Reccomendations please!

[Coatsy]

Hello!

I have a 4 year old and I need to get him a new car seat.

He is on the shorter side for his age and I want him to remain rear facing for as long as possible. In due course, front facing is fine as he gets bigger/older. It’d be great if it can last until 12, but not if it compromises safety.

ISOFIX is a must as I find installing a lot easier.

Budget I want to keep to around £150 or lower but I am flexible.

Thank you!

If he's on the smaller side for age 4, what seat is he in now and couldn't he stay in it? Or do you need the seat for a younger sibling?

Unfortunately I'd struggle to recommend a seat which meets all your requirements.

The longest lasting rear facing seats cost well over £150 (starting at £260 e.g. Britax Max Safe Pro) and the isofix fitted ones (e.g. Joie i-Prodigi, Axkid One) are about twice that.

There are seats which last until 105cm rear facing, and then transition into forward facing high back booster seats - this might be enough for a shorter 4yo. But for a £150 budget, you're looking at either seatbelt fit (e.g. Graco Slimfit R129) or something with a questionable safety rating, like the Globalkids ones on amazon. (I don't recommend these at all TBH).

There are some better-rated isofix seats which do the rear facing up to 105cm and then change into a high backed booster but they aren't rated as well as seats which don't have the booster mode built in, and they are more expensive (about £300). For example Silver Cross Motion All Size, or Joie i-Spin XL.

Really, a short 4yo who is currently in a rear facing seat would likely be best off staying in that seat until they meet the proper measurements to change to a good quality high backed booster. (Minimum: 15kg and 100cm, Recommended: 18kg and 105cm or higher)

Thank you very much for this.

He was in a JOIE 360 spin, but his younger (2 year old) brother is using that now. He does have a seat at the moment that a colleague gave me (no accidents etc) but I am not happy with it really.

Are there any good rear facers that can be used either forward or rear facing until age 7 if not 12? Budget staying around this mark!

if that is your budget you might be better trying to get a second hand ERF from
the selling group of one of the car seat safety group. Think it is car seat sales uk. Caveat emptor still applies though.