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Two infant car seats sold in the US have stroller wheels built in: the Doona+ and the Evenflo Shyft DualRide. You lift either out of the car, unfold the wheels and push. The convenience is the same, so the choice comes down to crash results, weight and an open federal investigation.
Doona or Shyft DualRide: which should you buy?
The Shyft DualRide, unless the Doona’s lighter weight decides it for you. BabyGearLab, which buys its own seats and paid MGA Research to crash-test them, ranked the Shyft 7th of 16 infant seats and the Doona 16th. It wrote that the Shyft “would be our pick over the similar Doona”. Consumer Reports rates both “Better” for crash protection, so it doesn’t separate them, and it calls the Shyft’s installation with the base excellent.
The Doona’s advantages are size and weight. BabyGearLab measured it at 17.2 pounds against 20.1 for the Shyft, and Consumer Reports calls the Shyft combo heavy. The Doona is also the seat with an open NHTSA investigation, covered in the next section.
| Doona+ | Evenflo Shyft DualRide | |
|---|---|---|
| Child weight | 4-30 lb | 3-30 lb |
| Child height | 17-32 in | 15.7-32 in |
| BabyGearLab crash test score | 4.6 (16th of 16) | 6.8 (7th of 16) |
| Consumer Reports crash protection | Better | Better |
| BabyGearLab measured weight | 17.2 lb | 20.1 lb |
| Federal standard stated | FMVSS 213A (Doona’s safety page) | FMVSS 213 (Evenflo’s manual) |
| NHTSA recalls (13 Nov 2026) | None | None |
| Open NHTSA investigation | PE26005, carry handle | None |
Limits are the manufacturers’ current figures. BabyGearLab tested earlier versions of both seats that were rated to 35 pounds, so its results are for those units.
Is the Doona safe? What NHTSA’s investigation means
The Doona+ meets federal car seat standards: its user guide says it “conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards”, and Doona’s safety page says it’s certified to FMVSS 213A. What’s open is a question about its carry handle.
In July 2026, NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation, PE26005, into reports that the handle may separate from 2020-2024 Doona+ seats, an estimated 735,734 of them. NHTSA’s concern is that the seat “could be dropped when placing it in or out of the vehicle”. A preliminary evaluation is the first stage of an investigation. It isn’t a recall or a finding that the seat is defective. The incident counts in NHTSA’s public summary are all zero, though manufacturers’ field reports to NHTSA are confidential. NHTSA showed no Doona recalls when we checked on 13 November 2026.
If you own a 2020-2024 Doona+, register it at doona.com/register, as Doona’s guide tells every owner to do, so a recall notice would reach you. The guide also says to keep the handle in Position C whenever the seat is in the car.
The Shyft has handle reports too. NHTSA’s complaint database holds an owner report from October 2026 alleging that a Shyft DualRide handle detached on one side and the seat dropped with the child in it. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and NHTSA hasn’t opened an investigation into the Shyft. Evenflo’s manual says to lock the handle in Infant Carry Mode before lifting the seat.
How did they do in crash tests?
Neither seat appears in NHTSA’s ease-of-use ratings, so the comparison rests on two independent sources:
- BabyGearLab commissioned crash tests from MGA Research. The Shyft scored 6.8 on the crash test, “slightly above average”. The Doona scored 4.6, “one of the lowest crash test analysis scores in the review”, and BabyGearLab says it isn’t a seat it would recommend “in general or to a friend”. BabyGearLab also notes that every seat it tested is presumed to have passed the federal standard.
- Consumer Reports rates crash protection “Better” for both. Its detailed scores are for members only.
The Doona review dates from October 2023 and the Shyft review from February 2025. Both tested units were rated to 35 pounds, so they’re earlier production than the 30-pound seats on sale now.
Weight, size and limits
The Shyft takes a smaller baby: Evenflo rates it from 3 pounds, with an Infant Body Support required from 3 to 6 pounds, against the Doona’s 4-pound minimum. Both top out at 30 pounds and 32 inches, after which your child moves to a convertible seat.
Weight cuts the other way. Doona publishes 17.2 pounds for the seat with its wheels, and BabyGearLab measured the same. Evenflo lists the DualRide at 29.0 pounds without saying whether that includes the base, and BabyGearLab measured 20.1 pounds. The Shyft lets you leave its wheels in the base so the carrier is lighter to lift, but Consumer Reports notes you can’t detach the carrier from the stroller without the base.
Both work on planes. Doona’s guide says the car seat is certified for aircraft but the base isn’t; Evenflo’s manual certifies the Shyft for aircraft when used with its stroller frame. Our guide to flying with a car seat covers the airline side.
How long can a baby stay in a car seat stroller?
There’s no official hour limit, so treat the convenience with care. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns that “there are health consequences when babies spend too much time in their car seats outside of the car”, including a flattened head and breathing concerns, because a head that flops forward can narrow a baby’s airway. It says car seats “are not safe sleeping environments”: “Car seats are for traveling, cribs are for sleeping.”
Both manufacturers agree. Doona’s guide says the seat “is not safe for sleep or unsupervised use” and to move a sleeping baby to a firm, flat surface. Evenflo’s manual says the DualRide “should be used only for travel” and to “limit the time spent each day in a child restraint as much as possible”. The two-hour limit you’ll see quoted online doesn’t come from the AAP. The AAP’s only time figure is a break every 2 to 3 hours on a daytime road trip.
What about the Doona X?
The Doona X is Doona’s newer model, and the only one Doona says is certified to FMVSS 213B. It has three recline positions in stroller mode, though Doona says it “cannot be reclined when in car seat mode”. It’s heavier, at 19.6 pounds, and rated up to 30 pounds and 17 to 32 inches. We couldn’t find it on Amazon, so it has no card here.
