TOP-5 car seats for the older age group

Car seats with Isofix mounting are more expensive than their classic counterparts. However, there is a way to save money on purchasing a model with such a mount — you just have to turn your eyes to the Babyhit Fix One car seat.

The model is available on the market in several bright colours for every taste. In a general style with upholstery materials, a soft liner is made for the youngest, which fits on the seat when transporting children of the first weight group (from 9 to 18 kg). In addition to it, the chair covers two older groups: 15-25 and 22-36 kg, being, in fact, a universal solution for a long period of time.

The car seat belonging to the low-cost segment in no way affected the comfort level of the baby in the seat. Comfort in a sitting position is added by a three-position height adjustment of the headrest, 2 different seat belt adjustments, as well as wide sidewalls. It was still not possible to do without minuses at all — according to user reviews, they include the lack of adjustment of the backrest positions.

The five-point safety belts guarantee the reliable retention of the baby in the chair. Babyhit Fix One gets special praise for the reinforced sidewalls, which protect the child from injuries during side impacts. And the removable fabric upholstery, which is subject to machine washing in a delicate mode at a temperature of about 30 °C, helps the car seat to always remain presentable. The main thing is that together with her, the child does not inadvertently smear the car seat — it is much more difficult to clean it from food particles and other contaminants.

Recaro knows a lot about creating comfortable landing conditions. And this applies to both "adult" racing car seats and seats for the younger generation. In confirmation of this, the second generation of a successful model can be cited as an example RECARO Monza Nova Seatfix Price from 4 450 up to 4 790 ₴.

The high degree of safety of the car seat has been confirmed by numerous tests using the methods of ADAC, Stiftung Warentest and ÖAMTC. As part of all crash tests, the model deservedly received positive ratings. With special care in the matter of protection, we approached the counteraction to side impacts (reinforced side supports), as well as the protection of the child's head area and the hip part of his torso.

The car seat is designed to carry children aged 3 to 12 years. At the same time, it grows with the child — 11 gradations of height adjustment of the headrest allow you to adjust the fit for children of any height (within the supported values). Stereo speakers are built into the large "ears" of the headrest, and a 3.5mm jack for connecting an audio player is displayed in a pocket on the side of the chair. Thus, during the movement, the child can be put to listen to his favorite music or fairy tales.

Another "feature" of the headrest is equipped with a built-in pillow with the possibility of pumping it by means of a "pear". The pillow becomes especially relevant on long trips and during the child's sleep. In addition, the chair can be completed with other accessories: a footrest (for children at least 110 cm tall), a protective mat and an antibacterial cover. But you will need to fork out for their purchase in a separate order.

The name of the Cybex company appears in the first rows of almost all tests of children's car seats for safety. In particular, the reliable protection of the child is emphasized by the high scores obtained during the crash tests using the ADAC method — as close as possible to the conditions of a real accident.

As part of the testing according to the methodology of the General German Automobile Club, the chair was assigned a rating of "Good" (+). A high degree of protection of the baby in the chair is achieved through the use of an energy-absorbing shell and retractable protectors that take the full force of the side impact in the first moments after the accident on themselves. The position of the treads adapts to the structural features of the interior of a particular car.

The car seat grows together with the baby at the age of 3 to 12 years (or until the child reaches a weight of 36 kg). To ensure a more comfortable fit of the child, depending on his height, the design of the model provides for a 12-position height adjustment of the seat. The headrest also lends itself to changing positions, which prevents the baby's head from tilting forward while sleeping in the car.

The installation of the chair on the car seat is carried out exclusively in the driving position, and for its fixation, both a combination of the standard belt together with the Isofix attachment and the usual fastening with a car seat belt is used. In turn, the child is held in the chair by his own three—point belts, but only up to a certain point — when removing the backrest for the subsequent transformation of the car seat into a booster, the child will need to fasten the aforementioned standard seat belts.

A car seat with a German pedigree from the Kiddy brand impresses with its versatility — a child can be carried in it from the age of 9 months until they reach about 12 years old.

The key difference between the chair and the classic models is an atypical way of fixing the youngest children (up to 4 years old) — instead of using three- or five-point belts, the child is offered to be held in the seat by means of a safety table. However, this method looks attractive only in words, in fact, the table leaves little space for the baby's legs and requires a large length of a car seat belt for fastening (about 2.2 m). In many cars, the length of the standard belt may simply be insufficient.

But in terms of comfort, the baby is given a real expanse. Its legs are supported by a retractable roller, and the height of the backrest of the chair is accompanied by an extension of the side protection to the sides, which, among other things, solves problems with trying to seat a child in winter clothes in a car seat. At the same time, the baby's hands always lie comfortably on the armrest, and his head is supported by the headrest. By the way, the area of the frame near the head and shoulders is additionally reinforced by the use of vibration-absorbing material.

On the car seat, the seat is fixed by means of an Isofix attachment (if there are appropriate brackets). But all of the above would be in vain without the compliance of the model with the safety requirements, and in this case it will have to look for its equals carefully. In addition to the sticker of the ECE R44/04 certificate, the diary of the car seat has solid ratings of "Good" in the discipline of crash tests according to the ADAC methodology, which are carried out in more stringent conditions than required by the aforementioned European regulations on the certification of child car seats.

A whole complex of advanced safety systems is used in the chair hailing from foggy Albion, the main task of which is to prevent injury to a child in the event of a car participating in various accidents.

The model is equally well suited for children from the age of 9 months, and for children up to 12 years. The younger generation of the first weight group (up to 18 kg) is fastened in the seat with internal five-point seat belts, and for older children, regular three-point car belts with an additional fourth Secure Guard fixation point are used. It is designed to divert the impact force from the abdomen and hip joint.

The car seat is based on a base with Isofix fasteners, in conjunction with which anchor straps provide fixation (their task is to absorb energy in frontal collisions). When hitting the side door, the impulses are absorbed by the side shock absorbers. As a result, the child is protected from injury on all fronts, which is confirmed during tests using the ADAC method.

Good marks for safety are diluted with not the most successful ergonomics of the chair — because of the narrow seat in it, it may be too cramped for a child of large build and children in the winter season. However, all kinds of adjustments (three-position change of the backrest angle, height adjustment of the headrest and straps) allow you to create comfortable conditions for the baby in the chair in the vast majority of cases. The last obstacle on the way to acquiring a model can only be its high cost, which versatility and advanced security systems can justify.