I received our Nuna EXEC All-in-1 in March, and after extensive use and thorough testing over 13 months, I’m finally ready to share a comprehensive review. Balancing life with three young children while trying to be productive is a challenge, to say the least. Just as I was about to finalize this review with photos, my youngest had an unfortunate car sickness incident all over the seat. This led to a necessary deep clean, sun drying, and some serious convincing to get my kids back into the seat for pictures – despite it cleaning up perfectly. Let’s just say this incident contributed to a significant delay in this review, perhaps about half a year! The other part of the delay? Mysteriously misplacing some padding… twice.
Despite the lengthy delay, I am genuinely excited to discuss the EXEC. The time it took to write this review is inversely proportional to my opinion of the seat. The Nuna EXEC has been installed in our car since day one, and frankly, I have no plans to switch to another car seat anytime soon. It’s that good. Nuna has taken the exceptional Rava and refined it, adding and subtracting features to create the EXEC – an even better version of an already outstanding seat, now with booster capabilities. While this review has been a long time coming, it’s actually one of the easiest to write because of how much we love and use this seat. Maybe I should test every car seat for over a year before reviewing? Just kidding… mostly.
Measurements and Numbers:
Height Limits:
- Harness Mode: Children must be 49 inches or less.
- Booster Mode: Children must be between 38 and 57 inches.
Weight Limits:
- Rear Facing: 5-50 pounds
- Forward Facing: 25-65 pounds
- Booster: 40-120 pounds (child must be at least 4 years old)
- Infant Insert: Required for use between 5 and 11 pounds.
- Lower Anchor Limits: 35 pounds rear facing, 40 pounds forward facing
Seat Dimensions:
- Seat Width: 18.5 inches
- Harness Heights: 12 positions, ranging from approximately 8.75 inches (without infant insert) to 17.5 inches. Measuring the lowest harness height with the infant insert is challenging due to its curved shape.
- Top Seatbelt Guide Height: 19 inches
- Crotch Buckle Positions: 2 positions, approximately 4.5 inches and 6 inches from the back of the seat.
- Weight: 26.5 pounds
- Anti-Rebound Bar (ARB) Depth: Extends outward from the seat by about 2.5 inches.
- MSRP: $750
Key Features:
- Greenguard Gold Certified: Recognized for low chemical emissions, ensuring healthier indoor air quality.
- Aeroflex Side Impact Protection System: Combines with foam within the shell for enhanced impact protection during collisions, crucial for infant safety.
- Simply Secure Installation System: Features no-bubble guides, clear labels, and True tension doors for easy and secure installation. Nuna markets it as “bubble-free, hassle-free and muscle-free.” This is particularly helpful for parents installing an infant car seat.
- Dual Flip Open Cupholders: Collapsible, removable, and easy to clean, adding convenience for everyday use.
- Premium Inserts: Includes Merino wool and organic cotton infant inserts, harness covers, and crotch cover for superior comfort and material quality for sensitive infant skin.
- No Added Fire Retardant Chemicals: Prioritizes your child’s health by excluding harmful chemicals.
Instead of the usual vehicle fit and child fit breakdown, I’ll review the EXEC through its modes of use, incorporating vehicle and child fit details within each mode. Trust me, this approach will provide a clearer picture of how this car seat works for different stages, especially for infants and growing children.
Rear Facing Mode: Ideal for Infants
This is where I have the most extensive experience, as my 3-year-old was the primary user for the first year, remaining rear-facing until the car sickness incident. The EXEC is somewhat groundbreaking in its rear-facing design. It features an adjustable anti-rebound bar (ARB), which also has forward-facing applications. This ARB is engineered to optimize vehicle fit by adjusting to match the angle of the vehicle seat back, accommodating a wide range of seat configurations. Furthermore, the ARB extends and retracts to maximize legroom, a significant benefit for extended rear-facing, which is recommended for infants and toddlers as long as possible. For my spirited 3-year-old, who isn’t always thrilled about car rides, the extra legroom provided by the EXEC definitely made rear-facing more comfortable and reduced some of the usual protests. A standout feature is the washable cover for the ARB, protecting it from muddy shoes and making clean-up a breeze, essential when dealing with infants and toddlers.
