Kiddy CruiserUSA
The Kiddy CruiserUSA took an old favorite — the Kiddy CruiserFix Pro high back booster seat — and updated it in some very nice ways. This well-fitting high back booster seat offers a number of great ease of use and comfort features. It was on the market for mere weeks before Kiddy stopped selling seats in the United States. We’re quite sad to see that it’s no longer being sold.
CSFTL Quick Stats
- High back booster weight range: 33-120 pounds
- High back booster height range: 38-63 inches tall
- Highest booster guide position: 21.5 inches
- Expiration: 8 years
- Does not become a backless booster
- Replace after 10 mph or faster crash
- Does not require a vehicle head restraint behind it
- Required to be flush against the vehicle seat back
Features
- Rigid lower anchor connectors
- Adjustable length leg support
- Torso support widens as the child grows and the headrest is raised
- IIHS Best Bet booster fit
Super Sad Note About Availability
Shortly after we wrote this review, Kiddy USA let us know that they’re no longer in the market in the United States. The seats are still being sold but as far as we know, no new seats were brought to the United States after mid 2017.
Unique Features
Rigid Lower Anchors
Kiddy CruiserUSA rigid lower anchors
A couple of things make the CruiserUSA unique. The seat includes rigid lower anchors to connect the booster seat to the vehicle when it’s not occupied instead of buckling the unoccupied booster seat into the vehicle. These anchor connectors also keep the booster in place when the child is getting situated. For my kiddo, this is a HUGE plus!
Thigh Extension Panel
Kiddy CruiserUSA thigh panel extended
The CruiserUSA also includes an adjustable thigh extension panel. Some of our longer-legged models find that this panel really adds to their overall comfort as they’ve grown. We welcome anything that helps booster riders keep on riding in that booster seat until they can pass the Five Step Test to ride in an adult seat belt alone.
Assembly
Kiddy CruiserUSA in the box
The CruiserUSA ships fully assembled. Just remove it from the box and it’s ready to go! Well, I guess you should remove the plastic wrap first.
Setup: Rigid Lower Anchors
Rigid Lower Anchor connectors can be used to connect the CruiserUSA to the vehicle. To install the seat, first squeeze the handle on the front of the booster seat to extend the lower anchor connectors. Line the connectors up with lower anchors in the vehicle, then push the seat back until they lock in place. The indicators on the sides of each connector will display a green indicator when it’s correctly attached to the lower anchor. This indicator will be red when the connector is not connected correctly.
To remove these lower anchor connectors, release the button on the outside of the connectors. Do this on each side, then pull the CruiserUSA off of the anchors.
Lower Anchor Connector Guides
Kiddy CruiserUSA lower anchor connector guides
The CruiserUSA includes some lower anchor connector guides that can make attaching the lower anchors connectors on the booster seat to the lower anchors in the vehicle a bit easier. They’re not helpful in all vehicles but they’re a nice option for some hard-to-reach lower anchors.
Fit to Child
7 Years Old
Kiddy CruiserUSA 7 years old
Here’s our 7 year old model. She weighs 63 pounds and is 50 inches tall. While she’s got a bit of room to grow yet in the CruiserUSA, she doesn’t have a ton of extra height left in this seat She’ll end up needing a taller high back booster seat before she’s ready for a backless booster seat. She did find it quite comfortable and was pretty amused by the thigh extension panel.
Important Information: Where to Find
Kiddy CruiserUSA: not approved for airplane use
FAA Approval: the CruiserUSA doesn’t have a harness so it’s not approved for use on aircraft. It’s not particularly small or lightweight so we couldn’t see many families choosing to check this seat on airplanes for use at their destination. There’s a label prohibiting airplane use on the bottom of the seat’s base.
Kiddy CruiserUSA date of manufacture label
Date of manufacture: the CruiserUSA expires 8 years after the date of manufacture, which is listed on a label on the bottom of the seat.
Kiddy CruiserUSA manual storage
Manual storage: the manual stores on the back of the seat in a clear plastic pocket.
Overall Thoughts
Though it was short-lived on store shelves, the CruiserUSA was a solid option for our model at the time. It was comfortable, easy to use, never had issues with the seat belt retracting. The thigh extension panel was a nice bonus and the rigid lower anchors kept the seat in place while my kiddo got into the seat.
