Maxi Cosi Mico 30 Reviews: What Every City Dweller Parent Needs to Know?

When you think about ultimate travel systems, your mind wanders off to Maxi Cosi strollers, am I right? This is due to the fact that they have the best car seat stroller compatibility on the market and offer easy installation even for pregnant mommas!

Well, if you are someone who struggles with getting the infant car seat installed in your vehicle and you don't want to spend hours trying to figure out the entire system, I got you!

We will be looking at the Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 infant car seat! It's compatible with Maxi-Cosi strollers and other brands, is available in neutral colors, so it's gender-friendly, and has a revolutionary fabric design!

However, as the years passed by, the brand stayed at the top of the game and developed an even more advanced version by the name of Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 infant car seat, so stick around to hear all about it as well!

The Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 is an infant car seat that is lightweight and easy to install thanks to the LATCH system that allows secure installation with an audible click.

It's compatible with Maxi-Cosi strollers and other brands on the market and includes a carry handle so you can quickly transfer it from the car to the stroller.

As one of the most significant selling points, the Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 infant car seat is suitable for those living in warmer and humid climates as the self-wicking fabric deodorizes and draws moisture from the baby's skin.

PRICE: Less than $300

A Few Words About the Product

The infant car seat by Maxi-Cosi is an excellent option for parents who travel a lot as it is FAA-approved, lightweight, and can be installed without the base. It's easy to carry from car to car and includes an infant insert for smaller infants, which is excellent for the first few months.

It lacks a few of the basic safety features that its opponent includes, but it's still a great option worth checking out if you are on a budget looking for an infant car seat!

Get the Maxi Cosi Mico 30 HERE

Get the Maxi-Cosi Mico Max Car Seat HERE

Maxi Cosi Mico 30 Reviews: The Overview

Some say that the Maxi Cosi Mico 30 is among the safest infant car seats. Considering this is a pretty serious claim to make, I decided to give this bad boy a test run!

Overall, I was pretty pleased with the car seat when it came to installation and comfort, but some features needed to be taken care of.

We will talk about this extensively below when we discuss the disadvantages, but for now, let's see what you can expect from this infant car seat.

For starters, it's aimed at infants and supports them from 4-30 pounds. Compared with the upgraded Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30, the design is similar. Both car seats come in neutral coloring and other distinct colors you can choose.

However, due to the weight limit and the overall design of the car seat, it's more suitable for smaller babies. So don't be so surprised when you notice your baby has overgrown their car seat quicker than you expected. This is one of the catches of the Maxi-Cosi car seats. So if you want an infant car seat you can use for longer, try the Safety 1st Onboard 35 LT Infant Car Seat.

As a city mom, this infant car seat has been a lifesaver! Thanks to the American Belt Path, the car seat is easy to install without the base. Compared to the European Belt Path, which is safer with the shoulder belt going through the belt guide, this one is quicker and more manageable if you install the car seat in an Uber or Taxi.

Or, you can install it with the lower anchors and the base!

City dwellers, you know what to do!

1. Safety features

I have to be honest; Maxi Cosi Mico 30 does not boast too much about safety features. Don't get me wrong, it's still safe to use, but it does lack some of the fancy additions that other car seats of this price range have.

For instance, this model does not include a load leg and an anti-rebound bar, but thankfully Maxi-Cosi Mico Max does! The anti-rebound bar is necessary if you want to prevent sudden movements. Plus, it prevents the car seat from bouncing up and down when you go over bumpy roads. So could you go without it? Yes, you could, but I would always opt for a safer option in this case.

In addition, the Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 features the well-known Air Protect system that offers side impact protection in frontal, rear, side, and rollover crashes. Furthermore, the seat uses EPP foam, which is safe and comfortable for the little passenger in the back.

The Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 infant car seat features side impact protection with plush side cushions.

One of the features that I love most for infants is the Cozi-Dozi infant insert! Not only is the name of the insert appealing, but it's super helpful for smaller babies by supporting the proper head posture and the headrest pad.

