Finding the best child seat is not easy, because apart from price, comfort and appearance, one thing counts above all: safety. Since the supply of child car seats is now unmanageably large only a well-founded child seat test can shed light on what has become of the minivan. Stiftung warentest regularly puts child seats under the microscope. The best child seats of 2020, including 14 new models tested during the year by stiftung warentest, can be found here.
Child seat test winners 2020: these are the test winners
| birth to 18 kg | in this category, the britax roemer dualfix 2 R, available at amazon for 299,99€, is allowed, üabout a "good" (2.4) are pleased. |
| 9 to 36 kg body weight | also a "good" with a score of 2.4, u.A. The around 120€ expensive cybex pallas B-fix in this weight class. |
| 15 to 36 kg body weight | here, two child seat winners with a grade of 2.1 received a "good": u.A. CBX yari, available via amazon for 139,95€. |
| I-size: up to 105 cm body height | the winning model in this category is the silver cross dream for ca. 259€ + dream i-size base for 199€ üon amazon, the one with "very good" (grade 1.5) was evaluated. |
| I-size: 100 to 150 cm in height | the test winner with "good and the note 1,9 in this category is the cybex solution Z i-fix, available via amazon for 185,02€. |
| baby car seats "isize: 45 to 87 cm body height | cybex is also currently ahead of the pack when it comes to infant carriers, with the cybex aton B i-size model fetching 146.99€ plus the isofix base base M for 163,99€ a "good with a grade of 1.7. |
This is how the child seat test by stiftung warentest worked out
In an international joint test with ADAC, other automobile clubs and consumer organizations, 25 child car seats for newborns and for children weighing up to 36 kilograms or 150 centimeters in body length were originally tested for 2020. Purchased all models between december 2019 and february 2020. In the test accident safety (50 %), handling (40 %) and ergonomics (10 %) tested.
In the course of this year, 14 additional child seat models were added to the range. Included are well-known suppliers such as britax Romer, cybex, maxi-cosi, besafe or recaro. They cost between 170 and a whopping 600€. The best seat in this test-update is suitable for babies and toddlers (size from 40 to 105 cm) and costs 400€.
For both tests 2020 the test conditions have been further developed. Stiftung warentest now strapped the seats onto a body of the current type VW polo, previously on an older golf chassis. For the handling, the weight of the seats plays a slightly larger role, the installation and removal was tested with new car models.
Details of the test winners in the child seat test
Test winner in the "birth to 25 kg body weight" category: britax Romer dualfix 2 R:
it’s quick: with just one push of the hand the dualfix 2 R can be turned to the open car door. This makes getting in and out of the seat much easier. You can use it initially as a reboarder or later in the direction of travel when your little one grows up is enough. The child seat has adjustable resting positions, soft neoprene special shoulder pads, a 5-point harness system, easily adjustable headrest and good, deep and soft padded side bolsters, height adjustable support leg and a quickly removable cover, if something goes wrong.
Test winner in the "9 to 36 kg body weight" category: cybex pallas B-fix
A good overall child seat with a safety harness, for children from 9 to 36 kilos. Since not every child likes this, you should definitely test the seat beforehand. For frontal crashes, the rating is only "satisfactory" the protection is better in the case of a side impact. The combination with an isofix bracket is recommended, as this increases lateral stability and prevents the seat from tipping when cornering.
In some cases, the seat is more stable in the vehicle when the headrest is removed or reinserted in a rearward-facing position. The seat offers the child good ergonomics (leg support, padding, sitting position, space available), but impairs the view to the outside, which is preprogrammed whining. The seat takes up little space in the car. With 4.9 kilograms it has a low weight. Removing the cover is a little more involved.
Test winner in the category "15 to 36 kg body weight": CBX yari
Just like its little brother CBX xelo above, the CBX yari has the same strong features: i ntegrated side impact protection (L.S.P. system), 12-position adjustable headrest, reclining backrest, ventilation system, easy attachment with latch connect system (low and top tether) and a removable cover that you can wash at 30° C can be cleaned in the washing machine.
Test winner in the "i-size: up to 105 cm height" category: silver cross dream + dream i-size base
The test winner scores with a four-layer side impact protection and an easily adjustable headrest. Included in the delivery is also a newborn insert, which has removable sections to fit your baby. The cover is made of bamboo fabric, which should keep the little passenger pleasantly cool.
The base is i-size approved. You secure the base with the isofix points of your vehicle in order to fasten the seat securely when traveling. Convenient: quick and easy installation with instructions that turn from red to green when the base and carrier are properly secured. the separate i-size base makes it easy to switch between two cars and to switch from a lightweight infant carrier to a car seat.
The manufacturer offers a car safety app for step-by-step instructions for this model. This checklist has CGI and audio commentary to reassure parents that their car seat is safe and properly installed.
Price: silver cross dream + dream i-size base for together ca. 459€ at amazon
Test winner in the "i-size: 100 to 150 cm height" category: cybex solution Z i-fix
It grows with your child: the solution Z i-fix is built to adapt to the current size of your child. It has a reclining headrest and backrest, a safety cushion as part of the headrest, height and automatic width adjustment, an integrated L.S.P system plus for increased safety in the event of a side impact and an energy-absorbing shell that deflects the impact forces away from the child. The isofix makes for easy installation and more stability. The air circulation system keeps the seat climate comfortable even in hot temperatures.
