As moms, I think one of the most important decisions we make for our kids is which car seat to use. There are so many out there, and for me, it comes down to the safety and comfort of my child. When I was sent a Diono RadianRXT car seat to review, I honestly feel that I got both of these qualities!
You may not recognize the name Diono right away. The brand used to operate as Sunshine Kids, so you may be more familiar with that name. I was thrilled the day the large Diono box showed up at our door! My son was getting too big for his current car seat, so I knew we’d have to replace it soon. I like that the car seat has a steel alloy frame, which is one of the reasons I knew it would be perfect for us. You can’t get much more durable and protective than steel alloy!
Upon removing the seat from the box, there were a few things we had to do to get it ready for the car. We had to put in the proper padding for a toddler and adjust the straps accordingly. The instructions were easy to follow and we had it set up in no time. I love the fact that there is SO much padding in this car seat! Seriously, it makes the previous car seats we’ve used look a bit uncomfortable and unsafe in regards to the padding.
Putting the Diono RadianRXT into the car was a breeze as well. We forward faced the carseat into the middle of the back seat, and my husband had it in place in less than 5 minutes. Then came the ultimate test: Putting the kiddo in it and seeing how well he liked it.
As you can see in the bigger photo below, he was a little unsure at first. It was something new, and he was very curious of the padding on each side of his head. He is able to sit up better than in his previous car seat, and I think that has made his car rides much more enjoyable. He can see out the windshield and know where we are going. He sat lower in his previous seat and couldn’t see much. Once he got used to it, I believe he liked being able to sit up more like a big boy!
I really love the look of this car seat as well as the safety and quality of it. The dark color, Shadow as Diono calls it, hides spills well…and it matches my husband’s car interior almost perfectly.
The fabric of the car seat cleans up SUPER easy, as we quickly figured out when my son got car sick on the way to a blogging conference this past weekend. It was able to be cleaned with lots of wipes until we could get to the hotel and remove it from the car to properly clean it…and there wasn’t even a smell left behind! Plus it dries quickly, so there was no wait before we put it back into the car.
Speaking of the road trip to the conference, the drive was 5 hours one way. On the way over, my son slept for almost the first 3 hours. He has NEVER done that in a car, so it must be really comfortable. Even after he woke up, he was content in the seat – until he got sick, of course. 
The Diono RadianRXT is very narrow, and can fit three car seats easily into one row of seating within most vehicles. This is great if you have multiple children that still need the protection of a car seat. Also, when removing it from the car when the kiddo isn’t riding with us, there are several ways to transport it. I personally like folding it up and tossing it over my shoulder. It comes with one cup holder that can be moved to four different slots, depending on preference. More cup holders can be purchased separately for the seat.
Two other things I really like about the RadianRXT is, firstly, the ability to use this carseat from 5 lbs to 120 lbs. With this one, you probably wouldn’t have to upgrade, as your child can use it from birth until they are sitting in a regular seat! It’s the highest rear facing seat on the market, so it’s definitely safe for little ones. Oh, and there are tons of adjustments you can do to the car seat to accommodate your growing kid – so they are always comfy and well protected!
Secondly, I love that the seat has a 10-year lifespan, whereas many other car seats on the market only have a 5-year life. If we have a second child in the next couple years, we would probably use this seat for it and just get a booster for the kiddo, because it would be much cheaper than an infant seat that we’d eventually replace with this one anyway!
BUY IT: Check out the Diono RadianRXT on the brand’s website, www.diono.com. Be sure to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter too!
Disclosure: I received a free product from Diono in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% mine and are not influenced by compensation or any outside influences.
I would personally like to thank Diono for allowing us to review this car seat as well as for sponsoring Southern Girl Ramblings in the upcoming “Summer Solstice” giveaway event. If you would like to win a Diono RadianRXT in the color of your choice, please come back on Monday, June 18 to enter!
About Kecia
Looks like a really great car seat…looking forward to the giveaway!
Looks like a great carseat! We are out of that stage (sadly), but I will pass this review on to others I know with little ones.
That really does look like a great car seat and super comfy!
Looks Awesome….I pass this on to my son and daughter-in-law. (Expecting a baby!)
Awesome giveaway!
This looks like a great car seat. I am going to check them out for my son!
Is this contest going to be open to Canada or just US?
It will be US only.
My little one will be growing out of his car seat soon. I really like the looks of this one and I love getting a review from a mom that is using it. Thank you.
Have to say after MUCH research this carseat is the best out there! I will be having my third child soon and I can see no better seat than the Diono Radian for my girls.
Wow, this looks fantastic! I love that is is narrow enough to fit three across the backseat.
I appreciate the honest review. I have to say that the safety features really wins me over and the size sounds great too!
