In this Graco Extend2Fit versus the Chicco NextFit Zip comparison, we pit two of our favorite car seats against each other in the convertible car seat showdown. The Extend2Fit holds its own against a significantly less expensive toddler car seat, even besting it for extended rear-facing, while the NextFit Zip overwhelms with a smart seat cover design.
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and Chicco NextsFit Zip are built for long-lasting with the Extend2Fit continuing usable life for up to 10 years. The NextFit Zip tops out at 8 years for the expiration date but makes up for fantastic ride quality and superior comfort on its hollow ergonomic design.
Both Graco Extend2Fit and Chicco NextFit Zip have rigid LATCH connectors for a proper and tight installation, with rigid LATCH connectors. They also have multiple positions for headrest and recline that you can adjust to find a perfect fit for your child’s growth.
There’s a lot to like about these toddler car seats, as they both pack great features and performance.
There’s a lot to like about these convertible car seats, as they both pack great features and performance.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip Comparision
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Quick Comparison Overview
- Both the Graco Extend2Fit and the Chicco NextFit Zip are affordable convertible car seats with impressive features.
- The Graco Extend2Fit is about $50 cheaper and preferable for parents who want to save money; the Chicco NextFit Zip is a bit more expensive but still affordable for most families.
- Both car seats come with a solid build and are good for lasting a few years to adapt to your child’s growth.
- The Graco Extend2Fit performs better in rear-facing with a wider weight range (4-50 pounds); while the Chicco NextFit Zip is a quite common car seat for kids between 5-40 pounds.
- The Chicco NextFit Zip is much easier to take the seat cover off for cleaning.
- The Graco Extend2Fit has a longer lifespan of 10 years versus 8 years of the Chicco NextFit Zip (starting from the date of manufacture);
- The Graco Extend2Fit allows for a 10-position headrest and 6-position recline adjustment, whereas the Chicco NextFit Zip supports 9-9 positions for both headrest and recline.
In this head-to-head comparison, we explore more than the apparent specs from the product description, hoping you like this in-depth review of the Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip.
We’re trying to help you get a clear idea of what both car seats will provide, in similarities and differences, hoping you find the one perfectly suits your child’s needs and your expectation.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip Side-by-Side Comparison Chart
| Key Features | Graco Extend2Fit Car Seat | Chicco NextFit Zip Car Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Rear-facing Height and Weight Limits | 4-50 lbs/ 49" | 5-40 lbs/ 43" |
| Forward-facing Height and Weight Limits | 22-65 lbs/ 49" | 22-65 lbs/ 49" |
| Adjustable Headrest | 10 positions | 9 positions |
| Recline Positions | 6 | 9 |
| Safety | ProtectPlus Engineering | DuoGuard |
| Side impact protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5-Point Harness | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fabric Breathability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Installation Latch | Push-button InRight™ LATCH | Push Button Latch |
| Seat Belt Installation | - | LockSure Belt System |
| Level Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Removable Cover | - | ✓ |
| Washable Cover | Machine Washable | Machine Washable |
| Removable Plush Head & Body Inserts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dimensions | 21.5" x 19.5" x 23.5" | 21" x 19" x 26"″ |
| Weight | 19 lbs | 25 |
| Reviews | 66000+ | 3000+ |
| Price | $229.99* | $299.99* |
*Price may change due to sale promotion and other factors.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Size Limits / Modes
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and the Chicco NextFit Zip are classic convertible car seats with the same top size limit: 65lbs/49″. This is very commonly seen for a car seat with a 5-point harness in forward-facing mode.
Both are good car seats for extended rear-facing, but the Graco Extend2Fit performs better. It has a higher limit and a wider range.
The Graco Extend2Fit is suitable for kids between 4 and 50 pounds. Even preemies as light as 4lbs can enjoy a safe and comfortable ride, thanks to the included head and body support.
The 50-pound top weight limit is good to accommodate a big toddler up to 4 years old. It extends rear-facing for the longest time.
The height limit for rear-facing is the same as the forward-facing, up to 49″ (versus 43″ of NextFit Zip). The manufacturer does not have this information in the product description and specs. It can be found in the user manual.
The top size limit for a rear-facing mode of Chicco NextFit Zip is clear in the product description: 40lbs/43″. This combination is high enough to keep toddlers 2 years or older in the rear-facing direction, making it a good option for those US states that require a child to stay rear-facing until the second birthday.
The lowest weight requirement of Chicco NextFit Zip is 5 pounds, meaning it’s a good car seat to fit newborns, but not as good as those models for premature babies.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Installation
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and the Chicco NextFit Zip can be installed with the LATCH and seat belt.
If you’re planning to install the car seat with the LATCH, the Extend2Fit provides InRight rigid LATCH connectors and the Chicco NextFit Zip provides SuperCinch Tighten rigid LATCH connectors.
That means both car seats have rigid LATCH connectors for an easy and tight installation.
Rigid LATCH connectors are good for installing a car seat on the window seat. But not all car seats have the LATCH in the center of the back seat to match this method.
Plus, the LATCH has weight limits (quite similar to the weight limit of a 5-point harness). You won’t know this from the description provided by the manufacturers. But they do let you know this via the user manual.
Here, we would like you to know a simple way to calculate the LATCH limit.
The 5-point harness weight limit = car seat weight + LATCH weight limit
For example, Graco Extend2Fit has a 65-pound top weight limit for the 5-point harness while it weighs 19 pounds. The probably LATCH weight limit is no more than 46 pounds. You may find a reminder in the Graco Extend2Fit’s user manual that ‘Do not install this method for a child weighing more than 45 lb (20 kg)’.
