Britax Kidfix II XP SICT Review — EU Booster Seat

(Last Updated On: March 15, 2018)

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT

Here at Car Seats for the Littles we’re dedicated to child passenger safety in all corners of the world. We already have a Facebook group specifically for our European readers, and now we’re working hard on expanding our portfolio of reviews for our European audience!

Britax offers a wide range of booster seats that are sold in Europe. With a retail price of around £170, the Kidfix II XP SICT is definitely one of their more expensive models in the lineup. However, for that price, it offers several unique features that set it apart from most other boosters on the market. Let’s take a closer look!

CSFTL Quick Stats

  • High back booster weight range: 15 to 36 kg (33 to 80 pounds)
  • Lowest belt guide position: 38 cm (15 inches)
  • Highest belt guide position: 56 cm (22 inches)

Measurements

  • Width at widest point on base (at the front): 43 cm (17 inches)
  • Width at narrowest point on base (at the rear): 38 cm (15 inches)
  • Width at widest point of seat (at the top, with one SICT fully extended): 57 cm (22.4 inches)
  • Seating area width (at the back): 30 cm (12 inches)
  • Seat pan depth: 31 cm (12 inches)

Unique Features

  • ISOFIT
  • XP-PAD to reduce neck loads
  • SecureGuard clip to keep the lap belt low over the pelvis
  • Extendable side impact protection
  • Good safety ratings on ADAC testing

Assembly

The seat comes fully assembled, though the XP-PAD may need to be swapped to the opposite belt guide depending on where the booster will be installed in the vehicle.

Features

XP-PAD

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT XP-PAD

The XP-PAD is a fairly long, squishy pad which the vehicle seat belt threads through. Britax claims that the XP-PAD reduces neck loads by up to 30% in an accident. Threading the seatbelt through the pad every time the seat is used would quickly become tedious, but luckily the XP-PAD can remain in place after the initial setup! An added benefit of the XP-PAD is that it makes it harder for kids to lean out of position — when they lean forward, the grippy nature of the pad prevents much movement, and they aren’t able to pull out on the shoulder belt much at all.

The manual mentions that the XP-PAD can sometimes cause the vehicle seatbelt to not retract correctly. If this happens, the seat can be used without the XP-PAD. I did notice that the XP-PAD sometimes twisted or caused the seatbelt to bunch up, so I made sure to check that it was straight with every journey. We didn’t have any retraction issues in our BMW i3, though.

SecureGuard

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT SecureGuard clip

Britax refers to the SecureGuard clip as a fourth point of contact for the seat belt. It’s a crotch strap with a red clip which helps keep the vehicle seat belt in position low on the pelvis. It can also help keep kids from slouching in the seat. It’s generously padded and, thankfully, it’s easy for my son to manoeuvre around when he gets in and out of the seat. The seatbelt slots easily into the SecureGuard, though we found it a bit easier to slot it in before buckling the belt.

Side Impact Protection

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT side impact protection

The Kidfix II XP SICT includes extendable side impact protection. It unscrews from the side of the seat closest to the vehicle door to absorb crash forces during a side impact.

ISOFIT

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT ISOFIT

The Kidfix II XP SICT features an ISOFIT system that connects to the ISOFIX anchors in the vehicle.

ISOFIT’s main benefit is that it isn’t necessary to remember to buckle the booster seat when it isn’t occupied. It can also provide some stability to the seat when the child climbs in and out. However, it isn’t required for use — when not used, the booster needs to be buckled at all times to prevent it becoming a projectile during an accident.

Removable Cover, Padding, and Fabulous Colours

The cover can be removed and washed on a gentle cycle at 30 degrees.

I found that the seat wasn’t quite as padded as I expected, especially on the headrest, but my son said it was comfortable.

There are several colour choices available; I like the vibrant blue we chose, and my son loved that he got a blue seat! He did complain once that his back was hot, so kids who run warm might find it a tad uncomfortable.

