Here you’ll find the best comments, advice and information on all of the car seats on test. Our panel gave the Best Buy award to the Britax Evolva but make sure you read all of the categories to see how the various styles performed under different criteria. Don’t forget, if you’re a regular user of any of the car seats in our test or have an experience you’d like to share, please add a review.
Our parent panel comments on the following:
Ease of Use
Our panel felt that an easy to use seat was ‘fairly high up on the
list of priorities, especially if you’re travelling with more than one
child or have a particularly hectic schedule’. Straightforward instructions,
seat-belt routing and a non-complicated harness will all help to make
securing your child that little bit easier.
+ Our panel were particularly impressed with the
seat belt fitting on the Maxi Cosi Rodi XP – ‘it’s so simple to use and
offers a really secure fit for your child’.
+/- The Jane Indy
+ and Britax Evolva were simple to use, though getting the car seat cover
off of the Britax ‘was a bit of a challenge and required patience and
lots of deep breaths!’ Our panel liked the smooth mechanisms on the Jane
Indy + and ‘the fact that it converts to a booster seat is a real bonus’.
+/- The Recaro Sport
was ‘relatively straightforward in terms of securing your child, though
removing the harness was a tad tricky sometimes’. Our panel did note that
the harness ‘automatically adjusts when you extend the backrest – a nifty
little mechanism to ensure a perfect fit for your child as they grow’.
Portability
Many multi-group seats have a lightweight structure to ensure easy
transportation to different cars, though high portability isn’t a necessity
for everyone – especially if you are a one car family. If you use two
cars or need to transport the seat into a carer’s car on a regular basis,
this is something you need to consider carefully.
+/- The Concorde Evo Pro Tect was ‘one of the
lightest on test’ – ‘it’s simple to move around and makes transporting
into different cars very easy’. However our panel also found it to be
the tallest seat on test, making it ‘difficult to store and tricky to
install in a small car’.
+/- Our panel found the Recaro Sport ‘quite simple
to transport in and out of the car, especially without the harness secured’.
Similarly our panel found the Britax Evolva ‘relatively portable in comparison
to some of the other seats on test’.
+/- The Maxi Cosi was ‘a bit of a pain to swap
between cars’. ‘This is an ideal seat if you’re going to be using the
one car but if you need to switch them to different cars regularly, forget
it’.
+/- The Jane Indy + ‘certainly isn’t the lightest
seat on test’, but it does fold up slightly to make it more portable’.
Fitting in
Car
Car seats aren’t rocket science and the fitting mechanism shouldn’t
take up too much of your time, though instructions can sometimes be overly-detailed
which can often draw out the length of installation. Ease of fit often
comes with experience and you’ll find that the fitting process gets easier
every time you install it.
+ Seat belt routing ‘was a godsend with the Maxi
Cosi’ – ‘the instructions are clear and concise and it takes minutes to
get it securely in place’. Our panel also commented on the ‘cleverly placed
belt hooks which ensure the belt is fitted correctly every time’.
+/- The Jane Indy + ‘fits well into the car and
is easy to adjust’. Similarly the ‘Britax Evolva ‘fits well into the car,
though there are no fixings to keep the belt down which seemed unusual’.
+/- Our panel found the Concorde Evo Pro-Tect
easy to fit, though one member did find the seat ‘a little bulky when
trying to secure the seatbelt.’ Our panel also noted that the height is
un-adjustable and ‘can restrict the rear view of the back window, especially
in smaller cars’.
+/- Although the Recaro seat was ‘fairly easy
to get into the car’, the ‘seatbelt routing was time-consuming, despite
the clear and concise instructions’. Our panel agreed that the seat was
‘more difficult to fit with the harness in place’ but felt that it offered
‘a really tight and secure fit once in position’.
Comfort/Quality
The level of comfort the seat provides is an essential factor for
your child whilst a good quality seat will ensure longevity. Plush materials
with head rests and a recliner will ensure optimum comfort whilst on the
go – very important for regular travellers or those with extended journey
times.
+ The Maxi Cosi was found to be ‘one of the most
comfortable seats on test’ – ‘my child slept in this a lot and the handy
recline mechanism worked wonders every time’. The panel also liked the
Britax Evolva for its ‘high quality fabric and extra padding around the
head and neck’.
+ The Jane Indy + scored well on comfort: ‘This is a comfortable, high
quality seat with a nice modern style – ‘Abi loved the bright red colour
and said it made the car go faster!’ Our panel also noted that the seat
has Isofix fittings which (in addition to providing an extremely secure
fit) enabled the seat to recline at three different levels.
