Chicco Fit4 Review

Chicco Fit4

Chicco’s product line already includes some solid choices — the Key Fit and Fit2 rear facing only car seats, the NextFit convertible car seat, the MyFit combination, plus some well-liked booster seats.  The Fit4 joins that lineup to add a multimode seat that rear faces, forward faces, then converts to a fairly tall booster seat!

There are a handful of multimode car seats on the market that claim to fit children from birth through booster age.  Some of those seats live up to that claim, while others fall a bit short (usually at either end of the age range — with the tiniest of babies or with a short-lived booster ).  So when the Chicco Fit4 arrived with a claim that it fits from day one through year ten, we were eager to put that claim to the test. Read on to see how our 4 week old and 10 year old models fit in the Fit4!

Chicco Fit4 QR code

Chicco is offering a new program with the Fit4 — the QR Assist Website —  that provides information and installation videos to assist caregivers with using their Chicco Fit4 properly in each stage! When caregivers first open their Fit4, they’ll see a tag on the seat advertising the Fit4Stages.com website – along with the QR code that can be scanned to access the website. The same QR code is on a label on the side of the seat, as well as on the back of the user manual.

We think that means they REALLY want you to use that code!

We’ve visited that website and found that it’s quite a resource.  From simple installation instructions to longer videos, it explains how to use the seat correctly in every one of the Stages. It also includes a video on how to remove the cover for cleaning.  If you’ve ever removed a car seat’s cover, then wondered how the heck to get the thing back on, we understand your frustration and urge you to check out the Fit4 video.One of the most important things about using a child restraint is to use properly on every single ride.  We applaud Chicco for taking the time to create an online space that is dedicated to helping caregivers use their child’s car seat properly!

Chicco Fit4 recline angle indicator

Both the seat’s manual and the seat itself are color-coded to represent the different modes. This consistency is easy to follow and we hope it leads to caregivers using the Fit4 correctly on every ride!

Chicco Fit4 Stage 1 FitKit

The seat also includes 2 sets of padding that Chicco has named the FitKit. This padding set includes a Stage 1 rear facing positioner, Stage 2 rear facing positioner, Stage 1 and 2 headrest, and an optional Stage 4 belt pad for use in booster mode.

The guidelines for using the FitKit are as follows:

• The Stage 1 positioner is required when the seat is installed rear facing for children who weigh between 4 pounds and 12 pounds. It is optional between 12 pounds and 16 pounds.
• The Stage 2 positioner is required when the seat is installed rear facing for children who weigh between 12 and 40 pounds.
• The Stage 1 and 2 headrest is required when the seat is installed rear facing in Stage 1 and Stage 2.
• The Stage 4 belt pad is optional while the seat is in Stage 4 mode – used as a belt positioning booster.

Chicco Fit4 chest clip

The Chicco Fit4 brings back the two position chest clip that we have seen on previous NextFit models. There are no restrictions on when either position can be used in harness mode, though Chicco did suggest during the course of this review that the smaller position provides a better fit for Stage 1, and the larger position provides a better fit for Stage 2 and Stage 3.

While this two position chest clip does position the harness straps well on babies and small children, our review team found that it causes the harness to be a little more narrow for our older models.  

Chicco Fit4 top tether storage

The Fit4 has the same convenient type of top tether storage that we’ve seen on other Chicco car seats.  It’s very tidy — an actual compartment on the back of the seat’s shell. It’s so tidy that we worry about caregivers overlooking this critical piece of your child’s car seat.  We’ve urged Chicco to consider making this storage area a bit more pronounced or changing the webbing’s color.

Inflatable Seat Belts — Not Allowed in Harness Mode

The Fit4 cannot be installed with an inflatable seat belt when it’s in harness mode.  If it must be installed in a seating position with an inflatable seat belt, lower anchors plus the top tether would be the only acceptable installation method, assuming that the child weighs less than the 40 pound lower anchor weight limit.

