Looking at Graco My Ride 65 they have a serious number of convertible car seats available, one of the most popular being the My Ride 65. These are very similar in design and feel to other convertible car seats, but there are a couple of different models setting the Graco MyRide car seats apart.
My Ride 65 LX – the LX model comes with an infant head insert to keep the infants head more secure in the seat.
My Ride 65 DLX – the DLX model comes with an insert that that not only supports the head but the torso as well. This upgrade is reflected in the $20 price increase.
Alright, so now that we’re done with setting apart the different models; LX and DLX, I feel kind of like I’m describing a car and not a car seat by the way, let’s get into the nitty gritty review.
Quick Specs
- Item Weight: 15.8 lbs
- Orientation: forward and rear facing
- Weight limits: 4 – 65 lbs
- Height limit: 50 in
- Harness: 5 point
What are the Pros of the Graco My Ride 65?
- Weight and Height limits – Graco was the first company to introduce the 40 lb rear facing limit (many companies have this now too) which is great since its now recommended kids stay rear facing until 2 years old, the My Ride has a lot of space to grow with your child.
- Side-impact protection – meets all US safety standards in crash testing to keep children safe in the event of an accident.
- EPS, energy absorbing foam – absorbs crash energy to minimize force to the child.
- Cup holders! – and not just one but two cup holders! This is not an extra, not as add-on, the two cup holders come standard and are easily removable and dishwasher safe. Let’s all just thank Graco for this one.
- LATCH system – make installation easy peasy.
- Colors and machine washable – the design of Graco car seats really fits my personal style, it’s clean and simple, and comes in solid and pattern, also the cover is machine wash and not hand wash which is a big time saver.
And the Cons?
- Additional padding – some parents with larger babies have noted that the additional padding that comes with the seat didn’t work well for them and they had to use a wash cloth or something else to provide support.
- LATCH system – I know, I know, this is above in the pros as well, and while LATCH does make it easier, this model uses harnesses for their latch which can cause some difficulty, and a push button release system might be easier, but maybe more expensive which is why they didn’t include it.
- Crotch buckle – a common complaint is that there’s only one setting on the crotch buckle so with infants it just leaves a space that’s too big and causes them to slouch.
How do consumers rate it?
The 65 LX and DLX both come in at 4.5 out of 5 stars, which is a super solid rating. Users love the ease of use, cup holders, and the fact that their kids don’t complain about being uncomfortable in it.
What’s it going to cost?
As I said before the DLX is priced a bit higher at $159.99 with the LX at $139 MSRP. I found the LX on Amazon for $114 which is a pretty good discount. The DLX, still comes in at $124 which isn’t a bad price.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking to buy this as your first car seat from infant and upward, go for the DLX model, it’s a bit pricier but the extra $$$ is worth it for the added protection pillow. If this seat is for post infant, and your child is about 20 lbs, go for the LX, it’s the cheaper option, since you won’t be needing the extra infant pillow the DLX comes with.
