Two popular child car seats didn't hold up in a Consumer Reports crash test - but they both meet government standards
Consumer Reports found that the Diono LiteClik30 XT car seat and the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 Urban Mobility baseless infant seat have 'significant structural integrity issues' despite meeting 'federal safety standards,' the organization announced earlier this month.
The nonprofit tests their car seats in crashes going 35 mph, making them more rigorous than federal crash tests which are done at 30 mph. The organization says their tests are also 'designed to better represent an actual vehicle and rear seat area.'
In two of the three rear-facing crash tests, the Diono car seat detached from its base, sending the car seat flying while the dummy — specified to a 12-month-old's average height and weight — was strapped in.
'A car seat that does this in a crash poses an increased risk for the child, especially because many crashes aren't single-impact events,' the organization said. 'Imagine a crash where the impact on a vehicle comes from multiple directions, or a crash that's followed by a rollover.'
Consumer Reports added that the carrier remained attached when installed with the 'lower latch anchors and the dummy inside.'
Meanwhile, the Peg Perego model had a 'significant[ly]' cracked seat shell along internal seams of the seatback in all four rear-facing crash tests, according to Consumer Reports.
'When the carrier was installed with the lower anchors and the dummy that was similar to a year-old child, the cracking was so severe that multiple pieces of the shell came off, and the crotch buckle pulled completely through the shell,' the organization said, adding the cracking causes an 'increased risk of injury' during a crash.
If your child is using one of these car seats, Consumer Reports recommends continuing use until you can buy a safer model, as well as reaching out to the manufacturers for more information.
'Using a car seat that shows damage in our crash testing is better than not using one at all,' the organization said.
Consumer Reports also said parents using these car seats with a child close to 22 pounds or approaching their first birthday should '[make] the move to a rear-facing convertible or all-in-one car seat a bit sooner.'
The Independent has contacted Diono and Peg Perego for comment.
Diono told Consumer Reports it is investigating the findings.
'We are always looking to find ways of making our seats safer and more reliable,' a company spokesperson told Consumer Reports.
A Peg Perego spokesperson told Consumer Reports the company conducted new crash tests after the organization reached out and didn't see the same results.
'These tests, conducted in multiple configurations, did not reveal any structural breakages or raise any concerns about the product's integrity, and the car seat also showed strong dynamic performance results,' the spokesperson said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
New or used? Trump's tax break changes the math for car buyers.
For value-minded consumers, used cars are generally considered a better deal than new cars. Does the new Trump tax break change that equation? The One Big Beautiful Bill Act promises 'No Tax on Car Loan Interest.' It's one of several novel tax cuts in the new law. Here's what the 'no tax' provision actually means: Between now and 2028, car buyers may deduct the interest they pay on new car loans. The tax break goes away in 2029. There are several caveats. Among them: President Donald Trump tailored the tax break to reward automakers for building vehicles in America, and consumers for buying them. Is the 'Big Beautiful' tax break a game-changer? Is the new deduction big enough to change the dynamics of the car marketplace? Probably not, experts say. 'It may very slightly privilege the vehicles that are built domestically,' said Sean Tucker, lead editor at Kelley Blue Book. 'But in the end, we don't think this will have too much of an impact. It's just not a big number, and it's not going to be around for a while.' First of all, let's make this clear: The tax break is a deduction, not a credit. Tax credits reduce how much tax you owe: A $10,000 tax credit lowers your tax bill by $10,000. Tax deductions reduce your taxable income. If you're paying a 22% tax rate, a $10,000 deduction lowers your tax bill by $2,200. 'The $10,000 sounds really, really good, but the final number on the tax savings will be a surprise for a lot of taxpayers,' said Miklos Ringbauer, a CPA in Southern California. In practice, few taxpayers are likely to ring up anywhere near $10,000 in deductible interest on a new-car loan, according to auto-industry experts. Consumer Reports estimates the average buyer might save about $500 a year with the new tax break, 'which isn't nothing,' said Keith Barry, senior autos reporter. 