UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Rx Infant Car Seats
Both infant car seats are popular with new parents—but which one is right for you?
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If you’re in the midst of researching infant car seats, you’ve likely checked out options from UPPAbaby and Nuna. Both brands get rave reviews and are very popular among Babylist parents; an infant seat from each landed top spots in our annual favorite baby products roundup.
But we also hear from parents that they’re often stuck between the two brands. A pair that often goes head-to-head is UPPAbaby’s Aria infant seat and the Nuna Pipa Aire Rx, the lighter-weight version of the Babylist parent favorite Nuna Pipa Rx. Both are easy to install and use, are light and feature several safety extras. How can you decide which one’s right for your family?
As a Child Passenger Safety Technician—a CPST, a specially trained car seat educator—I’ve had the chance to test and use both of these popular seats extensively. We’re breaking down the pros and cons of each infant car seat and comparing the features to help you decide.
Nuna PIPA aire rx Infant Car Seat - Caviar
From $550.00
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Weight
The Aria and the Pipa Aire are both extremely lightweight infant car seats, but the Aria outperforms the Pipa Aire in terms of weight.
Minus the infant insert and the canopy, the Aria weighs in at six pounds—the lightest infant car seat on the market. The inserts and canopy add a little over half a pound, so when you’re using the seat with both, the total weight comes to 6.8 pounds.
The Pipa Aire weighs 6.2 pounds without its canopy and infant inserts and 8.4 pounds once they’re added in, which is about a pound and a half more than the Aria’s total weight.
Most parents spend a good deal of time lugging their baby around in their car seat. While a few pounds may not seem like a big deal, it adds up, especially as your baby grows. A lighter seat is easier to carry and easier on your arms, shoulders and back.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire weight: How they compare
The Aria wins out here. While the canopy and inserts do add extra weight, this seat is still extremely lightweight at 6.8 pounds even when they’re in use. (Plus, the canopy is optional and the infant inserts have a specific use window—you’ll be able to ditch them once your baby surpasses the weight guidelines.)
For comparison, most infant car seats weigh around eight and a half to nine pounds. I was shocked by just how light the Aria was the first time I picked it up, and I continue to be impressed every time I use it.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Guidelines
There are two things to think through when researching a car seat’s specs: the child guidelines (the seat’s height and weight minimums and maximums, set by the manufacturer) and the size of the seat itself.
The first is important because it outlines the size and weight your child needs to be to use the seat—and when it’s time to ditch it. Once your child has outgrown the car seat by either the height or weight maximum, it’s no longer safe for them to use it.
The second is important because it influences how the car seat will fit in your car. A wider seat may not be the best choice if you’re trying to fit multiple car seats across your back seat, while a long seat front-to-back can pose an issue in a more compact vehicle or if there’s a taller person in the driver or passenger seat.
Here’s how the UPPAbaby vs. Nuna stack up:
UPPAbaby Aria | Nuna Pipa Aire RX | |
|---|---|---|
Width at widest point: | 17” | 17.5” |
Lowest harness position, with inserts: | 6” | 6” |
Highest harness position, without inserts: | 11” | 9” |
Front-to-back space, carrier only: | 24” | 26” |
Front-to-back space, carrier and base: | 28” | 29” |
The UPPAbaby Aria (L) vs. the Nuna Pipa Aire Rx
The Aria and the Pipa Aire have the same height and weight guidelines: both can be used with a child from four to 30 pounds and up to 30 inches. Because the Aria has a higher harness position than the Pipa Aire, however (the measurement from the bottom of the seat pan to the top of the highest harness strap slot) by two inches, it may fit some children a bit longer than the Aire might. In terms of car seat size, both the Aria and the Pipa Aire are fairly narrow seats but average in front-to-back measurements.
Keep in mind: what you’re gaining in both of these seats’ light weight, you’re losing in longevity. Many infant car seats can be used up to 35 pounds and 32 inches. The weight and height maxes for both the Aria and the Pipa Aire are significantly lower than that, meaning your little one will outgrow them sooner.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire child guidelines: How they compare
While the Aria has a slight edge over the Pipa Aire in child fit guidelines due to its higher harness height, it’s a tie—most babies will outgrow both of these seats around the same time. (And neither of them will last you as long as many other infant car seats on the market.)
