Disclosure: The Performance Sport Car Seat in the feature below was sent compliments of Recaro!

Choosing the right car seat for your car and child is not always an easy task. You want something that is comfortable and easy to install, as well as ultra safe in the event of a car accident. That being said, odds are you will most likely purchase two or three car seats for your child over the course of the 10ish years they will need one. Once you are ready for a forward facing seat the Recaro Performance Sport Combination Car Seat is an excellent choice- read on to find out why!The Performance Sport Combination Car Seat is for children that are at least 2 years old and over thirty pounds. It is a great purchase to make after your child reaches the max weight for their rear facing seat. It could very well be the only forward facing car seat your child ever needs because it is both a harnessed seat and a booster seat.

The second I took the Performance Sport out of the box I was impressed. Normally there are straps dangling all over the place, but the Performance Sport has convenient pockets for the LATCH connectors and a hook for the top tether. If you change vehicles often or are a frequent flyer this is a feature you will really learn to appreciate. (Note: The Performance Sport is certified for use in an aircraft when used with the harness.) Even the instruction manual (which is packed with pictures and made of durable, glossy paper) has a pocket on the side of the seat.

I also noticed how solid the seat was before it was even installed. It is a whopping 28lbs which makes it difficult for me to carry from house to car or car to car- but the carry handle helps a ton.

The seat comes equipped with a HERO harness system.  The Hero system is an exclusive, twist-resistant system that positions shoulder pads correctly to ensure the best neck, head and shoulder fit. They do not slide up and down the harness straps and make getting the chest clip position correct a bit easier. The SoftTouch Seat Cushion also sets this seat apart from others on the market. Having a comfortable car seat makes car rides a bit easier, which any parent can appreciate.

The crotch buckle is one of the most adjustable ones I have ever seen. There are three slots that allow you to get a perfect position of the buckle to accommodate almost any child’s size. I never have an issue with this on normal seats till my kids hit four or five. Then I always feel like I am digging the strap out from way under their bottoms. Not with this seat. The furthest one out is perfect for my six year old boys and allows the buckle to come out close to their bottoms but not under.

I took all the pictures below in a 2013 Toyota Sienna. The captain seats are huge and fit the Performance Sport seats very nicely. I did notice during install that the LATCH strap was much shorter than I expected. This made installing the seat a bit more tricky and I needed my husbands help, however the premium LATCH connectors make the actual attaching of the LATCH to the lower anchors a breeze. The harness can be used for a child that is over the age of 2, between 20-90 pounds and 27-50 inches tall. (Please do not use this seat for your 20 pound child! Any child under 30 pounds should be in a rear facing car seat till they outgrown the weight limits.)

The image below is of Emmitt, who is two years old and 30 pounds.

The image below is of Carlee, who is four years old and 38 pounds.

The image below is of Derrick, who is six years old and 46 pounds.

The EasyAdjust 5-Point Harness makes adjusting the height of the seat pretty easy. The seat must be uninstalled (which is a small downside) and then you simply lift a lever on the back and adjust the height of the seat, which automatically adjusts the height of the shoulder straps- no re-threading needed. If I could change anything about this seat, it would be the inability to move the harness height with the seat installed.

Switching the Performance Sport from Harness to booster mood is simple. All you have to do is remove the crotch buckle, HERO system and harness straps, which the manual explains step by step. Make sure you store everything you take off the seat some where safe because you will need it to use the seat in harness mode again. The LATCH strap may be used in booster mode to secure the seat as well at the top tether strap.

The image below is of Derrick, who is six years old and 46 pounds.

The Sienna was equipped with a standard lap and shoulder belt which made buckling him is so easy. The lap portion of the belt was positioned through the red lower lap belt guide and the shoulder portion of the belt through the red shoulder guide near his neck. The lap belt laid flat across his lap and the shoulder belt laid flat against his chest providing a perfect fit. Blake is 8 years old, 55 inches tall and 80 pounds and even though he is smaller than the height and weight requirement, he did not fit in this seat.

The Recaro Performance Sport Combination Car Seat is out grown once your child reaches it’s 120 pound weight limit, becomes 59 inches tall or when your childs are above the top of the head restraint in the highest position. I feel that the weight limit of this seat is a bit over zealous. A 10 year old child that is 59 inches tall and 120 pounds would have a BMI of 26, making them larger than 99% of other children their age.

To Buy: With it’s high harness weight limit, 6 year expiration, extra cushy padding and 59 inch forward facing height limit you should be able to use this seat for almost all your forward facing needs. The harness design is like not other seat on the market, which makes proper buckling a no brainer. You can purchase a Performance Sport Car Seat for 254.99!

Or Not To Buy: The Recaro Performance Sport Combination Car Seat is not the only car seat you will ever need, if you are looking for one seat from birth to booster- the Performance Sport can not do that. Also, if you need a narrow seat, you need to keep looking. The height limit will most likely be exceeded before the weight limit. Keep that in mind if you have a tall child!