Cozy N Safe Excalibur review

The Excalibur is a forward-facing Group 1/2/3 car seat, which can be used from around 9 months to 11 years (9kg-36kg), and one of its unique selling points is that it includes a 5-point harness that can be used up to 25kg, or around 6 years.

The Excalibur goes up against rival multistage, forward facing seats such as the Britax ADVANSAFIX II SICT car seat and the Kiddy Guardianfix Pro 2 (Group 1/2/3).

Each can be found online within the £200 range; the Excalibur has a RRP of £249.

Buy the Cozy N Safe Excalibur from Toys R Us and Kiddies Kingdom.

First impressions?

The box caught my eye as it perfectly and snuggly fits the seat. The box pops open to reveal a seat that has clearly been well designed.

The Cozy N Safe Excalibur is a Group 1/2/3 seat – what age child can it be used for?

Approximately 9 months – 11 years or 9kg to 36kg. The 5-point harness can comfortably be used up to 25kg/6 years. This is a huge bonus if you have a larger child or need the added safety of a harness rather than a seat belt.

How does it install in the car – is it ISOFIX?

The seat is ISOFIX and very easy to install. There is also a top tether providing additional sturdiness. The Excalibur is also non-ISOFIX compatible.

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• What is ISOFIX?

How comfortable is the seat? Is it more comfortable than your previous car seats?

Extremely comfortable. My 4 year old’s first impression was “very soft” and I noted how the seat fitted both my children like a glove despite their very different physiques.

It’s sold on having extra deep, soft padding – what did you think of it?

The padding is plush!

What do you think of the design?

I like it. I’m not a fan of over the top kiddie designs – so felt the Excalibur struck a nice balance – not too dull yet still some “pop”.

I also feel Cozy N Safe have included clever solutions for parents. For example, a slot at the back of the seat to store the instruction booklet.

Does the Cozy N Safe Excalibur feel sturdy?

It does. All the materials used seem good quality and provided me with confidence that the seat will protect my child.

How is strapping your children in?

Easy. The harness straps are nice and snug when adjusted correctly. Both my kids seemed instantly very comfortable once strapped in. And my wriggly 23-month-old toddler was less resistant to sitting down – which I put down to how comfortable the seat is. Bonus!

The straps are tightened with the press of a button and tug on the belt. Nice and simple – very intuitive.

The only small negative is that to fasten the harness, 2 metal clasps need to be lined up and inserted into the buckle. The metal clasps are quite thin so lining them up takes slightly more precision than on other car seats I’ve used.

What did you think of the 5-point harness, and what age does it go up to?

The harness goes up to 25kg or approximately 6 years old. My 4-year-old really liked being back in a harness which on other seats she would have been too tall for. She’s pulled her arms out from under the car seat belt on a couple of occasions and I’ve had to give her a strict telling off. It’s significantly harder for her to escape a harness and I don’t think she would even try to.

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What’s the headrest like?

Comfortable and soft. It also has an outer shell which provides impact protection. When my 4-year-old fell asleep in the seat I watched her use it like a pillow.

How many positions does the headrest have?

I counted 5. There are several combinations as the both the height of the shoulder straps and the headrest can be adjusted to suit your child.

How many seat positions are there and how easy is it to adjust the seat?

There are 4 recline positions which are selected via a hand lever under the base of the seat. It’s easy to do even with a child in the seat

Do you think the side wings provide good protection?

They certainly look like they would do and are marked with a “Side Impact Protection” logo

How portable and easy did you find the Cozy N Safe Excalibur to get in and out of the car?

The seat is quite heavy (11kgs) so I wouldn’t want to be taking it in and out of the car regularly. However, when I did need to move the seat it was quick and easy with ISOFIX.

What do you think of the size of the car seat?

The Excalibur measures 61cm in height, by 46cm wide and 48cm deep. The seat was a great fit in our car. The base is slim and I noticed my 4-year-old legs comfortably bent at the knee rather than the seat extending down her calf. The seat is narrower than other seats I’ve used so having two in the back would not mean losing another (slim) backseat passenger.

Will your children fit in it until they are 11 years old (36kg), do you think?

They might do. Although I’m always being told that my girls are going to be tall!

Is the Cozy N Safe Excalibur easy to clean?

The covers are machine washable which will help. However, I did notice that the finish on some of the seams looks like they might not survive over 10 years of being removed and machine washed.

What’s in the box?

• Car seat
• Infant insert
• Instructions

Is it easy/hard to install the seat into the car and are the instructions useful?

I found the instructions the only negative with the Cozy N Safe Excalibur. Let me be clear – the installation instructions were easy to understand – that’s the most important thing. However, the section that covered removing the harness had me and my husband baffled. We slowly morphed into an arguing IKEA couple!

The instructions indicate that the harness should be removed and placed in a storage area. But neither of us could figure out how to do it. I tried my way – he tried his. I eventually went to have a long soak in the bath as I was getting irritated only to find him still trying to figure it out when I came out.

The next morning still not joy. But hubby had worked out a clever alternative – tucking the harness into the pouch at the back of the seat provided for the top tether.

I called Cozy N Safe for clarification and was met with excellent customer service. Photos to help me were sent directly to my phone.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the seat?

What an adaptable and comfy seat the Excalibur is

Who would the seat be most useful for?

Parents needing extended 5-point harness protection.

Is there anything unique about the seat?

Its slimline and well thought out design

What is the price? Is this good value for money?

The RRP is £249 which for a seat that could potentially last over a decade, is a good investment.

MadeForMums verdict:

An impressive seat that fitted my family and car very well. The slimline design provides plenty of protection whilst still being a comfortable and stylish addition to our car.

Check out more car seats here…

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