In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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The Nuna Pipa is one of the best infant car seats by any standard. It offers better crash test analysis results (includes a load leg), easy LATCH installation with a rigid LATCH system, and an easy-to-use design we think families will appreciate. This seat offers good quality and comfort and is relatively lightweight if you plan to carry your baby in the carrier. It also sports a reasonable price tag compared to some of the competition, and the price feels like a bargain when you consider the higher performance in every metric. Overall, we think this is a top-rated car seat all families should consider, regardless of their goals or budget.
REASONS TO BUY
Great price for performance
Rigid LATCH
Better crash test results
Load leg
REASONS TO AVOID
Harder to install with belt
Fabric isn't the best comfort
Disappointing handle
Discontinued Fall 2023
Sadly, all good things must end, and the Pipa has been recently discontinued, so we have removed it from our best infant car seat review. We hope to test its replacement soon.
Editor's Note: We did a complete overhaul on our infant car seat review by purchasing and testing all 17 infant car seats in this review for an update on October 1, 2023.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The ZAAZ™ highchair was the first product launched by the Nuna company in 2007. Based in Amsterdam, this international company works to create thoughtful baby gear, selling fan favorite car seats, top-ranked strollers, and other various products for little ones.
Performance Comparison
This is the Nuna Pipa crash test video commissioned by BabyGearLab at MGA Research.
Credit: GearLab & MGA Research
Crash Testing
With one of the group's highest crash test analysis results, the Pipa offers much in the way of potential crash test safety. This seat had lower (where lower is better) head and chest sensor results than most of the competition.
The Nuna head sensor test results mimic those of the highest-performing option in the group, the Clek Liing.
This chart displays the chest sensor results for the Nuna compared to the Clek Liing, the best-performing seat in our crash test analysis.
While not the best in the group, they are significantly better than the average seat. All of the seats in our review are considered safe by the federal standard, but we like to draw attention to those that perform better than the average seat during our somewhat faster crash testing. The Nuna has one of the lowest sensor results for the group's HIC sensor (lower is better). It also had better than average chest clip sensor results. Combined, these sensor G forces are more impressive than much of the group, indicating that it potentially offers a higher margin of safety over the average seat in this group.
This seat also has a load leg, designed to limit the forward rotation of the seat and help limit the forces placed on little ones inside. Most of the load leg seats in our review did earn better crash test results, indicating that overall, there is evidence that they are a plus when it comes to crash testing.
The LATCH guides and rigid LATCH connectors make installing the Nuna Pipa a breeze compared to much of the competition.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Installation LATCH
The Nuna is one of the few in the group with rigid LATCH connectors, helping make it one of the easiest in the group to install using LATCH. This seat is as close to a no-brainer as we've seen, and we think any parent concerned with installation should consider this option seriously. This seat has a load leg but no anti-rebound bar.
When installed using the base and LATCH system, the Nuna is one of the easier options to install accurately and quickly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
While a straightforward installation with no tightening required, its difficulty is mainly dependent on your car's design and how hard it is to access the LATCH connectors. Our biggest problem was the load leg hyper-extending during installation. The height adjustment is just a flip-out, one-level option, making it potentially harder if neither setting works in your car. The connectors have a color-coded indicator telling you they are properly connected, which can be a nice reassurance if installation gives you anxiety. The connectors moving on a hinge point help the rigid connectors find the LATCH anchor points more likely.
The seat is a rock-solid installation that easily passes the wiggle test. This process really is only pushing on connectors and adjusting the load leg. It doesn't get much simpler than this.
The Nuna has a bubble level indicator that is easy to read and settles quickly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Recline Adjustment
The Nuna has two potential angle levels, one with the foot extended and the other folded flat. It is an easy adjustment, but we wonder how well it will work given the variation in cars and if some kinds of cars might not work with the limited variations. It has a bubble level indicator on both sides of the base for easy viewing.
The belt lock-off on the Nuna does not work well as a tensioner and you must get the belt tight and flat to use it properly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Installation - Belt
Installing the Nuna with the vehicle belt instead of the LATCH connectors is not our favorite. It scores below the average in this metric for the group, and it is the hardest installation method for this seat.
The vehicle belt pathway is color-coded, but the entryways are smaller than average, and the real problem is the tightening portion of the installation. It has a built-in lock-off but no tensioner.
The shoulder and lap portion of the vehicle belt both tuck into the lock-off on the Nuna base.
We wish the Nuna lock-off has an easier to use lock-off that gave better insight into whether it is locked or not.
