Love the Nautilus! Also these should be rated for preschool children and older as the smaller children need to be rearfacing as long as possible till at least thier 2nd birthday or longer per the Academy of Pediatrics!
I have 3 …
I have a Safety 1st Complete Air and the Britax Parkway SG’s as well for my other children.
5 stars
Reviewer: Kristen , Woodhaven, Michigan Date: April 26, 2010
I have 3 of these seats and I LOVE them. My 6 yr old still fits in the harness and will likely for the rest of this year before I need to convert it to a booster. My 5 and 4 yr olds also find the seats very comfortable. I have not had any problems, even with my bigger kids, with the crotch strap being under them. Nor have I had any problem with the harness clip sliding down. The seat is very heavy, and if you are going to need to be moving them from car to car you may want to think about a different seat. But, that said it is a sturdy safe seat – so it is heavy. I found it very easy to install in my 15 passenger van with the bench seats. I couldn’t speak to the bucket seats you find in most minivans. The material cleans up easily too. And – the kids don’t argue or complain at all about being in their “really cook race-car driver seats” .
No crotch strap problems here.
4 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , Saint Louis Park, MN Date: January 22, 2010
We have had this seat for over a year now. It was originally purchased when my child was 3.5 in the hopes of staying in a 5-pt. as long as possible. He’s now 45 pounds and 43″ – and I have had to move the crotch strap out to its biggest slot setting, but he’s definitely not sitting on it now. I agree that the cover doesn’t have a very luxurious feel, and the seat is very bulky, but ours stays in my Chrysler Pacifica all the time, so that’s not an issue for us. For the money I’ve been very pleased.
Good for big kids, but quality could be better.
3 stars
Reviewer: A.L. , West, TX Date: January 14, 2010
We bought one of these for our 6-year-old. Like many people, we believe in extended harnessing, and we love that the Nautilus has nice tall top harness slots, allowing our daughter to wear the 5-point harness for a nice long time. We were hoping to make it to her 7th birthday still harnessed, but it looks like we’re going to miss it by a few months. Not a big deal. We’re happy with the amount of use the Nautilus gives families. For that, it’s a good value.
It’s also comfortable. We just took a 2 day long road trip, and our daughter rode comfortably in the Nautilus, playing on her laptop, reading books, or laughing with her baby brother, the whole way.
Another lesson we learned on that trip is that the upholstery that the Nautilus is made of cleans up really well.
Now, I do have a few complaints with this seat. Compared to our other seats (Britax Marathon, Britax Diplomat, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio) this seat feels CHEAP. It isn’t as good quality as the higher priced brands, so I really wonder how it’s going to be holding up for us in a few years. The chest clip is hopelessly cheap, and for a while, we had a problem with it sliding down, which isn’t safe. The buckle also sticks. The LATCH clips are the hook style, and this seat is harder to install than any of our Britax or Peg Perego seats. It’s also ENORMOUS! Since we plan on a third baby within the next couple years, and will need to fit three car seats across the back of my compact car, the Nautilus is being relegated to the Dodge Ram (which our kids barely ever ride in) and replaced with a Sunshine Kids Monterey as soon as our girl outgrows the harness.
Over all, I don’t think this seat is bad, really. It just wasn’t what I was expecting, and it’s not the quality I’m used to. I doubt I’ll buy Graco again, but I can definitely recommend this seat to people who are on a budget and need something for their preschool or school aged kids.
Affordable Safety
5 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , San Diego, CA Date: November 24, 2009
I bought this car seat to replace our Graco SafeSeat Step 2 after we were in a car accident (my son sustained ZERO injuries despite being sideswiped at 70 mph on the side of the car where he was strapped in). Of course I stayed with the Graco brand because it protected my son so well and I chose the Nautilus because I will be keeping my child in a 5pt harness as long as possible (65 lbs).
We now drive a Honda Fit and it allows the driver to push back the seat all the way without crushing the child. The cupholder and side “cubbies” are nice but they do get a lot of schmutz in there, and I’ve found the best way to empty them is to uninstall the seat and turn the thing upside down (maybe you have cleaner children). The install is *very* easy with either LATCH or the seat belt and because it’s smaller than say, a Britax, it easily fits in every backseat we’ve tried (two-door SUV’s, luxury sedans, our compact car).
My three yr old is now 40 lbs, 40 inches and the crotch strap still does not pose a problem, however, I am concerned that he will outgrow the 5 pt harness before he reaches 65 lbs because of the crotch strap issue.
After a year of use, the crotch buckle piece seems to be sticking. Not sure if this is from juice or what, but I called Graco and they are replacing it free of charge (thank you!).
I will probably be purchasing another Nautilus when my 2nd baby outgrows her Graco Snugride 32 – unless Graco somehow manages to top this car seat! I highly recommend this car seat to anyone who wants an affordable 5 pt harness to 65 lbs with a brand they can trust.
Love it, except for one thing…
2 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , Columbia, MO Date: October 17, 2009
This seat has so much going for it – fairly easy to install, SHOULD be usable for a several years, easy head height adjustment, fairly light weight. It was somewhat difficult to remove from the car but I could live with that. I really loved this seat UNTIL I realized the crotch strap was slightly under my 28lb., 36 inch three year old. I wanted to keep him in the harness until at least forty pounds but as per Graco instructions, I shouldn’t due to crotch strap placement. I don’t feel he is big enough for the lap belt at this time so we are getting rid of this seat and have replaced it with the Britax Frontier.
