On testTest Overview - Multi Group Car Seats<< Back to the multi group car seats main test page Here you'll find the best comments, advice and information on all of the car seats on test. Our panel gave the Best Buy award to the Britax Evolva but make sure you read all of the categories to see how the various styles performed under different criteria. Don't forget, if you're a regular user of any of the car seats in our test or have an experience you'd like to share, please add a review.
Our parent panel comments on the following: Ease of UseOur panel felt that an easy to use seat was 'fairly high up on the list of priorities, especially if you're travelling with more than one child or have a particularly hectic schedule'. Straightforward instructions, seat-belt routing and a non-complicated harness will all help to make securing your child that little bit easier. + Our panel were particularly impressed with the seat belt fitting on the Maxi Cosi Rodi XP - 'it's so simple to use and offers a really secure fit for your child'. +/- The Jane Indy + and Britax Evolva were simple to use, though getting the car seat cover off of the Britax 'was a bit of a challenge and required patience and lots of deep breaths!' Our panel liked the smooth mechanisms on the Jane Indy + and 'the fact that it converts to a booster seat is a real bonus'. +/- The Recaro Sport was 'relatively straightforward in terms of securing your child, though removing the harness was a tad tricky sometimes'. Our panel did note that the harness 'automatically adjusts when you extend the backrest - a nifty little mechanism to ensure a perfect fit for your child as they grow'. PortabilityMany multi-group seats have a lightweight structure to ensure easy transportation to different cars, though high portability isn't a necessity for everyone - especially if you are a one car family. If you use two cars or need to transport the seat into a carer's car on a regular basis, this is something you need to consider carefully. +/- The Concorde Evo Pro Tect was 'one of the lightest on test' - 'it's simple to move around and makes transporting into different cars very easy'. However our panel also found it to be the tallest seat on test, making it 'difficult to store and tricky to install in a small car'. +/- Our panel found the Recaro Sport 'quite simple to transport in and out of the car, especially without the harness secured'. Similarly our panel found the Britax Evolva 'relatively portable in comparison to some of the other seats on test'. +/- The Maxi Cosi was 'a bit of a pain to swap between cars'. 'This is an ideal seat if you're going to be using the one car but if you need to switch them to different cars regularly, forget it'. +/- The Jane Indy + 'certainly isn't the lightest seat on test', but it does fold up slightly to make it more portable'. Fitting in CarCar seats aren't rocket science and the fitting mechanism shouldn't take up too much of your time, though instructions can sometimes be overly-detailed which can often draw out the length of installation. Ease of fit often comes with experience and you'll find that the fitting process gets easier every time you install it. + Seat belt routing 'was a godsend with the Maxi Cosi' - 'the instructions are clear and concise and it takes minutes to get it securely in place'. Our panel also commented on the 'cleverly placed belt hooks which ensure the belt is fitted correctly every time'. +/- The Jane Indy + 'fits well into the car and is easy to adjust'. Similarly the 'Britax Evolva 'fits well into the car, though there are no fixings to keep the belt down which seemed unusual'. +/- Our panel found the Concorde Evo Pro-Tect easy to fit, though one member did find the seat 'a little bulky when trying to secure the seatbelt.' Our panel also noted that the height is un-adjustable and 'can restrict the rear view of the back window, especially in smaller cars'. +/- Although the Recaro seat was 'fairly easy to get into the car', the 'seatbelt routing was time-consuming, despite the clear and concise instructions'. Our panel agreed that the seat was 'more difficult to fit with the harness in place' but felt that it offered 'a really tight and secure fit once in position'. Comfort/QualityThe level of comfort the seat provides is an essential factor for your child whilst a good quality seat will ensure longevity. Plush materials with head rests and a recliner will ensure optimum comfort whilst on the go - very important for regular travellers or those with extended journey times. + The Maxi Cosi was found to be 'one of the most comfortable seats on test' - 'my child slept in this a lot and the handy recline mechanism worked wonders every time'. The panel also liked the Britax Evolva for its 'high quality fabric and extra padding around the head and neck'. + The Jane Indy + scored well on comfort: 'This is a comfortable, high quality seat with a nice modern style - 'Abi loved the bright red colour and said it made the car go faster!' Our panel also noted that the seat has Isofix fittings which (in addition to providing an extremely secure fit) enabled the seat to recline at three different levels. +/- When it came to the Recaro, our panel were split. One member found that it 'restricted my son's view as it seemed to slightly push his head back', whereas another found that it offered' a fantastic level of support for the head and body with some really high quality materials'. +/- The Concorde offered 'a reasonable level of comfort'. 'We went on a long journey and had no complaints so it must be ok, despite its rigid look!' Our panel agreed that the Concorde offered 'good value for money', though 'the materials do look a little cheap'. Additional ExtrasIf your child is going to be using it until they reach the 1.35 metre height required to wear a seat belt, a few additional extras here and there will certainly help to preserve their entertainment. Other extras to look out for include carry handles, covers and additional seat cushioning. + The Recaro seat comes with its own carry handle - 'a tiny detail but very practical when it comes to lifting in and out of the car'. + The Jane Indy + can be used as a booster seat and has built in cushioning for an ultra-comfy ride. + The Britax Evolva 'comes with a drink and snack holder which my son thought was great!' You can also purchase England seat covers - 'very World Cup-esque and fab for little footie fans'. +/- You can get a drinks holders for the Maxi Cosi Rodi XP which connects to the side of the seat, 'though you have to purchase these separately which seems odd'. Results
Where to next:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
