I did HOURS of research hoping to find the safest car seat that offered extended rear facing and an easy and secure seatbelt install (I have a '99 Totota 4Runner without any latch hooks).
1. Install-the Clicktight Boulevard was very easy to install and felt very secure with the seat belt installation in my middle backseat. The clicktight feature ensures that the seatbelt is locked in place. I love the rear facing harness that was also no problem to install, making the seat extra secure attached to the lower anchor of the driver seat. This car seat does not move! It fit in the middle backseat with plenty of room for passengers (or another car seat) on either side and enough room for the driver and passenger to move their seats.
2. Extended Rear Facing- I really hope to rear face my toddler as long as we can and the new Boulevard offers extended rear facing height, with the measurement going off of the adjustable head rest on these new seats instead of the outer shell of the car seat. I only wish Britax had increased the weight limit with the height limit!
3. Comfort & style- My toddler LOVES this seat. The fabric is soft and plush, almost has a neoprene feel that looks like it will be easy to clean. The car seat manual has instructions on how to remove the cover and machine wash also. The extra padded headrest wings have been great for stabilizing her head when she falls asleep, we haven't had any slumping over. The harness covers are a bit bulky for my tiny toddler, but I read on the Britax website that they are another safety feature. The Kaleidoscope design is very cute!
Overall, I am so happy that I have found the near perfect convertible car seat!
My only complaints are:
-the high price: Its a little pricey, but you get what you pay for!
-no cup holder!: For the price, a cup holder should not be an additional purchase.
-the car seat weight: This thing is HEAVY! I will most likely not be taking this seat on an airplane. I think I will purchase a much lighter seat for travel.
I chose the Boulevard over the Marathon for 2 extra safety features: the extended rear facing and the extra side impact protection headrest. Also, the fabric is much nicer on the Boulevard. At the time of purchase, there was a small price difference between the 2, and the extra safety for my baby is priceless!