Recommended Seats: EU
Choosing a car seat is tough! One look at the options in the car seat aisle can make your head swim — from height and weight limits to unique bells and whistles on each seat, it’s hard to know which is the best seat for your child?
The safest car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and can be used correctly 100% of the time. To get a sense of how to find that safest seat for your family, consider the height and weight limits printed on the box. But they often do not tell the whole story.
The height of the car seat’s shell, harness heights, and shoulder belt guide positions, plus ease of use and comfort features all factor into when the child will outgrow the car seat.
For our friends over the pond, we’ve compiled a list of commonly recommended car seats along with some of their their pros and cons. Though laws and products vary, the laws of physics remain the same the world around, and the same best practices guidelines apply: if you’re not sure which type your child should be in, start with our best practice guide through the four steps of car seat safety.
Seats are generally listed from least to most expensive, but prices do fluctuate often so please check your retailer for the current price.
Types of Car Seats
- Group 0/0+: Rear facing only seats – up to 10 or 13kg
- Group 1: Harnessed seats – up to approximately 18kg
- Group 2: Harnessed seats or high back booster seats – up to 25kg
- Group 3: High back boosters or booster cushions – up to 36kg
R129/i-Size: Newer regulations have introduced R129 seats, which are currently on the market alongside older R44/04 seats. For ease of use we have grouped both types of seats together. R129 includes i-Size seats, which must conform to very specific dimensions to be compatible with i-Size vehicles. Seats which do not conform to those specific dimensions can still be certified to R129 specifications, but may not fit all vehicles.
Different groups can be combined in one seat. For instance, a 0+/1/2 convertible seat can generally rear face, forward face, and become a booster. A 1/2/3 seat will usually forward face with a harness and then turn into a booster.
Group 0/0+ Rear Facing Only Seats
Joie Gemm  | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg R129? No Five point or three point harness? Five | Pros: Flight approved, two loop settings on harness helps ensure a better fit for smaller and bigger babies Cons: Base must be purchased separately. | Cost: £80 at John Lewis, Mothercare |
Maxi Cosi Cabriofix | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg R129? No Five point or three point harness? Three | Pros: Readily available to try before you buy, has a tall shell which takes most children to around 15 months at least, flight approved (contact Maxi Cosi to request proof of flight approval if your seat didn't come with proof) Cons: Base purchased separately, only two harness heights, and a rethread harness | Cost: £99 at Mothercare, Argos, John Lewis |
Britax Baby Safe Plus SHR II | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg R129? No Five point or three point harness? Five | Pros: Flight approved, easy removable cover, no rethread harness Cons: Heavy, base sold separately | Cost: £140 at Mothercare, Kiddicare, Halfords |
Maxi Cosi Pebble | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg R129? No Five point or three point harness? Three | Pros: Readily available to try before you buy, has a tall shell which takes most children to at least 15 months, flight approved Cons: Base purchased separately | Cost: £145 at John Lewis, Kiddicare, Mothercare |
Nuna Pipa | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg R129? No Five point or three point harness? Five | Pros: Base can be used with both isofix OR the seat belt (2 or 3 point belt), level line on the side to let parents know which recline the seat requires Cons: Base must be purchased separately | Cost: £150 at Kiddicare or Mothercare |
Cybex Aton Q | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg R129? No Five point or three point harness? Three | Pros: Fits smaller babies well Cons: Base must be purchased separately | Cost: £175 at Mothercare, Mamas and Papas |
Britax Baby-Safe2 i-Size Read CSFTL Review | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg; 40-83 cm R129? Yes Five point or three point harness? Five | Pros: Flight approved, no rethread harness, Flex base features angle indicator and easy angle adjustment Cons: Heavy, base sold separately, can be difficult to buckle at first | Cost: €200 in Europe; due to be released in the UK in 2019 |