'But the difference in cost between a new car and a used one could easily be in the thousands of dollars.' A $23k price gap separates new and used cars The average new car sold for $48,907 in June, according to Kelley Blue Book. The average used car listed for $25,512 in early July. The price difference works out to just over $23,000. All else being equal, that figure – $23,000 – is how much you'd have to save from the new tax deduction to make a new car a better deal than a used one. 'We're finding that on the average loan now, the buyer's paying about $2,000 a year in interest,' Tucker said. The new tax break, he said, 'would save them about $400.' With $400 in annual savings, it would take about 58 years to save $23,000 on a new car loan. Car loans are getting longer, but not that long. Of course, there are good reasons why new cars cost more than used ones. A new car is likely to last longer than a used vehicle. New cars often have generous warranties. Repair costs rise with the age of the vehicle. New car buyers pay a premium Car buyers pay an inordinate premium for new vehicles. An old axiom holds that a new car loses $1,000 in value when you drive it off the lot. That figure is hopelessly dated, given the rising cost of new cars. In fractional terms, new vehicles lose at least 10% of their value on the first day you own them, and 10% to 15% percent of value per year after that, according to Bankrate. Another perk for new car buyers: New-car loans tend to carry lower interest rates than used-car loans. The average annual percentage rate in June was 10.9% for used vehicles, 7.3% for new ones, according to Edmunds. Because borrowing costs are lower for new cars, a tax deduction on the interest might be less meaningful on those transactions, car experts say. However, the tax break could prove useful for new-car buyers with lower credit scores, because they tend to pay higher interest rates. 'It actually helps the people in the most need,' said Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds. 'If you are repairing your credit, if you have tarnished credit, if you have no credit, this stands to benefit you the most.' How to determine if a car was 'made in USA' Trump's new-car tax break may not be a game-changer, analysts say, but it could nudge some new-car buyers toward vehicles assembled in the United States. Roughly half of new vehicles sold in the United States last month were manufactured in this country, Drury said. To qualify for the deduction, a car or truck must have its 'final assembly' in the United States. That information is listed on a vehicle information label, generally affixed to the car window at the dealership. A federal VIN Decoder can also tell you where a vehicle was assembled. Don't assume 'imports' are built in other countries. Many are assembled in U.S. plants. And many 'American' cars are assembled abroad. If you walk into a new car showroom any time soon, the sales staff will probably have the information at their fingertips. 'Is the dealer going to talk this up?' Drury said. 'You'd better believe it.'
The Drive
3 days ago
- The Drive
Volvo Is in Trouble and Its Solutions Are Two Years Away
The latest car news, reviews, and features. When Volvo reflects on 2025 down the line, history will either define it as a rebuilding year, or the year things definitively took a turn for the worse. After losing over $1 billion globally through the second quarter of 2025, the Swedish automaker reported a 14% drop in global sales for this past July. It comes on the heels of 12% year-over-year drops for June and May each, and an overall 10% slide over the first seven months of this year, cumulatively. You don't have to be an investor to recognize that the numbers are moving in the wrong direction. Volvo says it's taken steps to mitigate the blow, but they're not roundly encouraging. On the one hand, the company cut 3,000 jobs globally. On the other, it's finally moved to build its XC60 SUV—its best-selling model in North America—at its Ridgeville, South Carolina facility to avoid tariffs. The only problem is, XC60s won't begin rolling off the production line there until 2027. Provided all goes according to plan, it'll be joined by the XC90 a year later. We'll be in a presidential election and subsequently have a new administration by the time this all takes place. Meanwhile, Volvo's electric flagship—the EX90—hasn't launched in the best shape, to put it mildly. Consumer Reports published an alarming list of issues it encountered with its SUV, which starts at $81,290. From third-row seats that have trouble folding due to overheating motors, to blind spot warning alarms that go off when the car is stationary, to the audio system randomly going silent, their experience with the EX90 didn't exactly prop up Volvo's reputation for