Inflatable Seat Belts — Allowed in Booster Mode

In booster mode ONLY, the Fit4 can be used with inflatable seat belts if the vehicle manual permits it.

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  Chicco Fit4 Stage 1 and 2 FitKit headrest attachment

  Stage 1: Rear facing infant (4-16 pounds) – The Stage 1 positioner, Stage 2 positioner, and headrest should be in place. Recline the seat until the bubble on the recline indicator is in the light blue range.

Chicco Fit4 Stage 2 FitKit

• Stage 2: Rear facing toddler (12-40 pounds) – Remove the Stage 1 positioner, leaving behind the required Stage 2 positioner and optional stage 1 and 2 headrest if desired. The back pad on the headrest has to go behind the Stage2 padding

The seat should be reclined until the bubble on the recline indicator is in the dark blue range.

Chicco Fit4 Stage 2 FitKit attachment

The Stage 2 FitKit is secured in a number of places via a number of easy-to-remove snaps and two elastic loops on the end of the seat pan so it doesn’t slide around.  It also reaches high enough behind the child’s back to contain the vast majority of toddler messes.  We did have a bit of a struggle putting the bottom portion of the Stage 2 positioner on — we had to fully recline the seat to expose the two plastic hooks on the underide of the seat.

• Stage 3: Forward facing preschooler (25-65 pounds) – Remove the Stage 1 positioner, Stage 2 positioner, and Stage ½ headrest.

The seat should be reclined until the bubble on the recline indicator is in the red range. If installing on a slope, the seat should be set to recline positions 8 or 9 only.

• Stage 4: Booster mode: Big Kid (40-100 pounds) – Remove Stage 1 positioner, Stage 2 positioner, and Stage ½ headrest. Add the optional seat belt pad if desired.

The seat should be reclined until the bubble on the recline indicator is in the orange range. If installing on a slope, the seat should be set to recline positions 8 or 9 only.

Chicco Fit4 lower anchor storage

The Fit4 ships with the lower anchors between the belt paths and the lower anchor connectors stored in their handy compartments on the outside of the seat’s shell.

To move the lower anchors from one belt path to another, open the two storage compartments on either side of the seat. Hold one lower anchor connector, and gently slide the lower anchor webbing along the path above the open storage compartment until it is in the desired belt path. Repeat on the other side, then close the storage compartments.

We found that moving the lower anchor connectors to the forward facing belt path had a bit of a trick at the end.  We had to move the connectors out of the storage compartment, then up just a bit more until they were all the way in the belt path.

The lower anchors store between the belt paths, in small compartments on either side of the seat’s shell when not in use.  We had some trouble figuring out exactly how to place them in the compartment for storage.  The manual doesn’t have instructions for this but Chicco has a handy video that does show the exact configuration of twisting and turning required to store them.

Chicco Fit2 crotch buckle

The Chicco Fit4 has two crotch buckle positions with a couple of rules:

• While the seat is installed rear facing, the crotch buckle should be in the closest position to the child without the child sitting on the buckle strap.
• While the seat is installed forward facing, the crotch buckle must be in the outermost position.

To move the crotch buckle, pull back the cover from the front of the seat and slide the buckle through the slot in the cover. Open the crotch buckle door by using the orange button on the side, then move the crotch buckle to the desired position. Close the crotch buckle door, then thread the crotch buckle back through the appropriate slot in the cover and replace the cover on the seat’s shell.

We found that the space provided by the cover for this task was a bit lacking — we were able to access the crotch buckle but we had to really work to keep the cover out of the way.  We’ve suggested that the seat pad’s opening be extended by just a bit to expose the crotch buckle a little better.

Chicco Fit4 Stage 1 FitKit

To use the seat rear facing in Stage 1 for an infant who weighs between 4-16 pounds, make sure that the Stage 1 positioner, Stage 2 positioner, and Stage 1 and 2 headrest are in place. If installing on level ground, the seat should be reclined until the bubble on the recline indicator is in the light blue range.

