Which Car seat Guide 2006

[NannyL]

Well the which car seat guide arrived on my front door mat this morning...
this is what it says for all who may want to know...
(they didnt review that many seats, like they normally do, concentrating MAINLY on the new ones that have recentlybeen released)
Birth - 13kg group 0 / 0+
RECOMMEND
Maxi cosi cabriofix (with easy fit base) 75/100
Britax Cosi Tot Isofix 74/100
Britax Cosy Tot Premium 71 / 100
did ok
Recaro Young Profi plus 69/100
Bebe car easybob maxi SP 68 / 100
Britax Rock a tot plus 65 / 100
Mamas and Papas Primp Viaggo 63 / 100
Fisher PRICE Safe voyage infant carrier 55 / 100
AVOID
Jane Matrix 10 / 100 (
(i have ALWAYS personally hated this seat )
9kg - 18kg
RECOMMEND
Maxi-cosi Priorifix 74/100
Maxi-cosi Tobi 70/100
Britax Duo plus isofix 70/100
did ok
Bebe Confort iseoe safe side isofix 68 /100
Britax Evolva 123 ultra 58/100
Silver cross Explorer 56 /100
AVOID :
Mamas&Papas Alto 25 / 100
Mamas&Papas Revo 10 / 100
15kg +
RECOMMEND
Concord Lift Evo PT 74 / 100
Concord Lift Protect 72 / 100
Maxi Cosi Rodi 71 / 100
Britax Evolva 2-3 Ultra
Did ok
Cybex Solution Plus 70 / 100
Chicco Key 2 -3 58 / 100
Jane Indy Plus Team (Isofix) 48 / 100 **
Bebe Car Mutibob SP 47 / 100
* commnet about Jane Indy plus in the text... Jane Indy plus uses an isofix base, which is unusual for a group 2 / 3 seat. However, our test show that, because it has no 3rd support its isofix base offers* no safetly advantages over non-isofix seats in this group
_
From last year where different seats were tested:
The mothercare seat that vost about £40 did VERY well for 0 - 13 kg
Maxi cosi Priori scored highly for 9 - 18kg
and in a previosue report to that the Britax Renaisance scored almost as well also
15kg+: Britax Highliner and Britax Kid have scored well
SEATS TO AVOID:
The Graco seat with a back and booster, (from 15kg)(whatever its called)
Britax Cruiser plus (9kg+)
Britax Ranger (9kg+)

• other that at the moment i cant remember

Hope this is helpful!

V handy.
Dont suppose there was anything about the Recaro Young Sport? This is the one we're looking at

Sorry elf there wasnt

ive listed it ALL there!

also dont forget that the ISOFIX seats are tested in ISOFIX mode and they point out they are much less safe when fitted with belts!

Thank you for typing this up.

IMHO the Maxi-Cosi Tobi will be a big hit for several years to come...

yes thanks from me also we need this at the mo.

are the tobi/priorifox isofix seats?

hub-2-dee i thought that as well as soon as i saw it, about the tobi

the tobi is not isofix.... the prioriFix IS isofix

(but the tobi has a belt tensioner thing (similar to the Britax Renaissance) so the belts are strapped in EXTRA tight... tighter than you can do by hand anyway)

Tobi isn't. I presume the other one you mention is, because they also do 'plain vanilla' Priori IYSWIM.

so is this bascially saying that some non isofix seats are safer than the isofix seats (if properly fitted, yada yada-we are completely anal about such things)

bought 2 Jane Indy Plus last month - oh well, at least they're not to be avoided...:(
TBH - I find it hard to understand why the Priori does better than the Indy Plus. I have a Priori too, and they seem virtually identical apart from the Isofix points.

hmm, I have one britax cruiser in the storeroom and was thinking of getting a second for taking on holiday for the dts. Their everyday car seats are too heavy to take. Now I'm not sure whether I'd be better off risking what the car hire company will supply.

I personally wouldnt risk hiring a car seat from a car hire place (or anywhere else... no way)

at the end of the day a car seat that has been in a crash is potentially useless... and they also point out that any car seat is better than none at all!

thanks for this! Am just looking at halfords site to get a new seat for ds ... fab timing

Think Concord or MaxiCosi, do you know if the ratings are based on safety featerues only? or are they based on other factors such as cost/fabric design? I want the safest, there are so many arsey drivers round here

they are based 60% safety and 40%, ease of use, ease of instalation etc!

also those who did poor in safety were only given LIMITED scores,

thanks again. I'm a bit confused about car seats and wondered if i could run my situation past you lot to see if you have any ideas.

we had two m&p chairs (can't remember what they're called but they look like the priori, have a belt tensioner). Dd1 is about 13kg or a little under but average height and 3years and 3months. Dd2 is coming in a bit heavier (relative to her age) and is 1 year and 4m. I've also recently bought the old style jane indy for dd1 so I could give one of the m&p chairs to my parents as they have them one day a week.