The difficult part of this installation is wrestling with the vehicle belt and keeping it flat and in position inside the lock-off. When we tightened the belt, it moved out of the correct position to click it closed. Once you get the belt tight enough, keep it in the right position, and close the lock-off, it doesn't provide much feedback to let you know it is really locked.
We struggled to get the vehicle belt tight enough when installing the Nuna, and the problem increased once the vehicle buckle entered the pathway.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
We also had some trouble getting the load leg into a sweet spot where it was deployed correctly and at the right settle point for use. The load leg kept wanting to move as we tightened the belt, and then it was over-extended, lifting the base in a way it wasn't supposed to. Our first installation using the vehicle belt also caused the base to move out of the right installation angle range, and the bubble moved so much that we had to redo the process and adjust the load leg all over again.
The Nuna installation without the base utilizes the European belt pathway which can be more challenging to more petite caregivers.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Installation - w/o the Base
Installing the carrier without the base for the Nuna is the second easiest method for this seat. It comes in just below the average for the group and manages to be easy enough if you need to leave your base at home.
The Nuna belt pathway has blue indicators, and while it might look slick, we think it would be better if the entire slot was color-coded.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The seat uses the European belt pathway that utilizes the shoulder portion of the vehicle belt around the backside of the carrier. We prefer this method as it seems to provide a more snug fit with less wiggle and rotation of the carrier.
The vehicle lap belt goes across the foot portion of the Nuna carrier when you install it without the base.
The shoulder portion of the vehicle belt tucks into a clip on the back of the Nuna carrier. The clip is non-intuitive and faces up instead of down like most of the competition.
It has a line-level decal on the carrier's side and a color-coded pathway, though only portions are partially colored, which is less apparent than seats with full-colored slots. Even the slot on the back is fairly straightforward, and we didn't have to look to thread the belt like some of the competition that feels like it isn't in all the way or in the right place. Shorter parents might have trouble seeing where the belt connects because the carrier is so high, but moving around the other side or getting in the car can help.
The Nuna feels snug when installed without the base, but getting the belt tight enough was the real challenge here.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Overall, the seat has a slight wiggle but nothing to cause test failure, and there are no major hiccups in installation in either test car.
The Nuna is somewhat easier to use than the average seat in our review according to side-by-side comparisons.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Nuna is easier than the average seat in this group to use for daily functionality. Only a handful of seats are easier to use than the Pipa.
The Nuna buckle has an indented button that is easy to press but might give you trouble if your nails are prohibitively long.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Buckle
The buckle button is not flush and could be harder to operate if your nails are prohibitively long. The prongs slide nicely on the webbing but not so much that they slip down to the seat and are hard to find. The crotch strap padding doesn't inhibit connecting the prongs or releasing them.
Pulling the Nuna harness tightening strap is not difficult and the webbing moves smoothly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Harness Tightening/Loosening
Tightening is easy with a smooth moving strap and nothing in the way to cause problems. The release button is exposed (not hidden under the fabric), close to the edge, and easy to push. We think it is more natural to use with your thumb, but the other fingers work well.
The Nuna has shoulder height adjustment that requires rethreading of the straps from one slot level to another.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Harness Adjustment
Insterstly, this car seat has a rethread style shoulder strap adjustment with three height options and two crotch positions. This method requires you to disconnect the straps from the splitter plate, unthread the straps from one slot, and push through another. It isn't difficult, but it takes more time and can't done with your little one in the seat. The Nuna requires some patience with the seat padding as it can make it less straightforward, and you have to unthread the infant insert as well. The crotch strap is significantly hard to operate because the slit is very thin.
Removing the Nuna carrier from the base is somewhat awkward and different from the competition that has a release lever on the carrier, not on the base, as seen here on the Nuna.
The base of the Nuna seems unnecessarily complicated and because of this attaching the carrier to the base takes some finagling to get it to click into place.
Carrier to Base Connection
Attaching the carrier to the base isn't as smooth as the competition. While we didn't see a way of doing it wrong, the base is designed in such a way that prevents the smooth slide in place we see on other car seats. When we got it on the base, we had to continue to move it into a divot to hear the reassuring click. Unlike much of the competition, where the release handle is on the carrier, this option includes the release on the base. So you have to somewhat shift the carrier out of the base with one hand before you can use two hands to pull it off. It isn't challenging, so much as it is more convoluted than it needs to be, and we aren't sure why they would choose a harder release method on purpose.