Chicco Fit4 Stage 2 FitKit

To use the seat rear facing for an older infant or toddler who weighs between 12-40 pounds, make sure that the Stage 1 positioner is removed, leaving behind the required Stage 2 positioner and optional Stage 1 and 2 headrest.

Chicco Fit4 recline angle indicator

Our version of the seat has 5 lines on the recline angle indicator but moving forward, the Fit4 will only have 4 lines.  This makes the seat a little easier to use.

Chicco Fit4 recline angle indicator

The Chicco Fit4 has two separate areas on the recline angle indicator that are appropriate for rear facing installations when installing on level ground.

• The Stage 1 recline area is marked by light blue and should be used for children who weigh between 4 pounds and 16 pounds.
• The Stage 2 recline area is marked by dark blue and should be used for children who weigh between 12 pounds and 40 pounds.
• In addition to the recline angle indicator, there is a level line near the rear facing belt path that can be used as a backup

Chicco Fit4 SuperCinch lower anchors

The SuperCinch tightener that is included on the Chicco Fit4 goes a long way in simplifying the lower anchor installation.To install rear facing with the lower anchors, start by placing the car seat on the vehicle seat facing towards the back of the vehicle. Adjust the recline setting until the recline indicator is appropriate for the stage in which the seat will be used.  Open both storage compartments, remove the lower anchor connectors, then slide them along the path above the storage compartments until they are in the rear facing belt path. Close the storage compartments. Locate the lower anchor connectors in the vehicle, and firmly attach each lower anchor connector on to the corresponding lower anchor connector.

Apply firm pressure straight down into the seat pan area of the Fit4 while pulling each of the lower anchor connector straps – starting with the side marked Pull 1st, then moving on to the side marked Pull 2nd. Confirm that the recline indicator is still in the appropriate area, and check that the seat moves less than 1 inch at the belt path.

Pro tip: pull one extra bit of slack out of the Pull 1st side before moving onto the Pull 2nd side.

Chicco Fit4 rear facing installation

The Fit4 includes an easy-to-use, textured set of lockoffs for use with vehicle seat belt installations. These lockoffs will lock the vehicle seat belt in place — you don’t need to lock the vehicle seat belt at the car’s retractor when using these handy devices!  A bonus use for a lockoff is when you’re working with older vehicles that may not have locking seat belts or travelling internationally.

To install this seat rear facing with the vehicle seat belt, place the car seat on the vehicle seat facing the rear of the vehicle. Adjust the recline setting until the recline indicator is in the appropriate area for the appropriate stage for the child’s weight.

Locate the rear facing belt path at the front of the car seat, then thread the vehicle seat belt through the belt path and buckle the seat belt. Apply firm pressure straight down into the seat pan area of the Fit4 while pulling the shoulder portion of the vehicle seat belt to remove all slack.

Once the vehicle seat belt is pulled tight, slide the shoulder portion of the vehicle seat belt into the rear facing lockoff. Confirm that the recline angle indicator is still correct, and test for tightness by ensuring that the seat moves less than 1 inch at the belt path.

Chicco Fit4 rear facing with a convenience button in the way

One of the vehicles we tried for this review — a 2016 Kia Sedona — presented no challenges with the rear facing installation.However, the 2011 Mini Countryman that we also tried presented a pretty unique set of challenges.  That vehicle has both a convenience button that’s mounted on the seat belt and a convenience bar in roughly the same location.  This vehicle’s fixed position buckle stalks also presented a challenge since the seat belt started to fold through the latchplate.

Chicco Fit4 rear facing with a convenience button in the way

We found that the convenience button absolutely got in the way while we installed the Fit4 rear facing in recline positions 8 and 9 with the vehicle seat belt and we weren’t able to get a secure installation with the lockoff.  We were also unable to remove the cover from the front of the seat to access the belt path in this particular vehicle. The good news is that installing the seat with the lower anchors went just fine so if we were to use the Fit4 for a rear facing child in this vehicle, we’d use the lower anchors.

