Cybex Aton 2

The Aton 2 infant car seat by Cybex is definitely worth checking out.  It’s the car seat to get for two reasons: ultimate safety and a groovy ride for your kiddo.
Out of the box, the car seat is pretty much already assembled. Like most car seats, it comes with a base, and additional bases can be purchased separately if needed for use in multiple cars.
One of the first obstacles we encountered was locating the manual. It’s hidden under the seat, so we almost missed it. (If it says anything about its user friendliness, we found and looked through the manual after we had it ready and installed in the car.) Despite the initial confusion, the manual is actually in a great place, for quick access if it’s needed for later on.
I would say the Aton 2 is not quite as user-friendly as some other infant car seats we’ve tried, but it’s certainly not complicated. Due to the safety features, you have to be more intentional about taking the seat in and out of the base, which I could argue is a positive for the most part. As long as we’re on the safety subject, it has linear side-impact protection for your child, which is a unique feature that raises the standard.
Another unique feature is the base-fix. I had never seen this before, but it is a stabilizing arm that extends down from the base to the floorboard of the back seat and acts to reinforce the unit. If you’ve ever had trouble with a car seat moving up on you, you’ll appreciate that this little gadget remedies the problem. On the Cybex website, you can check to see if your car is compatible with base-fix. The seat may be secured with a standard lap belt or LATCH system, depending on what you cruise around in.

The seat weight and size is very manageable, coming in at around 8 pounds. It’s intended for the first 18 months or so of baby’s life (up to 29 pounds) and since that will include several sunny seasons, you will dig the canopy. It has two different “up” positions and hides very easily. It’s also really cute! There is an insert for newborns and then as the child grows, there’s an inlay that can be removed to accommodate his larger frame. (The seat is rear-facing only, by the way.) The cover is totally washable, and Cybex has summer and winter accessories available separately to help you battle the cold and hot air with your infant.
The wide harness straps are really easy to use. Like most seats, the straps come together in the middle and adjust with one quick tug after you’ve gotten the child situated, so you don’t have to fuss over three different straps.
If you’ve ever had anything German-engineered, you’ll probably recognize this product is German as soon as you use it. It’s really well made and extremely safe. Due to the above average standards of those two qualities, it’s a little more complicated. But I can reassure you it’s a phenomenal seat to be protecting your child. In fact, it’s won numerous awards overseas in the safety arena.
If you want to shake up the typical pastel color palette, you’ll be happy to know it comes in a full range of cool color combos. It also has the perk of converting very easily into a travel system with any of the Cybex strollers as well as with some of the other main stroller lines (Bugaboo, Baby Jogger and Mamas & Papas). It uses one of two adapters depending on what stroller you pick out, and that’s about it. Pretty simple. I’d say it’s a great product to have—dependable and everything a baby needs in a car seat.
Price: $299
To buy: diapers.com