9 Best Car Seat and Stroller Combos of 2023, Tested by Experts

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

These travel systems make it a snap to transition your baby from the car to the stroller and back again.

We carefully reviewed this article in June 2023 and stand by our current top-rated picks as we continue to test new models.

Transitioning your infant from a stroller to a car seat can be fraught: Will they start fussing? Wake from a much-needed nap? Pitch a fit when you release one set of buckles just to strap them into something else? But there's a product that solves this dilemma. It's called a travel system, and it's a car seat and stroller combo that works together. Typically, a travel system is a two-piece set featuring an infant car seat that clips directly into a matching stroller so you can stop wasting time switching your baby between the two. However, there is also a great one-piece stroller/car seat combo and some three-piece sets that have an additional bassinet. Whatever the exact configuration, owning one of these means your infant can stay in the car seat buckled in and undisturbed. Later, the stroller can also be used as a toddler stroller and you can sit your baby directly on its seat. This makes a travel system useful for years, even after your baby has outgrown the infant car seat.

The parenting and product experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Parenting Lab test a variety of car seats and strollers from booster seats and infant car seats to lightweight strollers, among many other essential products for children. We've evaluated more than two dozen stroller and car seat combos based on ease of use, safety features, functionality and value.

When testing strollers, the Institute performs a brake test using a gauge to measure the force required to move the strollers when brakes are engaged. We also perform a stability/tip-over test in which we hang weights on stroller handlebars and measure the force required to tip strollers over. We weigh and measure each stroller while folded to help determine how well it can be carried and stored. Our testers also place the travel systems into a variety of vehicles, taking note of each product's ease of use when it comes to installation, folding and unfolding, transportation, maneuverability, clipping and unclipping and much more.

At the bottom of this guide, you can find more information about travel systems, including what to look for when buying one. For more of our top-tested gear for kids and babies, check out our round-ups of the best double strollers, portable car seats and wagon strollers.

The Doona infant car seat and latch base is a fan favorite (with nearly 11,000 five-star Amazon reviews) for many reasons. Unlike a traditional two-piece travel system, this is essentially a rear-facing car seat on wheels that's able to turn into a stroller in seconds. Because this car seat and stroller combo is a single piece, you have less gear to contend with. It expands and retracts quickly and can easily be fitted into the car seat latch base without disturbing your little one.

While this means that the car seat is a bit heavier than other options at 16.5 pounds, our reviewers love the simplicity. Our Chief Technologist and mom of three Rachel Rothman notes the device "is a game-changer, notably for city families or frequently traveling parents." It can work safely with its base or without (making use of a backseat's seat belts in an Uber, for instance), so it is especially prized for those parents moving between different vehicles frequently.

It is a tight squeeze for some airplane seats, but families do recommend wheeling it right up to the gate and gate-checking it for flights if you intend to hold your baby in your lap. "This is the easiest stroller to maneuver through airport security and in an airport terminal," says one mom of two kids under 5. "Then we just snap it right into a car without having to load a stroller into the trunk with our luggage."

If you don't travel much you may not enjoy the full benefits of the Doona. Also, most babies outgrow the Doona by about their second birthday. At that point, most Doona-owning parents switch to a lightweight stroller.

The Safety 1st car seat and stroller combo is lightweight and easy to maneuver — and only $200. Lightweight is both good and tricky: It's easy to cart up and down steps and sling into your trunk, and our testers say it's great for traveling. But any lightweight stroller will bump a bit over uneven ground since it doesn't have as much weight to hold it down (even if "smooth ride" is in the name of the stroller). If you're mostly rolling through stores and along smooth sidewalks, you'll be good to go with this.

The OnBoard 35 LT Infant Car Seat can safely hold your baby through at least their first two years. It's FAA-approved to sit on an airplane seat during a flight. It's about $130 to buy on its own, so the combination with the lightweight stroller is a real deal.

When it's time to fold the stroller, the mechanism is on the seat. You remove your baby, then just lift up a strap on the seat and the stroller folds in an instant. "It's ridiculously easy," said one tester. "You can effectively carry your baby in one arm and this stroller in another with no problem." Also, we love the stroller's snack tray — handy in the toddler years — and the parent organizer with two cupholders so you can have your water bottle and your coffee at the ready.

Chicco's newest travel system is modular, which means you can completely remove the regular stroller seat and just push the Keyfit car seat around on the frame, saving weight and space. Face the car seat toward you or out toward the road ahead. Once you've stepped up to using the stroller seat then it, too, can sit facing rear or forward. The stroller folds quickly using just one hand, and then it stands up for storage, folded.

We're impressed that so many features focus on the baby's comfort. The Chicco Keyfit 30 Zip car seat included in this combo comes with a fabric boot that covers your baby's legs and keeps them warm — an extra we usually only see on pricier car seats. On the canopy, you can zip open a mesh panel for extra breathability when it's hot outside. The "zip" part of the name also means the fabric is removable and machine-washable. The stroller seat reclines nearly flat for times when your baby needs a good sleep. "You squeeze a release handle on the back of the seat and it tilts back smoothly, which I prefer versus seats that jerk back when you release a cord," one tester told us. The canopy can be unzipped to form a little cave if you want to block out the sun for snoozing.

