Rear Facing Group 1/2 car seat - belted

[HumptyDumptyBumpty]

Been looking at the next size up of car seat for DD, and would like to do extended rear facing, if possible.

However, Which safety ratings on the few belted ERF seats are dire - 26% scores! There are more available in ISOFIX, but we don't have that, so our choices seem a bit limited...

Has anyone got a group 1 or 1/2 (ideally) that can be rear facing at first and is belted rather than ISOFIXed in place?

I liked the Joie stages Combination seat, but the safety rating is awful...

Stuck!

[Roobix04]

Sorry can't help but I'm after the same thing. Hopefully someone can help.

[stargirl1701]

Get MNHQ to move your post to Car Seats. Lots of knowledgable folk there.

[JellyTipisthebest]

Don't have which as not in the uk. I would get the Max way It passes the swedish test which is the toughest in the world. Sometimes which gives seats a bad score because they seam to think they are tricky to put in or you might get it wrong. My friend has one and it looks as easy if not easier than a forward facing seat. I think my friend could get hers in quicker than I could get my forward facing one.

[wheresthelight]

I think you will struggle as the new laws being phased in mean companies are no longer allowed to produce carseats that can only be belted in (according to the info we were given when we were looking).

my car is isofix but dp's car isn't and neither are my parents so we had to have a belted one so it could be swapped over as we can't afford two different seats.

I have the britax first class plus which is fantastic and very easy but only rf to 13kg I think. the erf ones are nearly all isofix. have you had a look at the maxi cosi pearl2? It needs the family fix base and not sure if that is belted or isofix but night be worth a look.

I would go into one of the big out of town Mothercare superstores as they were a fantastic help for us and let us try about a dozen or so in dp's car to make sure they fitted correctly. the other thing to consider is the length of your rear seat belts as I had to swap my 2002 focus as the seat belt was too short to go round the bigger car seat. if your car doesn't have isofix it may also be too old to have the new longer seatbelts too

[Essexgirlupnorth]

We also have a britax first class as hubby's car doesn't have isofix and while it isn't a true ERF seat while rear face for longer and was £80.
I have friends that say the joie stages is great but which reviews put me off.

[bluetrain]

I've got the britax two way elite. belted. ERF to 26kg. love it.

[smable]

I have the britax maxway it's belt fitted up to 25kg, which give 50% of the score for safety and 50% for easy of use which includes ease of removing covers to wash etc., they also believe that most parents are unable to correctly fit any car seat so always mark down non isofix seats.

Jelly is right the maxway passed the Swedish plus test which is only based on safety so it is a much better seat than the which report would have you believe

[HumptyDumptyBumpty]

Some brilliant ideas, thank you all ever so much. Will ask to have this moved as well. Cheers!

[AliceMum09]

Ignore Which? My DD2 is in one of their 'Don't Buy' belted rear facing seats. It is the Britax Multi Tech II, Which? have tested it as the Volvo Convertible.

I would choose my very safe rear facing seat over any of the forward facing 'Best Buys' every time.

[HumptyDumptyBumpty]

alice interesting. I had realised their bias towards Isofix, and the low scores belted seats get, as they assume parents can't fit them, but that is definitely food for thought, thank you.

[Roobix04]

Can I just ask what exactly is the difference? Is the isofix permanently attached to your seat or can you swap it between cars?

[stargirl1701]

No, you can move ISOFIX seats. We have a Maxi-Cosi Family Fix base and a Cybex Sirona seat.

We bought a 05 plate Ford Focus and retrofitted the ISOFIX brackets. £20 for a set, I think. Many cars of this age have ISOFIX prep but need the brackets installed post purchase.

[AliceMum09]

I think it's just Ford that are awkward and used to make you specify ISOFIX as an option when you bought the car brand new. Most other cars since at least 2005 have ISOFIX on at least the two outer seats (we had a 2005 Renault Scenic that had ISOFIX in the rear two outer seats and also on the front passenger seat). My Peugeot 5008 (11 plate reg) has 3 sets of ISOFIX in the back, as do a few other MPV cars.

[stargirl1701]

Jaguar were the same. I think Ford made Jag.

[HumptyDumptyBumpty]

We have a 2010/11 Ford Focus, and no isofix - I'm starting to think we'll have to retrofit it though.

But (and it's a big but) if the government is expecting everyone to move to ISOFIX, what about a) older cars - grandparents particularly, and b) taxis? Surely they should specify ISOFIX plus belted installation at least for the next few years?

[NitramAtTheKrap]

But isofix is only suitable up to 18kg? We have a belted ERF that goes up to 25kg (Axkid minikid)

[stargirl1701]

Taxis are exempt, I think.

[bluetrain]

isofix can be used over 18kg. I have a britax advansafix that goes up to 26kg and has to be used with isofix, top tether and the seatbelt.

[AliceMum09]

But ISOFIX alone can't be used past 18kgs, that's why you have to belt the Advansafix in as well as using the ISOFIX. It wouldn't be safe if you just used the ISOFIX.

[bluetrain]

oh, I see AliceMum09 I stand corrected, thanks.

[curlyclaz13]

We have the britax max way. It was fitted at the in car safety center. They were great for advice and made sure it was the right one for us. I belive you can only rear face with isofix to 18kg but substantially longer with belts.