Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix

The attractive Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix is a rear facing group 0+ car seat for babies up until the age of about 12-15 months (or 13kg). With a multi-position carry handle that can fold right down at the back to stabilise the seat when not in the car, and a clever integral sunshade, the CabrioFix clicks neatly into a large number of pushchairs converting them into travel systems.

The CabrioFix can be fitted into most cars with a regular 3-point seatbelt, but you also have the option to buy an EasyBase making clicking in and out of the car very simple. There’s an ISOFIX compatible base, too. The car comes in multiple colour options, has a snug head hugger for little babies and an easily adjustable 3-point safety harness.

Utilising Maxi-Cosi’s trademark side impact protection system, you can be sure your baby is in safe hands when travelling in a car. The handy belt hooks make getting your baby in the seat easy, too.

What we love

When planning for that first car trip back from hospital with your precious newborn, safety is your ultimate concern and with a Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix you can rest assure that the toughest safety standards have been met. But it’s also nice to get something that your baby will look cool in, and the CabrioFix is a great looking car seat, with a nice range of colour options.

Babies look snug and secure in the seat, and you can alter to fit your child with the adjustable seat belt positions, depth and use of the padded head hugger. Actually, my babies hate the car: both Finn and Noah had the ability to scream for as long as I drove. But the vast majority of Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix owners love the seat and its instant sleep-inducing quality - many finding it the only seat a baby will be content within.

The fact that adaptors are available so you can use this seat with many varieties of pushchair is a real bonus. I used it first time around with my Bugaboo and now have a (slightly cumbersome) attachment to click the seat into my Phil & Teds.

What to watch out for

The practicality of not being able to put a baby car seat cover in the washing machine is a real downside for me. In fact, as a sleep-deprived mother of a reflux-y newborn, car seat care instructions weren’t something I had time to read, let alone abide by. It went in the wash and has looked tatty and un-hemmed ever since. It’s quite a struggle getting it on and off, too.

It’s also not a cheap option –the seat itself is over £100. If you go for the quick click base options that’s another £80-£110. And if you want it to form part of a travel system you have to buy the attachments that go on your particular buggy. You’ll need one of these if you want to move the seat out of the car regularly – they’re very heavy with a baby sat inside.

Who is the Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix best for?

Safety yet style conscious mums who want to make their pushchairs more flexible.

MadeForMums verdict

A great looking, super safe car seat that’s very flexible and attaches to a number of popular buggy chassis. It might not be the simplest to keep clean and is definitely not the budget option, but if you’re in and out of the car regularly and can afford to splash out on all the accessories, it’s a car seat that could make your life much easier.