Cosco Scenera Next Review: Honest Thoughts on This Travel Car Seat

We’ve been using the Cosco Scenera Next as our travel car seat for the past 6 years. Read on to find out what we love about it and what I really wish they would change!

Safety and ease of use of our travel car seat

The FAA (federal aviation administration) approves car seats for use on airplanes, but you obviously also want something safe in motor vehicles too. We wanted a lightweight car seat that would be easy to carry through the airport. When you’re carrying luggage, pushing a stroller, and dealing with a diaper bag too, the last thing you want to worry about is a heavy car seat!

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The best option we found for an FAA-approved seat was the Cosco Scenera Next (currently $59 at Walmart), which is an affordable rear-facing seat for a car. It can also be used for forward-facing kids: It’s convertible. It’s super light weight (at only 10 lbs) and approved for airplane use. But it’s not all perfect…

Pros of the Cosco Scenera Next travel car seat

Light weight (weighs just 10 lbs) which makes this very portable
FAA approved
LATCH system for car travel
Affordable at $50-65 depending on when and where you buy it
Check the current price on Amazon (also available at Walmart)
Five-point harness
Not just for travel- good option for everyday use because it meets safety standards for the American Academy of Pediatrics
Can be used rear facing or forward facing
Can be used for children 5-40 lbs and up to 43″ tall

Cons of this car seat

Not comfortable for taller kids
Weight limit of 40lbs for forward-facing car seat and 40lbs for rear-facing mode
Doesn’t click into any strollers without an add-on attachment
No cup holders or snack tray attachment
After a couple years of use the front buckle at the chest doesn’t connect as tightly as it used to
Doesn’t fit in the overhead bin if you decide not to use it once you’re on the flight

The same brand makes a seat for kids bigger than 40lbs and 43 inches tall who still need a 5-point harness but are forward facing only. Cosco also makes a backless booster car seat for older kids.

What I like about the Cosco Scenera Next

It’s rare to find a car seat that is less than $100, so to have one that is affordable and lightweight too is really useful for a parent who wants to travel! I know that the Doona stroller/car seat combination is really popular, but not everyone wants to spend that much. If you already have a solid everyday car seat (like we do), this travel-only car seat works really well. We also started using it in our second car or in grandma’s car for occasional trips when we still need a car seat available. (If you’ve ever moved one of the big bulky car seats, you know how much of a pain that can be.)

What I really wish they would change on the Cosco Scenera Next

The padding on the back of the car seat is pretty thin, so when you install it on an airplane the buckle hits right where your child’s back is. It’s not super comfortable but if you can shove a blanket in there it makes it slightly better. We found this out on a long-haul flight which definitely wasn’t ideal. For us, travel with a car seat has been a lot easier on our kids because it’s a position they’re used to being in (vs in an adult sized airplane seat) and they sleep easier. But this buckle issue wasn’t something we were anticipating, and I was nervous it was going to bother him the whole flight. It actually didn’t once we got a blanket positioned in there just right.

Is it easy to install the Cosco Scenera Next?

It depends where you’re installing it, because it uses either the LATCH system (clips that clip into hooks in a car) or you’ll use the seat belt through the back of it. I’d definitely practice this before you leave for your destination, because it took me a couple of tries to get it right the first time I used a seatbelt to secure a car seat. Keep in mind, the LATCH system isn’t in every single car, and especially hard to find if you’re relying on taxis or other vehicles outside of the US.