Buyer’s guide to car seats

 3 of 9 

Do you want it to last for years?

Buying a new car seat for every stage would be an (very) expensive business, so thankfully there are combination, or multi-group, car seats on the market. These car seats cover a range (but not all) of the Groups.

The multi-group car seats are:

• Group 0+/1: 0-18kg, from birth to around 4 years
• Group 1/2: 9kg-25kg, from around 9 months to 6 years (not a very common option)
• Group 1/2/3: 9kg-36kg, from around 9 months to 12 years
• Group 2/3: 15kg-36kg, which is roughly around 4 to 12 years (seen more often than single Group 2 or Group 3 options)

While these are pricier than single-group, or single-stage, car seats, they’re an investment and will save you money in the long run.

Other things to bear in mind if you do opt for a multi-group seat are weight and portability. Most Group 0+ seats weigh around 3.5kg, can be teamed with a buggy to create a travel system and are easy to carry with a sleeping baby on board. However a Group 0+/1 car seat can weigh a lot more and won’t be easy to move out of the car to the home, nor will it be compatible with a buggy to create a travel system. Also, what you gain in a longer lifespan and flexibility, you may lose in fit - a seat catering for such a range of weights and ages may not be as snug as a single Group car seat.