Outfitting your Alfa Romeo
with a reliable car seat is an essential step for driving with children. While the Italian luxury car might not seem like the ultimate kids mobile, all new Alfa Romeos come with safety anchors for car seats—so you can keep your child safe on the road. Becoming a parent is commonly cited as one of the happiest days of a person’s life—but keeping a child safe can also come with a lot of anxiety. At the top of the list of stressful decisions for parents is picking out a car seat. Comparing safety ratings, analyzing recall numbers, and factoring in convenience, aesthetics, and price point can be overwhelming.
That’s why Jerry
wants to help. The comparison shopper, broker, and overall car genius is here to help you navigate the waters of selecting a car seat for your precious kiddo. We’ll cover how to select a car seat and install it according to safety standards, as well as the best car seats for Alfa Romeos, and the best Alfa Romeos for families. Keep reading for more tips on how to select a car seat for your Alfa Romeo!
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
sets car seat standards for newborns and children up to 12 years old. There are two types of car seats: rear-facing and front-facing.
The car seat your child needs will depend on their age, height, and weight. We’ll cover the difference between the two types of car seats and how to select the one appropriate for your child.
Rear-facing seats
In most cases, the NHTSA recommends rear-facing seats for children ages three years old and under. If your child has not yet met the height and weight requirements of front-facing seats, however, you’ll want to keep them in a rear-facing seat until they do.
Front-facing seats
Once your child outgrows the manufacturer’s maximum height and weight requirements, you’ll want to transition them to a front-facing seat. They will stay in a front-facing car seat typically until they are around seven years old.
After that, they can move to a booster seat, which they should use until they’re taller than four feet and nine inches tall or reach 12 years old.
Detailed table for selecting a car seat
Still not sure which type of car seat your child needs? No problem. We’re visual learners, too. Below is an easy-to-follow table for selecting your child’s car seat.
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| newborns and up to 3 years | Supports head, neck, and spine during collision | Rear-facing only (for infants), convertible (for 12+ months), or all-in-one (for 12+ months) |
| 4 to 7 years OR over the height and weight allowed for rear-facing seats | Uses a tether and harness to restrict movement during collision | Convertible, all-in-one, or combination |
| 7 to 12 years OR over the height and weight allowed for front-facing seats | Raises the child above the seat for a better seat-belt fit | Combination, all-in-one, high back booster seat (for extra side impact protection), or backless booster seat (for older children) |
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The best car seats for Alfa Romeo owners
The best car seat for your family will depend on your budget, as well as how much space your Alfa Romeo has. Always check the exact measurements of your car’s back seat to make sure the car seat you purchase will fit—especially if you drive a more compact Alfa Romeo Giulia
. Here are a few of our favorite car seats:
You can use the NHTSA’s car seat finder
, as well as view the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) current booster ratings
to compare car seats to find the one with the best protection for your child. Installing a car seat in an Alfa Romeo
Now that you’ve selected your car seat, the next step is installing it!
Per a requirement for all vehicles sold in the US after 2001, Every new Alfa Romeo is equipped with Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) systems.
The NHTSA has detailed installation guidelines
for various types of car seats, but basic instructions are as follows: Always read the car seat’s instruction manual as well as the owner’s manual of the car you’re installing the car seat in.
Use the car’s seat belt or LATCH anchors to secure the car seat to the base of the seat.
Lock and tighten the seatbelt.
Check the base for slack—if it moves more than an inch, secure the belt tighter.
Place your child in the car seat and buckle them in.
You may decide to place your car seat in the back middle seat or behind the passenger seat.
Some experts claim the middle seat is the safest place in the car because it’s the most insulated from side damage during a collision. Others say that behind the passenger seat is best since these seats are often the only ones with LATCH anchors.
One thing is for certain: neverput your child’s car seat in the front seat. While you may feel you have better access to your child with them beside you, rear-facing car seats are not designed to work in the front seat. Not to mention, if the front seat airbags are deployed in a collision, they could cause serious injury or death to your child.
Key Takeaway Since some Alfa Romeo only have LATCH anchors on the back rear seats, you should position your child’s car seat in the back of the vehicle.
The best family Alfa Romeos for car seats
While every new Alfa Romeo has the necessary LATCH anchors to keep car seats secure, not all Alfa Romeos are created equally as family cars. Here are our top two Alfa Romeos for families.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 stars
IIHS LATCH ease of use: N/A
These days, SUVs reign supreme as family cars. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio
is functional, sleek, and safe. While it hasn’t been rated by the IIHS yet, it received a 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating. The Stelvio model provides families with more room than the compact Giulia, and many safety features come standard in this model, including blind-spot warning, forward collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. Alfa Romeo Giulia
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 stars
IIHS safety rating: Good (2017 Top Safety Pick)
IIHS LATCH ease of use: Marginal
The Alfa Romeo Giulia
is at the top of the list of most fun sedans to drive—and who says fun can’t also be safe? Many driver-assistance features come standard in the Giulia model, including automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Giulia passed with flying colors on its IIHS safety review. In fact, the 2017 model was a top safety pick. Car seat laws by state
Now it’s time to make sure your Alfa Romeo car seat is in compliance with your state’s laws.
If that seems daunting, not to worry—Jerry has done the hard work for you! Just click on your state in the table below for information on its specific car seat law.
| Minimum requirements for adult seat belt | |
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| 7+ years OR 57 inches or 65+ pounds | |
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| 4+ years AND 57 inches or 40+ pounds | |
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| 8+ years OR 40+ pounds where only a lap belt is available | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds OR 57+ inches | |
| | $50 for children restraint, $30 for booster seat |
| 9+ years OR above manufacturer’s height and weight restrictions | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds OR 57+ inches | $50 if child is under 80 pounds or 57 inches; $10 for others |
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| 8+ years OR 40-80 pounds in seats without shoulder belts | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds OR 57+ inches | |
| 8+ years OR 57+ inches *only if* belt fits correctly | |
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| 57+ inches OR 4+ years where only a lap belt is available | |
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| 8+ years OR 80+ pounds and 57+ inches | |
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MORE: 8 pro tips for long car rides with kids
How to find affordable BMW insurance
Finding the perfect car seat is a moot point if your car isn’t properly insured. Download the Jerry app to keep you and your little ones fully protected on the road with the best possible car insurance policy.
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