Chicco OneFit v Fit4 Comparison Review

November 29, 2022 By Kristian

If you are looking to buy a car seat for your child, Chicco products should definitely be towards the top of your shortlist of options.

They are one of the most well-known and well-respected manufacturers of high-quality premium car seats and are constantly innovating in an attempt to make improvements to their products.

Chicco make individual car seats for kids of all ages and, if money is no obstacle, you can consider buying a Chicco infant seat, followed by a convertible seat, and then finally a booster seat.

This is, however, an expensive option and this is one of the main reasons that Chicco also makes all-in-one car seats that can be used from birth right up to 100 pounds / 57 inches.

Buying a Chicco all-in-one seat is a great way to get the benefits of excellent safety and convenience features without having to spend extra money upgrading seats down the line.

Two of their latest all-in-one car seats are the Chicco OneFit and the Chicco Fit4.

In this comparison review, I am going to take a close look at the Chicco OneFit seat alongside the Chicco Fit4 seat. They are very similar seats, but there are a couple of key differences to take into account.

To help you choose between these 2 seats, I have considered all of the main similarities and differences between them.

So, what are the similarities and differences between the Chicco OneFit and the Chicco Fit4 all-in-one car seats?

Chicco OneFit v Fit4 – Similarities

#1 Harness & Headrest Adjustment

Both seats are designed for use from birth and so, naturally, they both come with a 5-point harness.

The harness and headrest adjustment options on both seats are excellent.

There are 10 different headrest positions to choose from. Choosing the correct headrest height option is simply a matter of pressing the button at the top of the seat, and the harness height is automatically adjusted at the same time without any need to re-thread it.

This wide variety of headrest/harness adjustment height options is important because it makes it easier for you to get a safe and comfortable fit for your child as they grow while using this seat.

#2 Seat Recline Options

Both seats come with an impressive 9 different recline positions to choose from, primarily to help you achieve a safe installation while the seat is being used in the rear-facing harness mode.

Chicco call this their ReclineSure levelling system.

To make it even easier to get the correct recline angle with these seats, they come with a set of easy-read bubble indicators (called RideRight bubbles) to tell you when you have got it right.

The recline angle can be easily changed by using the button on the seat base.

#3 Seat Installation Options

The Chicco OneFit and Chicco Fit4 seats can both be installed using their patented SuperCinch LATCH mechanism, which is demonstrated in the videos below.

The SuperCinch LATCH tightener really does help to reduce the stress and physical exertion of installing the seat correctly.

Both seats can also be installed using the vehicle’s seatbelt if you don’t have LATCH or when you need to stop using LATCH due to the safety regulations cited within the user manual.

The process of installing the seats safely using the vehicle seatbelt is assisted by the Chicco LockSure easy-thread belt-path and built-in lock-offs.

#4 Side Impact Protection

The Chicco OneFit and Chicco Fit4 seats both come with the DuoGuard side impact protection features.

There are 2 separate layers of side impact protection that are concentrated around the head and torso areas of your child’s body, which are the most vulnerable in a collision.

One of these layers of side impact protection comprises a rigid shell and the other is made of EPS Energy-absorbing foam.

#5 Seat Dimensions

Both seats measure just 19 inches across. They are reasonably narrow for seats in the all-in-one category, although they are not the slimmest products available. That award goes to the Diono Radian 3QX Series of seats.

So, the Chicco all-in-one seats are certainly not the narrowest seats on the market, but they are also not the widest. You should be able to get 3 in a row within a large vehicle.

They are narrower than the Britax One4Life ClickTight seat, for example.

#6 Other Shared Features Include:

Both seats come with the following additional features

High Strength Steel Frame
2 x drinks/snacks holders – foldable
Chemically-free Flame Retardant Fabrics
Certified for Aircraft Travel
10-year seat expiration

CHECK OUT THE CHICCO ONEFIT COLOR OPTIONS

CHECK OUT THE CHICCO FIT4 COLOR OPTIONS

Chicco OneFit v Fit4 – Differences

#1 Child Height & Weight Limits

The overall maximum height and weight limits for these 2 seats are exactly the same. There is, however, a very small difference in the minimum weight limits between the seats. The minimum weight limit for the Chicco OneFit seat is 5 pounds, whereas for the Chicco Fit4 seat it is 4 pounds.

