When our son got near the size/age where he would need a new car seat I started in on researching toddler car seats. As a nervous first time mother, I did as much reading as I could.
The information that made me willing to spend this much money on a car seat was found in a book called Baby Bargains, where they point out that Britax's car seats pass the safety standards for Europe as well as the U.S. (European standards have different requirements than the U.S., including 6 different tests with 6 different weights vs. 3, requiring side-impact padding vs. none, and others).
I also read every consumer opinion I could find on the web, and found only positive reviews.
I like that it is manufactured with so many safety precautions, has two reclining positions, that it doesn't require a locking clip, that it has a 5 point harness, and that it is easy to install in an airline seat. I also like that it has a separating chest bar instead of a solid hunk of plastic.
The first time I installed it, I had to take the instruction manual with me and spend about 10 minutes adjusting the seat back and figuring things out. Since then we have used it in several different cars and airplanes without any trouble.
I have had the Freeway for 6 months and it looks great, and most importantly my son loves it. We bought it at Babycenter.com online going through Ebates for a rebate, using an online coupon, and filed for a rebate from our insurance company, so we got the carseat for under $100.



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 95.00
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 months