Britax Evolva 1-2-3 plus car seat review

Originally launched in 2006, this is a Group 1/2/3 car seat (for children weighing 9kg-36kg. It has deeply padded side protection (which can be adjusted) and an inner head rest.

How do you install a Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus car seat?

As a Group 1 forward-facing seat, it’s held in place with the 3-point car belt. It’s very easy to strap the seat in place, with no complicated clips – you just ensure the car belt is threaded correctly through the seat following the guides.

Once I’d pulled the seat belt tight, it immediately felt secure.

But remember, here at MFM we always think it's better to get an expert to show you how to safely install a car seat in your vehicle before you buy it.

How do you secure a child in the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 plus car seat?

A 5-point harness is used to secure kids in the car seat from 9kg up to 18kg. The straps on the harness seem much wider than other seats offering more comfort and so there’s potentially less risk of chest damage in an accident.

With the 5-point harness, I initially found it tricky to keep the two pieces of the buckle tongues together before putting them in the buckle (especially when Peter was wriggling), but this became easier with time.

It also took me a little while to find the button that lengthened the straps, as you locate it through a slit on the chair’s base and not below the tension strap.

It’s easy to alter the height of the straps from the rear of the seat, without any need for rethreading them. It’s also simple to adjust the tension of the harness with the strap.

Best of all, the innovative Britax ‘Click & Safe’ mechanism means you can actually hear when the strap is sufficiently tight, through a series of audible clicks – perfect for those of us who are a little uncertain about getting it right.

For children over 18kg (approximately 4 years and older), the harness is tucked away and stored within the seat. Both the seat and your child are held in place by the 3-point car seat belt which is threaded along clearly marked loops and guides over the child’s chest and lap.

Is the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus car seat comfy for children?

Yes, my daughter Lucy is very comfortable with this setup and enjoyed being more grown up – it’s easy to get the seat belt correctly positioned across her chest, avoiding her neck.

The great thing is that the width of the seat can be expanded and the headrest adjusted vertically, making it flexible for all ages and heights. This seat offers considerable head and neck protection and comfort for this older age group.

Can the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus car seat be used as a backless booster?

No, the back part of the seat can't be detached from the base, so the booster base can't be used separately and with the latest child booster seat law, you can't use a booster cushions for children shorter than 125cm tall or weighing less than 22kg anyway.

What position in the car can you put the Britax Evolva car seat?

Britax would recommend only using this car seat in rear passenger seats. However, the seat can be used in a front passenger seat with an air bag as long as it’s switched off and the seat is pushed back (following any instructions in your car’s user manual).

Click here to buy the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus on Amazon

Is the Britax Evolva easy to fit into the car?

Yes, I found this seat really easy to fit for both younger and older age groups. We tested both Peter and Lucy in this seat and was impressed by the level of comfort and side protection, particularly for Peter compared with many other products for that age group. I also love the fact that I don’t need to invest in another car seat at a later date.

Does the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus car seat come with any extras?

Yes, a couple of nice extras are the pull out drinks and snacks slots at the bottom of the chair.

Talking of snacks and drinks, the cover and straps are removable and washable, which is vital for my grubby pair especially as the seat will be used for so long.

Does the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus car seat recline?

It does, and the Britax website says it has multiple recline positions, but I could only find two. It's also worth noting that while the seat can be reclined to prevent your little one’s sleepy head from flopping, unfortunately this has to be done before the seat is fitted, which can be frustrating when your child falls asleep during the journey.

However, this is common in seats for children weighing more than 15kg, as it can be hard to manoeuvre them when asleep at that weight.

Who is the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 plus best for?

Parents who want to invest in just one full height car seat that offers significant side and head protection all the way from 9 months to 12 years.

MadeForMums verdict:

This is a robust and well designed car seat that provides comfort and protection across multiple age groups.

It’s easy to adjust the size and harness of the seat, as well as the harness, but frustrating that you have to adjust the seat recline before the start of the journey – not great if your child tends to nod off en-route.

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