Joie i-Trillo i-Size car seat review

First impressions

As soon as I took the Joie i-Trillo car seat out of the box, I was impressed with how stylish and high-quality it looked. The grey colour is smart and the fabric is nice and soft with good cushioning. The booster seat is also impressively compact and very lightweight, weighing just 4.4kg.

How easy is it to assemble the Joie i-Trillo car seat?

It couldn’t have been simpler really. The backrest and booster seat come separately, so you just have to click them together, then clip on the Guard Surround Safety panels. It took 5 minutes and we wouldn’t need the instructions again now it is put together.

How do you install the Joie i-Trillo booster car seat?

Once built you pop the seat in the car, sit your child in and ensure the headrest is at the right level (this is really easy to change with one hand) – the headrest should sit by their shoulders.

You then pull the seatbelt across your child, making sure it's threaded into the green clip that sits above their right shoulder. Follow the integrated seatbelt guide, which is coloured green, to ensure the seatbelt is tucked under the armrests, then push the seatbelt into the buckle.

The booster seat is not ISOFIX but it doesn’t move around once strapped in properly. That said, it is a little fiddly to get the seatbelt into the buckle and not something my son could do on his own at 4 years old.

Due to the fact it’s not ISOFIX, it is loose in the back of the car if not in use, so I'd suggest strapping it in with the seatbelt when your child is not in the seat.

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

This car seat meets the highest ECE R129 safety standard and has i-Size certification. It also has extra side impact protection, which I appreciated. Joie also says it pushes its products to the extreme during testing.

It doesn’t have ISOFIX which has pros and cons. On the plus side, the booster seat is really easy to move between cars – ideal if you have multiple cars or you have extended family or friends wanting to take your child out. But I do find the ISOFIX feature gives me peace of mind from a safety point of view, plus it also means the car seat is fixed into the car. With the i-Trillo, you have to make sure you strap it in before setting off if your child is not in the car with you. Having said that, the safety features on offer for such an affordable price are impressive.

Does the Joie i-Trillo care seat have any unique features?

Yes – my son was very impressed with the 2 cupholders, which both tuck away into the seat base. He used them to store his flask, as well as random items he collected, including a selection of rocks from the beach!

While it wasn’t a huge plus point from our point of view, it was handy to have somewhere to put his water on a long journey where he could easily reach it. I think for some families it would be a really useful feature.

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

My son's previous seat was reclinable and more padded, so I was worried he would find this one too upright. He really enjoyed the booster seat day-to-day but I don’t think it was as comfortable as his old one for the 4-hour drive to Cornwall. He fell asleep on the way and the car seat supported his head well, but he looked more comfortable reclined in his previous one.

That said, the padding was adequate, the headrest was supportive and my son didn’t complain. For a booster, there has definitely been a lot of thought put into the comfort side of it.

How robust does the i-Trillo car seat feel?

From my experience with Joie products, they last well, and the i-Trillo seems to be no exception. The material is good quality and durable. For a booster seat, it feels brilliant quality and I have no doubt this is a purchase that would last years.

How easy is it to clean?

On the first outing, my son got a chocolate smear on the Joie i-Trillo car seat, which I was really pleased to see come away easily with a damp cloth. It isn’t a fabric that easily marks and the darker colour helps.

That said, I am really happy that the covers are completely removable and washable – this was easy to do and will keep the booster seat looking new for longer.

Is the Joie i-Trillo car seat easy to carry?

At 4.43kg the seat is incredibly light and really easy to move in and out of the car. It would be ideal if you have 2 cars, as it’s so easy to move from car to car. It's also brilliant if someone is taking your child out and you need to put the car seat into their car

I usually find car seats very heavy and bulky, but this one is so easily portable. A big plus point!

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

The car seat is suitable for children 100-150cm in height, which is approximately 4 to 12 years. The headrest has 10 adjustable heights which are really easy to adjust with just one hand. I would say it’s easier to adjust the headrest before your child gets in though.

My son is around 110cm and it looks to last until he is out of a car seat completely.

How does the Joie i-Trillo compare to the older Trillo car seat?

the i-Trillo is the newer version of the Joie Trillo. Essentially they are the same shell but the i-Trillo meets the highest ECE R129 safety standard and has the i-Size certification. It doesn’t have ISOSAFE connectors like the Trillo.

How does the i-Trillo compare with other booster seats you've used?

My son’s previous car seat was the Cozy N Safe Morgan i-Size which does convert to a high-back booster, though we have never used it as such. The Joie i-Trillo is less comfortable being non-reclinable and less padded, but it is a different type of car seat. The Cozy n Safe Morgan i-Size is a premium car seat that is suitable from birth to approx 6 years, with a handy 360 degree rotation – however it comes with a price tag of £229 and isn't suitable as a high-back booster for older children, unlike the Joie i-Trillo.

What did you think of the packaging of the Joie i-Trillo?

The car seat came in a large cardboard box with no additional packaging. It was easy to break down and recycle, and it was nice not to have lots of packaging to get rid of.

How sustainable is the Joie i-Trillo car seat?

The fabric is made from 100% recyclable materials which come from 24 plastic bottles, which is really nice to see. Joie says creating its materials in this way reduces waste and uses less energy and resources than it would take to create a brand-new product.

The other parts of the i-Trillo booster seat are not made from recycled materials, which Joie says is due to the fact that it might compromise the safety aspect. They do say, however, that their products are built to last and designed to be used within families for years – I can definitely imagine the i-Trillo lasting for multiple children.

Joie put a big emphasis on sustainability, although they do say regretfully that their products are not currently recyclable due to their complexity of materials. This is something that seems to be an issue with car seats in general, with only Silver Cross offering a recycling service for their car seats in the UK. However, Joie do say they are constantly re-evaluating and looking at new avenues in the hope of change in the future.

Tell us about the repair options if the Joie i-Trillo breaks?

All Joie products come with a 2-year warranty from the original date of purchase. You can also register your purchase on the Joie website to access an extended 3-year warranty. You can make a claim through their website at any point, though the warranty does not cover wear and tear, accidental damage and misuse.

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

How slimline and light it is. You have to see it to really appreciate that and it's certainly a massive selling point in my eyes.

Who would the Joie i-Trillo be most useful for?

I'd say this Joie car seat would be really handy for families with multiple cars, or those who have extended family take the children out, and need a booster seat so they can move easily. It's also ideal for families with 3 children who need slimline seats to fit all 3 in the back of their car.

Is the Joie i-Trillo car seat worth the money?

Yes, at £75 (although it's widely available at a discounted price of £50 at the time of writing this review) I think it is really good value for money considering the quality. I would not hesitate to recommend it to others. It may not have the luxurious touches of some more premium booster seats like the Silver Cross Discover i-Size, £150, or Cybex Solution G i-Fix, £174.95, but at less than half the price it packs in plenty of safety features and offers padding and comfort for your child.

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

Available from John Lewis, Mamas & Papas and Argos.

MadeForMums verdict

The Joie i-Trillo car seat is a great buy for someone looking for a lightweight and compact booster seat that should last their child years. It is slimline, perfect for tighter space in the back of the car, and well-made and comfortable. The lack of ISOFIX comes with pros and cons, but that comes down to individual requirements and needs. For the pure convenience of switching between cars, the i-Trillo is worth every penny.