Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat Review for 2024

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Car Seat

There are plenty of infant car seats, and finding a good one can be quite challenging for new parents. Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 is a great infant car seat made by Graco Baby. The car seat provides ample comfort and safety for your baby.

When purchasing a car seat, your baby’s safety is a priority. All Graco infant car seats are Graco ProtectPlus Engineered. They have undergone comprehensive crash testing where the product exceeded the US FMVSS safety standards. According to the New Car Assessment Program, the car seats have undergone additional tests to ensure your baby’s maximum safety.

The SnugRide SnugLock has a higher quality and is more comfortable than other infant car seats at a similar price. The car seat has a simple and creative design and is compatible with all Graco strollers and bases.  In addition, you can use it on multiple vehicles using the American belt path or vehicle seat belt.

A Review of Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Car Seat

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Infant Car Seat

The rear-facing SnugRide SnugLock 35 is a well-fitting infant car seat that is installation-friendly even without the no-rethread harness feature. It comes with an infant insert to support preemies and is FAA-approved for air travel. The infant car seat can be installed with or without the base, and it has a seven-year expiry date from the manufacturing date.

Height and Weight Limits

The Graco infant car seat weighs 7.8 pounds and accommodates babies weighing 4 to 35 pounds with 32 inches or lower height. Thus, your baby can use the infant seat from newborn to toddler age. The infant seat also features an infant insert that provides body and head support to your tiny baby until they’re 12 pounds.

Design Features

The Graco SnugRide 35 has an adjustable base that gives you a customized fit for your vehicle. With four recline positions, the infant car seat offers ample comfort for your baby. The SnugRide SnugLock comes with a precise level indicator that enables you to install the car seat without any errors.

The Snugride SnugLock 35 is easy to install on all Graco Click Connect strollers using the Click Connect technology. It also connects to all Graco car seat bases. The infant seat cover is extended, with a peek-a-boo window that you can keep open for your baby to have a side view during strolling. You can also peep at your baby through it to check whether they’ve fallen asleep.

Design Features of Graco SnugLock

The SnugRide SnugLock also has a long comfortable adaptive handle for ease of use as you move with the car seat from one point to the other or from the vehicle to a stroller.

The car seat has a rotating canopy that provides shade and protects your baby against direct sunlight. The car seat has a snug lock arm on its base for ease of installation. The narrow base makes the car seat suitable for use in small cars or three across.

Safety Features

The Graco SnugRide 35 uses a five-point harness system to ensure your baby’s safety as they sit in the car seat. The car seat has been crash-tested and proven to provide side-impact protection, with the five-point harness system retaining the baby firmly in position. The SnugLock car seat meets or exceeds the US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213.

The SnugRide SnugLock is Graco ProtectPlus Engineered. It has undergone a combination of exhaustive crash tests to ensure your baby’s safety in case of frontal, rear, side, or rollover crashes. The SnugLock 35, similar to all Graco seats, has been tested for structural integrity using the US FMVSS 213 crash pulse.  You are assured of your child’s safety in extreme temperatures.

The car seat features an EPS energy-absorbing foam surrounding the seat to keep your baby safe from energies released during an impact.

The SnugRide SnugLock 35 is also equipped with Graco Safety Surround Technology which gives the best head protection for your baby at every stage. The car seat also grows with your child keeping them safe for longer.

Convenience Features

Since the car seat is compatible with all Graco Strollers, you can take a stroll with your baby at your convenience. The car seat also has a compartment where you can store latch connectors, the manual, or other items you may need as you travel with your baby.

The infant car seat is lightweight, so you can easily carry it as you walk or as you transfer it from your vehicle to a stroller and vice versa. The car seat cover is machine-washable. To clean the buckle, you have to avoid immersing it in water but shake it in a cup of water instead. You can wash the harness and the harness straps or latch straps with a damp cloth and mild soap.

Although the SnugRide SnugLock 35 has plenty of lovable features, it’s a budget-friendly infant car seat that you can readily afford.

The Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 model is available in various colors such as Tinley, Lake Green, Redmond, Oakley, and Ames so that you can pick your taste. As already mentioned, the expiry date is seven years from the manufacturing date, so you can hand it down to your soon-to-be-born child and enjoy the same benefits.

How to Install the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Car Seat

Latch Installation

The SnugRide SnugLock model has the Graco Click Connect technology, a feature that enables easy installation onto strollers. The Click Connect also makes installation by the latch system much easier in a car than using the vehicle seat belt.

You can install the base with latch anchors by hooking the lower latch connectors to your vehicle’s anchor bars.

Latch Installation Graco SnugLock

Vehicle Seat Belt Installation

Installation with the vehicle seat belt is the easiest method for this car seat model. The belt lock on the base helps in tightening the vehicle seat belt to ensure a perfect fit. The SnugRide SnugLock 35 has a built-in adjustment foot and an indicator level to ensure the correct installation of the base.

