And for the all-important safety features, it performs admirably. The Jané Racing car seat is side impact tested going beyond regulatory requirements and has an anti-swaying system. The belt is anchored as low as possible at the base and as high as possible at the shoulder, and the shell has expanded polystyrene, designed to absorb energy in the event of an accident.
What we love
Apart from the fact that the Jané Racing car seat meets all the safety requirements and won Best Eurotest in 2005, the seat is pure comfort, and the move for my daughter Tippi, now 10 months old, has been very exciting.
The deep cushioned cover hugs Tippi in all the right spots and the safe no-slip belts hold her securely without looking uncomfortable. An expanded base means the Jané Racing car seat is elevated, allowing Tippi to see out the window, which she loves. This has meant journeys are suddenly a lot more peaceful!
The Jané Racing car seat is two-in-one, and I like that Tippi can sit rear facing up to 13kg rather than the usual 9kg. Even though I was looking forward to Tippi facing the front, in light of recent reports that there’s even more safety benefits to travelling in a rear facing position, it gives me peace of mind.
The colours seem more geared towards boys, but we love the red one, which suits Tippi very well.
Finally, the Jané Racing car seat is simple to fit and easy to use. It has a removable car seat cover, just in case, and with two seats in one it’s certainly good value for money. A wise buy!
What to watch out for
Even though the Jané Racing car seat can be used for a newborn, I feel it’s better suited for a slightly older child. The seat is quite big and the straps look slightly daunting for a newborn.
It’s heavy to carry around, and unfortunately there’s no carry handle, which is crucial in those early days when transporting your baby without waking her. And, the Jané Racing car seat is not compatible with a travel system, leading to the same problem.
Another thing to watch out for is there’s no ISOFIX. This is fine when your child is older and you’re not moving the car seat in and out, but when you have a newborn, this can go quite some way to making those early days a lot easier.
A feature I personally miss is a sun canopy, which can be very handy.
Who is the Jané Racing car seat best for?
Families looking for a good value, luxurious seat with a long life span.
The Jané Racing car seat is a luxurious two-in-one seat that will last and is good value. Apart from its great safety features and the fact it can be used in the rear facing position for longer than some other seats, it’s simple to use and snug. But for a newborn it could seem quite bulky, has no carry handle and doesn’t adapt to a travel system, so it makes a great car seat for a slightly older baby.