The Nuna handle release button might be slightly more ergonomic than some competitors, but it could be more challenging to use if you struggle with finger dexterity.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Handle
The handle operation buttons are on the face of the joint. This offers a more ergonomic feel than some of the competition. You have to pull in the buttons so your fingers scrape as you pull. The handle does rub the canopy somewhat, but it isn't as bad as the Graco car seats that force the canopy to move with the handle.
The Nuna canopy has a pull-out extension that offers more privacy or light shield than most of the competition.
The Nuna canopy has a peek-a-boo window on the back in case you need to see your little one while the carrier is attached to a stroller.
Canopy
The canopy is a larger option than most, with a pull-out extension that provides additional privacy and shade. It rotates on its own mechanism instead of sharing space with the handle. The back flap can come detached easier than some of the competition, but it is still one of our favorites.
The Nuna load leg tucks under the carrier when not in use and keeps the manual in place during transport.
The Nuna manual is tucked under a tab on the bottom of the base. The location keeps the manual free from messes, but it also makes it harder to reach when the seat is installed or to put away if you use it during installation.
LATCH and Manual Storage
Because the LATCH connectors are rigid, there is no need for a storage area as they lack the straps that make this a necessity. If you choose not to use the connectors, they fold back. The manual is retained under the base behind the folded load leg. While this keeps it out of the way of messes, it does mean you won't have it should you travel without the base.
The Nuna offers somewhat more padding for comfort than the lower-priced seats, but it struggled to keep up with much of the competition for comfort.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Comfort/Quality
While the Nuna earned a slightly higher average score for comfort and quality, it isn't the best in the group, but it offers more than the less expensive options we considered.
The Nuna has EPS foam (harder white foam on the bottom) to assist with the absorption of crash impact forces and a layer of memory foam-style padding (blue padding with silver stripe) for comfort.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Fabric and Padding
The fabric is relatively soft and better than some others, with impressive padding. The main seat and the insert use the same material, which is preferable to those with a softer insert and abrasive main seat cover.
The seat padding is lacking. While it is better than some of the lower-priced car seats we tested, it feels like more padding for comfort would be appreciated by the passenger. The bottom portion has some additional padding, but it doesn't flow throughout the entire carrier. It also has padding on the shoulder and crotch straps.
The Nuna canopy extension provides more privacy for sleepy or shy little ones.
The Nuna canopy is a nice-looking addition with a pop-out visor and extension that make it feel fancier than the traditional car seat canopy.
Handle and Canopy
The handle on the Nuna is flat for the most part but has a nice leather-type grip in the center. It is somewhat rounded and easier to grab than the flat bar, which is not ergonomic. The center grip seam is on the bottom, which might be good for looks but is irritating to hands and forearms that might hold the carrier. The canopy fabric is breathable and looks nice with a pull-out extension for more privacy.
Shell
The Nuna shell is smooth and easy to wipe clean, and its warning labels and instruction stickers are largely placed to avoid potential liquid messes from gunking them up should they slip down the sides. Two anti-slip strips on the bottom also help prevent movement on hard surfaces.
The Nuna is lighter than the average seat in this review, and the outside shell is easy to keep clean.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Weight/Size
The Nuna Pip weighs in at 9.4 lbs. This weight makes it lighter than the average seat but not as light as some of the competition. While it isn't even close to the heaviest at 17+ lbs, parents who plan to carry little ones inside the carrier frequently might want to consider the carrier weight in their buying decision.
The Nuna Pipa is one of our favorite seats, and the better crash test analysis results, reasonable price, and rigid LATCH connectors make it a good choice for most parents.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Pipa?
The Pipa is absolutely a seat we'd recommend to a friend. This impressive option has a mid-range price that proves you don't need to pay more to get more. It has better crash test results than much of the competition, and it is easy to install in multiple methods, making it a stand-out seat in this review. With a comfortable seating area, quality fabrics, and a user-friendly design, we think most families will be pleased with this option.
What Other Infant Car Seat Should You Consider?
While we love the Nuna and would buy it for our children, it might not fit the bill if your goal is the absolute best crash test results. The Clek Liing earns that moniker and excels at most other things. The Clek is expensive, however, and could be a no-go if your budget is smaller. Another alternative could be the Chicco Keyfit 35 if you want an option to go with almost any stroller. With a higher score and reasonable price, this car seat is compatible with most popular strollers when you purchase an adapter and allows you more freedom when choosing a stroller. Last, the UPPAbaby Mesa Max is the best for quality and comfort, but its crash test results are lower than the Pipa and the Clek.