I need a fourth seat and originally thought another indy might be good - now I'm not sure. we all have isofix point in our cars. are isofix so much safer? do you think it's worth buying the priorifix for dd2 or am I panicing and a marketers dream? I wld then have to buy another seat in about a year for dd1 for grandparents. what woud you buy for dd1 in grandparents car? as she travels very locally with them, having now seen the which report we are thinking give the jane to the gparents and get a better one for us. Can anyone recommend one?
sorry for going on, really dont want to waste money as am bit skint but don't want to compromise safety either.

thanks

nannyl, thanks for typing it all out. not looking for a car seat at the moment but certainly iseful to know for future ref.

manitz....

this is only my personal opinion...

sounds like you are putting a 13kg child in a seat only suitable for children from 15kg (the Jane one)... Personally i would NOT do this (even my 4 year old charge only weighs 14.4kg (as of last week when i weighed her) and i still keep her in her stage 1 size seat cause she is NOT heavy enough (yet)for the next one up.

Also would not get another Jane Indy, as it clearly talks about how the ISOFIX offers no significant safety advantage.

If i were you i would get the Britax Evolva 1-2-3
(Bearing in mind the 2-3 one does so well (which is essentially the same (I think and it looks like it in the piciture)

You can then have 13kg child strapped in that i the harness, and when shes heavier use it as a seat with a belt..

Thats what i think anyway.... as i say i would NOT let a 13kg child travel in a seat for 15kg+ children... its all about Weight NOT age

The Jane Indy Plus used to be categorised as suitable for 9kg(or perhaps 10.5?) up but has changed this year to the 15kg up recommendation , although not sure there was any actual difference in design. Manitz, we have a similar dilemma. dd is almost 5 and only 13 1/2 kg ! She is currently in a Britax Freeway , which has been fine and "passed" previous Which ? surveys, but she now complains the buckle hurts her tummy and has thrown up twice in recent weeks in the car. Wouldl have preferred to hold out for a Maxi Cosi Rodi like her brother's or was looking at the Indy until the recommendation changed . Presumably the Britax Evolva did much better than its Trio predecessor which was slated ? They look pretty similar though.

Yes, Britax Evolva did ok and the 2-3 only version did well and was recommended, unlike the trio which was awful!
Have you seen a Britax Evolva? I saw one in halfords the oterh day and thought it was quite different to that trio!

Now they recommend that all children under 15kg need to be in a 5 point harness

Did they differentiate between the Evolva and the Evolva Ultra ? Main differences seems to be adjustable side wings and the extent of padding and head rest. On the 2,3 model the Ultra also has arm rests while the more basic one doesn't.

yes, the jane indy i've got is from 9kg and it has two places to put the seat belt through as it can go lower. in some shops they said you cldn't put less than 15kg without a 5 point harness as they 'slip through' if there's a crash. As she's the correct height etc i just couldn't see how that could happen and the jane indy was for 9kg anyway. i was obsessing so much about getting an isofix I really thought it would be better than the one i had for her but that britax you're suggesting sounds good.

I'm going to go to mothercare and get a fitting in the next two weeks so any other opinions wld also be welcomed.

what do you think about isofix generally, do you think the priorifix is worth it?

sorry nannyl meant to say thank you for replying to my queries.

...don't forget it's all relative..they are all pretty safe compared to what my parents had......i.e.nothing (I am pretty old) ..but I do have a ds (3.9) in a good Britax seat.

anotehr one from me. liz your daughter is only 13.5kg at 5. what centile is she then? I don't actually know my dd's weight but it was 12 last time she was weighed in november so I'm presuming she's a bit more now. she's always been below 9th. Does it concern you? I find i'm having a constant battle and it's always at the back of my mind. She's allergic to dairy so a whole load of fats are excluded from her diet.

are you happy with the rodi? I might get a cheapo one to keep us going then get a better scoring one for when she finally hits 15kg. Keep having to giver her high cal meals!

The Rodi is also an over 15kg seat. We've been appy with it but the cover is fraying now it is 4 years old ! Just looked at the Evolva's and am confused (see below) by the choice! The Evolva 2/3 seat is also only half the price of the 1/2/3.

No idea what per centile dd is on , probably 2nd if she is even ont he chart ! She was born overseas where the chart differed and noone batted an eyelid that she didn't follow a curve as long as gained weight and was healthy. She eats in fits and starts and has done better since starting school and eating a proper meal at lunchtime whereas she 'd normally graze. She's probably put on a whole kg since September (by our scales ).

The car seat issue has long been a pain since it limits her going in other people's cars (not that she'd agree anyway) and her existing one is now 8 years old, so probably past its best.