Graco - SnugRide SnugLock 35 LX featuring TrueShield Technology Infant Car Seat (2053220)

With my first I had uppababy cruz with an infant insert, she was a July baby so we did outside walks in it pretty much right away. For car seat we had a Graco snug ride, we didn't have a car at that time so needed something light and easy to bring on Uber rides. We got a car when baby was a year old and at that point she outgrew the bucket seat and we got a clek fllo. This time around I'm due in Feb. Planning to use the same cruz with infant insert with a clek liing car seat. I don't find the bassinet attachment to be very important. I love my cruz though, it's a great urban stroller.

When my first was born we didn't have a car, I bought a Graco snugride bucket seat without a base and used it with an adapter on our uppababy cruz. I used it in Ubers a lot and it was easy and fairly light. We did eventually buy a car when she outgrew the bucket seat and got a Cosco Scenera Next for when we travelled which could be an option for you when baby is a year plus.

We have the Graco click connect. We got an infant car seat and two bases from my husband’s coworker. I bought the stroller frame that connects to the car seat. We’ve been using this since birth and have discussed other options. Our 11 week old son is probably 15Lbs by now. That plus the weight of the car seat is making it very heavy to move from house to car and car to shopping cart or wherever. Our pediatrician mentioned that at some point we are going to simply prefer to carry him because all of that is too heavy. So husband and I have decided that we will eventually get two all-in-one car seats, one for each of our cars, and just buckle him into the seat in the car. Like we won’t take the seat out of the car with him anymore.

To piggyback: I had the exact seat you linked, the one that was the same but different trim, and also purchased the Snugride Lite for my parents.  The  Graco Snugride Lite does not have the Snuglock feature, and I had firefighters/paramedics compliment that specific feature in the Snuglock DLX  Because of this,  the Snugride Lite base does not get anywhere as tight as the one you linked. 

Graco with the Snuglock feature. 100% do not get any other seats. I had a fire fighter/paramedic compliment how good it was. I’ve also heard multiple car seat technicians say that Graco is the only brand they recommend.  It’s safe for 4lbs+. 

I agree that it’s been hit and miss for us. Specifically: Snap&Go Double Car Seat Stroller Frame - life saver EZ-Lift Pro Infant Car seats…. My mom had a set for the twins and they were fine as a back up pair but I much preferred the buckle on my Graco SnugRide 35 XL. Cool thing is the Graco car seats fitted into the Snap&Go double without issue.

2021 rav 4 2 forward and 1 rear facing Left is graco slim fit 3 in 1 with latch Middle is graco transitions with seat belt Right is graco infant car seat with latch. A lot of trunk space This setup also works with my 2019 Mazda cx5 but trunk space is way less than rav

That’s nowhere near Bart either. Buy a $120 Graco snug ride and take an uber or a cab.

We got the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 LX infant car seat (in the $200 range) and a Graco click connect stroller. My husband is a composite technician and I’m a SAHM so we don’t have luxurious spending money but want to prioritize safety ratings especially when it comes to a car seat. How do those car seats rate safety wise should be your #1 priority and not aesthetics. We love our car seat especially with blow outs, the inserts come right out for easy cleaning and I don’t have to practically take apart the entire car seat to wash. Also… IMHO, a jogging stroller is the way to go if you’re planning on being active and outside. The regular stroller is nice for grocery stores and stuff but being outdoors, I feel like a jogging stroller holds up way better. You don’t need to break the bank for something baby will only use for a short time frame but also don’t want to cheap out for something meant to potentially save their life.

So, in a Hyundai Kona you're going to need a very compact seat. We have a Mazda CX-30 which is a similar sort of situation and only had a few options. Even then, the front passenger seat is not useable if you're over 5'5". We have a Graco Snugride bucket seat. I believe the Graco Extend 2 Fit is the most compact front-to-back so I'd probably recommend that for a convertible. I have never put a newborn in one though.  One thing to consider with a December baby and no bucket seat is that it's a lot more unpleasant to get them buckled up and such from outside the car vs. doing it inside and then just clicking the car seat into the base. Unless you have a midwife or your GP is walking distance, you'll be trekking your newborn to the doctor at least 3-4 times in the first 8 weeks in the absolute dead of winter, and that doesn't account for any other driving you might have to do. 

We had the Graco click and connect with our little ones were that age. While I preferred to baby wear in the airport, having the click and connect system was super helpful. We just threw the base in the bottom basket and put everything in a bag to gate check

I’m a CPST and in my unit we stock even flo lite max seats as they’re rated 3 pounds and up and are super adjustable to fit smaller kiddos. I also agree that graco snug rides generally are good for the smaller kiddos. As comfortable as the uppa and nuna seats look, unfortunately a lot of the padding isn’t adjustable and can tend to cause kiddos to be positioned less than optimally and leave minimal room to adjust and keep their airway open. Obviously I am not seeing your kiddo in their car seat so this could not be the case with you, but these are generally recommendations that have worked for me historically. Good luck!