Buying a toddler car seat can be stressful.
Firstly, there are a huge number of different seats on the market and it can be almost impossible to work out which is the best — and even to know what features make a good car seat.
And then, of course, there’s all the technical jargon and legal specifications. In the UK, it is a legal requirement for kids to travel in a baby or child car seat until one of the following exceptions applies:
- They are 12 years old.
- They meet the minimum height requirement for adult seats (135 cm).
Added to this is the pressure of knowing how important your choice of car seat is going to be — unlike most other baby and toddler purchases, buying a car seat is solely concerned with the safety of your child while you’re travelling. Nobody wants to get this decision wrong.
It’s enough to make your head explode 🤯
Or maybe consider just walking everywhere instead…
To try and help you make the best decision for your family, we’ve rounded up a list of the best toddler car seats on the market right now.
We also cover the small print of what you need to know about child car seats. From the legal requirements, to the latest guidance on child car seat safety, and when you should use a rear facing car seat vs. a forward facing seat. Let’s get started!
What Are The Best Toddler Car Seats?
Let’s start with a list of the top rated car seats for toddlers – since that’s what most of you are here for!
These car seats have been chosen based on extensive research, including personal use, a thorough analysis of their respective safety features, and the curated feedback from dozens of UK parents.
Cybex Sirona S i-Size
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 0+/1 – Birth to 105cm tall |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes |
| Spin | 360° |
We absolutely love the Cybex Sirona S. In terms of comfort, accessibility and easy access, it might just be the best toddler car seat on the market right now.
More importantly, it also scores highly on the rigorous ADAC testing scheme with a ‘Good’ rating of 2.3.
This child seat has a host of different features designed with safety and convenience in mind, and each one it does exceptionally well, from the 360° spin, the option for extended rear-facing, the easy ISOFIX installation, the plethora of different positions to help you get your toddler comfortable, and just the sheer luxurious feel of the materials in play here.
Why We Chose It
- Full 360° rotation
- Extended rear facing position available until 105cm tall
- 12 different headrest positions
- 5 backwards and 3 forwards recline positions adjustable by one hand
- 5 point safety harness
- Very easy ISOFIX seat installation
- Compatible with SensorSafe
- Materials and padding feels comfortable and luxurious
- Seemingly better value than the Sirona Z as the base is included
Potential Cons to Consider
- It’s very hard to find fault with this brilliant child seat.
- Occasionally fiddly strap clip takes some getting used to.
Safe and high-quality UN R129 i-Size compliant extended rear-facing car seat with innovative 360° rotation mechanism, from birth up to approximately 4 years
Silver Cross Motion
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 0+/1 – Birth to 105 cm tall |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes |
| Spin | 360° |
Silver Cross are an incredibly prestigious brand and its no wonder that this Motion car seat model is so popular for toddlers.
It boasts a 360° spin that’s operated by the touch of a button and is made from an incredible bamboo fabric that is thermo regulating, promising to keep your toddler comfortable and dry whatever the weather. We really like that you can remove the padding in sections as your toddler grows – the five point harness is easy to use too.
The compromise with the Silver Cross Motion is the price — it’s definitely at the more expensive end.
Why We Chose It
- Full 360° rotation at the touch of a button
- Allows for extended rearward facing
- 5 point safety harness
- Padding is designed in removable sections that you can remove as your child grows
- 3 reclining positions and 5 headrest positions
- Cover is made from anti-bacterial bamboo fabric that’s thermo-regulating, keeping your toddler warm and dry
- Silver Cross app is very useful for installation
Potential Cons to Consider
- Quite expensive
Every-stage seat that grows with your child from birth to approximately 12 years with effortless 360 rotation and side loading for easy access.
Cybex Sirona Z i-Size
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 0/1 – Birth to 105cm tall |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes, with Base Z (sold separately) |
| Spin | 360° |
We’ve already waxed lyrical on the Cybex Sirona S so it’ll come as no surprise that the Sirona Z is also very highly rated among toddler parents.
Convenience and ease of use is the real name of the game here thanks to the one-handed 360° rotation and the two-click ISOFIX installation — definitely one of the simplest installations we’ve tried so far. If you’re budget conscious, it’s probably worth bearing in mind that you’ll need to buy the ISOFIX base separately if you don’t already own it, which will increase the bill.