When I first unboxed the car seat, I thought I was missing the manual! Just my luck! However, it's neatly hidden in the car seat with a tag attached to it, so you don't misplace it! I thought this was genius, especially if you plan to sell the car seat or donate it after your kid is done using it. In this case, it's always helpful if you send in the manual with the car seat so its next owner will know how to handle it.

2. Complete travel system friendly

You will love that the Maxi-Cosi car seat is completely travel system friendly! They have excellent stroller compatibility, and I'm not talking only of Maxi-Cosi! The car seats are compatible with lots of other brands.

That being said, you can use the car seats with any of the Maxi-Cosi strollers, Baby Jogger, Cybex, Nuna, Quinny strollers, Peg Perego, UPPAbaby, Bugaboo, and lots of others! It's a great way to complete a travel system if you already own a stroller from these brands.

However, I noticed that it does not snugly fit on all strollers. Because it will require an adapter, it might take effort to get the proper fit in some brands. So far, Maxi-Cosi is one of the top versatile car seats you can match with up to 50 strollers on the market.

3. Comfort goes a long way

When picking out the right infant car seat, you want to ensure it's comfortable and safe. This one does not only deliver comfort for the baby but also the parent! For instance, the handle on both Maxi-Cosi 30 and Maxi Cosi Mico Maxi is contoured and ergonomically shaped so you can comfortably handle the infant carrier.

It was a nightmare trying to clean out the dirty spots with my previous car seat. But, with Maxi-Cosi seats, I had no issue whatsoever! This is because their infant car seats include so-called self-wicking fabrics. What's that, you wonder? Well, the superb material is a god-sent, I'm telling you!

We live in a warmer climate, so I needed to get a breathable car seat cover that won't make my baby's skin itch or sweaty. The fabric on these infant car seats is designed to draw the moisture from the baby and deodorize any smell caused by the humidity.

As for the cleaning, you can easily remove the fabrics and wash them! The material looks and feels great. However, I would advise you to stick to the instructions for cleaning. Although the fabrics are machine washable, you must follow the directions as some parents have noticed color-fading and shrinking of the fabric.

3. Planning a trip? No problem!

We were planning a trip recently, and this was the second time we were flying with a newborn! However, it was my first time using a new car seat, so you can only guess how nervous I was. So, if you were considering getting the best infant car seat for traveling, then look no further!

Both Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 and Mico 30 are great travel companions as they fall in the category of lighter car seats. Of course, most car seats have better advantages for airplane rides, but what about when you get off the plane? Do you want to carry a bulky and heavy car seat on your way to the taxi or hotel? I didn't think so!

Maxi-Cosi seats are lightweight at only 8.9 lbs! Of course, this is the weight without the base, but considering the car seat allows for baseless installation, this is a win-win combo! This brings me to my next point. Of course, you want to pack lightly when traveling, but that's not always possible with all the baby gear. Nonetheless, you don't need to carry the slightly heavy car seat base every time you need to install the car seat, which makes your travels much more manageable but does not compromise the baby car safety.

Did I mention that both Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 and Mico 30 are FAA approved? Just show the label to the flight attendants if required, and you are good to go! It fits great in every seat and does not take too much space.

4. Canopy & sun protection

We have arrived at the most controversial part of the Maxi-Cosi car seats. By far, you can see that Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 and Mico 30 are incredibly similar and only differ by a few qualities. However, the canopy is pretty much similar in quality when it comes to the canopy.

The Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 comes with an extendable canopy with a flip-out visor, whereas the regular Mico 30 infant car seat has a standard canopy design. However, the quality of both of the car seats is not the best.

Many parents, including myself, have complained about the bad design and how it simply won't stay up! This was so frustrating on the warmer days when I wanted to use the car seat with the stroller.

