Silver Cross Perform review: a Swedish Plus Tested rear-facing car seat with a surprisingly compact fit

Our verdict

There comes a point in car seat ownership where your child is no longer a tiny passenger you can strap in without much negotiation. They now have strong opinions and a sudden urge to climb in “by myself,” usually when you’re running late, it’s raining or someone has parked far too close to your car.

The Silver Cross Perform is built for that long middle stretch of car seat life. It’s an extended rear-facing ISOFIX car seat that’s suitable from birth (40cm) to 125cm, or around seven years old, with a five-point harness, support leg, adjustable rebound bar and five recline positions to help keep your child comfortable as they grow.

After three months of testing this car seat with my four-year-old in our Volvo V40, the Perform impressed me more than I expected. It looks and feels well made (as you’d expect from Silver Cross), it’s quick to get to grips with and, crucially, it doesn’t swallow the front passenger seat in quite the same way as some extended rear-facing seats. But there is a bit of a compromise: legroom for older children isn’t especially generous, so some four-year-olds may prefer a little more space to stretch out.

That said, the Perform’s biggest strength is that it makes extended rear-facing feel accessible. The ISOFIX connectors, load leg and colour indicators are all clear and, although installation took a bit of practise, I found the car seat is easy to use day to day. 

So, would I recommend it? Yes, particularly if you want a Swedish Plus Tested, ISOFIX extended rear-facing seat that doesn’t force your front passenger to sit with their knees under their chin. But if you have a tall child, a small car with a low roofline or you’re hoping to rear-face comfortably right up to seven, I’d try it in your car with your child before buying.

I tested the Silver Cross Perform car seat with my four-year-old

How we tested the Silver Cross Perform

I tested the Silver Cross Perform for three months with my four-year-old, using it as an everyday car seat in our Volvo V40. That meant daily nursery runs, longer journeys and quick errands.

During testing, I looked at how easy the Perform was to install, how intuitive it felt without relying heavily on instructions, how comfortable it was for an older child, how much room it took up in the back of the car, and how well it handled everyday use. 

I also assessed the quality and finish, the safety features, the recline and headrest adjustment, and whether the price felt justified. Finally, I compared the space it allowed in our car with our regular extended rear-facing car seat, the Axkid One 3.

Unboxing the Silver Cross Perform

What’s in the box?

• Silver Cross Perform car seat with support leg and adjustable rebound bar

• Integrated ISOFIX base

• Removable inserts

• A quality assured certificate

• A card showing the different configurations by age, with diagrams explaining when certain parts of the insert should be removed

• A QR code linking to a demo video

• 2 grey ISOFIX adapters

There wasn’t a printed instruction booklet, so the QR code is where you’re directed for fitting guidance. The video was useful enough, but I did find myself wishing for proper written instructions too.

The grey ISOFIX adapters help guide the connectors into your car’s ISOFIX anchor points when fitting the seat. We didn’t need them in our car, but a clearer note explaining their purpose would have been helpful.

How easy is the Silver Cross Perform to install?

Installation was fairly straightforward overall. The ISOFIX bars slot into place by pushing the levers on the ISOFIX points, and the colour indicators on both the ISOFIX connectors and load leg help reassure you that everything is positioned correctly.

The load leg took the most time to get to grips with. The indicator didn’t turn green immediately, so my husband and I had to make several small tweaks before it was properly positioned. Not too time-consuming, but not a one-click-and-done situation either.

The rebound bar, which sits against the back of the vehicle seat, can be adjusted with a pull strap. That part was simple enough once we’d worked out what needed to move, and once everything was in place, the Perform felt properly fixed in position. The car seat also isn’t especially heavy to lift, but I used the rebound bar to carry it more easily when moving it around. 

Silver Cross Perform with newborn insert and close-up of side-impact protection

What are the safety features like on the Silver Cross Perform?

The Perform’s headline safety feature is that it is Swedish Plus Tested as well as meeting the latest R129/04 (i-Size) standard. As the Perform is a new seat, it doesn’t currently have an ADAC score, so the Swedish Plus Test is the key extra safety credential here. It’s a voluntary test for rear-facing car seats, designed to put them through a tougher frontal impact scenario than the standard approval test.

The seat also has an integrated ISOFIX base, support leg and adjustable rebound bar, which are designed to help give it a secure, stable fit in the car. I also liked the colour indicators on the ISOFIX connectors and load leg, as they make it much easier to check the basics before every journey. The five-point harness feels sturdy, with padded straps that sat comfortably on my four-year-old.

On either side of the seat, you’ll also find Silver Cross’s Always Active Side Protection System. This uses honeycomb technology, which Silver Cross says is designed to provide head-to-hip protection in a side impact. In real-life terms, it’s the distinctive beehive-looking section on the side of the seat, and the benefit is that it’s built in, so there’s nothing extra to attach before you set off.

