The RAVA is retiring. The NEXT is the upgraded version.
Nuna is winding the RAVA down, so this is less a head-to-head than a hand-off. The RAVA colors still floating around are the last of them, and at $374.99 (previously $480) against the NEXT’s $580, the outgoing seat is the bargain. But the upgrade here isn't cosmetic. Nuna has gone above and beyond to certify the newer RAVA Next to safety standards that don't become mandatory until December 2026. As for the safety requirements today, both the RAVA and Rava Next car seats abide by federal standard requirements.
What's different day to day?
A very good magnet.
|
Everyday use |
Nuna RAVA | Nuna RAVA Next |
| Lower-anchor install | Lower anchor belt | Push-on lower anchor attachments |
| Seat clip holders | standard | magnetic |
| Recline | 5 rear-facing and 5 forward-facing | 4 rear-facing and 4 forward-facing |
Those magnets deserve a moment. If a shoulder strap has never disappeared behind your toddler's back while they bicycle-kick your forearm, skip this paragraph. If one has, you understand exactly why somebody at Nuna went looking for magnets. The RAVA does have holders for the buckles to sit but the magnets are NEXT level (get it?!)
Identical on both seats: rear-facing 5 to 50 lbs, forward-facing 30 to 65 lbs, lower-anchor limits to 35 lb rear and 40 lb forward, a 10-position headrest, a no-rethread 5-point harness with a 2-position crotch buckle, Simply Secure installation, True Tension doors, calf support, cup holders, an integrated tether, FAA certification, GREENGUARD Gold, and not a fire retardant in either one.
Is the RAVA Next safer than the RAVA?
That depends. It's certified to a newer crash standard that takes effect December 2026. Nuna certifies the RAVA Next to FMVSS 213a and 213b, the updated federal standards for side and frontal impact performance. The rest of the industry has until December 5, 2026 to meet FMVSS 213b. Nuna didn't wait. Because the new law has yet to take effect, most seats you'll find online or in-store have not been required to pass that specific safety test, except for the RAVA Next, which already has.
| Safety | Nuna RAVA | Nuna RAVA Next |
| Certified to FMVSS 213a & 213b | Not stated by Nuna | ✓ |
| Side Impact Protection (SIP) pods | ✓ | ✓ |
| SIP seat insert (required to 40 lbs) | Not included | ✓ |
| Steel frame + reinforced belt path | ✓ (all-steel) | ✓ (steel-reinforced) |
| Energy-absorbing foam | ✓ | ✓ |
None of this makes the RAVA an unsafe seat. It meets the federal standards in force today, it rides on the same steel frame, and it holds your child to the same 50 lb rear-facing and 65 lb forward-facing that the NEXT does. The Rava Next simply clears an even higher bar and adds a SIP insert that keeps smaller riders sitting where they should. That's the difference.
What about the Nuna RAVA recall?
It covers older seats, not the ones sold now. In January 2025, Nuna issued NHTSA recall 24C002 on RAVA seats built between July 16, 2016 and October 25, 2023 because debris could get into the front harness adjuster and let the harness loosen. Seats made after that window, including the ones on our site, aren't part of it. (If you already own an older RAVA, Nuna offers a free remedy kit, and you can check your seat's status at nunababy.com.) Test yours the way Nuna describes: push on the seat back with one hand, pull the harness firmly with the other, and it should stay locked without lengthening.
Is the Nuna RAVA being discontinued?
Yes, Nuna seems to have stopped producing it. Retirement doesn't shorten a car seat's life. Yours carries the same expiration date it always had, and our guide to how long a car seat is good for shows you where to find it. The only real catch is choice: the colors available now are all the colors there will ever be.
Does this car seat expire sooner than the NEXT?
No! The expiration dates are the same. Both the RAVA and RAVA NEXT expire 10 years after the manufacture date. Both are new batch production and have been produced this year at the same time, more or less, and will both expire 10 years from that date.
Are the Nuna RAVA and RAVA NEXT flame-retardant free?
Yes. Both are, and both carry GREENGUARD Gold. We don't sell car seats with flame retardants, period, and we never will. (By the way, those two credentials get conflated constantly, and they measure different things. GREENGUARD Gold is an emissions test: it certifies what a seat releases into the air of your car. Fire-retardant free is about what went into the seat to begin with. A seat can pass the emissions test and still carry flame retardants in the foam under its cover.)
Read our exposé on popular manufacturers adding flame retardants in car seats.
Should you still buy a RAVA?
Yes, if the $100 savings win. At $480 $374.99, the RAVA is a lot of car seat. If the budget is tight or you’re looking for an additional car seat (for a second car or caretaker’s vehicle), take it and don't look back! If you want the newest safety standard, the RAVA NEXT may be worth the extra investment to you. Either way, your kid rides rear-facing to 50 lbs on GREENGUARD Gold certified fabrics with no fire retardants anywhere in the seat.
Curious how these fit into the rest of the family? Our RAVA vs EXEC vs REVV breakdown covers the latest editions of Nuna's convertibles, and RAVA NEXT vs UPPAbaby Rove takes it cross-brand. Or browse every convertible car seat we carry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Matthews is a Product Expert at Modern Nursery, where he focuses on car seat safety, stroller safety, and toxin exposure in children's products. A nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, father of three, and former high school teacher, he consults on the chemical safety of the product line and writes to help parents make confident, informed decisions. Read more about Brian's expertise here!