+/- When it came to the Recaro, our panel were
split. One member found that it ‘restricted my son’s view as it seemed
to slightly push his head back’, whereas another found that it offered’
a fantastic level of support for the head and body with some really high
quality materials’.
+/- The Concorde offered ‘a reasonable level of
comfort’. ‘We went on a long journey and had no complaints so it must
be ok, despite its rigid look!’ Our panel agreed that the Concorde offered
‘good value for money’, though ‘the materials do look a little cheap’.
Additional Extras
If your child is going to be using it until they reach the 1.35 metre
height required to wear a seat belt, a few additional extras here and
there will certainly help to preserve their entertainment. Other extras
to look out for include carry handles, covers and additional seat cushioning.
+ The Recaro seat comes with its own carry handle
- ‘a tiny detail but very practical when it comes to lifting in and out
of the car’.
+ The Jane Indy + can be used as a booster seat
and has built in cushioning for an ultra-comfy ride.
+ The Britax Evolva ‘comes with a drink and snack
holder which my son thought was great!’ You can also purchase England
seat covers – ‘very World Cup-esque and fab for little footie fans’.
+/- You can get a drinks holders for the Maxi
Cosi Rodi XP which connects to the side of the seat, ‘though you have
to purchase these separately which seems odd’.
Results
|
Multi-Group Car Seats
|
|
Concorde Lift Evo Pro Tect(Group 2,3)
£69.99
|
Jane Indy + (Group 2,3)
£104.99
|
Maxi Cosi Rodi XP(Group 2,3)
£79.99
|
RRecaro Sport (Groups 1,2 & 3)
£149.99
|
Ease
of use |
4/5
|
4/5
|
5/5
|
5/5
|
4/5
|
| Portability
|
4.5/5
|
4/5
|
4/5
|
3/5
|
5/5
|
Fitting
in Car |
4/5
|
4/5
|
4.5/5
|
5/5
|
3.5/5
|
Comfort/
Quality |
4.5/5
|
4/5
|
4/5
|
4.5/5
|
4/5
|
| Extras |
|
|
|
|
|
Value
for money |
4/5
|
4/5
|
4/5
|
4.5/5
|
3.5/5
|
| Total
score |
26/30
|
|
|
25.5/30
|
|
Where to next:
Competition ends 29th Feb 2012
Infant carrier car seats test overview
Group One car seats – overview
Car Seats – Where to get help
Test Overview – Multi Group Car Seats
Here you’ll find the best comments, advice and information on all of the car seats on test. Our panel gave the Best Buy award to the Britax Evolva but make sure you read all of the categories to see how the various styles performed under different criteria. Don’t forget, if you’re a regular user of any of the car seats in our test or have an experience you’d like to share, please add a review.
Our parent panel comments on the following:
Ease of Use
Our panel felt that an easy to use seat was ‘fairly high up on the
list of priorities, especially if you’re travelling with more than one
child or have a particularly hectic schedule’. Straightforward instructions,
seat-belt routing and a non-complicated harness will all help to make
securing your child that little bit easier.
+ Our panel were particularly impressed with the
seat belt fitting on the Maxi Cosi Rodi XP – ‘it’s so simple to use and
offers a really secure fit for your child’.
+/- The Jane Indy
+ and Britax Evolva were simple to use, though getting the car seat cover
off of the Britax ‘was a bit of a challenge and required patience and
lots of deep breaths!’ Our panel liked the smooth mechanisms on the Jane
Indy + and ‘the fact that it converts to a booster seat is a real bonus’.
+/- The Recaro Sport
was ‘relatively straightforward in terms of securing your child, though
removing the harness was a tad tricky sometimes’. Our panel did note that
the harness ‘automatically adjusts when you extend the backrest – a nifty
little mechanism to ensure a perfect fit for your child as they grow’.
Portability
Many multi-group seats have a lightweight structure to ensure easy
transportation to different cars, though high portability isn’t a necessity
for everyone – especially if you are a one car family. If you use two
cars or need to transport the seat into a carer’s car on a regular basis,
this is something you need to consider carefully.
+/- The Concorde Evo Pro Tect was ‘one of the
lightest on test’ – ‘it’s simple to move around and makes transporting
into different cars very easy’. However our panel also found it to be
the tallest seat on test, making it ‘difficult to store and tricky to
install in a small car’.
+/- Our panel found the Recaro Sport ‘quite simple
to transport in and out of the car, especially without the harness secured’.
