How Good Are Volvo's Built-In Booster Seats? Here's What Parents Say

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

As any parent knows, kids grow fast, and their needs change as they enter different developmental stages. While automakers have worked to solve the space issue, as there are family-friendly cars that can easily fit three car seats, Volvo is the only brand currently producing vehicles that come with integrated booster seats. Booster seats are for older children who have graduated from infant and larger child seats and need a little bit of height for the car's seat belt to fit properly.

While laws are different across the states, most stipulate some qualifications that require the use of a booster seat. For instance, kids who weigh 40 to 80 pounds, are below age 8, and are under 4 foot 9. 

So are these built-in boosters in select Volvo models any good? Feedback from parents has been generally positive. For example, Kelly Stumpe — aka @the_car_mom on Instagram — was so impressed with Volvo's edition to some of its lineup, she's calling on parents to sign a petition to get more automakers offering built-in booster seats. Volvo's integrated booster was also praised on Reddit's r/Volvo subreddit by vassar888, who said, "My kid loves these seats, and it's incredibly convenient when I need to take one of his friends with us."

Volvo, a Sweden-headquartered automaker owned by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, is one of the most popular car brands known for their safety. It has included integrated boosters as an option in various models since the 1990's. They're currently available on new XC90s (Volvo's larger SUV) and the XC60 (a midsize SUV). The XC90 offers it as an optional add-on for the center seat in the second row. The XC60 can come with two built-in booster seats, with one on each side in the second row, handy for parents with larger families. The V90 Cross Country can also feature a pair of integrated booster seats, but it's no longer being offered as a new car in the U.S.

When not in use, these boosters are hidden, and the seats appear similar to regular ones. However, when you pull a latch on the front of the lower cushion, it separates a bottom portion of the seat, letting you raise it and slide it backward. This booster section effectively sits on top of the back portion of the bottom cushion, raising children up to the appropriate level for proper seat belt fit. There is also the option of two different heights, which can help adjust things for a wide range of kid sizes.

While Volvo's website doesn't provide pricing information for optional integrated booster seats, O'Steen Volvo Cars of Jacksonville, Florida says that for two built-in boosters, it's usually $500.

While there are parents with positive reactions to Volvo's integrated booster seat feature, others had concerns and prefer seats from other manufacturers. For instance, a father named Dave on swedespeed.com said that while his 4-year-old daughter met the weight and height requirement for the booster, "She can easily slip out of the chest portion of the seatbelt." In addition, when she falls asleep, the design of the built-in booster doesn't offer nearly enough support.

Another dad, Mike_V on volvoxc.com, said "I think the build-in Volvo booster seat does not work well," so he chose not to use the it for his 6-year-old. He said it's narrow, and children can slide off it without much effort. He also criticized it for not having as secure a placement for the seat belt as you would find in a stand-alone product. And Redditor quarter-water on r/Volvo recommended: "Find the car you like and put your own booster seat in."