My main complaint about the EXEC in rear-facing mode concerns the required shoulder, hip, and crotch buckle covers. While they are included for comfort, they are mandatory in rear-facing mode, and frustratingly, they can be easily misplaced. We even had to reorder the crotch buckle cover after it went missing, highlighting the importance of keeping track of these smaller parts. Note that you have to order a full set if you need replacements.
In terms of vehicle fit for rear-facing installation, the EXEC is similar to the Rava. You adjust the ARB angle before securing the seat. Nuna has improved the True Tension door with an easier-to-open tab, a welcome upgrade. For seatbelt installations, the EXEC, like the Rava, still requires locking the seat belt. Nuna maintains this is a safety measure due to the trend of thinner seatbelts in luxury vehicles, ensuring the True Tension door functions optimally. The True Tension door effectively tensions the belt, preventing tipping without excessive force. From a safety tech perspective, locking the belt also removes risks associated with unlocked seatbelts.
Lower anchor usage is comparable in belt path but offers minimal ease-of-use benefits. Nuna actually recommends seatbelt installation to avoid parents needing to switch later when the child exceeds the lower anchor weight limits (35 pounds rear-facing, 40 pounds forward-facing). The EXEC’s narrow profile and multiple recline options make it surprisingly compact, especially considering the generous legroom. Like the Rava, the recline system has no bubbles, just four rear-facing and four forward-facing settings. Infants require a more reclined position, while toddlers need a more upright setting.
Although my children are past the infant stage, I used a 17-inch teddy bear, slightly smaller than a newborn, to demonstrate infant fit. Even with the smaller bear, the fit was decent, with the harness just above the shoulders. The seat is well-reclined with the infant insert, providing a comfortable and safe position for newborns.
My colleague Jennie tested the EXEC with her 5-month-old cousin, confirming a comfortable fit. The harness tightened securely, even with all the infant inserts and covers in place. This demonstrates the EXEC’s ability to safely and comfortably accommodate infants.
Here’s my 3.5-year-old son, Ben, rear-facing in the EXEC. At 34 pounds and 39 inches, with the leg panel fully extended, he has ample legroom and room to grow, showcasing the extended rear-facing capability for older infants and toddlers.
Even my petite 6.5-year-old, William, at 40 pounds and 44 inches, could still rear-face in the EXEC with room to grow, further highlighting the seat’s extended rear-facing capacity, although he normally rides forward-facing.
Forward Facing Mode: Transitioning Toddlers
In forward-facing mode, the EXEC closely resembles the Rava, with two key differences: increased height and the leg rest feature. The anti-rebound bar from rear-facing mode transforms into an optional, adjustable leg support in forward-facing mode. Usable in any locked position in forward-facing and booster modes (with limitations), the leg rest adds a unique comfort element. My children enjoyed experimenting to find their preferred leg rest position, and this feature would be especially valuable for longer trips, whenever safe travel becomes more common again.
Vehicle fit in forward-facing mode mirrors the Rava, but the improved True Tension door enhances ease of use. Seatbelt locking is still required, and seatbelt installation is preferred over lower anchors, though lower anchors are usable until the child reaches 40 pounds forward-facing. Vehicle headrest removal might be necessary for optimal fit, but the EXEC’s headrest is somewhat forward-sitting, which might mitigate this issue.
Here’s Ben, still 3.5 years old, 34 pounds, and 39 inches, forward-facing in the EXEC. The fit is excellent, and he appears comfortable and content. He was less pleased when I transitioned the seat to booster mode for his older brother!
William, now 6.5 years old, 40 pounds, and 44 inches, is pictured forward-facing in the EXEC at its highest harness setting. He still has approximately 1 to 1.5 inches of torso growth remaining, even with his longer torso, indicating good longevity in forward-facing harness mode for older toddlers and preschoolers.
Booster Mode: For Older Children
The final stage is booster mode. Historically, all-in-one seats don’t excel as long-lasting boosters, and the EXEC is no exception. It functions adequately as a booster, but it won’t likely get a child to the five-step test stage. This limitation is common among 3-in-1 car seats, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected, but it was a slight hope.
Vehicle fit in booster mode might require vehicle headrest removal. The leg rest is ONLY usable in booster mode IF lower anchors are utilized (lower anchor sharing is permitted ONLY in booster mode). This leg rest rule is in place because, without lower anchor securement, an extended leg rest can cause the seat to tip when a child climbs in or out.