We spoke with Chicco about this unique situation.  They mirrored our suggestion to use the lower anchors for this type of install but also offered some helpful tips.  The cupfolders can be removed to expose a couple of anchor points for the cover. We removed the cupfolders and removed the elastic loops from the anchor points to expose more of the belt path during installation.  This helped quite a bit when we installed the Fit4 more upright, using this method we were able to install the seat without too much issue. For this vehicle, we’d recommend a rear facing lower anchor installation for newborns or children who needed the seat as reclined as possible.

Chicco Fit4 preemie doll

Our preemie size Huggable Images doll weighs 4 pounds and is 17 inches long.  Our doll is modeling the Chicco Fit4 in Stage 1 using the Stage 1 and Stage 2 body inserts, plus the Stage 1/2 head insert. We left the optional harness covers and crotch buckle cover off for this model.

The fit for this doll was very close — the harness was just barely at the doll’s shoulders, but it did fit properly with the harness just at the shoulders in the lowest position.

Please note that while our doll mimics the proportions and size of a preemie, actual human babies tend to fit a bit differently and we’ve found that actual preemies fit well in many seats where our doll had a questionable fit.

Chicco Fit4 newborn doll

Here we see the newborn size Huggable Images doll.  This doll weighs 7 pounds and is 17 inches long. Here, the FitKit inserts are in use and we’ve left off the optional harness and crotch buckle covers. The seat fit the doll well with the headrest on the second to lowest position and the harness below the shoulders. The two position chest clip was helpful with positioning the harness properly on the inner setting.

Chicco Fit4 4 weeks old

This tiny baby is 4 weeks old, 10 pounds, and is 21 inches long. Although she is small, the Fit4 fit her well when both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 positioners were used (that combination is required for her size). We were able to install the seat at a very reclined angle to ensure that her positioning was safe to avoid any potential airway concerns.

Chicco Fit4 3.5 years old rear facing

This model is 3.5 years old, weighs 35 pounds, and is 39 inches tall. She was very excited to test out this new seat and – as she has quite a bit of experience with various car seats – she has become very vocal with her opinions.  Since she’s towards the top of the rear facing height range for the Fit4, the seat was in Stage 2 for her. This placed the seat a little more upright, and removed one layer of padding beneath her.

She found the recline of the seat to be comfortable, and she enjoyed the cushion of the Stage 2 insert and seat cover. However, she did complain about the narrow harness rubbing on her neck.  She is not a fan of extra padding, so didn’t find the optional harness covers the right choice for her.

Chicco Fit4 forward facing

To use the seat forward facing, (Stage 3), for a child who weighs between 25-65 pounds, remove the Stage 1 positioner, Stage 2 positioner, and the Stage 1 and 2 headrest.

Chicco Fit4 forward facing lower anchor installation

To install the Chicco Fit4 forward facing with the lower anchors, start by placing the car seat on the vehicle seat facing towards the front of the vehicle. Place the top tether strap over the back of the vehicle seat for easy access later in the installation process.

Then, adjust the recline setting until the recline angle indicator is in the appropriate position for a Stage 3 installation. Next, open the two lower anchor storage compartments on either side of the seat, and slide the lower anchor connectors along the path on top of the compartments until they reach the forward facing belt path.

Locate the lower anchor connectors in the vehicle, and attach each lower anchor connector to the corresponding lower anchor connector. Apply firm pressure straight down into the seat, and pull each side of the lower anchor webbing – starting with the Pull 1st side and moving on to the Pull 2nd side.

Pro tip: pull one extra bit of slack out of the Pull 1st side before moving onto the Pull 2nd side.

Confirm that the recline angle is correct and that the seat moves less than 1 inch at the belt path. Finally, attach the top tether to the vehicle’s tether anchor and pull the tail to remove all slack.

