What seat next for light, tallish 4yo? Please check my logic?

[Goldrill]

DD1 is 4 and weighs 13kg. She's in a fairly standard group 1 forward facing seat, but her eyes are now level with the top of the headrest so I think we need to move her into a new one.

(She was in a Besafe izi till DD2 came along, but we couldn't fit two ERF in)

However, at 13kg, she's too light for a group 2-3. So I think our only option is a group 1/2/3. Having seen that Which seems very unhappy with them, I am wondering whether this is a good idea, and also whether I've missed any other obvious option? Any advice please? It is rare I say this, but money is not an issue in this case!

TIA!

we got on well with the britax evolva 123 seat for ds.

I've just been having a flick through the Which? reviews - they have not reviewed the Britax Evolva, which is a really good Group 1-2-3 seat.

Most of the 1-2-3 seats that they have reviewed are the cheap and nasty ones, like Nania, Mothercare and My Child. They tend not to like them for reasons that would not apply to the Britax Evolva. The Evolva is a wide seat, there is plenty of room for an older child when you are using it as a high backed booster. You can't remove the back to use it as a booster cushion, which is why they mark down the cheaper ones (because the instruction manuals state that after a certain age/weight you can remove the back - this is not the safest option, children are safer with the side impact protection that the back provides). It has a one-pull easy adjust harness, whereas the cheaper seats have harness straps that you have to adjust individually (again I don't think Which? like the straps that you have to adjust individually).

Also, Group 1-2-3 seats generally don't recline (or have a very slight recline - the Evolva does recline, but you have to set this before belting the seat into the car and can't alter it without uninstalling it). We used our Evolva in the 'recline' position permanently because it fitted better in our car this way. But because they don't recline Which? again mark them down and suggest that a dedicated Group 1 seat is more suitable for a toddler who needs to sleep in the car. But this 'downside' is not really an issue for you looking to buy a seat for your 4 year old.

I would get to Mothercare if you can and sit your DD in an Evolva to check how high the headrest goes with the harness in place (it goes up high, to accommodate an older child when using it as a high backed booster, but there will be a lower limit that it goes to with the harness attached). If your DD fits I would buy it from there, it's a bargain price right now www.mothercare.com/Britax-Evolva-1-2-3-High-Back-Booster-Car-Seat-with-Harness---Black/548903,default,pd.html

Also, I'm not a massive fan of Which? child seat reviews anyway - my 2 1/2 year old (who is like your DD, she barely weighs 11kgs just now, so she'll not be ready for a high backed booster for years yet!) is in a Britax Multi Tech II ERF seat. Which? have tested it as the Volvo Convertible and made it a 'Don't Buy'. Because it's hard to fit apparently. It's not at all, and I would rather she be in a rear facing seat than any of their forward facing 'Best Buy' seats!

She may not if she is tall, you need to take her with you to try. you may find the best ones to get are either a britax two way elite or the advansafit as the are the only ones that take a larger child so will go up taller in the harness. All the others she may already be to tall for.

Britax advansafix! Amazing seat.

Have a look at the Cybex Pallas M fix. It's from 9months -12 years so will cover smaller weight also

www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/car-seats/advansafix

I have a light 5 year old in a Kiddy seat - it has an impact cushion up to 18kg or you can just use the adult belt from 15kg.

I have a kiddy seat as well. They also have isofix and get excellent reviews in crash tests.

Thanks very much for the advice. I think we will try and locate a mothercare and see what she makes of an impact bar. Looks like a trip to the Big Smoke is in order as the Cumbria ones have all closed!

britax does not seem to rate seats with impact shields