Easy to use
5 stars
Reviewer: Cathy , Lakewood, California Date: August 31, 2009
We’ve been using this car seat for over a year now and have found it very easy to use. My husband and I can take the car seat apart and install back into the car in 5 minutes flat! Once you get the hang if it, it’s a piece of cake. My daughter loves it too. She can put her water bottle in the cup holder all by herself, which is very important to a two year old. No complaints!
Easy to install and use!`
4 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , Lanoka Harbor, NJ Date: June 21, 2009
My three year old has been riding in this seat for 6 months. It is the easiest seat to install, takes about 2 minutes and it’s solid. (I’ve had it checked by a CST) My daughter loves the pink color of the seat and having her own cup holder. I also like that the 5 point harness is easily adjustable, much easier than my son’s Britax. We have not used the booster mode yet. Downfall is that the seat is very wide. I found out that I am pregnant with our third child and the seat is too wide to fit in our car with two other seats. We will have to replace it again.
Love It!
5 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , APO, AE Date: May 05, 2009
Best car seat for the money! Easy to use, easy to install, easy to move, and my son loves it. The little side compartments hold his pacifier and small toys while the drink holder gets the sippy cup. I gave up the Alpha Omega Elite for this car seat because of the ease of use. We travel all over Europe on the Autobahns and I feel my son is completely safe and as a bonus very comfortable! I can easily get him in and out of the seat while he is sound asleep without waking him. If that isn’t enough; he can use this seat until he outgrows car seats completely. This is a must have!
great seat one flaw
4 stars
Reviewer: boater mom , Endwell, NY Date: April 14, 2009
We were given this seat at a local car seat safety check. Our daughter (3 1/2) had outgrown her previous seat. She loves this one. It seems comfortable for her and she likes having her own cup holder. We like the 5 point harness and how well built the seat is. Her head seems better protected in this than in her last seat. However, we hate the way the harness tightens. Our old seat had a dial that could be turned to tighten or loosen the harness. To tighten this you have to pull on the strap that comes out of the latch in the front. We find that it’s hard to tighten – and awkward to loosen. It’s the only reason we are giving this a 4 instead of a 5. Installation was easy in our 2009 Rav4 using the anchor system.
Wonderful
5 stars
Reviewer: Michele Hendricks , Asheville, NC Date: December 16, 2008
My daughter is 1 year old, and is actually a very small child for her age (as I was very tiny throuought my pregnancy). We have had this seat for 3 weeks now. She loves this seat, as do her father & I. It matches the interior of the car great, the harness fits snug & keeps her in place, and seems to be very padded & comfy. The only problem I have with this seat is that I have rheumatoid arthritis, and it can be very difficult sometimes to press the button down far enough where it clips in on the harness. Other than that, I am very pleased with the seat!
Love it!
5 stars
Reviewer: nicole , Dallas, TX Date: October 14, 2008
We love this carseat! We got it to replace our much pricier britax that had to be replaced after an accident in May – instantly my son loved being in it and seemed to enjoy the car a lot more! It went on vacation with us from TX to CA and was great on the plane as well! The cupholder is my sons favorite feature, he likes to put his cup in there when its not in use. Its easy to remove and reinstall into another car, and installation itself is easy. It installs securely and tightly using latch or seatbelt configuration and isn’t too big for my accord. My son can get in and out of it easily (with us working the buckles of course) I look forward to having this for a long time.
Crotch Strap..
2 stars
Reviewer: Anonymous , Southern California Date: September 14, 2008
My daughter is a small 3.5 year old. She doesn’t even weigh 35 pounds. The crotch strap is slightly under her also. The whole reason I bought this seat IS because the harness goes to 65 pounds. They make this impossible without a third slot for the crotch harness.. If it wasn’t for that one thing this would have been a HIGH rating I LOVE everything else about it!!
LOVE IT
4 stars
Reviewer: cristina , Fayetteville,NC Date: July 25, 2008
I bought this seat when it first came out and we LOVE IT!! I also bought the Britax Frontier but the nautilus is much better. I recently took it on an airplane trip and it fit well even on the small prop plane we took, the Frontier would not have fit. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because it’s a pain to take apart to clean. My son is 2 1/2 and 30lbs- he fits nicely in this seat.
Great seat for the money!
5 stars
Reviewer: Nicole , Cedarhurst, NY Date: June 01, 2008
I have had this seat for my 4 year old daughter for about three months. It is a great seat for the money, Graco hit a home run with this one (or at least a triple). It’s comfortable for my daughter, easy to install, and the belts don’t twist. The harness adjuster is like butter, so smooth! The cupholder and little cubby in the padded arm rests are a definite favorite for the kids. There are some minor quirks to the seat — an odd thing that when the harness height is at the second to top or higher slot, and the headrest is not up high, the headrest sort of overlaps in a weird way. Not too big a deal, but worth mentioning. Threading the harness takes a little practice because of the mechanism, but once you do it, it’s simple — and since the harness adjuster is so smooth, it’s worth getting used to. The material on the padding is a bit strange (mesh-like) but no complaints from the kiddo. I have not used it in booster mode, but apparently Graco just approved that it can be LATCHed for the booster which is a huge plus. All in all I would say that for under $200 this is a fantastic seat, easily competes with the higher priced models. I just wish Graco would come up with something other than GREY!
I love our our graco car seat! My son has been in it since he was 9 months old. He is now 2.5 years old and 40 lbs and 40 inches tall and the only problem we have had is the buckle sticking but if you remove it and wash it with the padding it stops. We will for sure be getting another one for my baby girl.