TOP-5: child car seats

Heyner MultiProtect AERO

Produced by the private German company HEYNER, the car seat is suitable for traveling with children from 8-9 months and approximately 9 kg to 11-12 years and 36 kg. Heyner MultiProtect AERO is a "3 in 1", i.e. one of the most versatile models.

The car seat is installed "face" in the direction of movement and secured with car belts. Due to the peculiarities of this process (it is necessary to unfasten / fasten the buttons and Hook-and-loop of the seat and backrest upholstery), this model is suitable for those who profess the principle of "installed and ride", and it is better for "fidgets" to look for another one.

For transportation of children up to 4-5 years old or up to 18 kg, Heyner MultiProtect AERO is equipped with its own removable five-point safety belt. The length is adjustable, and there are also four positions for adjusting the height of the exit of the straps from the backrest. Soft shoulder pads with inserts of velvety fabric evenly distribute the pressure on the baby's body and contribute to its strong fixation.

The chair "grows" with the child and he has seven headrest positions for this. Unfortunately, the angle of rotation of its sidewalls is unchanged. The removable backrest allows you to transform the car seat into a booster, which the manufacturer recommends using only for children with a height of 140-145 cm.

There are three colour options available for the design of fabric parts (all of them are removable and machine washable), but there are no bright ones among them. The reliability of the frame structure is ensured by stiffening ribs and the use of non-toxic ABS plastic.

Heyner MultiProtect AERO is suitable only for children who do not sleep on the road: the backrest tilt is not provided and the child in this chair is constantly in a sitting position.

Two years of official warranty and low price are additional arguments in favor of MultiProtect AERO.

Chicco Eletta

Chicco Eletta from a well–known Italian manufacturer of goods for children is the only car seat in today's Top 5 designed to transport babies from birth to three or four years old (up to 18 kg). It belongs to the 0+/1 group and can be installed both against the movement and along the course. In the unfolded position (the cradle has only five of them), the baby lies comfortably with his legs bent at the knees.

Unlike numerous 0+ models, in Chicco Eletta, the base is attached to the seat with straps, and the cradle is located above it. There are many positive aspects of such a solution.

Firstly, the seat is permanently fastened to the car, when laying / boarding the child, you only need to fasten the five-point straps. This is especially important at first, when the actions of young parents have not yet been brought to automatism.

Secondly, the tilt and return to a sitting position do not affect the tension force of the car belts in any way, which increases safety, since the base remains stationary.

Finally, the child is high enough, which improves the view for him and simplifies the life of adults.

However, in a cradle-like chair 0+, a sleeping child can be taken out of the car and transferred, and it is extremely difficult to do this with a Chicco Eletta, and it is almost impossible for a slender young mother alone.

Another advantage of the Chicco Eletta is the ability to transport an already grown–up child. When it becomes necessary to buy the next car seat, you will know the peculiarities of your child's behavior on the road and his preferences, which will save money and nerves, avoiding possible mistakes when choosing a model of the first age group.

Any good imported thing needs to be improved – this joke accurately describes the situation with a metal ring ringing during the movement of the car. A little tape, ingenuity, a clothespin and the problem will be solved.

Concord Transformer XT

The Transformer series of Concord presents several different models, this is due to the two-fold difference in prices. However, all of them are based on the principle of transformation of the elements of the chair, both in height and width, to ensure maximum safety of a small passenger.

Concord Transformer car seats belong to the 2/3 age group and are designed to transport children from 3 to 12 years old (weighing from 15 to 36 kg and up to 150 cm tall).

In the cabin, the seat is attached either with standard seat belts or with the ISOFIX system (which is preferable, since it reduces the risk of riding with an unfastened seat without a child). The Twinfix system allows you to firmly install the chair on any seat, pulling the backs to each other.

Own belts are not provided, the child is always fastened with a car belt, so it is advisable to purchase an additional soft removable pad. The automatic locking system in the headrest area securely holds the belt, by pressing one button it is released for easy unfastening.

The main difference between the models is the presence/absence of a Procomfort system responsible for the tilt of the backrest.

All adjustments are made by pneumatic elements, as in good office chairs, which makes the process easy and smooth. Unfortunately, the height of the armrests remains unchanged.

For better energy absorption in the event of an accident on the side elements, Concord Transformer seats use three-layer elements.

Removable covers can be of different colours (Concord Transformer ranks second in today's Top 5 in terms of the number of options), however, in order to preserve the appearance of the fabric, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the instructions for washing and cleaning.

Concord Transformer car seats will be an excellent choice for owners of cars with the ISOFIX system who prefer to dress children in oversized overalls in the cold season.

RECARO Young Sport Price from 3 790 ₴ →

Recaro does not need recommendations, specializing in seats for racing cars and airplanes, the company knows a lot about car seats. The Young Sport model belongs to the age group 1/2/3 and is designed for safe transportation of children aged eight months to 12 years and weighing from 9 to 36 kg.

The chair is attached to the seat by car seat belts (for such an amount, manufacturers with a lower rank already equip their products with the ISOFIX system). It is equipped with its own five-point belt with height adjustment (simultaneously with the headrest). After three years or reaching a weight of 15 kg, the child is fastened with regular car belts. The design is well thought out, although at the first stage the belt passes under the fabric cover, it is not difficult to install and remove the chair from the seat.

There is no width adjustment in the shoulder area, but there is a removable insert in the delivery set that reduces the width of the seat.

The chair itself is quite heavy - 8.3 kg, so the carrying handle is made very handy.

The main claim to ergonomics is the transfer of the backrest to a resting position. You will need two hands, since the corresponding locking handles are located on the sides of the base. Accordingly, if there are no adult passengers in the back seat, you will have to not just stop the car, but also get out of it, otherwise it is almost impossible to get the handles from the front seat. The instruction explicitly prohibits the transfer of the backrest to the resting position after the removal of the five-point belt, i.e. the transition to the second age group.

RECARO Young Sport is the leader of today's Top 5 in terms of the number of colour options for covers. There are seven of them, including bright ones – blue, pink and red. RECARO also produces replacement cases, which is very relevant, given the more than ten-year potential service life.

Young Sport is suitable not only for fans of auto racing, but also for everyone who wants to teach their child from childhood only for the best.