Choosing the next stage car seat for your baby when they reach about 9 months can be a daunting task when there’s so much choice on the market. Do you go for one that will last until they’re 4 years old, safe in the knowledge that they won't feel swamped by the size of the seat? Or do you go straight for the other option that adjusts to your baby's size as they grow, and lasts until they’re at school and almost at the end of needing a car seat, so you only have to shell out once?
Not having decided myself when I was asked to test the Kiddicouture I Gro Seat by Kiddicare, I can now say I wouldn’t bother with just a Group 1 car seat, but would go and buy one of these combination car seats, spanning Group 1/2/3. It's extremely affordable at £54.99 (the RRP is £99.99, but it’s sold at this lower Kiddicare price), comfortable and is installed with your car's seatbelt.
The Kiddicouture I Gro Seat is essentially a high-back booster seat. When your baby is 9 months old, like my son Nathaniel, they’re secured in with a 5-point harness and the car seat is held in place by your car’s adult seatbelt. When your child gets to the age of 4, you remove the 5-point harness and your child is secured by the adult seatbelt. When your child hits approximately 22kg, the back of the Kiddicouture I Gro Seat is removed, so all that’s left is the bottom booster pad. Your child is still strapped into the car with the adult restraint in this final stage.
What we love
The Kiddicouture I Gro Seat is easy to put together - you just have to slot the back- and headrest into the booster seat. As well as a sheet of instructions in the box, on the side of the car seat there’s an easy guide to installing it into your car, so you don't have to faff around with a sheet of instructions in a cramped car space. I managed to fit the seat in less than 2 minutes and the buyer reviews on Kiddicare's own website will also testify to how simple the task is. Although not as quick as if it could be used with ISOFIX points, the car seat felt very secure.
The harness is adjustable and grows with your baby and the headrest can also be altered. The armrests can be alleviated and this really helped to give me more room when getting Nathaniel settled.
For such a low price point, I really wasn't expecting very much from the product. However, on our first car trip to the coast, which took just over an hour, Nathaniel didn't moan or cry once, so he must have been comfortable.
The seat felt very padded all over and Nathaniel was quite happy playing with a toy or looking out of the window as we drove along. The real test came when it approached his naptime - all went quiet in the back and he had happily drifted off to sleep.
Coming back to the car after the day's outing, it was very warm inside, but Nathaniel's seat had stayed quite cool.
One of the best things about this seat I discovered when I unbuckled Nathaniel's 5-point harness – it started beeping. The noise stopped after about 10 seconds, but if your child ever managed to undo the restraint you would know about it straight away.
What to watch out for
It was hard to find anything wrong with the Kiddicare Kiddicouture I Gro Seat. The grey and black seat colour with red piping is the only colour choice available and is a bit boring.
Also, on the 5-point harness, the two arm clips that slot together to buckle into the crotch belt have a tendency to slip down to the bottom of the seat, and it can take a moment to find them as the seat is so well padded.
Who the Kiddicare Kiddicouture I Gro Seat best for
Parents who want to invest just once in a fuss-free, inexpensive car seat.
The Kiddicare Kiddicouture I Gro Seat is a value buy that ticks all the boxes. Its long life span, adjustability, easy of installation and comfort levels for your child are great. However, if you’re a fan of ISOFIX or not keen on backless booster seats, then this won’t the best option for you.
