Nuna AACE booster car seatWeb: Nuna.eu

Booster type: High back to backless booster.

Weight: 40 lbs. to 100 lbs. (kids over age 4)

Price: $250.

IIHS rating: Not yet.

NHTSA: Not yet.

Pros: Multiple adjustments include seat width and headrest. Side impact protection. Cover is machine washable.

Cons: $250? Really? So new, we don’t have any real world feedback yet (as of this writing).

Comments:  Overshadowed by the announcement of Nuna’s first convertible car seat, Nuna also debuted its first booster car seat in July 2016—the awkwardly named AACE. (All Nuna products have four-letter names, so I guess the pros in Nuna’s marketing department must have decided to bolt an extra A on to ACE to keep up the theme. In related news, we decided today to change our book title to BBABY BBARGAINS).

Anyway, the AACE is out now and runs $250 (yes, you read that right). It is a belt-positioning booster with 40-110 lbs limits as a high back booster (50-120 lbs as a backless booster). In high back mode, it is intended for kids four and up. Here are the highlights of the seat:

• The seat adjusts both in height, width and seat depth. Nuna calls this AACE’s “3D growth system.”
• Side impact protection that pops out from the seat (“side impact pods”).
• Machine-washable seat cover with ventilation.

Quick thoughts: again it looks like Nuna is pushing the price boundaries here. Few (no?) belt-positioning boosters are over $200, much less $250. Yes, the Britax Frontier is $250, but that is a HARNESSED booster that converts to belt-positioning. We like all the adjustments, but fixed armrests (such as those on the AACE) are always controversial since it can make climbing in and out of the seat sometimes challenging for some kids.

The 3D growth system is a nice touch, but you can find this feature on other boosters like the Diono Monterey ($120), which notably costs less than HALF the price of the AACE. One unique feature to the AACE: a leg extension to help better fit older kids, who might outgrow regular boosters.

Based on positive reader feedback, we’ll go ahead and give this seat an A- Rating: A-.