If you’re a parent of a toddler, it might seem like your child is growing at an impossible rate. They grow out of their onesies, toys, favourite foods, and even their little baby blankets.
When you notice it happening, you wish they’d stay the same size for just a little bit longer!
This usually means that they’re also going to grow out of their car seat at some point. That’s if you got yourself a car seat for newborns and not one of those that can take larger/older babies.
This can be a huge worry if they’re growing at a rate and your car seat is by weight.
After all, if your child doesn’t fit their seat anymore, you won’t be able to keep them safe on a car journey.
That’s why you should know about the best car seats to buy for a toddler this year.
Why most parents will need to upgrade a car seat
A car seat isn’t made to last forever. Whilst some can last for years on end, there will come a time before the age of 12 when you’ll have to replace your child’s seat.
Every child gets taller and heavier and won’t be afforded the same level of protection from their usual seat.
When the time comes to upgrade, you’ll need to shop carefully according to your child’s age, height, and weight. In the world of car seat manufacturing, the latter two categories are the most common.
Each seat is made according to these specifications. You should never use a car seat that doesn’t meet your toddler’s measurements.
Deciphering car seat information
Buying an upgraded car seat can be confusing. What you thought you knew about fitting your child into a car seat may no longer be true.
Here are the two main things to keep an eye out for:
I-Size
You may see the phrase ‘i-size’ referenced in articles recommending the best car seats. This means the seat in question is measured according to the height of a child, rather than their weight.
However, most seats will still take the main group category into account in their product description, so you can use both descriptors to find the best seat for your toddler.
Groups
You’ll see phrases like Group 0+ or Group 1 mentioned most often when shopping for car seats.
If you’re unsure what these terms mean, you can check out our explanation on car group seats in this post.
The best car seats for toddlers this year
Here are 7 of the best car seats we’ve found that are perfect for toddlers. We’ve rated these seats based on:
- Comfort level
- Ease of use
- Price point
- How well they’ve been received by other parents
All of the seats included on this list can be easily bought off of Amazon and links to the products can be found in each entry below.
Keep in mind that all but one of the seats on this list are forward facing only. By law, you should only use these seats if your child is at least 15 months old.
Cozy N Safe Logan
- Group: 1,2,3
- Installation: Belted
This car seat comes at a mid range price but it has a lot of interesting features. It’s a fair price for something you should be able to use until your child is around 5 to 6 years old; you don’t have to buy another one too soon unless you want to.
We love how you can adjust both the inlays and the headrest to fit your child comfortably as they get taller. Match this with a 5 point harness and you’ve got a recipe for real safety and security. You can also simply pull off the cover and throw it in the washing machine, just in case you have any potty training accidents!
Cosatto Zoomi Car Seat
- Group: 1,2,3
- Installation: Belted
What do we like most about this seat? It grows with your child! According to the manufacturers, it can be used up until the age of 12. And if your toddler likes to wriggle, this seat comes with a built in ‘anti escape’ system. It’s always a worry when your child gets past the age of 1 and starts pulling and poking everything!
Plus, you can buy this seat in various patterns, making it a great choice for an older toddler who hates anything that isn’t covered in their favourite animal. Of course, all of these features make it a little pricier, but the cost isn’t really that outrageous either.
Maxi-Cosi Tanza High Back Booster
- Group: 2,3
- Installation: Isofix
This is a great transition seat, able to be used from about 3 and a half years. If you want your toddler to start sitting upright and you’re concerned about potential growing pains, this high back booster has got you sorted.
The seat is also padded with G Cell technology, ensuring any impact from a collision will be absorbed by the seat, rather than spreading to your toddler. We love it when a car seat comes with a guarantee like this, and Maxi Cosi are known for reliability in this area.
This is another of the more pricey seats on this list, but we’re not too worried about that. You’re unlikely to need another seat until your child is about 10 to 12 years old so it’ll soon pay for itself.
CYBEX Silver Solution X-Fix
- Group: 2,3
- Installation: Belted
The CYBEX X-Fix range tends to pack simple designs. When you look at this specific seat, it might not seem like a sturdy choice. However, CYBEX is known for making a lightweight range that offers great support, and the Silver Solution is one of the latest of their products to impress parents worldwide.
Both parents and kids love it, and that helps to justify the nearly £100 price point.
This seat can be used from the age of 3 upwards. Whilst we’ve listed it as a seat belt installation type, it also comes with an Isofix attachment if you’re concerned about the seat’s stability in your car.
Maxi-Cosi Titan i-Size
- Group: 1,2,3
- Installation: Customisable
This is the most expensive seat we’ve come across so far, as it usually retails at £199.99. However, thanks to the way it’s been designed, it’s customisable orientation, and the use of memory foam within the padding, we don’t think this is a bad price point.
Available to be used from 15 months onwards, this seat seems pretty special to us. After all, this is another seat with 11 adjustment points on the headrest, ensuring no matter how tall your child grows, you can keep using this seat until they’re around 12 years old. Much like the other Maxi-Cosi seat above, G Cell tech to prevent impact injuries is present in this seat as well.
Kinderkraft Car Seat Comfort UP
- Group: 1,2,3
- Installation: Belted
This Kinderkraft seat is one of our favourites, and most parents agree!
It’s easy to carry around, thanks to only weighing 5kg. It’s also super easy to strap into the car thanks to the 3 points seat belt harness. If you’ve got a fussy toddler on your hands, it won’t take long to get them safely in the car.
It also has some practical points we want to applaud Kinderkraft for. The seat comes equipped with bands to keep wayward harness attachments out of the way when you’re trying to strap your child in. If your toddler spills anything or has a little accident, you won’t spend hours scrubbing stains away either, thanks to the removable and washable cover.
This seat is also incredibly affordable and has only a mid range price. If you’re a parent on a budget, you don’t have to compromise on your toddler’s safety.
CYBEX Silver Pallas B-Fix
- Group: 1,2,3
- Installation: Isofix
So good they’re on here twice! Another seat from the Cybex range, the Silver Pallas retails at £145.99. It’s been an ADAC test winner in recent years, so it comes with a pretty high safety guarantee.
You get a little more customisation with this seat compared to the others on this list. The headrest can be adjusted by 12 points, and that 1 point difference might make all the difference in keeping your toddler safe and comfortable. However, the impact reduction system only supports toddlers weighing up to 18kg.
The seat covers are a deep red in colour, which can be quite pleasing on the eye, especially if you’ve got a toddler who hates boring black and grey tones!
Remember, toddler car seats still need to be strapped in safely
While it’s legal to move to a forward facing seat from the age of 15 months, it’s best to stay rear facing as long as possible.
Most rear facing seats will safely hold children up to the age of 2 to 3. If you’re unsure about the practicality of this, refer to the manufacturer’s book to check for the assigned weight or height group.
Unless your child themself complains about their car seat, it’s best to keep them in this position until around this age.
If you want to move to a forward facing seat for your toddler, make sure it’s been tethered properly before you go anywhere. Forward facing seats are in danger of tipping if you get caught in a collision, but a proper tether will prevent this from occurring.
Wondering how much car seats cost?
Check out our blog to find out what you can expect to pay.