Buying a Doona on Amazon: how to avoid a fake
Doona warns that fake seats “are not certified or safety-tested”, and NHTSA’s complaint database includes four reports of counterfeit Doonas between 2021 and 2026. In one, a car seat technician described a seat that looked like a Doona but had no expiration date, manufacture date, serial number or manufacturer’s name.
When we checked, the Doona on Amazon was sold by a third-party seller, Huppins, and we couldn’t confirm whether it’s on Doona’s list of authorised retailers. Before you use any Doona, check the label for Doona’s name, the model number and the date of manufacture, then register it at doona.com/register with those details. If you’re unsure about a seller, Doona’s US distributor, SP Distribution, takes calls on +1 (844) 477-9539. Doona’s site says the distributor knows every registered retailer.
The Shyft DualRide card links to a listing sold by Amazon.com.
Which is right for you?
- Best crash-test results: Shyft DualRide.
- Lightest seat to carry: Doona+, at 17.2 pounds.
- Smallest babies: Shyft DualRide, from 3 pounds.
- Already own a 2020-2024 Doona+: register it and keep an eye on NHTSA’s recall lookup.
For travel systems that pair a separate stroller with an infant seat, see our car seat stroller combo guide. For infant seats without wheels, see how to choose an infant car seat and strollers for newborns.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Detailed Reviews
Evenflo Shyft DualRide Infant Car Seat Stroller Combo
Better crash-test resultsBabyGearLab ranked it 7th of 16 infant seats in its crash tests and picked it over the Doona, and Consumer Reports rates its installation excellent. It's heavier, and Consumer Reports found its unlabeled levers confusing.
What We Like
- BabyGearLab ranked it 7th of 16 infant seats in its commissioned crash tests and named it "our pick over the similar Doona"
- Consumer Reports lists "Excellent LATCH and belt installation with the base"
- Fits from 3 lb (Evenflo), smaller than the Doona's 4 lb minimum, with an Infant Body Support required from 3 to 6 lb
- Wheels can stay in the base, so the carrier is lighter to lift without them (Evenflo); BabyGearLab found it easy to install
- SensorSafe alerts by Bluetooth to unsafe temperature, a child left unattended, an unbuckled chest clip and a child buckled too long (Evenflo)
What We Don't
- Heavy: Consumer Reports calls the combo heavy, and BabyGearLab measured 20.1 lb against 17.2 lb for the Doona
- Consumer Reports found unlabeled levers make adjustments confusing
- Consumer Reports notes you can't detach the infant carrier from the stroller without the base
- Evenflo's manual says it meets FMVSS 213 but names no side-impact standard (FMVSS 213a); Evenflo's product page lists "Side Impact Protection" without citing a test
Doona Infant Car Seat & Stroller
Lighter, folds in one pieceLighter than the Shyft and the original car seat with wheels, but BabyGearLab's crash tests ranked it last of 16, and NHTSA has an open investigation into carry handles on 2020-2024 seats. Not a recall.
What We Like
- Car seat transforms into stroller instantly
- No separate stroller to store
- TUV and FAA approved for travel
- Integrated wheels deploy in seconds
What We Don't
- Outgrown at 30 pounds or 32 inches
- Heavy for a car seat at 17.2 pounds
- Expensive compared to separate car seat and stroller
- NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation (PE26005) in July 2026 into reports that the carry handle can detach on 2020-2024 Doona+ seats; not a recall
Sources & Research
- Evenflo Shyft DualRide product page (US)
- Evenflo Shyft DualRide owner's manual (257000036 12/24)
- BabyGearLab Shyft DualRide review (crash tests by MGA Research), February 2025
- Consumer Reports Shyft DualRide car seat page (public summary)
- Amazon Product Page
- Doona Official Website
- Doona + Car Seat & Stroller, Doona USA product page
- NHTSA ODI resume PE26005, Doona + carry handle separation
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Doona safe?
- It's certified to US federal car seat standards, and Doona states the Doona+ is certified to FMVSS 213A. Consumer Reports rates its crash protection "Better", the same as the Shyft DualRide, while BabyGearLab's commissioned crash tests ranked it last of 16 infant seats. NHTSA also has an open investigation (PE26005) into carry handles that may separate on 2020-2024 Doona+ seats. That isn't a recall, and NHTSA listed no Doona recalls when we checked on 13 November 2026.
- Is the Evenflo Shyft DualRide better than the Doona?
- On crash testing, yes. BabyGearLab ranked the Shyft DualRide 7th of 16 infant seats and said it "would be our pick over the similar Doona", which it ranked 16th. Consumer Reports gives both the same "Better" crash protection rating. The Doona is lighter, and Consumer Reports found the Shyft's levers confusing.
- How long can a baby stay in a Doona or Shyft DualRide?
- Neither the AAP nor either manufacturer sets an hour limit. The AAP warns that "there are health consequences when babies spend too much time in their car seats outside of the car", and Evenflo's manual says to "limit the time spent each day in a child restraint as much as possible". Both manufacturers say the seat is not for sleep.
- Can you take the Doona or Shyft DualRide on a plane?
- Doona's user guide says the Doona car seat is certified for aircraft but the base isn't. Evenflo's manual says the Shyft DualRide is certified for aircraft when used with its stroller frame. Both tell you to check with the airline first.
- How do I know if a Doona is fake?
- Doona warns that fake seats "are not certified or safety-tested". Buy from a seller you can confirm, register the seat with Doona using the model number and manufacturing date from its label, and treat a seat with no manufacturer's name, manufacture date or serial number as suspect. A car seat technician described exactly that on a counterfeit in a complaint to NHTSA.
Written By
Kid Sitting Safe
Our team researches car seat safety standards, crash test data, and real-world usability to help parents make the safest choice.
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