Graco 4Ever DLX Grad

The Graco 4Ever DLX Grad is a fairly compact option front to back when you have it as upright as possible. If you are using it from birth, it will take up more space, though, since it has to be more reclined.

A car seat must be locked in place for safe installation, and outside of the US and Canada, vehicle seatbelts typically don’t have the same locking mechanism as US and Canadian vehicles do. But the great thing about the Graco 4Ever DLX Grad is that it has a built-in seat belt lock-off! This means you don’t need to worry about using a locking clip when traveling internationally. This seat will easily install in any vehicle that has seat belts! Contact the car seat manufacturer for a free locking clip.

We’ve found this seat fits newborns pretty well! If you are expecting a smaller-than-average baby or a preemie, we would still recommend an infant seat instead, as that will have a better fit.

If you buy this after your child has outgrown an infant seat, you might be able to get away without buying any other car seats. After the harness modes are outgrown, this seat has 3 more modes! The high back mode can accommodate a child with a torso height of up to 20.5″ if you remove the belt trainer and up to 19″ if you leave it in. The backless booster mode is very bulky and not our favorite of the modes. But the seat belt trainer is great for older kids. It’s very low profile and easy to carry around if they are carpooling.

The Graco 4Ever DLX Grad seat is 18″ wide. Many vehicles cannot accommodate a car seat this size in a 3-across configuration. Plus, once you get to the high back and backless modes, it would be difficult for the child to buckle themselves in. The seat belt trainer mode, however, does fit very well in most 3-across situations.

If you use this seat from birth, there is a chance that it will expire before your child fits into the adult seat belt without a booster since it only lasts 10 years. Most of the time, the seat is a few months old already when you buy it. Kids need a booster until 10-12, depending on when they pass the 5-Step Test. This means that if you use it from birth and your child does not fit properly in the seat belt when it expires, you will need to buy a backless booster. The good news is that a backless booster is very inexpensive.

Once the cupholders are clicked into place correctly, they can’t easily be removed! They must always be attached when the car seat is in use.

For kids under 25# who are forward-facing, you must use recline 4, AND you must use the lumbar support cushion. Hopefully, none of you are planning on forward-facing a 25-pound child, though, since the seat does have a 40 pound rear-facing limit. When your forward-facing child is above 50 pounds, the seat must be installed with recline 6, so make sure you pay attention to this rule when your child is getting close to that weight!

Unlike most of the inserts found on other Graco convertible car seats, the inserts on this seat have a limit. The head and back support can only be used until the child is 20 pounds. The lumbar support can be used anytime rear-facing but must be used forward-facing until the child is over 25 pounds, at which point it must be removed.