This difference is so small that, for the vast majority of parents, it will not make any difference to the useability of either seat. It is quite rare for a baby as small as 4 pounds to be out of hospital and travelling in a car seat and so this unlikely to be a relevant factor when choosing between the seats.

It is not enough to just look at the overall weight limits for the Chicco OneFit and Chicco Fit4 seats. You should also be aware that each of the modes of seat use has a different weight/height range.

So, what are the overall height and weight limits for these seats?

Chicco OneFit

The overall weight limits are between 5 and 100 pounds.

The overall height limit is up to 57 inches.

Chicco Fit4

The overall weight limits are between 4 and 100 pounds.

The overall height limit is up to 57 inches.

In general terms, apart from then lower weight limit, the Chicco OneFit and Chicco Fit4 seats come with the same child height and weight limits for use in the rear-facing harness, forwards-facing harness, and belt-positioning booster seat modes.

There is one big difference.

The “Fit4” branding is partly due to the fact that the Chicco Fit4 seat is broken down into 4-stages of use rather than 3-stages (known as the FitKit system). This is due to the initial rear-facing harness mode of use being split into separate “Infant” and “Toddler” phases (see below).

What are the height and weight limits for using these seats in the different modes?

Chicco OneFit

Rear-Facing Harness Mode – 5 to 40 lbs / up to 43 inches.

Forwards-Facing Harness Mode – 25 to 65 lbs / up to 54 inches.

Belt-positioning Booster Mode – 40 to 100 lbs / up to 57 inches.

Chicco Fit4

Rear-Facing Harness Mode (Infant) – 4 to 16 lbs.

Rear-Facing Harness Mode (Toddler) – 12 to 40 lbs / up to 43 inches.

Forwards-Facing Harness Mode – 25 to 65 lbs / up to 54 inches.

Belt-positioning Booster Mode – 40 to 100 lbs / up to 57 inches.

Note: It is best to try to keep your child in the harness mode for as long as they are within the weight and height limits, even if they are technically eligible to use the seat in booster mode.

It’s just generally safer that way. Why give up the added benefits of the 5-point harness before you absolutely have to?

The same goes for rear-facing. Rear-facing is said to be 4 to 5 times safer than forwards-facing and so, unless you have a very good practical reason to do so, try to keep your child’s car seat in the rear-facing position for as long as they remain within the height and weight limits for this mode of use.

#2 Chicco FitKit System

The Chicco Fit4 seat comes with Chicco’s unique FitKit system. The Chicco OneFit seat does not.

The FitKit system has already been mentioned above in relation to the Chicco Fit4 seat’ 4-stages of use.

In essence, the Chicco FitKit system means that the seat is constructed in such a way that you can simply add and remove layers from the seat to convert it from one stage to another.

This is designed to ensure that the seat is more adaptable to the changing height and weight of your child as they grow than seats that just have the traditional 3-stages of use without the ability to add/remove so many layers (see video above).

Helpful Video Reviews …

Here are some video reviews of the Chicco OneFit and Chicco Fit4 seats:

The Chicco OneFit v Fit4– My Verdict

The Chicco OneFit and Chicco Fit4 seats both come with a great many safety and convenience features, as you would expect from premium all-in-one car seats manufactured by this company.

The 2 main differences between the seats are that the Chicco Fit4 comes with a slightly lower minimum weight limit (4 pounds vs 5 pounds), and it also has the FitKit system that is not found on the Chicco OneFit seat.

You will need to consider those differences between the seats, decide which factors are more important to you, and whether you want to pay a little extra for the Fit4 seat.

The Chicco OneFit seat is a great product but, if you intend to use the seat from birth, I definitely recommend that you buy the Chicco Fit4 (with its FitKit system) if you can afford it.

Check Best Price of the Chicco OneFit

Read User Reviews of the Chicco OneFit

Check Best Price of the Chicco Fit4

Read User Reviews of the Chicco Fit4

Safety Information

After purchasing any child car seat, you should always read the User Manual thoroughly before using it. It is also advisable to visit your local Fire Department or NHTSA Child Car Seat Inspection Centre to ensure that the seat is definitely suitable for your child’s specific requirements and that you have installed it correctly. These services are usually provided free of charge.

You can find your nearest NHTSA Centre here.