February 07, 2023 4 min read

Which car seats are best for a 1 year old?

So your baby has grown out of the capsule and you're ready for the next stage of car seat. If you purchased a European capsule it can probably take your baby right up to 13kg, though some children will outgrow their capsules in length before they outgrow them in weight. As a general rule, if the baby's head is more than an inch from the top of the capsule, and the shoulder straps are coming out of the capsule at the baby's shoulders, not too far below, you'll be in need of a new car seat - check your capsule's manual, though, as individual models can vary.

To rear face or not to rear face

At one year old, it's a good idea to rear face your child. In the event of an accident, a rear facing infant will be supported by the shell of the car seat. Remember high-school physics? 'An object will continue moving at its current velocity until some force causes its speed or direction to change'. In a rear facing car seat, the shell of the car seat will stop the child from moving. In a forward facing car seat, the harness will stop the child from moving, placing strain on the child's neck and spine. This is especially pronounced for babies, as their heads are quite heavy in relation to their body.

Things to look out for

Does your car have ISOFIX? There are plenty of ISOFIX toddler car seats around, and these tend to be quite easy to install. If you don't have ISOFIX, you can look for a child restraint that installs using the car's three point seatbelt.

How long can you use it for? Most toddler car seats will take your one year old right through until they are 18kg (4 years old). Some might last longer, and some fit into the 'Jack of all trades, master of none or maybe one' category (we don't sell any of those).

Below are our recommendations to parents looking for a car seat for their one year old. Of course the seat that you choose will depend on a few things; what fits best into your car, how long you want to rear face your child for, your budget, if there are younger siblings you might want to pass the seat onto, and so on. It's always best to try the car seat with your child and your car before you buy.

ISOFIX Toddler Car Seats

Maxi Cosi Stone 360 i-Size Car Seat:

The Maxi-Cosi Stone is a baby & toddler car seat which offers top safety and the convenience of the 360° rotation, approximately from birth up to 4 years.The ISOFIX system enables a very easy and safe car seat installation, and the seat offers rear-facing travel up to approx. 2years (87cm) to enhance head & neck protection. AxissFix Plus, grows with your child from birth (45cm) with its cozy enveloping inlay, up to 4 years (105cm). It will take only a few seconds to secure your child facing you, and switch from rearward- to forward-facing in just a seat rotation. You will need to use a tether strap in the rear and forward facing positions.

Maxi Cosi Stone 360 i-Size - Authentic Black

Maxi Cosi Stone 360 i-Size Car Seat - $799

Cybex Sirona Z i-Size Convertible Car Seat:

The Cybex Sirona Z i-Size Convertible Car Seat will rear face your child to 105cm and 18kgs (around 4 years old). The base is sold separately, and also accepts a capsule (baby car seat). It's a great option if you want to buy the base and capsule before the baby is born, and then buy the toddler seat when your baby is one year old (or so).

Cybex Sirona Z i-Size Convertible Car Seat - $899

Cybex Base Z Car Seat Base - $549

Seat belt and ISOFIX installation

The below seats can be installed using ISOFIX (latch) or the car's three point seat belt (never both at the same time). This is a good option if you are going to use the same car seat in more than one car, but not all cars have ISOFIX.

Britax Boulevard Clicktight Car Seat:

The Britax Boulevard Clicktight Car Seat is a popular seat, as it can rear face infants and toddlers to 18kg (about 4 years), then forward faces with a harness to 29.4kg. It can be installed with your car's three point seat belt, and also using Latch, which is basically the American name for ISOFIX. You will need to use a tether strap in the forward facing position only.

Britax Boulevard Clicktight Car Seat- $739

Maxi Cosi Pria 3-in-1:

The Maxi Cosi Pria 3-in-1 will rear face your child to 18kg (approx. Birth-4 years), then forward face with a harness until 29kg (2-6 years), and then can be used in booster mode up to 45kgs (4-8+ years). It can be installed in your car using Latch (the US version of ISOFIX), or using your car's seatbelt.

Maxi Cosi Pria 3-in-1 - $699

We hope that you found this article helpful. Please do contact us if you would like to know more, or pop into store and we will be happy to show you the car seats and try them out in your car.

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