Recommendations for toddler car seats?

[Rounder888]

I am due my second bub in November, so looking for a car seat for my toddler, who will be 20 months in November. We currently have a cybex cloud T, which new Bub will then use, but bit stuck which one to get for the toddler! She’s quite little (only 11kg currently) so want to keep her rear facing for a while longer. We also have a 4 door mini, so space is a bit tight! Currently looking at the Cybex Sirona or Joie 360? A spin one would be great, as hubby has a bad back and finds this helps a lot getting her in and out

We have the Graco Turn2Me, which I believe is the same as the Joie 360, just cheaper fabrics or something like that? But essentially the same seat. We have loved it.

Only thing is our child is high centiles so she's about to hit the 18kg weight limit as she approaches 3 so we will need to replace it soon (looking at the Britax Romer as I'd like to keep her rear-facing for a couple more years), but it sounds like yours is only little so hopefully will last her longer.

To be honest in a small car a spin is a bit tricky as they get older, because you don't have as much space within the door frame to get them in.

But since you'll have two children close together it's no issue to go with a spin first, then look at changing older child to a longer lasting, more upright ERF seat like an Axkid and give the spin to the younger sibling.

I prefer the Cybex (make sure you get the Gi version so that the base is included). Britax Dualfix is also a good option ,and Maxi Cosi Mica. Joie are good if you're on a budget, but if you can afford the other seats they tend to be nicer to use.

Personally I would steer clear of the seats which convert to high back booster later on - there are a lot of these now and they tend to be bulkier in the car which is something you probably don't want, as well as generally not performing as well as seats which cover only 1-2 stages.

I have a Sirona T and it’s brilliant. We had the cloud before but my DS is very long and rapidly outgrew it. He has just turned 2. I suppose the only annoying thing would be having to buy another base.

it might be slightly tight rear facing in the reclined position in a smaller car but my son hated the recline option as a toddler so it wasn’t an issue.

The quality is great (we went for the plus version but to be honest I wish I hadn’t bothered as the regular one is fine and the sun shade that comes with the plus one is never used)

It's more expensive to buy the version with the base separately, since they will be using the base for the new baby, it doesn't make a lot of sense. The Sirona Gi is basically the same except as you say, it doesn't have the canopy.

The other option would be to go for something like Axkid Minikid which is quite open at the bottom so easy to use, as well as compact front to back and then when baby is old enough to no longer need the baby seat, get a Sirona G or T for them to put on the baby seat base.