Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max Review

June 7, 2017 By Kristian

Weight Range (RF): 5 – 40 lbs

Weight Range (FF): 22 – 85 lbs

Height Range (RF): 40 inches or less (see below)

Height Range (FF): 29 – 52 inches (see below)

Lower Anchor Limit: 40 lbs

Machine Washable: Yes

LATCH: Yes (One-Click System)

The Good – The highest maximum weight limit of any convertible car seat; Easy snap-off seat pad for machine wash and dry; Air Protect Side Impact Protection; FlexTech System for managing crash forces; Handy harness holders to keep buckles out of the way during loading; Deep rear-facing adjustment for easy installation. Unlike the basic Pria 85 seat, it can be used from birth and comes with self-wicking fabrics.

The Bad – Not cheap. Not the longest rear-facing limits on the market.

The Bottom Line – Maxi-Cosi have taken the excellent Pria 85 seat and made it much better. It has the usual range of premium comfort and safety features that you would expect from a high-end convertible car seat, but it also comes with the new ClipQuik magnetic chest clip holders and 2 infant positioning wedges. These infant positioning wedges enable the seat to be used from 5 lbs and upwards, which is a massive improvement over the 14 lb child weight limit that comes with the basic Pria 85 seat.

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max – Main Features

#1 Rear-Facing Limits

Perhaps the most important safety feature to consider when looking at the Pria 85 Max is that it is suitable for use with a newborn baby. The basic Pria 85 cannot be used until your baby weighs at least 14 lbs and so the Max model is a massive improvement for those parents who want to use a premium convertible car seat from birth.

The rear-facing maximum weight and height limits for this seat are 40 lbs or 40 inches, whichever is reached soonest.

Note: Your child cannot be switched around to face forwards in this seat until they are at least 1 year old.

#2 Forward-facing Limits

The Pria 85 Max can be used in forward-facing mode until they weigh a whopping 85 lbs!

Although you are permitted to use the Pria 85 Max in the forwards-facing position from as little as 22 lbs, it is not advisable to do so if you can avoid it. Rear-Facing is much safer than forwards-facing and so you are strongly advised to keep your child rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight limit for that mode of use.

This is the highest maximum weight limit of any dedicated convertible car seat on the market today.

The maximum child height limit of 52 inches is also very generous, but the top harness height is 17 inches.

Make sure to use the Top Tether to provide extra protection against excessive seat movement in a collision situation.

#3 The Harness Adjustment System

The Pria 85 Max has a one-hand harness micro adjustment system to ensure the correct fit at all times.

Adjustment of the harness height position is accomplished by simply squeezing and pulling the handle at the top of the seat shell upwards until you reach the level that you want.

The other great thing about the harness adjustment mechanism is that there is no need to unthread and then rethread the harness in order to make these adjustments.

There are also 3 crotch strap positions to choose from.

#4 The Air Protect Side Impact Technology

If you look carefully at the images of the Pria 85 Max seat, you can see that the Air Protect area on both sides are marked with “<air>” labels.

These “air cushions” are positioned in such a way as to protect the head, neck and face areas in the event of a collision.

The basic science behind the Air Protect system is that, in the event of a collision, air is released within the cushions and this acts to better distribute the crash forces away from the most vulnerable parts of your child’s body.

#5 FlexTech Energy Management System

You can’t see the FlexTech Energy Management System on any of the photographs of this seat and that is because it is hidden within the structure of the seat itself.

Maxi-Cosi have used the latest computer crash-test modelling systems to devise a structure that is rigid in some parts and flexible in others.

The basic idea (without getting too technical and scientific) is that in a crash situation you don’t necessarily want the seat to be rigid in all areas or flexible in all areas.

By extensively simulating various different common crash scenarios, Maxi-Cosi has developed what it considers to be an optimum combination of rigidity and flexibility within the structure of the seats.

#6 Cleaning the Seat Pads

Cleaning child car seat covers can be a time-consuming pain. You will often have to unthread the harness, clean the covers by hand, air dry them, re-thread the harness straps through tight spaces that are poorly designed for parents with normal-sized hands, and finally put the seat cover back on.

You will also sometimes have to uninstall the seat from your vehicle when removing the covers from the cheaper convertible car seats.

One big practical advantage of the Pria 85 Max seat is that its seat pad can be removed very easily via a pair of snap connectors.

The pad can then be machine washed, tumble dried, and finally re-attached without any harness re-threading and without even needing to remove the seat from your vehicle.

Unlike the standard Pria 85 seat, the Pria 85 Max comes with self-wicking fabrics to help keep moisture away from your child’s body when used in warmer conditions.

#7 Harness Holders for Easy Loading-up

Anything that makes loading your child into his or her car seat is to be welcomed. No-one wants to be fishing around at the bottom of the seat because your child is sitting on the hard buckles and yelping at you at the same time!

Fortunately, the Pria 85 Max comes with a couple of very handy harness strap holders on each side that are used to hold the straps out of the way when you are placing your child in the seat.

#8 Magnetic ClipQuick Chest Clip

The Pria 85 Max comes with a unique chest clip fastening mechanism called the “ClipQuick”.

Unlike a standard mechanism, the ClipQuik is an auto-magnetic chest clip.

You can see the ClipQuik chest clip in operation in this video …

The ClipQuik is very quick and simple to fasten and unfasten and will be a great option for those who find it challenging to use normal chest clips.

The only safety warning that I would issue is in relation to children that have health problems requiring certain medical aids. If, for example, your child is unfortunate enough to require a pacemaker or similar electronic health device, then this magnetic chest clip might interfere with its operation. If in doubt, consult your medical doctor.

#9 Other Features at a Glance

The Pria 85 Max seat also comes with the following features:

One-Click LATCH System
3 recline settings
FAA Approved for use in an aircraft
Flexible rubber cup holder
20 inches wide
Seat weighs 17.5 lbs
10-year expiration
Made in the USA

Video of the Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max – The Fabric Options

The Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max seat comes in a variety of fabric color and texture options to suit all tastes.

Here are some of my favourites …

Find all of the color options here.

Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max – My Verdict

This seat comes packed with high-end safety features and is cheaper than many of the other premium convertible car seats.

It has the highest maximum weight limits of any convertible car seat.

It has most (if not all) of the convenience features that parents usually look for, including machine washable seat pads, no re-thread harness, easy to adjust headrest, and harness strap holders.

Unlike the basic Pria 85 seat, the Pria 85 Max model comes with “ClipQuik” and is suitable for use from birth. It is an excellent option.

Check Best Price of the Pria 85 Max

Read User Reviews

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.