In booster mode, the harness is stored, not removed, which is a plus for those who dislike harness removal. To store it, fully extend the headrest and tuck the harness buckles into designated storage slots. My children didn’t report any discomfort from the stored harness, and it felt well-integrated. The EXEC’s shoulder belt guide is a standout feature – spring-loaded for ease of use and secure belt retention. Unlike our other booster, where the belt occasionally slips out, the EXEC’s guide has kept the belt securely in place, only dislodging when intentionally pulled from behind.
I tested booster mode with two models. Elijah, 9 years old, 51 inches, and 60 pounds, barely fits. Despite being 6 inches below the stated maximum height, it’s not a comfortable fit for him, and any growth spurt would render it unusable.
William (6.5 years old) has been using the EXEC in booster mode since reaching 40 pounds. The fit is good, with one height setting left, which should last him a reasonable time, considering torso growth. William, who has sensory processing disorder, finds car rides challenging. The leg rest in booster mode offers crucial comfort and pressure relief, addressing a common complaint and highlighting an often-understated benefit of this feature.
All the Other Pertinent Details
- Crash Replacement: Nuna adheres to NHTSA guidelines for replacement after moderate to severe crashes.
- Expiration: The EXEC has a 10-year expiration period.
- LATCH: Lower anchor weight limit is 35 pounds rear-facing and 40 pounds forward-facing. In harness mode, standard lower anchor spacing (11 inches) is required, generally precluding lower anchor borrowing. Booster mode allows lower anchor borrowing if standard anchors aren’t available, provided it doesn’t interfere with the vehicle seatbelt. Tether use is prohibited in booster mode.
- Airplane Use: The EXEC is aircraft certified in harness mode. Boosters are unsuitable for airplane use, so booster mode is not certified for air travel.
- Cover Removal/Cleaning/Maintenance: The car sickness incident provided a practical lesson in cover removal. Despite my general dislike for car seat cover removal, the EXEC’s cover is remarkably easy to remove and, more impressively, to reinstall. Snaps, rather than tuck-and-loop straps, secure the cover, a significant improvement. Unlike many car seats where covers never feel quite as secure after removal, the EXEC’s snaps maintain a snug fit. The cover is machine-washable on a gentle cycle and should be air-dried.
Summary
The Nuna EXEC is a remarkably well-designed and crafted car seat. Its ease of installation, user-friendly features, and focus on comfort and safety are outstanding. My family enjoys using it and plans to continue as long as it fits our children.
Pros:
- Anti-Rebound Bar/Leg Room Extension/Leg Rest: This feature combination is exceptional, enhancing both safety and comfort. The leg rest, in particular, is a standout feature that is beneficial from infancy through booster use.
- Easy Installation: The Simply Secure system lives up to its name, making installation straightforward.
- No Flame Retardant Chemicals: A significant health-conscious advantage.
- Easy-to-Clean Cover: The cover’s removability and reinstallation ease are unparalleled, a true blessing for parents dealing with spills and messes, especially relevant for infant car seats.
Cons:
It’s challenging to find significant faults with such a high-quality product, but for a balanced review, here are some minor considerations:
- Price: The Nuna Exec All-in-1 retails around $750 at upscale retailers and boutiques like Albee Baby, making it a considerable investment, and potentially not accessible to all families.
- Booster Mode Longevity: The booster mode’s lifespan is shorter than expected. My 9-year-old, well within the stated height limit, cannot comfortably use it, meaning it might not be a true “one and only” car seat solution for the entire car seat stage.
- Detachable Crotch Buckle Cover: While included for rear-facing comfort, the crotch buckle cover isn’t attached and can be easily lost.
- TrueTension System Not a Lockoff: While effective, the TrueTension system is not a lockoff, a feature often expected in premium car seats to further minimize misuse.
Conclusion
If the Nuna EXEC All-in-1 fits your budget and family needs, especially if you are looking for a seat that can accommodate your child from infancy through the early booster years, I highly recommend it. The installation process, ease of use, comfort features, and safety provisions are top-tier. While its booster height is limited, it excels as an extended rear-facing, standard forward-facing, and early booster car seat option. If you appreciated the Rava but desired more features and versatility, the EXEC is an excellent upgrade. It’s a car seat that will remain in my car for years, a testament to its quality and features, especially the coveted leg rest.