Size-wise, both seats are average-to-good picks if you’re trying to fit multiple car seats across your back seat, but the Aria is more compact overall; however, neither of them are particularly great for cars that are very compact front-to-back or if you have taller folks up front.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Installation
Both the Aria and the Pipa Aire are very easy-to-install infant car seats, but the Pipa Aire has a slight edge in this category.
To install the base on the UPPAbaby Aria, you can use either your car’s LATCH system or the seat belt. (LATCH = Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren, a way to secure a car seat using a vehicle’s built-in anchors and tethers rather than its seat belt.) A tightness indicator on the base will turn from red to green when installation is complete. You can also install the Aria without the base using your vehicle’s seat belt.
The UPPAbaby Aria base’s LATCH connector is on a fabric strap.
Similar to the Aria, the Pipa Aire can also be installed either with or without its base and using either LATCH or a seat belt, and red-to-green indicators help you check your work. But the LATCH on the Aire’s base is easier and faster. Instead of LATCH connectors attached to a strap, like on the Aria, the Aire’s base uses rigid LATCH. This means the connectors are attached directly to the seat’s base; just flip them out, push them into your vehicle’s lower anchors, adjust the seat’s position and you’re ready to go. Rigid LATCH also has added safety benefits—more on that below.
The rigid LATCH connectors on the Pipa Aire Rx are attached directly to the base—not via a strap.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire installation: How they compare
Because of the rigid LATCH connectors on its base, the Nuna Pipa Aire is easier and slightly faster to install than the UPPAbaby Aria. However, keep in mind that the installation for both seats is still quick and extremely easy.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Safety Features
All car seats sold in the US must meet the same National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety and testing standards, so if they’re used correctly, they are all safe options. Both the Aria and the Pipa Aire meet and exceed these standards with several safety extras.
Both infant car seats have an anti-rebound panel and a load leg, two safety features that can help absorb energy forces and prevent movement in the event of a crash. As a CPST, I love that both of these safety features are present in these popular seats. Each seat has multiple recline positions, meaning you’re more likely to get a good fit in a wide variety of vehicles. (A properly installed car seat equals a safe car seat.) And both also feature side impact protection.
Both the UPPAbaby Aria (L) and the Nuna Pipa Aire Rx (R) feature anti-rebound panels.
The Pipa Aire does have one very slight safety advantage over the Aria: rigid LATCH. As mentioned earlier, the LATCH connectors on the Aire are connected directly to the base, whereas the connectors on the Aria connect to a strap. Rigid LATCH provides a steel-to-steel connection between the Aire’s base and a vehicle, the most secure connection available, minimizing the seat’s movement in the event of a crash.
The Nuna Pipa Aire’s rigid LATCH creates a steel-to-steel connection when attached to a vehicle because the LATCH connectors are attached directly to the car seat’s base.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire safety features: How they compare
Thanks to the rigid LATCH, the Aire gets a slight safety advantage over the Aria. But it’s almost too close to call; both seats are packed with above-and-beyond safety features and are extremely reliable.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Convenience Features
Often, the difference between a lower-priced car seat and a more expensive one is the convenience features. The Aria and the Pipa Aire, both high-end seats, are good examples of this. Both have well-designed features that make using and transporting these car seats easy and intuitive.
Fumbling with harness straps is a huge pet peeve of mine, both as a CPST and as a parent. The Aria and the Pipa Aire were both designed with thoughtful solves for this common annoyance, with the Aria featuring built-in slots on either side of the seat to hold the straps and the Pipa Aire with magnets on either side to hold the buckles. (The Aria also has a snap to hold the tail of the harness tightening strap in place so you don’t have to dig around for it under your baby’s butt—so smart.) All of these conveniences keep the seats’ harness straps out of the way and easily reachable when they’re not in use.
The Nuna Pipa Aire has magnets on either side to hold the buckles.
The seats also share impressive canopies. The Aria’s extends almost to baby’s feet thanks to an extendable pop-out sunshade, while the Pipa Aire has a completely full-coverage canopy (with ventilation, not to worry) called a Sky drape. And both seats feature plush fabrics and multiple newborn inserts for a soft, contoured fit.
