Mango Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Hi Guys, I need to get an car seat for an infant for an A3 Sportback with slippery leather!! It will definately be an ISOFIX one. I have searched the forums for recommendations, but as things change quickly i wondered what people recommended at the moment. I really liked this Recaro one, but a previous thread said it hadnt scored that well in a Which test, and another reply said the test was incorrect and not valid: infant seats - car seats : mothercare Any help gratefully received. Cheers Mango Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 I was also going for the Recaro till I saw its test results - It didn't do so well in the Which! car seat test. The Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix with EasyFix Base has come out tops in most European-wide magazine and safety tests, I even bought one this weekend and its great - very easy to install and remove and well made. Maxi-Cosi products - gb-en Base & Seat: from Mothercare = c.£205 Online reseller = £166 If you want a copy of the which! test or details of where I got mine from, just drop me a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted May 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 Thanks Andy, PM'ed you. Regards Mango Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted May 29, 2008 Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 Just looked in the latest Which! and they've just published this years (2008) test results, and for the 2nd year the Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix comes out top with 82%. Best Buys 2008 0+ Maxi Cosi Cabriofix with Easyfix base: 82% Mothercare Meteor (with base): 79% Recaro Young Profi Plus with base: 78% Jane Strata: 77% Mothercare Meteor (no base): 74% Chicco Auto-fix Plus (no base): 72% Hauck Zero Plus: 71% Group 1 Maxi Cosi Priorifix: 75% Britax Duo Plus Isofix: 70% Britax Explora Isofix: 70% Chicco Key1 Isofix: 70% Group 2/3 Britax Evolva 2/3 Isofit: 77% Maxi Cosi Rodi XR: 75% Britax Evolva 2/3 Ultra: 74% Concord Lift Evo PT: 72% Cybex Solution X: 72% Don't Buys Mamas & Papas Teko Chicco Max-3S Recaro Start Little Shield Combi 123. (From 2007 test): Mamas and Papas Pro-Tour (From 2006 test): Jané Matrix Pro Mamas and Papas Alto Mamas and Papas Revo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted May 29, 2008 Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 Which? Best buy car seats April 2007 Safety standards for child seats continue to rise, so some of the seats we recommended last year are no longer Best Buys. Of course, using any child seat is better than using none at all, and last year's Best Buys still offer much better protection than other seats on the market. We don't consider price when choosing Best Buys, as we recommend only the safest seats. Best Buys Maxi Cosi Cabriofix (with Easyfix base) Price: £200 Score: 75% A seat designed for newborns up to about a year (13kg), this has a separate heavy base, designed to be left in the car, and the removable seat which clicks into the base and can be used as a baby carrier outside the car. It can use Isofix mounts (with a support leg) or the three-point seat belt to locate the base in the car. The support leg needs a flat, solid floor, so it won’t suit all cars - always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines before buying. It’s easy to install with clear instructions and there are colour coded safety indicators to show it’s properly engaged in the base. Crash stability is excellent and it protects children well in front and side crashes. Britax Cosy Tot Isofix Price: £165 Score: 74% The Best Buy Britax Cosy Tot Isofix was the first seat for newborns to use Isofix mounting system. It’s designed for babies from birth to about a year (13kg) in rearward or forward facing modes and it uses a support leg onto the car floor rather than a strap for the third mounting point. The support leg needs a flat, solid floor, so it won’t suit all cars - always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines before buying. It’s easy to install and offers excellent stability – protecting children well in front and side crashes. Concord Lift Evo PT Price: £90 Score: 74% This seat is a booster with backrest, designed for transporting children from four to 12 years (15 to 36 kg). It uses the three-point adult seat belt to secure both the seat and the child. It is light weight and very easy to install and it offers adequate front crash protection. Side crash protection is good and is aided by the unusual side ‘wings’ on the seat, which extend downwards to provide extra protection for the child’s abdomen. It’s also possible to adjust the seat’s recline angle, which makes it more likely that you’ll be able to get a good, snug fit whatever the rake of your rear seats. The tall back is good for taller children but in some cars it touches the head restraints – which may need removing to allow the seat to sit flat against the car seat-back. Maxi Cosi Priorifix Price: £230 Score: 74% A seat for children from one year up to about four years (9 to 18 kg), this seat can be fixed using Isofix mounts or seat belts, and has a support leg which rests on the car floor for additional stability. The support leg needs a flat, solid floor, so it won’t suit all cars - always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines before buying. It is well padded and provides good leg support, and it has a very high back, allowing tall children continued use up to the point where they reach the weight limit. Concord Lift Protect Price: £80 Score: 72% This seat is a booster with backrest, designed for transporting children from four to 12 years (15 to 36 kg). It uses the three-point adult seat belt to secure both the seat and the child. Slightly cheaper and subtly different from its stable-mate the Evo PT, this seat has large side ‘wings’, which give excellent head support, and the base