Chicco Fit4 forward facing vehicle seat belt

To install the Chicco Fit4 forward facing with the vehicle seat belt, place the car seat on the vehicle seat facing towards the front of the vehicle, and drape the tether strap over the back of the vehicle seat for easy access later in the installation process. Adjust the recline setting until the recline angle is appropriate for the Stage 3 installation.

Thread the vehicle seat belt through the forward facing belt path and buckle the seat belt. Next, apply firm pressure straight down on the car seat while pulling the shoulder portion of the seat belt to tighten. Once the vehicle seat belt is tight, it’s time to lock the seat belt using the lockoff on the car seat.  Slide the shoulder portion of the vehicle seat belt into the forward facing lockoff on the side of the seat. Confirm that the recline is correct and that the seat moves less than 1 inch at the belt path. Finally, attach the top tether to the vehicle’s tether anchor and pull the tail to remove all slack.

Chicco Fit4 3 years old forward facing

Here we see our 3.5 year old model again. She is still 35 pounds and 39 inches tall. She fit very well in the Chicco Fit4, and enjoyed riding in this seat forward facing. Since the harness is on the narrow side, she complained about the harness rubbing against her neck and refused the optional harness covers.

Chicco Fit4 6 years old

This kiddo has been helping the CSFTL team with reviews for some time.  Even when he’s not feeling his best, he’s ready to test out a seat and share his thoughts.  He’s 6 years old, 44 inches tall, and weighs 46 pounds. The Fit4 fit him well in harness mode, though like our 3.5 year old model, he felt that the harness was a bit narrow.  He was able to buckle himself into the seat and unbuckle himself as well. He’s also mature enough to do that unbuckling at the appropriate times so for him, that’s a plus!

Chicco Fit4 harness storage

I’ll start this section off with some great news — the harness AND crotch buckle both store right on the seat when the Fit4 is in booster mode.  The shoulder pads can also be tucked into that location! That means it’s impossible to lose them, we always find onboard storage a bonus.

The process of converting the Fit4 from harness to booster is about as straightforward as you can get.  First, loosen the harness all the way, then raise the headrest as high as it can go. Fold up the cover to expose the belt path.  Buckle the chest clip and slide it down to the harness storage compartment behind the child’s lower back. Store the chest clip and buckle tongues in that compartment, then open the lower part of the cover to expose the crotch buckle.  Slide the orange tab over to expose the full storage compartment and tuck the crotch buckle right in.

Chicco Fit4 booster mode

Before using the Fit4 in booster mode, remove the Stage 1 positioner, Stage 2 positioner, plus the Stage 1 and 2 headrest. Add the optional seat belt pad if desired.

Chicco Fit4 6 years old

Here’s our 6 year old model again, this time he’s showing the seat in booster mode.  He rides in a harnessed car seat most of the time, but does ride in a booster seat for carpooling so he’s well-versed in both modes. He’s 6 years old, 44 inches tall, and weighs 46 pounds. The Fit4 fits him well in booster mode — the shoulder portion of the belt is across the middle of his shoulder and the lap portion of the belt is across the tops of his thighs.  We did notice some issues with the vehicle seat belt retracting properly when the headrest was in the correct position for him. This is a totally normal and sort of annoying thing about combination and multimode car seats — unless the child is tall enough for the shoulder belt guide to be completely above the car seat’s shell, this may happen.

Chicco Fit4 10 years old

This model is a longtime CSFTL reviewer who’s at the end of her tenure as a review model since she’s mere moments away from passing the Five Step Test.  She’s 10 years old, 4 feet, 7.75 inches tall –again, mere MOMENTS away from passing the Five Step Test — and wears a size 12 clothes. Given her height, we were SHOCKED, SHOCKED, I tell you, to discover that she actually fits in the Fit4.  She’s at the very top end of the height limit for the seat but…as advertised, the Fit4 fits a 10 year old!

She liked how padded the seat is but didn’t like how open the sides felt to her.  She’s used to riding in a backless booster seat so this was a bit of a change on all fronts.