Maxi Cosi Pebble PLUS | Rear facing limits: 45-75cm or 0-12kg R129? Yes Five point or three point harness? Three | Pros: No rethread harness Cons: Has a lower maximum standing height than most i-Size infant seats | Cost: £190 at Mothercare and John Lewis |
Group 0+/1 Seats
Joie Tilt | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg, head level with top of shell if no gap between car seat and front vehicle seat; if gap, then ears level with top of shell Forward facing limits: 9-18kg, ears contained in shell and straps above shoulders R129? No | Pros: Lightweight, low-cost rear facing seat Cons: Prone to buckle crunch | Cost: £70 from Argos, Mothercare |
Maxi Cosi 2WayPearl | Rear facing limits: 67-105cm, or up to 18.5kg Forward facing limits: At least 15 months old, up to 105cm, or up to 18.5kg R129? Yes | Pros: Good recline Cons: High cost, base must be purchased separately | Cost: £180 at Kiddicare plus £190 for the base |
BeSafe iZi Modular i-Size | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg or 61-105cm Forward facing limits: At least 15 months old, up to 18kg, 88-105cm R129? Yes | Pros: Good recline, compact seat Cons: High price, base must be purchased separately | Cost: £194.99 plus £189.95 for the base at Pramworld, Kiddicare |
Joie Spin 360 | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg Forward facing limits: 9-18kg R129? No | Pros: Rotates 360 degrees, tallest shell among swivel seats Cons: Can be very upright due to Isofix install | Cost: £250 at Argos, Mothercare |
Hauck Varioguard | Rear facing limits: 0-13kg when installed with seatbelt; 0-18kg when using Isofix Forward facing limits: 9-18kg R129? No | Pros: Compact and less expensive ISOFIX rear facing seat Cons: When installed forward facing with the seatbelt it requires a fix, cover is harder to remove | Cost: £279.99 and below at Kiddicare (good deals are typically widely available online) |
Britax Max-Fix II | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg or ears level with top of shell (the weight limit will usually be reached first) R129? No | Pros: Plus Tested, tall shell with Isofix fitting Cons: Installs rather upright due to Isofix, marketed as “from birth” but has an awkward stage when the child doesn’t fit with or without the insert | Cost: £285 at Mothercare, Amazon, Kiddicare |
Nuna Rebl Plus | Rear facing limits: 40-105cm or up to 19.5kg Forward facing limits: 80-105cm or up to 19.5kg R129? Yes | Pros: Rotates 360 degrees Cons: High cost, recline not ideal for all children but generally this is fixed using a wedge which can be detached from the infant insert | Cost: £395 at Mothercare |
Klippan Kiss 2 Plus  | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg R129? No | Pros: Plus Tested, fits from birth with an infant seat that can be used independently with the car’s seatbelt until 10kg, compact seat with a taller shell Cons: High cost, not readily available to try before you buy, often difficult to get a properly secure installation when using the seat belt | Cost: About £400 from online retailers |
Group 0+/1/2 Seats
Joie Stages | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg Forward facing limits: 9-18kg High back booster: 15-25kg R129? No | Pros: Affordable extended rear facing seat that is readily available, easy to adjust headrest, cover easy to remove for washing Cons: Booster function will be outgrown before a child can safely ride without a booster, strap covers aren’t removable, belt routing passes vehicle door opening | Cost: Around or under £150 at Mothercare, Argos, Halfords |
Joie Every Stage | Rear facing limits: 0-18kg Forward facing limits: 9-18kg High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Lower cost seat to rear face longer and usable as a booster. Expands width-wise as booster. Good recline. FX version uses Isofix and top tether when forward facing, which is a nice safety feature. Cons: Belt routing passes vehicle door opening - some caregivers find this inconvenient for loading children | Cost: £200 at Argos, John Lewis, Halfords |
Avionaut Sky Read Avionaut Sky Review | Rear facing limits: 0-25kg or 40-125cm child height R129? Yes | Pros: Extremely compact install, R129 certification, lightweight, no-rethread harness, usable from birth if an appropriate angle can be achieved, Plus tested Cons: Somewhat twisty harness, can be too upright for newborns, not readily available to try before you buy | Cost: £300 at kinderprams.co.uk |
Axkid Minikid 2.0 | Rear facing limits: 0-25 kg (though not from birth) R129? No | Pros: Plus Tested, can work well in 3 across situations, self-adjusting harness height, tall shell that lasts well for taller children Cons: High cost, not readily available to try before you buy, baby must be about 6 months or older to fit correctly | Cost: £350 from online retailers |