Similarly our panel found the Britax Evolva ‘relatively portable in comparison
to some of the other seats on test’.
+/- The Maxi Cosi was ‘a bit of a pain to swap
between cars’. ‘This is an ideal seat if you’re going to be using the
one car but if you need to switch them to different cars regularly, forget
it’.
+/- The Jane Indy + ‘certainly isn’t the lightest
seat on test’, but it does fold up slightly to make it more portable’.
Fitting in
Car
Car seats aren’t rocket science and the fitting mechanism shouldn’t
take up too much of your time, though instructions can sometimes be overly-detailed
which can often draw out the length of installation. Ease of fit often
comes with experience and you’ll find that the fitting process gets easier
every time you install it.
+ Seat belt routing ‘was a godsend with the Maxi
Cosi’ – ‘the instructions are clear and concise and it takes minutes to
get it securely in place’. Our panel also commented on the ‘cleverly placed
belt hooks which ensure the belt is fitted correctly every time’.
+/- The Jane Indy + ‘fits well into the car and
is easy to adjust’. Similarly the ‘Britax Evolva ‘fits well into the car,
though there are no fixings to keep the belt down which seemed unusual’.
+/- Our panel found the Concorde Evo Pro-Tect
easy to fit, though one member did find the seat ‘a little bulky when
trying to secure the seatbelt.’ Our panel also noted that the height is
un-adjustable and ‘can restrict the rear view of the back window, especially
in smaller cars’.
+/- Although the Recaro seat was ‘fairly easy
to get into the car’, the ‘seatbelt routing was time-consuming, despite
the clear and concise instructions’. Our panel agreed that the seat was
‘more difficult to fit with the harness in place’ but felt that it offered
‘a really tight and secure fit once in position’.
Comfort/Quality
The level of comfort the seat provides is an essential factor for
your child whilst a good quality seat will ensure longevity. Plush materials
with head rests and a recliner will ensure optimum comfort whilst on the
go – very important for regular travellers or those with extended journey
times.
+ The Maxi Cosi was found to be ‘one of the most
comfortable seats on test’ – ‘my child slept in this a lot and the handy
recline mechanism worked wonders every time’. The panel also liked the
Britax Evolva for its ‘high quality fabric and extra padding around the
head and neck’.
+ The Jane Indy + scored well on comfort: ‘This is a comfortable, high
quality seat with a nice modern style – ‘Abi loved the bright red colour
and said it made the car go faster!’ Our panel also noted that the seat
has Isofix fittings which (in addition to providing an extremely secure
fit) enabled the seat to recline at three different levels.
+/- When it came to the Recaro, our panel were
split. One member found that it ‘restricted my son’s view as it seemed
to slightly push his head back’, whereas another found that it offered’
a fantastic level of support for the head and body with some really high
quality materials’.
+/- The Concorde offered ‘a reasonable level of
comfort’. ‘We went on a long journey and had no complaints so it must
be ok, despite its rigid look!’ Our panel agreed that the Concorde offered
‘good value for money’, though ‘the materials do look a little cheap’.
Additional Extras
If your child is going to be using it until they reach the 1.35 metre
height required to wear a seat belt, a few additional extras here and
there will certainly help to preserve their entertainment. Other extras
to look out for include carry handles, covers and additional seat cushioning.
+ The Recaro seat comes with its own carry handle
- ‘a tiny detail but very practical when it comes to lifting in and out
of the car’.
+ The Jane Indy + can be used as a booster seat
and has built in cushioning for an ultra-comfy ride.
+ The Britax Evolva ‘comes with a drink and snack
holder which my son thought was great!’ You can also purchase England
seat covers – ‘very World Cup-esque and fab for little footie fans’.
+/- You can get a drinks holders for the Maxi
Cosi Rodi XP which connects to the side of the seat, ‘though you have
to purchase these separately which seems odd’.
Results
Britax Evolva 123
£105
Concorde Lift Evo Pro Tect(Group 2,3)
£69.99
Jane Indy + (Group 2,3)
£104.99
Maxi Cosi Rodi XP(Group 2,3)
£79.99
RRecaro Sport (Groups 1,2 & 3)
£149.99
of use
in Car
Quality
5/5
4/5
4/5
4/5
4/5
for money
score
26/30
24/30
25.5/30
25.5/30
24/30
Where to next:
page
Evolva 123 Ultra
Lift Evo Pro-Tect
Indy+
Cosi Rodi XP
Sport
seat safety
Tests section
car seats
a prize
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