One thing missing is a parent tray or cup holder, so you may want to purchase a universal one and add it to this travel system. The basket underneath does have some built-in pockets, but those are best for your baby's bottle or sippy cup.

If you're willing to pay just a little more, check out the Chicco Corso LE version which features leatherette handles, rubber tires, and the Keyfit 35 car seat, our Good Housekeeping pick for best overall infant car seat, which can hold a baby up to 35 pounds.

While UPPAbaby's car seat and stroller combo is definitely a splurge, it's a great travel system from a sought-after brand, especially among parents who want the smooth-rolling Vista stroller. It features a springy all-wheel suspension to keep your baby steady as you go up and down curbs or along a dirt road. Investing in the full travel system gets you a ton of extras including the Mesa car seat, a bassinet, a bug shield and a rain guard.

The Mesa car seat can be clipped into your vehicle in seconds with its Smart Secure system (UPPABaby's unique LATCH system that makes installation easier), and it snaps onto the stroller without any extra adaptor pieces. Rachel personally loves this system and has used it for all three of her kids.

On the Vista stroller, the handlebar easily and smoothly adjusts for adults of different heights. There's no parent organizer, but the handle is a luxe-feeling leatherette that's nice to grip. The basket underneath is giant, so it should hold all your stuff plus whatever you pick up while running errands. The included bassinet is an adorable way to stroll around an infant, and it works as a nap space at home too. For an extra $160 you can buy the UPPAbaby bassinet stand if you want to use it regularly in your home for your infant's naps or overnight sleep.

A final, big selling point: If you need to carry two children, you can buy the UPPAbaby RumbleSeat V2 for $270 and turn this into a double stroller. Or you buy the UPPAbaby Piggyback for $135 so a child can stand and ride along behind. If you buy both, you could push three children along!

Our testers absolutely love the flexibility and versatility of the Pivot Travel System. It can be a rolling bassinet in carriage mode, a car-seat carrier or a regular stroller, and in any of those three modes you can face your baby in either direction. The LiteMax Infant Car Seat seat holds a baby up to 35 pounds and both the car seat and the stroller seat can have a privacy shade for those times when you don't want people leaning in close to your resting baby.

Carriage mode is an especially adorable old-fashioned perk, even if new parents don't use it for very long. You recline the stroller seat flat, pull up the footrest, and turn the seat into a little bassinet on wheels. In that mode, you're not using the car seat at all, so you'd have to unbuckle your baby and transfer them when it's time for a drive. But it's perfect for a stroll around the block or through a park. "It's fun for pictures because it looks like one of the more expensive pram-type strollers," notes one new mom.

There's no parent organizer on the handle, but there is a clip-on cupholder. The relatively small, plastic wheels are fine for most strolling but do not do well on rough terrain. Online reviewers say that the stroller is easy to assemble out of the box. We had no trouble setting it up for testing and found it easy to convert it from one mode to another.

The Graco brand has been around for generations. The company invented the baby swing in the 1950s and debuted the first travel system concept, a car seat that snapped into its matching stroller, in the late 1990s. In this century, Graco has often led the way in car-seat safety with its SnugRide infant car seat line. This set comes with the popular SnugRide 35 Lite Elite Infant Car Seat, and the stroller seat slides higher and lower on the frame as well as turning forward and backward and converting into a pram. Use the adjustable features to find the height and direction your baby loves, then change it as needed as your baby grows into a toddler.

Tall parents especially like setting the stroller seat high, which means less bending over for them to tend to their infant. When you fully recline the stroller seat, you can unbuckle a belt under the footrest to form a bassinet for the infant months. (Graco calls it a "pramette.") To stroll around with the car seat — which is, after all, the appeal of a travel system — remove the stroller seat altogether and use the frame as an infant car seat carrier. The car seat can slide up and down to your preferred height and face forward or back. The SnugRide 35 Lite Elite is among the very lightest infant seats on the market and, at just over 7 pounds, it's a breeze to carry around.

Some of the stroller details are fairly standard as opposed to luxe. The plastic wheels are strong but not built for rough terrain. There's no parent tray — just a clip-on cup holder. The canopy is a traditional size, not oversized. There is a nice child snack tray, and we love how the storage basket underneath expands higher so you can fit more in there without anything tipping out. One note from our testing: The stroller does not come with any of the wheels attached, so read the instructions carefully and give yourself a half-hour or so to put it all together.

Some parents know they are going to be largely carrying their baby around in the car seat more so than rolling them around in a stroller. This can be especially true if you're frequently driving to a grandparent's house or to daycare, or if you drive a lot and suspect you'll mostly be worried about smoothly transitioning your passenger back into your home. The PIPA car seat only weighs 7.5 pounds, making it among the easiest car seats to take out and tote around.