Installation with ISOFIT

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT ISOFIT handle

To install the Kidfix II XP SICT using ISOFIT, squeeze the handle at the bottom front of the booster seat while pulling the ISOFIT arms out from the back. Extend them fully, then line them up with the ISOFIX anchors in the vehicle. If the ISOFIX anchors are deep in the seat back the included ISOFIX guides may be necessary to make it easier to attach the ISOFIT arms.

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT ISOFIT correctly installed

Once the arms are aligned with the anchors in the vehicle, push the ISOFIT arms onto the ISOFIX anchors, and make sure the indicators on the arms show green.

Pull the handle at the front of the seat again and push the entire seat back so the back sits flush against the vehicle seat. The back of the booster is articulated so it can adjust to the angle of the vehicle seat.

Installation without ISOFIT

The Kidfix II XP SICT can be used without ISOFIT. Simply place the booster flush on the vehicle seat, thread the vehicle seat belt through the shoulder belt guide and XP-PAD, extend the SICT, then buckle.

Headrest Adjustment

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT headrest adjustment handle

The headrest can be adjusted up or down to fit the child. Squeeze the handle at the back of the headrest, then slide it up or down. The manual states that the bottom of the headrest should be approximately two fingers’ width above the top of the child’s shoulders. It’s fine to adjust the height of the headrest without removing the seat from the vehicle.

Shoulder Belt Guide

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT belt guide

Slide the shoulder belt into the red belt guide. A little spring-loaded gate pops up to prevent the belt from sliding out of the guide. I love the design of the belt guide – the seatbelt can’t accidentally slide out of it, and it’s wide enough that the belt doesn’t get scrunched up or caught. Finally, open the XP-PAD, place the vehicle seat belt flat inside, then close it over top.

Setting up the Side Impact Protection

Unscrew the side impact protection on the side of the seat that is closest to the vehicle door. Extend it until it’s 5 mm from the vehicle door or until it’s fully unscrewed.

Fit to Child

5 Years old

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT 5 years old

This model is 5 years old, weighs 16.6 kg (37 pounds) and is 105 cm (41 inches) tall. This is his first booster seat, and he’s super excited!

At the lowest headrest setting the shoulder belt guide is at just the right height for him. The XP-PAD sits over his chest and the shoulder belt is centred nicely over his collarbone. We did find we needed to pull the XP-PAD down each time he got in the booster to make sure the shoulder belt didn’t bunch up in the pad.

The lap belt is low over his pelvis, and the SecureGuard helps prevent him from sliding down in the seat, which would cause the lap belt to be too high. The vehicle seat belt was slightly prone to twisting, so we did have to keep an eye on that.

I like that he’s well supported with the side wings and the headrest, though bigger kids may find that the seat doesn’t have enough internal space as they grow. With my little guy, though, we should have years of growing room!

As a new booster rider, he still needs some practice to be able to buckle up on his own. The XP-PAD does make it harder for him to pull the seatbelt out far enough to be able to buckle, but with some practice I’m sure he’ll get it! He can easily unbuckle, though, and has no trouble getting the belt out of the SecureGuard.

Important Information: Where to Find

Expiration: Britax doesn’t specify a maximum period of use.

Britax Kidfix II XP SICT manual storage

Manual Storage:  A hinged door on the back of the seat conceals a storage compartment designed to hold the manual. In fact, there are 28 separate manuals in there, each in a different language!

Airplane Approval: 
Like all boosters, the Kidfix II XP SICT is not approved for airplane use. In addition, it’s a relatively heavy seat and does not disassemble, so it wouldn’t be a great choice for travel.

Overall Thoughts

The Kidfix II XP SICT is great for new booster riders or kids who need a little extra help to stay in position. It’s a wonderfully supportive seat with some great extra features. It lacks a few options like a recline or cupholders, but is ideal for keeping kids safely in position as they transition out of their harnessed car seat and into a booster seat.