I appreciate that the canopy is oversized and extensive, but it was a nightmare to fix it somehow. Plus, it won't be the best fit in smaller back seat vehicles due to the large footprint.

5. Which one should you choose?

Although we focused more on the Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 in this review, we could not see past its upgraded version that sounds much more appealing! So, which one is the better and safer option?

Both car seats are great for compact cars, have a baseless installation, and are lightweight, great for city dwellers or travelers. However, if you want a bit more safety, I recommend going with the Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30. With the addition of air protection side impact protection, you can rest assured your kiddo is safe in the rear, side, rollover, and frontal crashes. The anti-rebound bar is also nice to have around when you want to maximize the safety of your rear-facing baby.

However, considering your baby can use this car seat for a year or so due to the smaller weight limit, you can always go for the budget Mico 30 alternative. Then, as the baby grows, you can easily take out the infant insert and allow for some commotion.

6. Disadvantages of Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 infant car seat

You noticed that this is not the "world's most perfect car seat," right? Although it has excellent advantages such as premium fabrics that keep the baby dry, harness covers, lightweight, infant head, seat pad, and fantastic travel system compatibility, it has some flaws.

I mentioned the flimsy canopy that refuses to stay up occasionally, for starters. So if you take your baby out on a windy day, say goodbye to the upright canopy.

The other thing I did not like was that you would need to rethread the harness as your little one grows. Some parents did not mind this, but I sure did! It wasn't tricky to adjust the harness, but considering that other seats of this price range have no-rethread harnesses, I questioned my decision.

An obvious downside is the lack of recline positions in the car seat base, as well as the anti-rebound bar and load leg. These add more safety and a sound mind for the parent, but thankfully you can always get the Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 with these features.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, but only if you have a compatible stroller and create a travel system. The weight capacity is too low, considering your baby can use this car seat for about a year or so. Plus, other infant car seats have much bigger advantages than the Mico 30.

FAQs

Is Maxi Cosi a good car seat brand?

Maxi-Cosi is a popular car seat brand and currently is one of the top-selling! They have a wide range of car seats and strollers, while the price range is affordable and high-end.

Nonetheless, the safety ratings for Maxi-Cosi's car seats are exceptional, and they resemble Chicco the most when it comes to child safety in transport.

How safe is Maxi Cosi Mico 30?

The Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 infant car seat is safe, but it does lack some safety features we usually see in these types of car seats. For example, although it features side impact protection, the Mico 30 infant car seat does lack an anti-rebound bar.

However, the Maxi Cosi Mico Max 30 infant car seat does include upgraded features, so it's a far smarter option if you are looking for added safety.

How long can you use the Maxi Cosi Mico 30?

The Maxi Cosi Mico 30 infant car seat can be used for infants with a weight limit between 4 and 30 pounds who are 32 inches tall.

Can you use Maxi Cosi Mico Max 30 without base?

Yes, you can use the rear-facing Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 without the base and install it only with a vehicle seat belt.

This is one of the top-selling points for Maxi Cosi Mico Max 30, allowing for effortless installation. Plus, the stay-in-car base is excellent if you are traveling and often use public transportation.

What is the difference between Maxi Cosi Mico 30 and Max 30?

The Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 is an upgraded version of the original Maxi-Cosi Mico 30 car seat. The main difference is that the Maxi Cosi Mico Max 30 includes an anti-rebound bar and includes an Air Protect system for side impact protection.

Also, a minor difference is found in the weight limit in which you can use Mico 30 from 5 pounds, but Max 30 can be used from 4 pounds.

Final Words

Bottom line, the Maxi Cosi Mico 30 is a great rear-facing car seat with effortless installation and a lightweight design. It can be installed with the base or without it and works well for city dwellers or those living in warmer climates due to the moisture drawing fabric!

I do wish it had the benefits that the Maxi Cosi Mico Max 30 offers, but it's a terrific choice if you are on a tight budget. Otherwise, both rear-facing car seats are excellent stroller-compatible models you can even take on an airplane!