Of course, having the base separate may be practical if you need to swap cars regularly as you only have to remove the seat section and can leave the bases installed. That, and the one-handed rotation, is the reason for the difference in price between the Sirona Z and Sirona S.
For most parents, the S series should do the trick just fine whilst saving you a decent chunk of money.
Why We Chose It
- Can be fully rotated 360° with just one hand
- Allows for extended rearward facing to 105cm tall
- 12 different headrest positions and 5 recline positions – adjustable with just one hand
- Very easy ‘two click’ installation with ISOFIX
- 5 point safety harness
- Available in lots of different colours
- Compatible with SensorSafe technology
Potential Cons to Consider
- Base Z for ISOFIX attachment is required and sold separately, which ramps up the cost if you don’t already own it
The Sirona Zi i-Size car seat rotates 360˚ on its integrated base for easy boarding and switching from rear to forward-facing.
Joie i-spin 360 iSize
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 0/1 – Birth to 105cm tall (around 4 years) |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes |
| Spin | 360° |
The Joie i-Spin 360 is another popular toddler car seat that’s more reasonably priced than the Cybex and Silver Cross models, while still boasting some really excellent features.
Firstly, the 360° rotation is easily powered with one hand and it offers extended rear-facing for the life of the seat (around 4 years old). Like the Silver Cross Motion, this Joie offers ‘grow-with-me’ padding that can be removed in sections as your child grows. It also feels thickly padded, comfortable and luxurious. One of the minor negatives that we spotted is that the recline adjustor and strap release button are easily confused as they’re so close together.
Why We Chose It
- 360° rotation using just one hand
- Extended rearward facing available for the life of the seat
- 5 point safety harness with no re-threading
- 6 recline positions both ways and 6 position adjustable headrest
- Grow-with-me padding allows you to adjust the seat to fit your child perfectly as they grow
- Guard Surround Safety panels engage when harness is tightened for extra security
- Headrest includes Intelli-Fit memory foam for extra comfort and protection
- Easily installed with ISOFIX
- Padding feels plush and comfortable
- Installation indicator on load leg
Potential Cons to Consider
- Can be easy to confuse the strap release button and recline adjustor as they’re positioned next to each other
- Some users have found it a little fiddly at first to loosen the belt straps when needed
Suitable rearward facing from birth to 105cm/4 years. Suitable forward facing from 15 months to 105cm/4 years.
Britax Römer DUALFIX Z i-Size
| Age Suitability/Group | 61 to 105cm tall (around 3 months to 4 years) |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes |
| Spin | 360° |
Another very high quality car seat with a matching price tag is the Britax Römer DUALFIX Z series. This particular model is not suitable for newborns with the extended rear facing seat starting at use from 3 months up to 4 years.
Britax have put safety, ease of use and comfort all at the top of their priority list with this car seat and it’s definitely worth the investment if your budget allows. It boasts superior side impact protection, an adjustable rebound bar to prevent the seat from tilting in an accident and the Pivot Link ISOFIX system ensures a secure fit in the car. This is in addition to a 360° spin, multiple recline positions, excellent premium materials and much more.
Why We Chose It
- 360° rotation that makes it super easy to get your toddler in and out of the seat, even if your car is on the small side
- Can be used rear facing all the way to 105cm tall
- 12 recline positions in both rear and forward facing
- Quick-remove cover is easy to clean
- V-shaped headrest provides optimal protection and comfort
- 5-point harness
- Support leg is height adjustable to allow for complete stability
- Easy to install using ISOFIX
Potential Cons to Consider
- Quite expensive but worth the investment if your budget allows
- Not suitable for newborns
360 spin rotation, turn to the car door to easily place and harness child in seat, Extended Reward facing (approx 3 months to 4 years) and forward facing (15 months to 4 years).
Maxi-Cosi Titan Plus
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 1/2/3 – 9 to 36kg |
| Seat Positioning | Forward facing |
| i-Size | No |
| ISOFIX | Yes (until 18kg) |
| Spin | No |
If you’re looking for quality without such a high price tag and are willing to compromise on some added-extra features, the Maxi-Cosi Titan Plus is a great option.
