Question Best car seat for small car in SA?

LuciaBella · Mar 30, 2010

looking for the best convertible seat that starts at birth and goes up to at least 18kgs that can rf then ff to 25 kgs.

All cars here are compact and most of them don't have isofix, so preferably something that can install very easily with the seat belt. I'm in South Africa.

I am looking at the bebe Confort axiss which doesn't fit my criteria, and also the chicco proxima. Anyone have experience with either?
TIA!

mommycat · Mar 31, 2010

Are you looking at only EU seats, or US/Cdn as well? I am not familiar with the laws or lack thereof which might apply in your case. It looks from your siggy like you may have a RadianXT and is that a Recaro? I assume they either aren't legal or don't work in your situation?

Some EU seats which may work for you are some of the Swedish seats, take a look at the info on AdventureDad's website about which seats do what and tend to fit where:
www.carseat.se

I don't think any other EU seats at this time RF past 13kg max or FF past 18kg, at least I didn't see any when I was looking for a seat for my trip to PL.

LuciaBella · Apr 1, 2010

mommycat said:
Are you looking at only EU seats, or US/Cdn as well? I am not familiar with the laws or lack thereof which might apply in your case. It looks from your siggy like you may have a RadianXT and is that a Recaro? I assume they either aren't legal or don't work in your situation?

Some EU seats which may work for you are some of the Swedish seats, take a look at the info on AdventureDad's website about which seats do what and tend to fit where:
www.carseat.se

I don't think any other EU seats at this time RF past 13kg max or FF past 18kg, at least I didn't see any when I was looking for a seat for my trip to PL.

Hi there,
I'm looking at mainly EU seats since its hard to ship US seats over here. I sold the xt and recaro

There's no car seat law here so I'm pretty safe with anything.

mommycat · Apr 1, 2010

I do hope that AD's website can give you some good ideas. Like I said, I think the only seats I found access to that would RF in PL was the Britax First Class, the Bebe Confort Iseos-Neo (?) and InternationalMama suggested the Concord Ultimax. But they are all RF to 13kg and FF harness to 18kg (Group 0+/1).

Adventuredad · Apr 4, 2010

Britax Two-Way is rear facing and forward facing to 25 kg, has a tall seat shell and fits normal cars very well. Most kids can sit rear facing until age 5 or longer in TW.

May I ask what car you drive?

LuciaBella · Apr 7, 2010

Adventuredad said:
Britax Two-Way is rear facing and forward facing to 25 kg, has a tall seat shell and fits normal cars very well. Most kids can sit rear facing until age 5 or longer in TW.

May I ask what car you drive?

I've looked at the BTW and the multi tech which I love! But I was wondering if there were any local steals here...as I assumed..no!

I'm not driving here, it would be for a rental. The seats would need to fit in a small compact car such as the kia picanto or a VW golf/chicco. Any suggestions? for a 3 and 2 yr old.

Adventuredad · Apr 7, 2010

Best choice for smaller cars are Briax Hi-Way since it's a light weight seat and compact seat fitting almost any vehicle. Fits perfect in a Golf but also fine in a VW Polo, Ford FIesta, Opel COrsa or VW Beetle. I've done 60 or more flight with our Hi-Way's and always brought them along. Installed them in taxis, limos, vans, rental cars and friends cars without issues. Seat only weigh 6.5 kg so it's easy to bring along.

Seat shell is fairly high and can accomodate most kids until 4-4.5 years or around 110 cm.

LuciaBella · Apr 8, 2010

Adventuredad said:
Best choice for smaller cars are Briax Hi-Way since it's a light weight seat and compact seat fitting almost any vehicle. Fits perfect in a Golf but also fine in a VW Polo, Ford FIesta, Opel COrsa or VW Beetle. I've done 60 or more flight with our Hi-Way's and always brought them along. Installed them in taxis, limos, vans, rental cars and friends cars without issues. Seat only weigh 6.5 kg so it's easy to bring along.

Seat shell is fairly high and can accomodate most kids until 4-4.5 years or around 110 cm.

Is the shell height similar to the roundabout? It looks very similar in the pictures, however you never can really know. How does it compare? If it is the same shell, then Lucia wouldn't be able to fit anymore, She outgrew the roundabout a few months ago FF. Bella outgrew it RF, but since the hiway has the extra room she could still RF. It sounds like a great seat, just wondering how it compares.

Unregistered · Jul 5, 2010

LuciaBella said:
Hi there,
I'm looking at mainly EU seats since its hard to ship US seats over here. I sold the xt and recaro
There's no car seat law here so I'm pretty safe with anything.

There is car seat law actually. See http://www.acts.co.za/rt_nrta/regs_213_seatbelts.htm but as you will see it is rather weird. Like one could probably be in trouble for using a US or even European seat which doesn't have an SABS approval mark, but you are fine if you have no car seat! I am wrestling with how to handle this as I try to decide what to do about a car seat for my 15 month old who has outgrown his South African rearfacing seat. The options are one that goes to 13kg RF, will be outgrown by height very soon and costs a bomb, a European approved seat from Sweden that would definitely outstrip the SABS approval and would be also be ECE approved which is familiar from all the imported seats sold here. Or buy an affordable rearfacing seat from the US which is not covered by SABS and is certified to a standard not seen on any seat here (the imported seats here are all from Europe).

Question Best car seat for small car in SA?

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