If your child’s ready to move to a Group 2/3 car seat, the BeSafe iZi Up X3 boasts easy installation, good safety features and easy adjustment.
BeSafe is based in Norway and has over 40 years experience specialising in car seats. The company also produces pregnancy seatbelts as well as bike helmets and seats for children. A relative newcomer to the UK market, BeSafe products are available from independent retailers, including Kiddicare.
The iZi Up X3 is an update of the previously successful X2 version and completes BeSafe car seat range, which includes car seat options that are suitable from birth. As a Group 2/3 car seat, the iZI Up X3 is suitable from 15kg to 36kg (roughly, 4 years to 12 years).
The iZi Up X3 car seat features Side Impact Protection (or SIP) and doesn’t have what BeSafe calls “arm rest belt guides” or “belt horns”. BeSafe claims that around 70% of car seats with these are used incorrectly and says this is why it doesn’t have them. I was interested to read this claim about armrests/belt horns – once on another car seat, I thought I’d pulled the lap belt sufficiently, only to notice it sagging when I took my son out of the car because it had become caught on the armrest.
The iZi Up X3 requires installation with your car’s 3-point seatbelt, however there is also an ISOFIX version - the BeSafe iZi Up X3 Fix.
The seat comes in a range of colours, including Black, Red, Turquoise, Sober Sport (also known as Mood Indigo), Grey and Beige. Additional seat covers can also be ordered, as well as a seat protection cover, which keeps the seat clean and cool on hot days.
BeSafe also produces a range of Kick Covers (for protecting your car’s front seats), and Activity Covers (which also protect but with added sleeves for your child’s toys, wipes and other essentials). The seat also comes with an additional strap to harness the iZi Up X3 to the car’s headrest (if necessary).
What we love
BeSafe iZi Up X3 has a cocoon-like headrest that is really supportive, and it makes me feel my child’s comfortable and safe. BeSafe says children up to 150cm tall can be accommodated in the seat - in the UK, car seats currently need to be used until your child is 135cm tall (or 12 years), but some nations in Europe have 150cm as the height.
In addition to the head and back support, the seat features reinforced sides and cushioned base. Even with all these features, this seat is not bulky, and the new slimline side handles means that the seat takes up less space in the car.
The car seat is really easy to install, using your car’s 3-point safety belt.
There’s also a “synchronised function” for the back and head support, so you can easily adjust to the right proportions to suit your child. The shoulder belt guides also increase when the seat is adjusted to a higher position to ensure that the belt lies correctly across your child’s shoulders.
Some Group 2/3 car seats don’t recline, which means that car napping may be limited, but the BeSafe iZi Up X3 includes two different sleeping positions – your child can easily adjust the seat recline using the handles.
What to look out for
At £169.99 it’s a pricier option, but certainly not the most expensive Group 2/3 car seat around.
At 7.8kg it’s not that light, but again, there’s heavier options on the market.
My son was easily able to recline the seat himself (as BeSafe states a child can), but when he did, the seat slipped forward a little and I had to buckle him in again – I wouldn’t want him doing this while I was driving.
Who is the BeSafe iZi Up X3 best for?
Families who spend a lot of time in the car.
MadeForMums verdict
A great seat with good safety features. Offering longevity and easy installation, this could prove to be a good investment though it is a little awkward to recline.
