They are out to prove that their new model is now one of the safest products on the market, with ‘steel-strength technology’ and ‘ultra-resilient plastics’ to ensure that safety is now at the forefront of the design. The new seat also boasts a 360° rotation, a support leg for maximum stability and side impact protection for additional safety.
There are similar luxury car seats at the top end of the market – including the Silver Cross Motion i-Size car seat (£350), Cybex Sirona S i-Size car seat (£300) and the GB’s Vaya i-Size car seat (£375) – and there are also much cheaper alternatives, including the Joie Spin 360 Group 0+/1 car seat (£249) and Maxi-Cosi Pearl Pro i-Size Group car seat (£229).
But the Nuna brand promises high-end quality and our reviewer, who also has their travel cot and their Leaf Grow chair, thinks their sleek and reliable products are worth the money.
Tested by:
Katie tested the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat with her 4-month-old son Edward on trips to the local shops and to friends’ houses.
First impressions?
In a fashionable grey “frost” colour, the car seat looks sleek and plush. The seat is sizeable with a built-in base and extendable leg, plus the thick padding makes it look very comfortable.
How does the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size install in the car?
The seat comes fully assembled and sits in an Isofix base with an extendable leg, which adds extra stability. There are clear instructions in the manual and on the side of the seat itself to show how the Isofix anchors attach to your car.
The anchors have 9 positions to allow a custom fit that suits a wider range of cars – but I’d still check that your car is compatible with the seat beforehand.
The true lock installation is simple and you can hear a secure click that lets you know the seat is firmly in place.
In common with John Lewis and BuggyBaby customers and 60% of parents we surveyed* – who gave it 8/10 or more for easy installation – I found it extremely easy to fit into our car.
I did need an extra pair of hands to move the seat/base to the car, though – it's 14kg and I found it quite heavy!
Does the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat feel sturdy and safe?
Yes, it felt very sturdy and didn’t move out of place. Several John Lewis and Buggy Baby parents said they chose the seat for its safety.
How is strapping your child into the car seat?
Strapping your child in is a breeze with the 360-degree rotating seat – an opinion shared by 70% of parents we surveyed, who gave this aspect 8/10 or more. There’s no acrobatics or bending over in your car to fit your baby in.
The harness is heavily padded, which made it very comfortable for my baby. It’s easily adjustable with the click of a button and it doesn’t need rethreading when you adjust it.
What do you think of the design?
The design is sleek and feels very solid. The steel structure gives the seat a very stable feel, while the numerous padded inserts make the seat look stylish as well as providing comfort for your baby.
How comfortable is it for your child?
The seat is well padded and extremely comfortable. My baby regularly fell asleep in the seat – even on short car journeys! The seat's comfort is also backed up by 70% of parents we surveyed, who scored it 8/10 or more for comfort.
Does the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size have different seat positions?
There are 7 recline positions which are operated by a single button at the back of the chair, so it’s very easy to use. However, some of the parents we surveyed listed the recline as their biggest dislike about the seat, saying that their babies’ heads fell forwards while napping in the car.
Can you adjust the size of the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat as your child grows?
Yes, you can adjust the height of the head support using a simple lever – it has 8 positions. There are also 2 sets of padded inserts that you can use to adjust the size of the seat. Nuna recommends using the full infant insert while your baby is under 60cm.
What are the main safety features of the Nuna Rebl i-Size car seat?
- Nuna markets the seat on its ‘steel-strength technology’ and ‘ultra-resilient plastics' for maximum safety
- The seat has a 20% thicker steel wall and a 35% stronger steel frame than the previous model (which was discontinued after it failed safety tests)
- The seat has a support leg for maximum stability and side impact protection panels for additional safety
- It also comes with 2 seat covers – including one with a wider, breathable weave to help with temperature regulation
- The seat is i-Size compatible, which means it complies with a new, European-wide regulation which aims to make car seats safer
- It’s designed to keep children rear-facing for longer, to provide better side-impact protection and to make car seats easier to fit correctly. For more information, please see our article telling you all you need to know about i-Size car seats.
How heavy and bulky is the car seat?
At 14kg, the seat is bulky and I found it difficult to carry around – an opinion shared by 80% of the parents we surveyed, a few of whom also listed its weight as the aspect they disliked most about the seat.
I needed an extra pair of hands to fit it into the car and for this reason I wouldn’t want to transfer it between cars. The seat doesn’t have a handle, which would make carrying it easier – I think this is one of the few down sides of the seat.
Is it easy to clean the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat?
Luckily, I haven’t had any accidents yet, but the seat cover can be removed and washed at 30°C, although the inserts can only be hand-washed. In our survey, 60% of parents scored the seat 8/10 or more for being easy to clean.
What feature do you like most about the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat?
In our survey, 60% of parents who'd used this seat said that the 360-degree rotation was their favourite feature, and I have to agree. It operates with the click of a button so it’s very easy to operate. And best of all, it avoids you having to contort yourself when strapping your child in or taking them out of the seat.
Is it a stylish product?
Yes, the frost colour looked very stylish and I loved the different shades of grey used in the car seat. The material is plush – it looks like a quality product.
What’s in the box?
- Car seat with integrated base
- Spare summer cover
- Newborn head support, insert and wedge
- Pair of Isofix guides
Was the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat easy to assemble?
The car seat comes fully assembled in the box. It was extremely easy to fit into our car although I did need help carrying the car seat. We drive a Ford C-Max and I found that there was plenty of room to fit the seat.
The instruction manual explains clearly how to fit the Isofix system into your car and there is also a picture guide.
Which type of child is the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat best for?
The car seat can be used from birth until 4 years old, but personally I would prefer to use it for a baby over 3 months old, when the newborn stage is over. The seat is not easily transportable so it can’t be taken into the hospital to collect a newborn, and I felt that during the newborn stage I needed a car seat that could be moved easily in and out of the car.
I borrowed a Maxi-Cosi seat from a friend and started using the Nuna Rebl Plus when my baby was 3 months old. This car seat will work best for a family who will keep it in the car and don’t need to regularly move it in and out of the car or between cars.
Would you recommend this car seat?
Yes, the seat feels extremely stable and safe as well as well-padded and comfortable for your baby. The 360-degree rotation is a life-saver and the 7-position recline is easy to use with just one button.
In our survey, 90% of parents were also pleased with the seat, giving it an overall rating of 8/10 or more, with 80% saying they would buy the seat again.
Where can I buy the Nuna Rebl Plus i-Size car seat?
You can buy it from John Lewis, Babybabyonline or Winstanleys Pramworld.
This stylish car seat is easy to use, with 360-degree rotation, impressive safety features and luxurious padding. It’s an expensive piece of kit, but with Nuna products you pay for excellent quality and the seat will last you from birth until your child is 4 years old.
The seat is bulky and heavy, so it’s probably not the best car seat to move between cars or back and forth to your home, but I’d recommend it as a seat that stays in the car.
*MFM survey December 2019 of 564 users
