We purchased the Via earlier this year after our son was born prematurely. It was a good size, it promised to fit him even at five pounds, and it had good safety ratings. The seat seemed soft and comfortable, and the added insert for smaller babies was perfect for a preemie. Unfortunately, none of that stacked up against the fact that it absolutely refuses to stay in the base correctly. If the slightest little thing is out of place--a belt has shifted, something has gotten into the base, or even if it's colder than normal outside--the carseat becomes impossible to latch and unlatch correctly. You will slide it into the base, shift it down, and THUNK! It's stuck. An hour and a half and two very frustrated parents later, we finally got it unstuck, and were unable to find the problem. We took it back to the fire station where we'd had it checked by their certified specialist, and he had the same issue. None of us could figure out why it would refuse to unlatch. It left us feeling very unsafe, especially after we took our little one home from the station (in a different seat!) and the infant carrier on the old seat came unlatched WHILE I WAS DRIVING. Took a corner and the seat leaned precariously to the left with the audible "click" of the holds disengaging. Thank goodness we got a replacement policy, but I feel the need to share our experience, even if it should happen to be a fluke.

FizzMama

USA

Seat with the right amount of padding and protection. Its got excellent safety ratings and I used it while doing some hefty traveling and it stayed looking its best. Seat was kind of a pain to clean which knocks it down a notch but that's not a deal breaker for me. I loved the idea of being able to put your info and childs picture onto the handles. Great feature when traveling or when dropping off the car seat at daycare. Installation was a breeze and we had multiple bases for all of our cars.Popping the seat on and off the base was no trouble at all. I bought the seat off of amazon for an extremely reasonable price and it came super fast. Seat was lightweight enough to carry around and not feel completely exhausted. The color was not an issue with us because we were having a little boy. I am not sure if the color would be the best choice for a girl. I would recommend if you are looking for a safe comfortable seat.

alutz21

Fayetteville, NC

When my son is using this carseat, he is always comfortable. He never complains about being uncomfortable or moves around too much. When he falls asleeps his head stays pretty straight and does not move around too much. He is always falling asleep so comfort and stability are very important to me and also my parents who watch him often. I also like the variety of colors and styles that are available. There is a lot of cushion and looks cozy. I really feel that when my son is traveling with me that he is super safe. I also think these carseats are very afforadable for all types of families. The First Years carseats are easy to keep clean. So many fruit snacks and crackers get smushed up in the there. I never have any problems getting the mess of the carseat. You can also take the car seat apart very easily and put back together with no problems as long as you pay attention on how you took it apart! Once taken apart it is very easy to clean and wipe down. Hot water and some good soap will take most things off the carseat.  Nothing really stains or sticks too much. The one I own has a real dark blue and beige pattern. My son likes this carseat better then his new one his grandma ann and grandpa beau got him for Christmas last year. There are directions on the side of the First Years carseat that are easy to follow and very visible to anybody of all ages and genders. This carseat is also easy to put in the car and also very easy to transfer to another car, truck, or van. This carseat is the perfect size as well. I have had other carseats that were huge, bulky, and ugly. No other car seats compare to the prize and quality as well. I trust that when im buying a First Years carseat that it will be fully safe guaranteed. I also found that most of my friends use this brand of carseat in their vehicles as well as thier parents vehicles. I would recommend this product world wide based on complete satisfaction!

pinkstar1118

San Antonio, TX

After doing a lot of research on car seats, I decided to purchase this car seat because of the safety rating by the NHTSA. From what I remember, I believe it was the only one with 5 stars in almost every category. I am a first time mom and I wanted to make sure that I put all the frills aside and focused on the safety of my child.  I feel that my son is the safest he can be in this carseat! In addition, this car seat was quite easy to install for first time parents. We used the LATCH system on our 2009 Prius and it was a breeze. We also bought an extra base off of the Learning Curve website so that we don't need to reinstall the carseat every time my parents take him for the day.  Although safety was the most important, there are a few cons to this seat. Compared to others that I have seen friends carry, this seat is quite heavy. Now that my son is almost 13 lbs, it is nearly impossible for me to carry him in the seat. I am a petite woman but my husband even has a little bit of a hard time. Another complain is that in order to move the handle from the carry position to car position, you have to use both hands to reach the levers on both sides. This is difficult for a short woman to do! Although I think that is a minor complaint! In addition to the car seat, I also bought the First Years Via stroller(separately) to go with it and it latches onto the stroller so easily . After my son outgrows the carseat it will be easy to switch to this stroller. Overall, I think this is the best car seat I could have purchase for my son.

bumpkie

Minneapolis, MN

The first Years Via infant car seat is used for preemie babies.  This car seat can be converted into a regular rear facing car seat for babies over 5 lbs.  This car seat is very safe for the little one.  It also comes with a base that is very securely buckled into your car if done properly. Which also makes it very convenient when you are having a very busy day or running late.  When the car seat is taken out of the car it snaps out with one motion.  I have been very pleased, it gives me peace of mind knowing that my small child is secured in correctly in the back seat when I am unable to see him.

kliebo21

San Angelo, TX