Booster Car Seat Review: Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120Web site: PegPerego.com

Booster type: High back and backless booster

Weight: 40 to 120 lbs. as high back booster or backless.

Price: $200.

IIHS rating:
High Back: Best Bet.
Backless: Check fit.

NHTSA ease of use rating: Four stars out of five.

Pros: EPS foam, side impact protection head wings, use to 120 pounds, converts to backless. LATCH connectors, two recessed cup holders. Made in Italy.

Cons: $200? Seats with similar specs can be had for under $100. Cup holders don’t have bottoms. Must have rear headrests in vehicle to use in high-back mode.

Comments Booster Car Seat Review: First released in 2012, the Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120 booster seat works from 40 to 120 lbs. (Confusingly, Perego refers to all its car seats as Viaggio, which is Italian for “trip”).

The booster features side impact head cushions and integrated cup holders. It comes in both fabric ($200) and leatherette versions ($230), the latter of which is probably a poor choice for parents in hot climates.

Our first impression of this seat was that it looked like an overpriced knock-off of the Graco TurboBooster. And since you can pick up that seat for just $50, we’re not sure what justifies the big price premium here (okay, the Viaggio HBB will work to 120 lbs. versus the TurboBooster’s 100 lbs.). The Viaggio does have LATCH attachments to keep the seat secure when unoccupied and it reclines, another feature the TurboBooster lacks. But most of the specs of this seat are similar to the TurboBooster, down to the two hide away cup holders in the base (note the cup holders don’t have a bottom, which is an unfortunate oversight).

We wish Perego had come out with some new technology or incredible adjustments (like Kiddy’s seats that have amazing adjustments for the seat depth and head rests). Yes, this seat is very high quality . . . but that alone doesn’t justify the price premium in our opinion. (The Peg Viaggio Flex booster does feature more adjustments, but runs $300).

Parent feedback on this seat has been mostly positive. Fans love the latch system which makes it easy to install and they praise the soft, comfortable fabric as well. One negative: this booster in highback mode requires rear-seat headrests—and some vehicles don’t have this (especially in the center position).

On the plus side, the Viaggio HBB 120 did receive a four out of five rating from the NHTSA for ease of use. And this seat is made in Italy, not China.

Like Peg’s infant and convertible seats, the Viaggio HBB 120 is a very good quality booster seat for older kids that are mature enough to sit in a belt-positioning booster . . . but the high price and lack of adjustments hold down the overall rating. Rating: B+ Booster Car Seat Review: Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120