Our recent Ratings of the newest infant car seats (for subscribers) includes two models from Safety 1st—the Onboard 35 (pictured, left, $100) and Onboard 35 Air (pictured, right, $180). Both seats scored Very Good in our tests and have a rear-facing weight limit of 35 lbs.—a safety benefit that allows babies to remain rear-facing longer. (See Why rear facing longer is better.)

What was most noteworthy from our test results, however, was that these new seats topped our Ratings of infant car seats with a weight capacity greater than 22 lbs. for overall crash protection in our simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests performed at an outside laboratory (though their overall scores were not highest for that category). The Onboard 35 Air includes Safety 1st’s AirProtect system, a set of pillow-like inserts intended to provide added protection for a child’s head in side impact crashes. (See What does side-impact protection mean?) While we don’t do side impact tests, we do expect that the AirProtect system will provide additional protection to children in side impact collisions.

Both Onboard 35 models were rated Very Good overall, but the more expensive and more feature-laden Onboard 35 Air scored a bit lower in our overall Ratings range than its simpler counterpart—the Onboard 35. This was due mostly to the Air’s lower ease-of-use score—it was rated Good while the simpler Onboard 35 was rated Very Good. The Onboard 35 Air’s base has a lock-off system that makes it potentially more complicated to attach to the vehicle than the Onboard Air. (In most cases, lock-off systems provide more secure installations, and when correctly installed, the Onboard 35 Air’s lock-off worked very well.) Both versions of the Onboard 35 scored Very Good for fit-to-vehicle with LATCH, and Good for fit to vehicle with belts. Our concern is that the Onboard 35 Air’s multi-step lock-off system may confuse people who are trying to make sure it is firmly locked into place.

The Onboard 35’s reasonable price, along with its Excellent crash protection and Very Good overall performance prompted us to award it a “Best Buy” designation.

Overall, both of the Onboard infant seats offer great potential for protecting your baby in a crash. If you do opt for the Onboard 35 Air, take time to read the manual carefully to be sure you’re using the lock-off correctly, and consider finding a certified installer to help you be sure you’ve got it right. (Find a child safety seat inspection station.)

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.

 A repair kit supplied by Evenflo for recalled Evenflo Maestro car seats worked in our follow-up tests. The small metal piece included in the kit (pictured) effectively reinforces the area that cracked in some samples of the Maestro in Consumer Reports’ crash tests, published last month.

We registered for the remedy kits for our seats on Friday, Oct. 15, the same day Evenflo announced the recall. We were pleased with Evenflo’s quick response, as we received the kits on the following Monday.

Our re-test of two of the Maestro car seat samples with the kits installed were conducted at an outside laboratory with a standard 52-pound child-sized dummy, meant to simulate the heaviest “worst-case” stress condition for the seat, whose five-point harness has a 50-pound weight limit. The tests were simulated 30 mph frontal crash tests, as before. Neither seat exhibited any cracking when inspected after each test, and the harness and center front adjuster held tightly. The metal reinforcement piece was also very easy to install on our seats.

Consumer Reports tested the Evenflo Maestro along with 6 other toddler booster – combination car seats at an outside lab, and found that some of the Maestro samples failed when the seat's plastic shell cracked and the harness loosened in simulated 30-mph frontal-impact crashes. Both failures came when the seat was being used with its five-point harness; we found no problems in booster-seat mode.

After Consumer Reports' tests showed the failure, Evenflo recalled more than 18,000 Maestro car seats in the United States and Canada. The affected U.S. units include all those manufactured up to April 9, 2010; in Canada, units manufactured up to April 26, 2010, are affected, the company said. To find out whether your unit is among those recalled, check the manufacture date and model number—both of which appear on a white label behind the seat as well as on the box. Affected model numbers in the US are 3101198, 3101980, 31011048, 31011049, and 31011059; in Canada, it is 31011057C.

The $80 Maestro is designed to be used either with its own five-point harness or—for larger and older children—as a booster seat using the vehicle's seat belt to restrain the child. (Learn more about toddler booster car seats.)

Evenflo advised people who are still using the recalled Maestro units with the harness (with children under 40 pounds) not to use their seat until it has been upgraded with the remedy kit. Customers may call a special phone number to receive the kit (800-233-5921 in the U.S. or 800-265-0749 in Canada). Learn more in the original Baby blog post.