It’ll last your toddler all the way up to 12 years old, is very comfortable thanks to the premium padding and ClimaFlow controlling the temperature of the seat, is easy to install and boasts a number of recline positions. There’s no spin feature on this toddler car seat, which could make getting in and out of the car a little more difficult, and it doesn’t feel quite as sturdy as the more expensive options on this list.
Why We Chose It
- Excellent value for money
- Should last with your toddler for as long as they need a car seat (approximately 12 years)
- Easy ISOFIX installation
- ClimaFlow controls the temperature of the seat
- Belt hooks to allow you to easily put your child in
- Titan Plus model has a useful ‘easy-in’ harness system
- 5 recline positions
- Comfortable padding
- 5 point safety harness can be used up to 18kg (around 4 years old)
Potential Cons to Consider
- Not iSize
- No 360° spin feature
- Doesn’t feel hugely sturdy
A multi-stage car seat suitable for babies, toddlers and children from 9 months to about 11 or 12 years (approx. 9-36 kg)
Maxi-Cosi Pearl Smart i-Size
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 1 – 9-18 kg/105cm |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes, with FamilyFix One i-Size or FamilyFix 2 base (sold separately) |
| Spin | No |
The Maxi-Cosi Pearl Smart i-Size seat is a good pick if you want an i-Size car seat without paying through the nose for premium add-ons and ‘nice-to-haves’.
It’s easy to install, offers extended rear-facing travel and the recline is easily adjusted. Just bear in mind that you’ll need to purchase a base separately if you don’t already own one which will jack up the cost a bit. There’s also no 360° spin or newborn insert available.
Why We Chose It
- Good price for an i-Size car seat
- Allows for extended rearward facing up to 105cm
- Base (sold separately) is easily installed and offers interactive feedback to ensure compliance and accuracy
- Recline positions available
- Harness and headrest can be adjusted simultaneously as your child grows
Potential Cons to Consider
- No spin for easy entry/exit
- Base must be purchased separately if you don’t already own one (don’t be drawn in exclusively by that low price tag!)
- No newborn insert
Harness and headrest of this car seat adjust simultaneously for easy adjustment when child grows. Must be installed in combination with FamilyFix One i-Size, FamilyFix2 or FamilyFix3 base.
Britax Römer Multi-Tech III
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 1/2 – 9kg to 25kg (around 6 years) |
| Seat Positioning | Rear facing and forward facing |
| i-Size | No |
| ISOFIX | No |
| Spin | No |
The Britax Römer Multi-Tech III is another popular toddler car seat that is designed from the ground up for mum or dad’s peace of mind.
The construction of the seat is focused on safety, with its advanced side impact protection and deep, protective side wings that act as a cocoon for your child in case of impact. Other features are a little lacking in the Multi-Tech III — there’s no ISOFIX installation, for instance, and no spin available — this is a little surprising given it’s pretty expensive.
We do like that you can use the Britax Römer website to check if the car seat is suitable for your vehicle model. A nice time-saving touch that should be a no-brainer for ALL car seat sellers!
Why We Chose It
- Offers very extended rearward facing up to 25kg (around 6 years)
- Excellent side impact protection
- Installation indicators for extra peace of mind when installing
- Adjustable width positions, headrest and harness to grow with your child
- Premium fabric and performance chest pads for comfort and safety
- Easy to install even without ISOFIX
Potential Cons to Consider
- No ISOFIX installation (seatbelt installation when forward facing/tethers and a support leg when rearward)
- Expensive
- No spin feature
- Not i-Size
Extended rearward facing - rearward facing car seats offer the best protection in the event of a frontal collision - the most frequent type of accident on the roads.
BeSafe iZi Modular X1
| Age Suitability/Group | Group 1 – 6 months to 4 years |
| Seat Positioning | Rear and forward |
| i-Size | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes, with iZi Modular i-Size base (sold separately) |
| Spin | No |
The BeSafe car seats really live up to their brand name, with safety their number 1 priority.
The iZi Modular X1 enjoys a Dynamic Force Absorber feature in the head area for maximum protection during impact, as well as optical and audio indicators to help you get the seat installed correctly. We really like the magnetic belt assistants which make getting even the wriggliest toddler in the seat an easy feat. The material is nicely padded, and feels sturdy and luxurious.