The TAVO itself is a luxury stroller with a fully reclining seat and an easy, magnetic buckle. The built-in full-protection canopy is great for protecting a snoozing baby. There's thick padding on the stroller seat that's ideal in chilly weather, and you can take it off and use the mesh seat below when the weather is warm. For taller parents, the handlebar is easy to adjust to the perfect height. And the wheels are rubber on the outside instead of plastic. "Everything about it feels really well thought out," noted one of our parent testers.

When folded, the stroller tucks into itself to become a remarkably small rectangle, about 28 inches long, 22 inches wide and 20 inches high. That makes it easy to fit in your car and store in your foyer.

While many of the details of this travel system are similar to others — the stroller seat has a pram mode and the seat can face either direction — there are a few standout features. Fans of Maxi-Cosi love the rich, vibrant colors and soft, premium fabrics. "It doesn't look like everybody else's stroller," said one tester. Most of the cushions can be popped in the washer and dryer so you can keep it looking nice too. Also, the fabrics are made without added fire retardants.

The Mico car seat is relatively light to carry and the handle is ergonomically shaped to easily fit your hand. On the stroller seat, the leatherette bar (great for attaching toys) swings out of the way so that you can quickly load your baby in. The wheels are on the smaller side but swivel smoothly so you can make tight turns. While there's no parent organizer, there is a cup holder, and the handle has four different settings so you can pull it out for a taller adult or push it in for a shorter caregiver.

If you're looking for the right car seat and stroller combo for your mini running buddy, the Baby Trend Expedition Jogger travel system is a great choice. The three-wheel, bike-tire design means it can tackle rougher terrains with ease. The front wheel can be locked straight to keep the stroller from veering as you jog or set to swivel when you're out shopping and need to make tight turns.

Once it's time to load your baby back into the car, the stroller collapses to fit into your trunk, and the car seat simply clicks into the LATCH base. The low price reflects the fact that there's nothing splashy about the canopy, the fabric, the padding or the alloy steel frame, which is heavy (about 27 pounds). The EZ-Flex Lock 30 infant car seat only holds your baby up to 30 pounds, while some others go up to 35. That said, this is Amazon's Choice with nearly 11,000 five-star reviews. "This travel system may cost you less than a year's gym membership," one mom pointed out. "And you might get a lot more exercise with this since you're able to bring your baby along."

We love the child tray — useful when your baby turns into a toddler and demands a steady supply of snacks — and the parent tray that has a compartment that closes to keep your phone in place. There are two parent cupholders too.

Transferring your baby from car to stroller can be a lot of work, and until your precious bundle can sit up on their own, they'll need a bassinet or fully-reclinable seat to safely relax in a stroller. That's where a travel system will be your new best friend: Not only will a travel system be able to protect your baby in the car and in a stroller, but it means you only have to make one purchase for both items. Think of it as a two-for-one deal, where you get a stroller and a car seat both at a discount because you buy them together.

Travel systems are particularly great for parents on the go who want an easy and quick way to carry around their little ones without having to pack so many additional items. With one click, you can pop the seat right out of the stroller and snap it into your car within seconds. There's also no need to worry about whether or not your products are compatible since they come bundled together. In most cases, even after your baby outgrows the car seat, you will still be able to use the stroller for years to come.

You will not want a travel system if your heart is set on one brand's infant car seat and another brand's stroller. In that case, you can check to see if the stroller can hold your chosen car seat with the help of an adaptor. Read all the product specs carefully to be sure you can use them together, buy an adaptor if possible, then purchase the stroller and car seat separately without the two-piece discount.

Keeping your little one safe is your (and our) number-one priority, so you may be asking yourself if car seat and stroller combos are secure enough for baby. All of the strollers we recommend meet the ASTM standards, and many have the third-party JPMA seal as well, so your baby will be safe as long as everything is installed properly. Here are some tips to ensure your kid is protected whether they're in the stroller or strapped into the car:

This story was reported by Jamie Spain, parenting and pet reviews analyst for the Good Housekeeping Institute. Jamie is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and, as a reporter, she's researched popular baby registry items including hands-free breast pumps and humidifiers for the nursery.

Contributing writer Jessica Hartshorn updated this story in January 2023. Hartshorn has evaluated baby gear for more than 20 years, first at American Baby magazine and then at Parents magazine. For the Good Housekeeping Institute, she's updated stories on the best kids' tablets and best kids' lunch boxes. She's a mom to one teen and one college kid but is still super passionate about strollers and car seats.

This article was overseen by Rachel Rothman, the Good Housekeeping Institute's Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director. Rothman has been at the Institute for more than 15 years and directs programs including the Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards and the Good Housekeeping Best Toys of 2022. Rothman has three children aged 6 and younger and is currently using both strollers and car seats at home.

Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology and a master’s degree in journalism.

Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.

The Best Mugs for Coffee and Tea 2023

7 Best Cold Press Juicers You Can Buy

10 Best Recliners of 2023

The Best Jeans for Petite Women 2023

12 Best Drip Coffee Makers 2023

10 Couches for Kids

8 Best Vacuums for Hardwood Floors

10 Best Kitchen Trash Cans of 2023

Best Skin Tightening Creams

10 Best Bathroom Scales, Tested & Reviewed

10 Best Travel Pillows of 2023

8 Best Electric Blankets of 2023