This fabric material looks extremely comfortable! I think this seat would fit my grandson great!
Wow, that looks comfier than a lot of chairs I sit in on a regular basis!
looks like they really worked out a lot of features on this one to make it very usable.
Thanks for a great review! I love that it’s made from steel alloy. It’s also nice that it looks easy to install AND easy to clean- I’d love to have one of these for my little one who’s getting bigger!
Read the review and it was very informative. I agree about the durability of the steel alloy frame. Easy cleanup? Wow, that is impressive. The car seats I have used were not very easy to cleanup. I love the car seat in red. I just found out about the lifespans of carseats. I took my car seat out of the car to clean (quite a tedious job) and found that it has a “Do Not Use After Date” on it. I didn’t realize car seats expired. My car seat expires in 3 months. I have only had it one year. I could really use a new one. I have 3 little ones that I have with me all the time.
Really glad to know how well it cleans! That is one of my biggest pet peeves about one I have. I also like how you said he can see out the window because it sits higher. That is a plus in my book too.
That is a super nice seat I love all the padding I bet it would be very protective if there was a (god forbid) crash.
IT’s so nice to know that it is easy to clean! I have heard lots of good about the safety features of this seat, but i’d wondered about that! It really does match your car’s interior,too.
I cannot tell you how much I would love one of these. The more reviews I read the more I want one. Thank you for bringing me yet another chance to win one!
This is AWESOME!
I love how you can fit three across. That is great for multiple kids as well as carpooling.
That really does look like a great car seat. Plus I love the colors (I have a boy).
I love that the weight limit goes up so high. I have only heard great things about these car seats.
My boys always get their car seat dirty the fact that its easy to clean is great!
I love how this seat has a 10 year life. My oldest was 10½ before he reached 4’9 and could come out of the booster.
Just commented on the other post about how comfy and safe it looks! Love it, and love that its easy to keep clean! btw adorable little one!!! =)
Very nice! Your information was presented in a straightforward manner, was concise, specific to the audience, and very relevant. Definitely applause!
I love that this could last all the way to 120lbs
Wish I knew about these seats before my baby. We are on our third seat because of outgrowing the other two.
Oh how I know how important (and hard) it can be to find a narrow enough car seat to fit 3 in the backseat! We’re getting past that, as my oldest can ride up front, middle in a booster, and just one still in a full car seat but it’s so tricky! And even now we’re holding off on purchasing the 3rd row seating vehicle we need so space is still tight! Love being a Mom of many but I must say it does come with alot of equipment duties! Hahahaha Dance, soccer, baseball, ect….
our 3 year old grandson really needs a new carseat for our car…he always says his back hurts when he is in it… the diono radian looks so nice!
Love the life span and thanks for the part about cleaning up the vomit. My boys have reflux and long car rides usually end up with someone getting sick.
The carseat has so many wonderful benefits, including being able to use it from birth on and the extended life line. So glad your son loved it so much he was able to get comfortable in it and sleep.
I love that it’s easy to clean (!!), is both safe and comfortable, and comes in several color choices!
i’ve been wanting one of these forever now… I’ve heard only great things about it. I love how much space it saves you!
I think that you hit the nail on the head! Their previous products (Sunshine Kid) have been awesome!
I love that it lasts 10 year also!! So many expire so quickly! This would be great for my youngest son!
I have so many points that made this review a great read for me! First, I have been hearing a bit about Diono… and it almost seems like a close 2nd behind Britax? We have a Britax Marathon for our son right now, but I feel like the seat curves up too much & it almost treats him more like a baby, than a big boy (even though it is supposed to be good up to 60lbs, i think, and he is only 41lbs & just turned 3 last week)… I do like the fact that this has so much padding & it would bring him one step closer to feeling like a “big boy”. It DOES match your hubby’s interior! It looks nearly exactly the same in your photo! hah. Thanks for this
This is an awesome carseat and one that I have been considering now that my son is outgrowing his infant seat. I love the red color!
If I needed one, I would definitively get this one, but my son is almost out of car seats & into a booster. Hard to believe it.
Love all the safety features on this seat. The bonus is that it is good for 5-120 lbs…..Will save money in the long run buying this one
brich22 at earthlink dot net
This carpet would be perfect for us. We are having our 3rd baby on Sept and need to move the little guys up yo the next size carseat and we need enough room for 3 seats .
Love all the extra padding, which not only adds to your child’s safety but provides additional comfort and protection for your little one – would love to win this for my new (and “only”) 9-month old grandson!!
Have seen these and they look like great car seats, I hope I can win one for my little boy.
I love how narrow it is!
Awesome carseat!!! My grand daughter needs a new carseat so bad!
I am in desperate need of a new carseat!