There’s no spin feature unfortunately and you’ll need to buy the ISOFIX base separately which can easily rack up the costs.
Why We Chose It
- Dynamic Force Absorber in head area for extra protection and security in case of a collision
- Magnetic Belt Assistants helps to get your toddler in and out
- Ergo-Move Shoulder Pads are super comfortable
- Very easy ISOFIX installation using the iZi Modular i-Size base (sold separately)
- Optical and audio installation indicators
- Adjustable headrest and legroom
- Recline positions available
Potential Cons to Consider
- Base must be purchased separately unless already owned
- No newborn insert (so it won’t suffice for the hospital drive home!)
- No spin feature
The Ergo-Move Shoulder Pads are developed based on insights from the back-development experts AGR and give the child added movement space for the arms
Tips For Choosing An Infant Car Seat
So you’ve seen our list of the top rated toddler car seats. Still can’t decide which is right for your family?
Don’t worry – it’s understandable!
The overwhelm that comes with choosing a car seat is very real, but we’ve found that you’re in the best frame of mind for decision making when you focus on 4 features:
- Safety
- Comfort
- Convenience
- Price
Everything else is just noise when it comes to choosing the best car seats for toddlers.
We’ll go into each one in a little more depth so you can understand the background.
Safety First
Safety is the headline feature when it comes to car seats, no matter how old your child is.
As we’re talking about toddlers though, there are a few easy indicators of safety in these seats.
We’ve covered it already, but opting for an i-Size seat is a quick shortcut for the brand to tell you that their seat is considered one of the safest on the market and meets all the latest safety regulations from Europe.
Is i-Size more expensive? Yep, almost always.
If you can’t afford an i-Size seat, take a closer look at the description for other safety indications. Many of the seats built to the old regulation incorporate many of the i-Size features (and are often much cheaper).
Good features to look out for include:
- Extended rearward facing available
- Side impact protection
- ISOFIX installation
- 5 point safety harness
Some of the Cybex car seats are compatible with a clip-on piece of tech called ‘Sensorsafe’ which syncs with the seat and your smartphone to alert you immediately if your child’s seatbelt is unbuckled, if the ambient temperature gets too high and even if they’re left alone in the car.
Certainly useful tech if you are planning a long drive with your toddler.
Is The Seat Comfortable?
Right after safety comes comfort.
After all, you can have the safest car seat in the world, but if your toddler refuses to sit in it (or, more likely, screams the whole time they’re in it 🤪), then what’s the point?
There are plenty of little features that add up to a comfortable seat. Generally, you’ll get more of these little features the more you spend — but there are good compromises to be found, even in cheaper seats.
Take a look out for these:
- Multiple recline positions (great for longer journeys if you want your toddler to seat)
- Adjustable headrest
- Plush padding
- ‘Grow with me’ padding inserts that you can add and remove to custom fit your child’s shape
- A footrest (great for older toddlers)
- Climate control technology
How Convenient Is The Seat To Operate?
We love toddlers (most of the time!) but there’s no doubt that they can occasionally, ahem, be a bit of a handful when you’re getting them into the car seat.
As such, you want to make sure that the seat you end up buying allows for easy entry and exit — no faffing around and getting them frustrated!
- 360° spin feature allows you to get them in and out quickly — and saves your back
- Belt hooks mean you’re not digging around under their body trying to find the belt
- A ‘no re-thread’ safety harness stops the belt getting twisted in the buckle, which can be unsafe if left
Is The Child Seat Easy To Install?
Also under the umbrella of ‘convenience’, we’d recommend investing in a seat that’s easy to install.
There’s nothing worse than the pain of installing a bulky car seat and then not knowing if it’s been done correctly or not.
Ideally, your seat will have the following installation features:
- ISOFIX installation (much more reliable to be done correctly than seatbelt installation)
- Installation indicators on the ISOFIX connector and support leg
- Accompanied by an easy-to-follow video or app for extra assistance
How Much Should I Pay For A Child Seat?
The final horseman of buying a toddler car seat is price.
There are no two ways around it: car seats are expensive.
