Infant car seats: what to check, and the options with prices
You need the car seat before you leave the hospital, so it's the first thing to sort. Seats sold new in the EU are now R129, also called i-Size. What differs is how a seat fits your car, how it's fixed and how long it lasts.
The options
- Joie i-Snug 2 (belt installation): 122 €
Britax Römer Baby-Safe Core: 150 €
Cybex Cloud G i-Size Beach Blue Plus: 170 €
Joie Sprint (integrated ISOFIX): 200 €
Cybex Cloud T i-Size + Base T: 510 €
Maxi-Cosi Pebble 360 Pro2 + FamilyFix 360 Pro: 555 € (estimate)
Cheapest first. Each product page says what the recommendation rests on, and what hasn't been checked.
What to check
- The R129 or i-Size label. Older R44 seats are no longer sold in the EU.
- Rear-facing to at least 15 months.
- That it fits your car. Try it in the car before you buy, if the shop lets you.
- How it fixes: with the car’s belt, or on an ISOFIX base that clicks in each time. The belt costs less; the base is quicker.
- The height and weight limits, which decide how long the seat lasts.
Never put a rear-facing seat in front of an active airbag.
On the road
Keep newborn journeys short: about one and a half to two hours at a stretch. No bulky coat under the harness, because it leaves the straps loose; put a blanket over the top instead. A car seat is for travel. At home, a baby sleeps flat, in a cot.
Second hand
Only if you know the seat's whole history. A seat that has been in a crash can be damaged where you can't see it.
The next seat
Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size: 230 €
Cybex Sirona Gi i-Size: 330 €
Nuna PRUU Caviar: 430 €- Maxi-Cosi Mica 360 Pro i-Size: 470 €
Move up when your baby reaches the shell's height or weight limit, not at a set age. Don't buy the next seat early just to reuse a base.