The Silver Cross Perform has an adjustable rebound bar for stability

How comfortable is the Silver Cross Perform?

The Silver Cross Perform feels comfortable and well cushioned overall. There are removable inserts to help adapt the seat as your child grows, with diagrams showing when certain sections should be taken out. 

As I was testing with a four-year-old, I didn’t use the newborn insert, but the seat still felt well cushioned and comfortable. The bamboo-lined fabric has a lovely feel, the padded straps sat securely on my daughter’s shoulders, and I liked the removable liner with poppers and leather-look cushioning. 

My four-year-old was happy enough in the Silver Cross Perform and could climb in and out by herself, but the snug fit meant it wasn’t quite as easy as she’s used to with her regular car seat. She had to cross or bend her legs to sit comfortably in the seat, and her legs sometimes got in the way when I was trying to find the harness pull strap. 

Compared with our regular extended rear-facing car seat, the Axkid One 3, the Perform gave her less legroom. That won’t bother every child as rear-facing children often sit quite happily with their legs crossed or bent, but it’s worth bearing in mind if your child is tall or likes a bit more space.

Headroom is another consideration. In our Volvo V40, which has quite a low ceiling, the headrest was already close to the top with my four-year-old. Because of that, I’m unsure how much growing room we’d realistically have beyond age four or five, even though the seat is designed to last much longer.

Legroom in the Silver Cross Perform car seat

How much space does the Silver Cross Perform take up in the car?

This was a pleasant surprise. The Perform didn’t take up too much room in the back of our Volvo V40. With our regular extended rear-facing car seat, I have to move the front passenger seat forward, which reduces legroom significantly. With the Perform, the front passenger space was better preserved.

That makes it a strong option for families who want extended rear-facing but don’t have a huge car. You’ll still need to check compatibility, as every car is different, but in our Volvo V40, it was more compact than expected while still leaving a decent amount of space up front.

Silver Cross Perform headrest lever and recline position diagram

What is the Silver Cross Perform like to use day to day?

Once installed, the Silver Cross Perform is quick to get to grips with, especially across everyday journeys where I needed to get my child in and out quickly. The harness is simple to fasten and adjust and the pull strap tightens smoothly too, although it is tucked quite far underneath the seat so it can take a bit of digging around, especially when small legs are in the way.

There are no magnets to hold the harness open, unlike on our regular extended rear-facing car seat, the Axkid One 3, so I did have to fish the straps out from under my child occasionally. 

The headrest is adjusted using a lever at the back of the seat, while the recline is controlled by a lever at the front. There are five recline positions, but the full recline range is only for children up to 105cm. For taller children, the seat should be used in the 40cm to 125cm position, so you don’t get the same recline flexibility once they’re older. My four-year-old didn’t nap in the seat during testing, so I can’t speak for its snooze potential, but the recline adjustment itself was simple to try out without her in the seat.

How easy is the Silver Cross Perform to clean?

The Silver Cross Perform is fairly easy to keep clean, though the fabric does seem to attract dust more readily than I’d like.

The removable seat liner is a real plus. It’s attached with poppers, so it’s straightforward to take off for washing, and the bamboo-lined fabric feels soft and good quality rather than scratchy or flimsy. It also has a leak-proof reverse, which adds some reassurance for spills.

I wouldn’t say the fabric is especially forgiving when it comes to crumbs and dirt, but the removable liner makes the Perform feel much more practical as an everyday car seat. The seat is only available in ‘Iconic Black,’ so dust does show up, but at least you’re not left trying to dab at stains with a baby wipe.

Is the Silver Cross Perform good value for money?

At £395, the Perform is a considered purchase. Whether it feels worth the money will depend less on the specs and more on how well it suits your child, your car and the stage you’re buying it for.

For me, the value is strongest if you’re buying it earlier on and want a premium extended rear-facing seat that can stay fixed in the car. It looked smart, felt reassuringly sturdy and didn’t dominate the back of our Volvo V40, which isn’t something I take for granted with rear-facing car seats.

For older preschoolers, I’d just check the fit carefully before buying. My four-year-old fitted and was comfortable enough, but the legroom was snug and the headrest was already sitting fairly high in our car. So while the Perform makes a lot of sense as a long-term car seat, it’s worth trying it in your own car first to make sure it gives you the space and growing room you need.

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet, specialising in car seats and buggy reviews. She has 10 years’ experience as a full-time editor, eight of which have been spent writing, commissioning and editing reviews and round-ups.

Mum to a four-year-old, she is passionate about car seat safety and is fully invested in discovering the best and most affordable products on the market, as well as sharing her knowledge and findings with other parents.

In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has also appeared in a number of baby product videos for Mumsnet’s YouTube channel.