But thankfully, there is a range of prices on the market so you should be able to find something to fit your budget, even if you have to compromise in some places.
Remember that it’s always better to buy a car seat brand new rather than getting one second-hand or as a hand-me-down as that’s the only way you know that the seat hasn’t been damaged in a previous accident or by mishandling.
And it’s also worth considering the purchase as an investment.
If you’re buying for a toddler, the seat should last until they’re about 4 (if it’s a Group 1 seat), or even all the way up to 12 if you go for a Group 1/2/3 seat. Like the top rated pushchairs, they are an essential investment. Your little one will be spending a lot of time in them!
You’re putting your child’s safety in the hands of this car seat every time you get in the car, so it’s definitely worth stretching your budget if you can.
Easy ways to lower the price of a car seat are to go without i-Size and 360° spin features.
And make sure that you factor in the cost of a base if the seat you choose doesn’t have one integrated already (like the BeSafe iZi Modular X1, Maxi-Cosi Pearl Smart and Cybex Sirona Z).
Things to Know Before Buying a Car Seat For Toddlers
As you can see from our list comparing the best car seat for toddlers, there are a couple of things worth knowing.
Namely, a couple of the technical features: i-Size and ISOFIX.
If you’re already well acquainted with them, feel free to skip forward to the Best Seats rundown below. If not, we’ll break it down for you quickly.
Remember to double check that the car seat you choose is compatible with your car before you buy.
What is ISOFIX?
ISOFIX is an attachment system that allows you to reliably and safely connect your car seat directly to the car without using a seatbelt.
Seatbelt installation is notorious easy to get wrong which can lead to a lack of security and protection for your child in the event of a car accident.
With ISOFIX, connectors on the seat are directly fixed into the metal-bar ISOFIX connectors that are integrated with the car’s chassis.
Most ISOFIX car seats also have a support leg from the base to be fixed snugly against the car floor, ensuring the seat doesn’t tip forward.
What is i-Size?
i-Size is something you’ll come across time and again when searching for car seats, and at first glance it seems as if it’s just some term that allows brands to charge a lot more.
Essentially, it’s part of a new regulation (R129) from Europe that is aiming to provide children with safer car seats.
If you see a seat that says it’s i-Size compliant, that means:
- It requires your child to stay rear facing until 15 months (vs 9kg in the old regulation). Rear facing is definitely the safest way for children to travel until this point as it reduces pressure on their not-yet-developed necks in the event of a collision
- It has side impact protection, as well as front and rear impact protection (vs just front and rear impact protection in the old regulation)
- It fixes to the car using ISOFIX (the old regulation allows for seat belt installation as well)
- It is classified according to the height of your child (vs their weight in the old regulation)
i-Size has not replaced the old regulation (R44/04), so you don’t have to buy an i-Size seat if you don’t want to.
Plus many of the i-Size features have already been integrated into seats built to the old regulation — ISOFIX, extended rear facing and side impact protection in particular.
i-Size seats are generally more expensive than non i-Size, but a lot of parents do appreciate the extra peace of mind they afford for their safety features. It’s worth spending a bit more for if your budget allows. If not, take a look at some of the seats that integrate some of the i-Size features instead as they’re usually more wallet-friendly!
Another thing to note is that i-Size is currently only a feature in Group 1 (or Group 0/1) seats as older children have stronger necks and are better able to withstand the pressure from a collision if they’re forward facing.
Car Seat Groups Explained
Although i-Size now requires their car seats to be classified by height instead of by weight, you’ll see ‘groups’ mentioned in almost every car seat listing regardless of what regulation they conform to.
Here’s a little breakdown of what they mean.
| Group | Weight/Height | Approximate Age Suitability |
| 0 | 0-10kg | Birth to 9 months |
| 0+ | 0-13kg | Birth to 12-15 months |
| 0+/1 | 0-18kg/to 105cm | Birth to 4 years |
| 1 | 9-18kg/to 105cm | 9 months to 4 years |
| 1/2 | 9-25kg | 9 months to 6 years |
| 1/2/3 | 9-36kg | 9 months to 12 years |
| 2/3 | 15-36kg | 4 to 12 years |
What’s your recommendation for the best toddler car seat?
Head over to our advice section for more tips on travelling with a toddler!
