Combi Coccoro Review

Combi Coccoro

The Combi Coccoro is a bit of a niche seat: it’s small, which means it fits great in tight spaces: both front to back and side to side (see how it stacks up to a variety of rear facing only seats here). But the downfall to a small seat is that it isn’t the longest lasting, it will be outgrown by most kids rear facing by age two and forward facing by age 3.

Combi Coccoro has two harness loops to adjust fit to smaller babies

The Coccoro allows rear facing from 3-33 lbs, up to 36″. The low starting weight combined with the design of the newborn insert makes the seat an excellent fit for premature babies: one of the few convertible seats that will fit even the smallest newborns correctly. There are also two harness length settings in the form of two loops at the end of the harness. The harness can be placed on the shorter loop for smaller babies to achieve a snug fit, and moved out to the longer loops for an older baby. The infant insert is required until 25 lbs. according to the manual. Older versions required it until 15 lbs. Always follow the manual that came with your seat, or you can always call Combi to clarify the insert instructions.

Combi Coccoro has one recline line for all ages

The rounded base of the Coccoro is both a blessing and a curse: it allows for easy adjustment to get the correct angle for a newborn, but it can also be difficult to secure in position. There is a line on the side of the seat that must be parallel to the ground at all times when using the seat. Despite the single angle required, its short shell makes it a compact choice for small vehicles.

Combi Coccoro installed with European seat belt routing

The easiest method for achieving a secure rear facing installation is to stand at the head of the seat and use your hips to push the Coccoro into the vehicle seat back while tightening the seat belt or lower anchor strap. You want the seat to move less than an inch side to side at the belt path. This can be used for either lower anchor or seat belt installation. The Coccoro is unique because it offers European belt routing when using the seat belt to install the seat. This means the shoulder belt is wrapped around the back of the seat to help manage rotation in a crash. European routing is not required, and if the seat belt is not long enough, or you prefer not to install this way, the shoulder belt simply lies against the vehicle seat back.

Shoulder belt routing if not using the European method.

Another great feature of the seat belt installation on the Coccoro is the included rear facing lockoff, which is installed on the shoulder portion of the lap-shoulder belt. A lockoff can be used in place of the seat belt’s locking mechanism, and is essential if the vehicle’s seat belts do not lock.

The lockoff is installed on the shoulder belt only and slides down to meet the latchplate.

Combi Coccoro rear facing tethering

The Coccoro allows the top tether to be used when rear facing. To do this, use the enclosed d-ring to wrap around a fixed metal part of the floor – typically the leg of one of the front seats. Then attach the top tether and pull snug. Ensure your vehicle does not have any restrictions against this way of tethering: particularly in the case of advanced airbags that may prohibit storing anything underneath the front seats. Many vehicle manufacturers prohibit rear face tethering, so be sure to contact your manufacturer if you have any questions.

Combi Coccoro

The Coccoro allows forward facing from 20-40 lbs up to 40 inches and has 15″ top harness slots. The low top harness position means most children will outgrow the Coccoro forward facing by about age 3. Children of this age are safest rear facing, so the Coccoro is really best used as a rear facing seat.

Combi Coccoro forward facing lock off

Like rear facing, the Coccoro can be installed forward facing with either the lower anchors or seat belt and the tether. Using the tether is crucial, as it can greatly reduce the risk of injury in a crash. The Coccoro also has lockoffs for the seat belt when used forward facing. The forward facing lockoff is built into the seat and very easy to use: simply tighten the seat belt, thread the shoulder belt into the lock off and close.

Combi Coccoro puzzle buckle

The Coccoro features what is referred to as a “puzzle buckle.” Rather than pushing the tongues into the buckle individually, they must be held together and then pushed in as one assembly. The buckle also has an indicator on it that turns from red to green when the buckle is properly fastened.

Combi Coccoro- Jo is 4 lbs. and 17 inches

This is Jo, the CSFTL Huggable Images preemie. She is 4 lbs. and 17 inches. She does not meet the 19 inch minimum height, but you can see how well she fits in the Coccoro. The harness is below her shoulders and passes the pinch test. The harness covers can be a bit long, but they can be removed or they are easily squished to make sure the chest clip sits across the sternum in the proper place.

Combi Coccoro- Fiona is 7 lbs. and 17 inches

This is Fiona, the CSFTL Huggable Images infant. She is 7 lbs. and 17 inches. She too does not meet the 19 inch minimum height, but average newborns her size will. You can see she fits well in the Coccoro as well with the harness below her shoulders as well.

Combi Coccoro – 11 months, 17 lbs., and 28 inches

This model is 11 months, 17 lbs., and 28 inches. Even though her version of the Coccoro can remove the insert at 15 lbs., the new versions require it until 25 lbs. so this is a good visual of how it would look.

Combi Coccoro- Sophie, 3 years, 30 lbs., and 38 inches

This is the CSFTL Huggable Images preschooler. She is 3 years, 30 lbs., and 38 inches. You can see that even though she’s 2 inches over the rear facing height limit, she still fits well in the seat and has room above her head. She is over 25 lbs., so does no longer need the insert.

Combi Coccoro – 3 years, 30 lbs, and 37 inches

This model is 3 years, weighs 30 lbs, and is 37 inches tall. In terms of size, she’s almost identical to the doll above, but you can see she is over the shell of the Coccoro so outgrew rear facing a while ago. Her shoulders are even with the top harness slots so she has almost outgrown the seat.

Combi Coccoro FAA approval sticker

FAA Approval: Due to the Coccoro being lightweight and compact, it makes a great travel seat. It is FAA approved and has a sticker that can be shown to flight staff as needed. The manual also outlines how to install on an airplane.

Combi Coccoro on an airplane

Here we see our first model riding in her Coccoro on the airplane. The Coccoro is quite compact on the airplane seat so it’s a nice travel option. Taking a trip with your Little? Our articles Leaving on a Jet Plane and Terrific Car Seats for Travel can help you prepare for the journey.

Combi Coccoro storage for manual, lockoff, and d-ring

Manual storage: The Coccoro has a pocket that hangs from the top of the cover, over the back of the seat, that serves as storage for the manual, rear facing lockoff, and d-ring when not in use. This way you always have the manual handy when questions arise.