quality. The interior of the Volvo EX90. Volvo On the other end of the spectrum, the plucky EX30—which has suffered glitches of its own—finally hit dealers earlier this year for about $10K more than initially advertised. The government's tariff frenzy obviously isn't Volvo's fault, but it is yet another frustration in a time of many for the company. It may have to adjust its mix of hybrids versus fully electric models, as global sales of the latter specifically are down 23% from January through July. Plug-in hybrids are off less than one percentage point, while ICE cars and mild hybrids are 7% down compared to 2024's first seven months. Whatever Volvo introduces in the future to stem this tide, it won't look like what the brand has shown us before. The ES90's raised ride height, despite being a sedan, is no accident. Volvo is an SUV-first brand now and, in the words of its recently departed CEO, it's more likely to tweak proven models like the XC60 with unique trim packages than introduce a wholly new, yet niche wagon. If that is what Volvo is now, fair enough. But it still needs to execute those products properly—and that includes their software. Got a tip? Email us at tips@
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
5 affordable new cars that Consumer Reports recommends
While inflation rates have fallen substantially from their June 2022 peak of 9.1%, consumer prices are still rising, and the wave of tariffs introduced by the Trump administration in 2025 - particularly on the auto industry - has been putting increased pressure on manufacturers and retailers to pass these tax costs onto consumers. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter As Americans' purse strings continue to tighten, many consumers nevertheless find themselves needing to purchase a new vehicle. And when it comes to commuting, transporting family members, traveling, and running crucial errands, safety and performance are paramount - that's why even frugal car shoppers need to know that the vehicle they choose is going to keep their families safe on the road and remain mechanically reliable for the long haul. When it comes to balancing bargain shopping with discernment, nonprofit auto evaluator Consumer Reports can be a great resource. Related: 6 U.S.-assembled cars that minimize tariffs according to Consumer Reports Consumer Reports, founded in 1936, is a longstanding nonprofit that advocates for transparency and accountability in major consumer products. The firm buys and tests staple big-ticket items - like automobiles, home appliances, and electronics - anonymously and at full price before testing them rigorously at its facilities to evaluate their safety, reliability, and efficiency. Most products are tested at one of the org's 63 labs within its Westchester County, New York, but when it comes to cars and trucks, CR operates a massive, 327-acre auto testing facility and driving course in rural Connecticut. The nonprofit's professional drivers evaluate everything from acceleration to comfort to braking to safety features. Additionally, CR surveys its millions of members annually about their own cars, asking them about any mechanical issues they've run into. The data garnered from these auto surveys, spanning decades of survey results from millions of members, allows CR to compile reliability data on how specific models tend to perform over time, how likely they are to experience issues in specific problem areas, require frequent repairs, and so on. Using this info, CR creates reliability scores for each auto model and model year. Related: The most satisfying new cars & SUVs, according to Consumer Reports Consumer Reports also partners with TrueCar, a service that connects car buyers with dealerships, to track average transaction prices, which often vary from manufacturers' suggested retail prices (MSRP). According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new car in June 2025 was $48,907. Each of the five new cars listed here has been selling for well under half that price (each one has an average June '25 transaction price of under $24k) - and they all earned Consumer Reports' coveted "CR-Recommended" distinction, meaning they met or exceeded the organization's expectations in terms of safety, performance, and reliability. Hyundai MSRP: $17,190–$21,190TrueCar average transaction price: $20,907Average MPG: 32 Nissan MSRP: $21,590–$24,590TrueCar average transaction price: $21,389Average MPG: 32 MSRP: $17,190–$21,190TrueCar average transaction price: $21,545Average MPG: 32 Toyota MSRP: $22,325–$28,190TrueCar average transaction price: $22,513Average MPG: 36 Hyundai MSRP: $22,125–$35,850TrueCar average transaction price: $23,212Average MPG: 33 Related: 10 cars to avoid according to their current owners (via Consumer Reports) The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