Test winner in the category"isize: 45 to 87 cm body height": cybex aton B i-size + isofix base M
The cybex combination of infant carrier and isofix mount wins the test for the very young, i.e. children from birth to about one and a half years of age. The overall score of 1.7, i.e. "good" below the line, reflects a very balanced overall result. There is nothing to complain about in terms of pollutants, so once through with no defects.
In the other areas, the baby car seat is "good" everywhere. In detail, the testers measured very good safety values in frontal impact, in side impact at least "good". The risk of operating errors is considered to be low and installation is also generally simple. Also the buckling succeeds without problems.
Children have a lot of space in the cybex and a good view of the outside. Removing the cover is a bit fiddly, but machine washing is possible. With 4.3 kilos for the shell and another 6.4 kilos for the seat, the space requirement is low.
Price: total around 310€, the cybex aton B i-size for 146,99€ plus the isofix base M for 163,99€
You can read the complete test report from stiftung warentest here.
Stroller test: stiftung warentest’s combination stroller winners
Child seat test 2020: the test results at a glance
In the ten seats that go by the weight of the child, cut in the category "birth to 25 kg" a product with the grade "good in the following weight classes "9 to 36 kg", the cybex and "15 to 36 kg" two models each have the rating "good" get.
The situation is different for the seats, which are based on the size of the child. With a total of 29 models in the child seat test, there were u. A. 1 x "very good and 14 x "good in the category "i-size up to 105 cm body height, in the range "i-size 100 to 150 cm body height" there are three models that received a "good" rating have received as a verdict. With baby seats up to 85 resp. 87 cm, there are currently three "good" ones models.
The losers in the child seat test 2020
The child seats tested in 2020 mostly do a good job. There were no really bad models in 2020. Still there are losers in the test. There are not many "very good" seats products, but a large selection of good ones at all price levels. Why should you go for a model with a lower rating in the child seat test??!
So, even if there are no ‘failures’ in this test, the losers are actually all child seats with "satisfactory" and worse. For us as customers, this is good because we still have a wide choice of child seats.
Child bike seat test: stiftung warentest test winner
Family.De-buying advice: the most important buying criteria
Stiftung warentest has already made it easy for us parents with its child seat tests: the most important purchase criteria besides safety are operation, ergonomics, exposure to harmful substances, and cleaning and care. But what if all this fits? When it comes to child seats, small things are also decisive: size and dimensions (does the seat fit in our car), installation (do we want an isofix or is the belt attachment enough) and weight (is the car changed more often, the baby car seat removed often)?). The first question is always, which group is in question at all.
Child seats: groups and sizes
All child seats offered in the EU must comply with a standard. The R44/04 standard specifies which products are safely approved for which body sizes of children. This is how child seats are divided into different groups. Important to know: since 2013, a new standard came into force that runs in parallel: R129-02, which no longer categorizes child seats according to body dimensions, but solely according to the child’s body size, and includes more comprehensive test measures. Products that comply with this standard are marked with the designation i-size.
I-size
To make it easier for parents to buy, these child seats are categorized by height only, not by age and weight. Because: just by looking at the size of our clothes, we can determine relatively quickly whether our child needs a new child seat. Since this is an ongoing categorization, only child seats up to 150 cm in height have been categorized according to i-size so far. The great thing is that while groups often confuse parents, i-size child seats always grow with the child. Here it is important to note the manufacturer’s specifications.
Group 0 +:
weight: 0- 13 kg, age approx. 0- 15 months, height 0- 90 cm
group 0 +/ 1
weight 0- 18 kg, age 0- 4, height 0- 100 cm
group 1/ 2
weight: 9- 25 kg, age 1- 7, height 72- 125 cm
group 1/ 2/ 3
weight 9- 36 kg, age 1- 12, height 75- 150 cm
group 2/ 3
weight 15- 36 kg, age 2.5 to 12, height 95- 150 cm
child seat: forward or rearward facing?
At least until children can walk, but preferably until they are 2 years old, they should ride rear-facing, that’s the recommendation of the ADAC. But riding backwards for a long time also has a few disadvantages: it is harder to look out of the window and the legs quickly have little space. Thanks to increasingly strict standards, however, manufacturers are offering more and more products that make prolonged backward driving more comfortable. Some children can get sick when driving backwards. For communicating and passing snacks and drinks, a mirror attached to the back seat is ideal.
You can find more product tests here
Child seat FAQ: everything important in a nutshell
What is the better child seat attachment, harness or isofix??
isofix mounts are anchored to the vehicle body and therefore sit bombproof, also the handling of child seats with isofix is easier. Anyone who owns a vehicle with isofix eyelets should use this system. Normally, however, seats have an additional belt holder and, at the latest when the child is sitting in the seat, another belt is used.
What are the most common mistakes when using child safety seats??
By far the most common problem is that the belts are too loose; in one test, almost a quarter of the child seats were affected. Guide aids that are not inserted often occur and shoulder belts can also be interchanged with lap belts. If the child seat is placed on the passenger seat, you should make sure that the airbag is switched off. The wrong position of the handle on baby seats, which must point upwards, is also a common mistake.
How to check the correct fit of a child seat?
the quick test is done by simply wiggling the child seat. If it is properly fastened, the car wiggles with it. belts must be tight and run in the guide aids. For children who are sitting upright, the belt must not run across the neck; the correct position is across the shoulder.
My conclusion
Even though child seats are part of everyday life for us, they were not compulsory in cars until 1993. Frightening! After the law was introduced, the number of children who died in accidents dropped by about 90 %, according to the figures of the federal statistical office. I am glad that for almost 30 years with such a simple regulation so many children’s lives have been saved.
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