Both the Aria and the Pipa Aire Rx have large, nearly full-coverage canopies with ventilation.
Difference-wise, the handle on the Aria is noteworthy. While you can hold the seat in the traditional ways—the hanging carry, like you’d hold a grocery bag, or in the crook of your arm—the unique curve of the Aria’s handle means you can also carry it with this hack. While technically you can carry any infant car seat like this, the ergonomics of the Aria’s handle make it so much easier—and more comfortable—than with virtually any other seat, relieving a huge amount of stress on your arms, back and shoulders.
The ergonomic handle on the UPPAbaby Aria infant car seat makes it easy to pick up and carry.
The Aria also has a no-rethread harness, which allows you to adjust the seat’s harness straps with a simple pull of a tab instead of manually rerouting them as your baby grows. The Pipa Aire doesn’t have this feature. It has a rethread harness, which requires you to pull back the seat’s fabric and manually rethread the harness straps into the next set of higher slots as your baby grows.
The UPPAbaby Aria features an easy-to-adjust no-rethread harness.
While this is a con from a convenience perspective, it can also be viewed as a pro. As a CPST, I find that while no-rethread harnesses are more user-friendly than manual ones, the sacrifice often comes in fit—seats with manual rethread harnesses tend to provide a better fit for babies of all shapes and sizes. That’s the case with these two seats, as the Pipa Aire usually fits newborns (especially smaller ones) better than the Aria.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire convenience features: The verdict
It’s a tie. Both of these seats are packed with convenience features, and while each has pros and cons, they balance each other out. The Aria and the Pipa Aire are delightfully easy to use.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Materials
The Aria and the Pipa Aire are flame-retardant-free and GREENGUARD Gold Certified. While the composition and feel of the materials differ slightly, both are extremely soft, durable and luxurious. The Aria is made from a specially woven dual knit fabric that eliminates the need for any additional fire retardants, while the Pipa Aire, which is also free of fire retardants, is made from a micro-knit and features a memory foam seat and headrest for a custom, comfortable fit.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire materials: How they compare
It’s another tie. If chemical emissions are something you’re concerned about in a car seat, either of these infant seats is a good option.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Stroller Compatibility
If you’re planning on creating a travel system—an infant car seat that attaches to a stroller—it’s important to familiarize yourself with stroller compatibility for each of these car seats.
The Aria works with all UPPAbaby strollers, some directly without the use of adapters (Vista V3, Cruz V2) and with the use of adapters (sold separately) for others (Ridge, Minu). You can also use the Aria with a selection of other stroller brands (with adapters), including certain Thule, BOB and Veer models.
The Pipa Aire is also compatible with all Nuna strollers, some directly and some with adapters. The difference is that any Nuna stroller that requires an adapter comes with the stroller—you won’t have to purchase it separately. The Pipa Aire is also compatible with a wide range of other stroller brands, using separate adapters, including many models from BOB, Britax, Bugaboo, UPPAbaby, Mockingbird, Thule and many more.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire stroller compatibility: How they compare
Nuna’s Pipa Aire infant car seat takes this category. It’s easier to use with Nuna strollers and is compatible with a much broader range of other stroller brands than UPPAbaby’s Aria seat.
UPPAbaby Aria vs. Nuna Pipa Aire Rx: The Bottom Line
The Aria and the Pipa Aire are both safe, high-quality, easy-to-use and thoughtfully designed infant car seats. Each has its pros and cons, but because they’re so similar overall, choosing one over another should come down to your own personal needs and preferences.
At about $150 less than the Pipa Aire, the Aria is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more affordable (but still very luxe) infant car seat. It’s also a good choice if you’re set on an UPPAbaby stroller, like the extremely popular Vista V3, or if you’re very focused on car seat weight as a major deciding factor.
The Pipa Rx boasts rigid LATCH, an impressive safety extra, and also tends to fit smaller babies better than the Aria. Some families also appreciate not having to purchase a separate adapter if they’re planning on using the seat with a Nuna stroller.
