For newborns, there’s a removable body support pillow, which can be used up to three months, and allows a shallow, flatter position, which is better for breathing and soft developing spines. For extra comfort there’s also an air-circulation system, which allows your baby to have fresh air while sitting in the seat. Add to this a height adjustable harness – which has been expanded by 3cm this year – and head cushion covered in soft towelling, and you’ve got an extremely comfortable seat that offers optimum protection.
What we love
From its safety features to its attention to detail on comfort, this seat ticks every box. It’s soft, secure and well made. The ergonomic handle and one-click release was one of the easiest I’ve used; rather than having to press both sides at once you only have to press one button in and then the other – great when you are feeling a bit stressed. It was a hot day when we tested this product but I’m pleased to say that the air circulation system did its job admirably. Elsie, my little one, certainly didn’t feel hot and clammy when I took her out.
There are four different positions for the straps, which don’t require unthreading to move them as your baby grows. Once Elsie was strapped in she looked enveloped in padding and yet had plenty of space to expand. The belt routing is clearly indicated and a colour indicator helps you to fit it correctly, making it fairly idiot proof.
What to watch out for
Its size! Being one of the largest seats tested made it awkward to fit at first. It took a bit of getting used to and so the advice to try before you buy definitely applies to this seat.
The seatbelt needs routing underneath the seat, which is very fiddly and not easy if you don’t want to wake your sleeping baby – then you have to attach the seat belt round the back. The elongated shape certainly stretched the seatbelt, and my patience, to the max. Because of its size I had to push the passenger seat quite far forward to get the seatbelt round the back – which only just fitted.
Using the optional base, which costs an additional £44.99, made it slightly easier, but you still have to wrap the seatbelt round the back, which made it feel like half a base. Half a base aside, the Créatis.Fix on its own is a superb car seat – if you have the space and the patience to master the technique. However, despite its huge range of fabulous features, it may feel it’s just too large.
Who is the Maxi-Cosi Créatis.Fix best for?
Funky parents with a medium to large-sized car or who have the Loola Up pushchair.
Its shape is definitely a talking point – some parents consider it good looking, others think it is a bit weird. But generally it’s a fabulous seat in terms of comfort and safety; you just need a biggish car in order to accommodate it.
