Car Seat fitting lists - new car not yet added OR the car seat isn't compatible - which of the 2 is it though?@

[dearbeatrice]

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts / insight into this?

I'm waiting on a VW Tiguan and DS, 8 months, is near to needing his next car seat. Was hoping to buy the MaxiCosi Priorifix, as it's the best Which rated one.

The Tiguan isn't yet on the MaxiCosi's site, and I'd presumed it would be added in due course, fairly new model car.

I phoned MaxiCosi the other day to check, and they wouldn't say if it is to be tested, just said to assume it wasn't compatible. Wording on the website is equally ambiguous.

Volkswagen didn't shed any light, and only said they recommend their own. It's a lovely looking seat, fair enough, but got slated safety wise (Bobsy isofix).

John Lewis told me that when their staff go on safety courses at MaxiCosi they are told that they don't test every car, but this seems odd, given that there are most VW's and other makes / models on the site.

The Tiguan has been available to order in the UK for a year or so now, so I woudl have thought they'd have added it / had a chance to test. Also, it must surely comply with EU ISofix rules.

I feel a bit aggrieved that I'm really left with no choice but to buy the next best seat in the safety ratings because of lack of (clear) info.. AND that VW's own seat which they still recommend googles as "unsafe for 18month olds, insufficient side support for neck".

Any inside info / experience? Thanks

bump - any thoughts appreciated

I have no idea myself, but if Cathy at the Essex In Car Road Safety Centre doesn't know, nobody will. You can call her on 01268 297593, no need to be living in Essex!

She's totally obsessed with car seats and will give you excellent advice

If the Tiguan is the new one then I suspect they simply haven't yet formally tested all permutations . Britax is the same as we discovered trying to fit an Evolva 123 into a Merc A class. In the end you simply have to try it out.

oh is the Priorifix the one with a leg/foot? If the car has a footwell storage compartment you can't use it as apparently the foot isn't as secure.

thanks to all for these responses - still confused about this. The Baby Products Association checked with Dorel who distribute maxicosi in UK, and were told it's not compatible as the isofix points in car are too far away from the leg to make it stable! - odd, as surely any car seat is the same length (roughly an average thigh length)- and the Tiguan doens't have esp high seats, or a storage footwell. The green light comes on the leg to show it's fitted right, and the seat 'rattles' as its supposed to do per the manual (strange but true). Dorel told me that it hasn't been tested yet, so presume not compatible. But frustrating really - going to Surrey Council tomorrow who offer similar thing to Essex apparently (tks for the tip re Cathy, DJV).

Just find it incredible that a supposedly global coordinated safety thing for children can be so ambiguous.