BeSafe iZi Plus | Rear facing limits: 0-25kg (though not from birth) R129? No | Pros: Plus Tested, fits children from around 6 months, has a good recline so heavier children with less head control can use it Cons: Can take up a lot of room front to back in the car, has a shorter shell than a some of the other 25kg seats | Cost: £330 from online retailers |
Diono Radian 5 | Rear facing limits: 0-25kg, less than 3.8cm from top of shell to child's head, or 122cm height Forward facing limits: 9-25kg, tops of ears at top of seat shell, more than 14 cm height R129? No | Pros: Extended harnessing both forward and rear facing, uses the top tether forward facing Cons: Multiple different rules for installation can be confusing, has a restrictive fit list, multiple components to keep track of | Cost: £225.00 at In Car Safety Centre |
Group 1/2 Seats
Britax Two Way Elite | Rear facing limits: 9-25kg, eye level below the top of the shell Forward facing limits: 9-18kg R129? No | Pros: Optional belt routing for vehicles with longer seat belt buckles, extra tethers available for easy transfers to different vehicles, tall rear facing shell, fits most vehicles Cons: Not readily available to try before you buy, harness may not fit until infant seat is outgrown by height | Cost: £220 at the In Car Safety Centre |
Britax Max-Way | Rear facing limits: 9-25kg R129? No | Pros: Plus Tested, no rethread harness, a lower head rest position that fits small children well Cons: Has a restrictive fit list and can’t be used in cars with under floor storage boxes (check your vehicle manual if you’re not sure if you have them) | Cost: £225 from online retailers |
Group 1/2/3 Forward Facing Seats
Joie Elevate | Forward facing harness: 9-18kg High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Narrow seat, good for three across, has a lockoff, very tall harness heights Cons: Can have fit issues in some vehicles | Cost: £50-70 at Mothercare, Kiddicare and Halfords |
Britax Evolva | Forward facing harness: 9-18kg High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Taller harness height makes it a longer lasting option Cons: Belt routing can be a bit difficult with shorter seat belts | Cost: £70 - £120 at Mothercare, Kiddicare, Amazon, Halfords |
Joie Bold | Forward facing harness: 9-25kg High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Harnesses past the normal 18kg, no-rethread harness, tallest harness slots on the market, long-lasting booster mode Cons: Must be installed with Isofix, seatbelt and top tether in all modes | Cost: £175 at Mothercare and Argos |
Group 2/3 Booster Seats
Britax Adventure | High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Lightweight for easy transfers between cars, easy to adjust headrest, easy to use belt guide, available in most high street stores either in shop or online Cons: No armrests (armrests are not a safety feature, but a child may prefer them) | Cost: Around or under £35 from Mothercare, Halfords, Kiddicare |
Joie Trillo | High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Low-cost Isofix high back booster Cons: Not as padded as some of the higher priced seats | Cost: £40-80 at Mothercare and Halfords |
Diono Monterey 2 | High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Expanding side wings have multiple settings, soft Isofix to keep it in place when not in use, well padded Cons: Can't expand the side wings while it's installed | Cost: £120 at Mothercare and Amazon |
Britax KIDFIX boosters Read KIDFIX II XP SICT Review Read KIDFIX III M Review | High back booster: 15-36kg R129? No | Pros: Extensive line of high back boosters with a variety of features available, headrest isn't flush with the back of seat which accommodates some difficult vehicle headrests, SecureGuard on some models helps prevent submarining and gives a better belt fit, Isofix to keep it secured when not in use Cons: No armrests (not a safety concern, but a child may prefer them), XP pad on some models is a bit bulky, can be a bit narrow for children with wider shoulders | Cost: £90-230 at Mothercare, depending on model |
Maxi Cosi Kore Read Kore Pro Review | High back booster: 100 to 150 cm R129? Yes | Pros: Pro version has lights to illuminate buckle, well padded, good for three across, easy to buckle, expands in width as well as height, rigid Isofix, no weight limit Cons: Shorter top belt guide position than some other boosters | Cost: £170-200 at Amazon, depending on model |