Joie i-Traver car seat review

The Joie i-Traver is a chic, belted high-back booster seat from the brand's Signature range, designed for children age approx. 3-and-a-half years to 12 years.

Coming in at just £135, it's a stylish R129-approved car seat with excellent safety features and timeless style, all at a very competitive price.

First impressions

All good. The materials of the Joie i-Traver car seat felt plush, giving it a luxurious feel. But it's not just about style, the i-Traver also appears robust and well-built.

How easy is the Joie i-Traver car seat to install?

The seat can be fixed into your car using ISOFIX and seatbelt, or just the seatbelt. It's incredibly straightforward. We used it with ISOFIX and it felt really safe and secure.

How do you install the Joie i-Traver car seat?

To install, you just extend the ISOFIX connectors and slot them into your car's ISOFIX fixtures. There are clear seatbelt guides – all in green – to make sure the belt is in the correct position when buckling your child in safely.

The Joie i-Traver features adjustable ISOFIX connectors that can be fully retracted, which makes this car seat suitable to use in all cars, no matter if these are equipped with ISOFIX anchor points.

What are the key safety features of the Joie i-Traver car seat?

The Joie i-Traver is a forward-facing, high-back booster seat compliant with the latest R129/i-Size car seat regulations. It can be quickly installed using ISOFIX or added stability, features TriProtect head support with memory foam, an AutoAdjust seat cushion, and provides additional side impact protection through Joie’s Guard Surround Safety.

Does the Joie i-Traver car seat have any unique features?

A clever feature of the i-Traver is the adjustable seat cushion – what Joie calls AutoAdjust™ – which offers 3 different positions of seat depth, to grow with your child.

To prevent 'submarining' and ensure comfort, the end of the seat cushion should align with where your child's knee bends, and Joie has made it easy to adapt as your child grows simply by pulling the underside of the seat pad to extend.

How comfortable did your child find the Joie i-Traver car seat?

My son Jude really likes the padded armrest and found the headrest comfy for on-the-go snoozes. He has declared the Joie i-Traver “very comfortable.”

How robust does the car seat feel?

Despite being relatively lightweight (5.6kg) the Joie i-Traver car seat feels sturdy. As it’s part of their premium Signature range the deluxe cushioning looks plush and very comfy.

How easy is the Joie i-Traver car seat to clean?

The covers are easily removable and can be washed at 30° – a godsend for parents whose kids like to snack in the car! I’ve wiped them down easily after Jude spilt some of his milkshake on it, which is excellent.

How do you find the car seat to carry around?

The Joie i-Traver car seat weighs 5.6kg (just under 1 stone) so it’s pretty lightweight and easily transportable between cars if needed.

It may not be as light as the Graco Junior Maxi i-Size at 3.4kg, but it's still very easy to move around.

I’ve tested it in our Audi A3 and my mother-in-law’s Volvo V70. It took us less than 2 minutes to switch the car seat between cars.

Is the Joie i-Traver car seat big enough for a growing child?

The 10-point adjustable headrest, 2-point adjustable backrest and 3-point adjustable seat are designed to grow with your child. At 107cm, Jude is quite tall for his age (the average for that age group is around 101cm), but is still at the lower end of the suitable height range.

The i-Traver definitely offers some decent longevity of use, but I’m not sure if it will last a child until 12 years old – I think that may be a bit ambitious. It’s important to note that the child’s weight is irrelevant, but the child has to be over 100cm to use the seat.

How does the i-Traver compare to previous versions of the car seat?

The i-Traver is the latest version of the Traver (released in 2017), which means it's been designed and approved to the latest R129 regulations.The Traver is one of Joie’s most popular designs and is cheaper, retailing at just £75. The i-Traver is part of their premium range and looks and feels more luxurious.

Both car seats have similar features – an adjustable headrest, an adjustable seat and extra side protection – however, the original design is a bit heavier and wider, with some parents complaining that it took up a lot of space in the second row of a car. But the i-Traver is a bit more compact than the original design, measuring L40-44cm x W56cm x H63-83cm.

How does the Joie i-Traver compare with other booster seats or Group 2/3 seats you’ve used?

I’ve also used Halfords Essentials Group 1/2/3 Child Car Seat, as my dad has this in his car. This car seat is considerably cheaper at £38.40 but it’s a bit heavier and isn’t as easy to transport between cars. It’s also not i-Size or compatible with ISOFIX. Group 2/3 seats are used from around 3-and-a-half to 12 years of age, or up to 135cm in height.

What’s in the box?

• Backrest
• Seat
• Side protection wings
• ISOFIX covers

Are there any additional accessories that you can buy?

• Seat protector

What did you think of the packaging of the Joie i-Traver car seat?

The packaging was appropriate, offering sufficient protection for the product without using an excessive amount of plastic. The box and plastic are both recyclable.

How does the Joie i-Traver car seat rate for sustainability?

When it comes to recycling, Joie notes that baby gear is challenging to recycle due to its complexity. Metals and plastics must be separated and processed individually, requiring the gear to be dismantled into its components at specialised facilities.

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the Joie i-Traver car seat?

Since this car seat is designed to last from ages 3 and a half to 12 years, I'd like to know which parts are easily replaceable if they get damaged. It was challenging to find this information, but a few stores mentioned that the styrofoam can be replaced, which is common for most seats.

Who would the Joie i-Traver car seat be most useful for?

As it’s lightweight and easy to transport, this is great for parents who have 2 cars and share the car seats. It's also ideal for those who rely on others for childcare and my need to quickly transport the car seats between vehicles when needed.

Is the Joie i-Traver worth the money?

At £135, it's an exceptional value compared to other premium brands offering car seats with similar features. I think it's 100% worth the money.

Where can I buy the Joie i-Traver car seat?

Available from Joie, John Lewis and Halfords.

MadeForMums verdict

It's difficult to find a flaw in this seat, particularly given that it's one of the most affordable group 2/3 car seats in the premium market. I would recommend it to other parents due to its comfort, competitive pricing, and excellent safety features.