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⚠️ Car seat safety: read this first
This article shares our own experience and research on how car seats fit in a Tesla Model Y. It is not a set of installation instructions and does not replace them.
Always install and use your car seat exactly as directed by both the car seat manufacturer’s instruction manual and labels and the Child Safety Seats section of the Tesla Model Y Owner’s Manual. If anything on this site differs from those instructions, follow the manufacturers’ instructions, not us. If the two manuals conflict or you’re unsure, contact the car seat manufacturer or a certified technician before using the seat.
Anchor locations, approved seating positions and compatibility can vary by model year, trim, seat configuration and car seat version, and manufacturers update their guidance over time. Check that the instructions you follow match your exact vehicle and your exact car seat, and check your child’s height and weight against the seat’s limits.
Before driving with your child, have your installation checked by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). Checks are often free. Find one through Safe Kids Worldwide or NHTSA. Plugin Parents is not affiliated with Tesla or any car seat manufacturer, and we are not certified technicians. You are responsible for correctly installing and using your child’s car seat.
Owner-Tested in Our Model Y
The Aace is the booster our son has used every day in our Model Y for a while now, so this post is written from our own use, not the spec sheet. Here’s how it fits the Model Y’s back seat, how it installs, what we’ve learned day to day, and photos from our car.
Nuna Aace at a glance (Nuna’s specs)
| Mode | Age | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-back booster | 4+ | 43–60 in | 40–110 lb |
| Backless booster | 5+ | 43–60 in | 50–120 lb |
It also has a nine-position adjustable headrest and, in high-back mode with the lower connectors attached, eight recline positions. Figures are from Nuna’s product page.
How the Nuna Aace installs in the Model Y
A booster doesn’t hold your child; the Model Y’s own seat belt does. The Aace’s rigid lower connectors click onto the LATCH anchors in the outboard rear seats and hold the booster in place when it’s empty, so it doesn’t slide around or become a projectile, and they’re what let it recline. The anchors sit deep in the Model Y’s seat crease, but clicking the Aace onto them was very easy.
We use it in high-back mode. Our son still takes an occasional nap in the car, and the high back’s sides keep him sitting upright instead of slumping all the way over toward the door, which is a real problem with backless mode for a younger child.
How the Nuna Aace fits the Model Y’s back seat
In high-back mode, the Model Y’s rear headrest pushes the back of the booster forward, so we removed the headrest to let the Aace sit flush against the seatback. In backless mode it isn’t an issue. Check both the Aace manual and the Model Y owner’s manual before removing a headrest, and put it back when an adult rides in that seat.
It’s also narrow enough to share the row. In our car it sits beside our Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit with room between them, and we’ve had it next to our WAYB Pico travel seat the same way.
Our son can unbuckle himself. Buckling up is a little harder for him: the shoulder-belt guide at the top of the high back makes the belt slightly harder for a child to pull across, though it’s easy for an adult.
What we’ve learned day to day
Our son loves the seat. For us, the big win is that he can nap safely without being confined to a restrictive harnessed seat, and the high back’s side support makes it feel far more secure than a backless booster for a kid who’s almost 5. That lines up with the usual advice to keep a child in high-back mode for as long as they fit it.
Where to buy it
The Aace is hard to find in stock on Amazon right now, so the link below goes to Nuna directly. We’ll add a retailer link as soon as one actually has it in stock.
Nuna Aace High-Back Booster
Fits either outboard rear seat of the Model Y; remove the headrest for high-back mode
Nuna Aace and Tesla Model Y FAQ
Does the Nuna Aace fit in a Tesla Model Y?
Yes. It fits either outboard rear seat and clicks onto the Model Y’s LATCH anchors. In high-back mode we removed the Model Y’s rear headrest so the booster sits flush.
Do you have to remove the Model Y headrest for the Nuna Aace?
In high-back mode, we did: the headrest pushed the back of the booster forward. In backless mode it isn’t an issue. Check both manuals first, and put the headrest back for adult passengers.
Is the Nuna Aace good for naps?
Yes. The high back’s side support keeps our son upright when he naps, which is the main reason we use high-back mode instead of backless.
Can a child buckle themselves in the Nuna Aace?
Our son can unbuckle himself. Buckling is a little harder because of the shoulder-belt guide at the top of the high back, but it’s easy for an adult.
Related guides
WAYB Pico in a Tesla Model Y · Best car seats for a Tesla Model Y · How to install a car seat in a Model Y · How we choose products
