There's a lot to consider when buying a car seat

A rear-facing car seat for newborns up to 6-15 months

Designed for long-term use from 6-12 months to, on average, 6 years

For children aged 4 to 8, this forward-facing only seat starts as a harnessed seat and converts to a high-back booster

For children no younger than 5 and up to age 8 or so, this stage uses the vehicle seat belt to secure the child versus a harness.

The no-back booster stage is for older children, typically 8-12 years old.