offers good leg support. It is light weight and very easy to install and it offers adequate front crash protection. Side crash protection is good and is aided by the unusual side ‘wings’ on the seat, which extend downwards to provide extra protection for the child’s abdomen. The tall back is good for taller children but in some cars it touches the head restraints – which may need removing to allow the seat to sit flat against the car seat-back. Maxi Cosi Rodi XP Price: £95 Score: 72% This seat is a booster with backrest, designed for transporting children from four to 12 years (15 to 36 kg). It uses the three-point adult seat belt to secure both the seat and the child. It’s possibly the easiest to use seat we’ve ever tested, scoring top marks for every aspect of handling. As with many seats in this weight category, the tall back is good for taller children but in some cars it touches the head restraints – which may need removing to allow the seat to sit flat against the car seat-back. Britax Cosy Tot Premium Price: £75 Score: 71% This is the seat-belt mounted version of the rearward-facing Cosy Tot Isofix, so its shared design means it also has many of the same qualities. It’s designed for babies from birth to about a year (13kg). It offers excellent comfort and safety is good. It has a high quality finish and it provides for your child to travel in comfort with a good-sized, well padded shell to give adequate head support and an adjustable harness to accommodate taller babies. Britax Hi-Liner Price: £55 Score: 71% This is a forward facing booster with back rest that uses the three-point vehicle belt to restrain the seat and the child. It is designed for children aged about four to 12 (15-36kg). It is very easy to use, offers very good leg support and excellent padding. While the idea of having one seat for several weight categories is often seen as a compromise, this one does a good job of bridging the gap. Crash ratings are pretty good, with low loads imparted to the child in both front and side crashes. The Hi-Liner has a very high back, which can foul on the car’s head restraints. Stability of the seat can be improved on some cars by turning or removing the vehicle headrest, to allow the high backrest to sit more squarely onto the seat back. Britax Evolva 2-3 Price: £45 Score: 71% New for 2006, the Evolva 2-3 looks very similar to the Britax Kid but beneath the surface there are subtle changes. It’s a booster with backrest, designed for transporting children from four to 12 years (15 to 36 kg). It uses the three-point adult seat belt to secure both the seat and the child.It isn’t as light weight as others in the class, but the instructions are clear and it is easy to install. Like most seats in the class it has a high seat back which can touch the car’s head restraint on some cars. In this case, it can be helpful to remove the head restraint to allow the seat to sit flat against the car seat back. Padding is excellent and it offers very good leg support and front crash loads are low. Thanks to the high side bolsters, side-impact protection is particularly good – you can adjust the headrest height as your child grows. Concord Lift Evo Price: £80 Score: 71% This seat is a booster with backrest, designed for transporting children from four to 12 years (15 to 36 kg). It uses the three-point adult seat belt to secure both the seat and the child. It has excellent padding and gives good leg support and the child has an excellent view out of the vehicle. Britax Duo Plus ISOFIX Price: £170 Score: 70% The Duo Plus is designed for children from around a year old to about four (9 to18kg). It can be used in Isofix mode, with two- or three-point (using top tether) mounting, or a three-point adult seat belt to secure it. It is well made and easy to use with clear instructions. Padding is excellent and leg and head support is good. Maxi Cosi Tobi Price: £165 Score: 70% A seat for children from one year up to about four years (9 to 18 kg), this seat is installed using the seat belts. It is one of the easiest seats in this weight category to use and it’s unusual in that the harness retracts the straps sideways when undone, so they don’t end up behind the child when they are placed in the seat. It has excellent belt routing and easy size adjustment on the child. The buckle’s tension indicator shows green when the strap is secure. The seat is well padded and offers good leg support. 2006 Which Test Results: (Maxi Cosi came first again) http://www.rsa.ie/publication/publication/upload/child%20car%20seats%20June%2006.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted May 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 That is fantastic, Many, many thanks Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted May 29, 2008 Report Share Posted May 29, 2008 Mango, hope those detals are of help and if you're worried about the leather you can buy car seat protectors advertised in the back of car mags. I flew over to the UK last weekend to pickup a Maxi-Cosi for our new arrival (due August) as they aren't freely available over here and are twice the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted May 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 I saw those seat protectors, seems a sensible buy. I think the maxi cosi is the one. Thanks again for all your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 No problems here's a pic of the one I went for: I ordered from Baby Pages Ltd - Quinny, Bebe Confort, all leading brands! - 166 inc parcelforce 24hr delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson_R32 Posted June 7, 2008 Report Share Posted June 7, 2008 Looks Good. For anyone considering ISOFIX seats; I really wouldn't bother with the RECARO ISOFIX seats. To ultilise it you have to use a base which is heavy and difficult to get in the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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