After adjusting the foot, raise the snug lock arm and place the vehicle seat belt past the belt path. Next, pull the shoulder belt, close the snug lock arm and check the tightness of the belt path with your hand.

Installation without the Base

Installation of the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 car seat model without a base is simple with an American belt path. The belt path will pass below a hook located at the back of the carrier. You can also use a European belt path instead.

Products Compatible with Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Car Seat

Graco SnugRide SnugLock Infant Car Seat Base

The base is equipped with SnugLock Technology which gives you an easy three-step installation. It is compatible with all Graco rear-facing infant car seats with the Click Connect feature. It uses the InRight LATCH system to give the most effortless LATCH installation. The base is adjustable and has four-recline positions to fit into your particular vehicle. The legible bubble indicator ensures an error-free installation.

Graco Modes Click Connect Stroller

The stroller connects to all Graco Infant car seats giving it a one-step attachment to make a convenient travel system. It is three strollers in one with an infant car seat carrier, an infant stroller, and a toddler stroller. It has ten riding options with a reversible stroller seat to enable your child to face you or face away.

The four-position reclining seat transforms into a comfortable infant carriage for your onboard child.  The front-facing toddler seat has a three-position footrest that grows with your child. In addition, the toddler seat has armrests and a removable child’s tray.

About Graco Baby Company

Graco is an American baby gear company located in High Point, North Carolina. It is a subsidiary of Newell Brands.

Graco Company designs Graco products with parents and their babies in mind. The company is a family of parents who’ve used Graco’s first car seats on their newborns before introducing them to others. Graco’s parents always team up to help other parents.

Founding

The company began as Graco Metal Products in 1942 but only produced its first baby product (a Swyngomatic automatic baby swing) in 1953, inspired by engineer Rex Thomas. The Swyngomatic swing designed by Rex Thomas and Graco engineer David Saint was sold in millions elevating Graco to the world’s leading baby gear manufacturers.

Products

Graco produces various baby gear products for infants, toddlers, and big kids; the products include play yards, travel systems, strollers, high chairs, and infant car seats. The company focuses on high-quality production, comfort for babies, and convenience for parents.

Awards

Graco products have won many awards, including the Ovia Family Awards 2020, the Cribsie Award 2020, and Parents Best for Baby Awards 2021. Additionally, Graco was rated as America’s number one car seat brand by the NPD Group according to the 2019 Market Data on the units sold.

Safety Review on Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Car Seat

The car seat’s standards meet or exceed the US FMVSS 213 and have passed through other rigorous testings by its manufacturer to ensure maximum safety for your child. The company has invested safety technologies within its seats to make them safest for your child. The Click Connect and SnugLock technology secure your child within the carrier.  In contrast, the side-impact, frontal and rear technologies protect the child in the case of an accident.

Benefits of the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Car Seat

  • The car seat keeps your child safe from birth up to a maximum weight of 35 pounds and height of 32 inches.
  • The SnugRide SnugLock 35 saves you time as you can install it within seconds.
  • The car seat and all its parts are easy to clean.
  • You can carry the car seat from one location to the other due to its lightweight.
  • Since it is FAA-approved, you can use it during your air travels.
  • You can use the SnugLock 35 on various vehicles since it’s easy to install without a base.
  • It’s compatible with all Graco strollers, so you can use it when shopping or strolling.
  • The car seat is affordable and compact enough to fit three across or use in small cars.

Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Car Seat

The car seat is lightweight and compatible with all Graco Click Connect Strollers. It accommodates babies weighing 4-35 lbs and a height of up to 32 inches. Like all Graco seats, the Click Connect 35 model has been crash-tested and meets or exceeds the US safety standards.

The Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 model is now overtaken by a newer one, the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35, which has all the Click Connect features and an added one-second installation feature.

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Competition

Cybex Aton 2 Car Seat

Cybex Aton 2 infant car seat accommodates babies weighing up to 35 lbs and a height of 30 inches. It is rear-facing and has a removable newborn insert to support tiny infants weighing 4-11 pounds. It has a built-in SensorSafe technology that sends you alerts when your child unbuckles, sits unattended for too long, or is left behind.

The car seat features linear side-impact protection and a stability leg to reduce crash forces by 50%. You can use a European belt routing system for installation without a base. It has a comfortable padded seat and a five-point harness system.

Although Cybex Aton 2 has many functional features, Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 exceeds them all. Additionally, Cybex isn’t as easy to install as the SnugLock 35. Cybex is also more expensive and heavier than the SnugLock 35.

Final Thoughts

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 is the best option for parents who prioritize safety and value quality. The SnugLock 35 is one of the safest and easiest to install car seat models in the market. Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 also meets all your expectations in quality, ease of use, and affordability.

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