MaxiCosi Axiss or MaxiCosi Priori XP?

[breadandhoney]

I am trying to decide on a second car seat for DD. The one I use for her in my car is the Mamas and Papas Vito, as it fitted the base from her infant seat (Primo Viaggio). I would like to buy one to transfer between DH's car and my mum's car. They both have ISOFIX facilities in their cars, but I am reluctant to spend the money on another base. It is important that the seat reclines quite far so that DD can nap on longer journeys.

So, after a lot of research I've narrowed it down to these 2 options. Can anyone recommend one over the other?

best thing to do is go somewhere you can try them out in your car to see which is the best fit :)

breadandhoney Pop down with both cars if you can to your local Halfords/Mothercare to try both seats out. The Axiss is a bugger to fit and really isn't worth the £200 it costs! Also, I'd strongly recommend you have a look at getting her an extended rear-facing seat, have a look at www.rearfacing.co.uk for more info. Children are 5 times safer being rearward facing, What does she weigh?

The only group 1 car seat (9kg to 18kg) that has a separate base is the MAxi Cosi pearl. All other carseats come as a single unit, so the isofix is attached to the seat.

What age and weight is your DD?

I've looked into rear-facing seats but the tests seem to show that whilst they protect the child better in frontal collisions, if the car is hit from behind or from the side, the child is better off in a forward-facing seat. Also, I don't think dd would be too happy having to face rearwards in one car when she is used to facing forwards in the other.

Our local mothercare is woeful, but will be buying the seat from halfords. I've pre-ordered the axiss, just to make sure they have it in stock, as there don't seem ti be many available, save online.

I'm driving myself to distraction reading reviews here, there and everywhere. I've just come from which.co.uk and their review of the axiss isn't glowing (it gets 59%) but they haven't tested the priori xp.

I'm losing my mind. Of course I want dd to be safe, just wondering at what point I just pick one!!!

Secret just noticed your post. I didn't realise that about the isofix bases!

DD is almost 11 months. Haven't weighed her for a while but she is over 23kg.

*21lbs, sorry!

bread and honey- it's far more dangerous for a forward facer in any crash! especially from behind as the impact is closest to the child seat.

I know that for myself, I would choose to go for a long term rear facing car seat, but as you are going to go front facing, I would naybe wait until the baby's head is poking out of the top of the car seat

Good luck, anyway.

We have the maxi cosi priori xp - we got that as it still has all the side support rather than just a plain booster seat - the kids still tend to fall asleep on long late journeys (they are 6 1/2 & 4 1/2)

I did buy it based on the reccomendations of others and I must say they are fab - we can easily swap them from our car to my mothers.

You can get them for about $80 on amazon.

I had the priori xp and it was a good seat. It has a seat belt tensioner to make sure it is fitted ultra-tightly. You can also recline it with one hand if they fall asleep

I have used both car seats you mention.

We originally bought an Axiss (The old Bebe Confort design) but the handle to release the mechanism was faulty and so we sent it back (Faulty in that we couldn't turn the locked-in-place chair sometimes! Not that it was loose... exactly the opposite).

We were given a Priori XP as a stopgap while they investigated the Axiss fault.

We were all incredibly relieved to get a (new, working) Axiss back after a couple of months! We hated not having the turnable seat (being two older parents with back problems) and DS preferred it because it was higher.

As far as installing is concerned, I think the Axiss has the edge for safety because you install the main belt across the rigid back, and clamp it in place so it keeps the top of the seat against the car's own seat. There are locating clips to make sure the lap part of the belt fits right around the front and doesn't slip. In comparison, the Priori's fixing made the seat wobble.

And after you've done the Axiss a couple of times (we had to move it between our Polo and the grandparents' much larger Bora) it's really easy to do!

Oh forgot to mention, we've also had the covers off for washing, and it is a bit complex but the instructions are clear to follow.

i had the axiss too, it doesnt need a base, its secured via tightening suspension at the back of the seat. Its brilliant I lovedthe swivel function and cant wait until the next child is old enough to go in it.

The only draw back is that the seat in itself is quite heavy so you need to be strong to be able to tilt a sleeing child fron the front seat. the handle is easy enough to grab but i soon found I couldnt do it with one hand. So the only chance of doing it was either to pull over and stop the car or sit in the passenger seat, unbuckle and use both arms...