Under the same top weight limit, the heavier a car seat is, the lower the LATCH weight limit it has.
Chicco NextFit Zip is heavier (25 lbs vs 19 lbs), and the LATCH limit ranges between 35-40 pounds.
But the Chicco NexFit Zip overperforms in the seat-belt installation method. It is equipped with an integrated belt lock-off called LockSure Belt System, which ensures a truly tight installation with the vehicle seat belt.
Graco Extend2Fit does not have this bonus, only the premium models from Graco feature – Graco 4Ever DLX 4 in 1 car seat.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Safety Standards and Bonus
Car seats sold in the US should follow the country’s rules on child safety seats.
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and Chicco NextFit Zip have made their own way in crash tests meeting or exceeding the federal safety standards.
They both provide side-impact protection due to the 5-point harness in both rear-facing and forward-facing modes.
The Chicco NextFit Zip has the DuoGuard which is equal to two layers of side impact protection with a deep rigid shell and EPS energy-absorbing foam.
The Graco Extend2Fit has a solid reinforced steel frame and plenty of padding and foam for absorbing the crash energy to ensure your child’s safety as well.
Plus, it has the company’s advanced feature – the ProtectPlus engineering technique, which boasts of all-around protection from the front, side, rear, and rollover crashes. Only the best Graco car seats have this function.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Other Features
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Design
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and the Chicco NextFit Zip are durable with a solid and bulky build.
The Chicco NextFit Zip is slightly narrower, measuring 19-inch width (vs 19.5-inch of Graco Extend2Fit), making it one of the best narrow car seats under 20 inches wide.
The Graco Extend2Fit is more lightweight, weighing 19 pounds (vs 25 pounds of Chicco NextFit Zip). However, it does not have a name on the best lightweight car seats.
The Graco Extend2Fit provides four color options, with the Kenzie being a good pink-similar option for toddler girls.
The Chicco NextFit Zip is available in only two colors, with the Vivaci/Pink being a good option for toddler girls. The Vivaci/Pink is very similar to those purple car seats.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Comfort
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and the Chicco NextFit Zip have machine-washable fabrics.
That means you don’t need to hand wash the seat cover.
The Chicco NextFit Zip is better to have a smarter way to take the seat cover off. You may know this from its name – Zip.
You can easily zip off the seat cover in seconds. That’s even more convenient than the ‘Rapid Remove’ design used in Graco 4Ever DLX and Graco SlimFit3 LX.
However, not all Chicco car seats come with this zip design. Check if a car seat has the word ‘zip’ in its name or not.
For example, the Chicco MyFit does not have a zip-off design, but its premium siblings have a ‘zip’.
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and Chicco NextFit Zip are good car seats with cup holders. The former has two built-in cup holders while the latter has a removable cup holder on the right side.
Two cup holders are good for holding drinks and snacks or even toys. But they’re a bit more difficult to clean if getting dirty. The one cup holder seems less than the two, but it can be detached and put in a dishwasher for cleaning.
Headrest and Recline Positions
Both car seats provide multiple positions to adjust the headrest and recline so that you can find a comfortable fit for growing children.
But they’re a tie in the overall comparison of Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip.
The Graco Extend2Fit allows for a 10-position headrest adjustment versus the 9-position of Chicco NextFit Zip.
In the recline position, the Extend2Fit has only 6 while the NextFit Zip has 9.
Usable Life Before Expires
Both the Graco Extend2Fit and the Chicco NextFit Zip are durable and last a few years.
But the Graco Extend2Fit has a longer 10-year expiration date, while the Chicco NextFit Zip is less appealing with only an 8-year usable life.
However, both can be handed down to smaller siblings in the future. It’s just you should keep in mind that do not use an expired car seat. You can easily find the expiry date of each car seat with the white sticker.
Explore more on the expiry date of Graco car seats and the expiry date of Chicco car seats.
Pro tip:
Try to get a car seat that is more popular.
Popular car seats are probably manufactured recently within one year and you can use them for a longer time before it expires. You may check a car seat’s popularity by the reviews on Amazon
Popularity and Price
Graco Extend2Fit is one of the most popular car seats on Amazon. It receives over sixty-six thousand reviews on Amazon, far more than Chicco NextFit Zip of just over three thousand reviews.
Like most parents, we love the Graco Extend2Fit for its great safety features and easy installation. The Chicco NextFit Zip truly provides additional features including an easier seat belt installation and zip-off seat cover design.
But you won’t think they are good enough to make up the gap of about $50 price gap.
Aircraft Use
Both car seats are FAA approved for aircraft use.
But you won’t want to lag them from home to the airport and navigate through the airports. They are bulky and heavy, not good for air travel.
Graco Extend2Fit vs Chicco NextFit Zip: Verdict
Graco Extend2Fit for value
The Graco Extend2Fit is a toddler car seat that we could recommend to almost any parents looking to extend rear-facing, as its price is a great budget for a convertible car seat and its performance is one of the best we’ve seen in this price range.
Chicco NextFit Zip for quality
There’s a reason both the Graco Extend2Fit and Chicco NextFit Zip are CSO favorites; they’re both good-looking car seats that stand out for having amazing performance and are just really safe to accommodate your kids.
If you’ve got a little more to spend and want a more luxurious experience, the Chicco NextFit Zip rides as nicely as other premium car seats, just comfortable with a hollow design and zip-off seat cover.