Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat review

Parent tester Lana also tested the car seat with her 1-year-old son (pictured above).

What were your first impressions of the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat?

As expected for rotating car seats of this type, that it's big and bulky – although I was surprised that the Turn2Me car seat wasn't as heavy as it looks, weighing 12.6kg. It was simply packaged and came with straightforward instructions in multiple languages.

How does the Graco Turn2Me i-Size install in the car?

This car seat only installs with Isofix, so you can't use it with a seatbelt. I found the Turn2Me quite awkward to carry because of the weight and width (the Isofixbase is fixed) but once resting on the seat of the car, the installation is fairly simple.

There are 2 Isofix bars at the base of the seat, each with 2 buttons, and there's definitely a technique to pressing these in together at the same time as sliding the bars into the Isofix slots. The Turn2Me car seat comes with 2 plastic Isofix guides to help with this and a green sticker indicates when this has been done correctly, which is reassuring. The load leg is also an important safety feature to stabilise the seat and has 12 settings and a green sticker to ensure safe positioning. Start to finish, it took about 20 minutes.

How does it compare to similar car seats for this age range?

At 12.6kg, it feels a little lighter than the Joie i-Spin 360 Group 0+/1, which weighs 14.2kg, however, the newborn padding is slightly bulkier in the Graco Turn2Me and the headrest narrower meaning that it was trickier to get my baby to lie back comfortably even on the lowest recline. It's also a lot cheaper than many other rotating car seats for this age group, like the premium Maxi-Cosi Pebble 360 Pro, £259.99.

The Graco Turn2Me i-Size isn't travel system compatible, which is fairly typical of rotating car seats, but if you were looking for one that works as a travel system, the Cybex Cloud T, £249, is a great option, although you will need to buy the rotating base separately which costs an additional £199, pushing the price up significantly.

How does the Graco Turn2Me i-Size differ to previous models?

Unlike the Graco Turn2Me R44, this updated model meets EU R129 safety regulations. Introduced in 2013, the R129 standard follows more detailed tests for improved head and neck protection. Another way it differs to its predecessor is that there is only one side-impact protector included, which is removable and must be installed manually on whichever side is nearest to the door.

How safe does the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat feel?

It's reassuring that the Turn2Me meets R129 standards, but personally I would prefer installed, permanent side-impact protectors on both sides, as the reliance is on the user to remember to install on the correct side, and change if the car seat is moved.

The load leg feels solid, though, with 12 positions and a green sticker to indicate safe and correct installation (a red sticker indicates otherwise). These stickers also feature on the Isofix bars and the buckle of the 3-point harness, so it's instantly clear whether car seat is safely installed or not.

How long is it rear-facing for?

Extended rear-facing is encouraged for added safety and the Turn2Me car seat can be rear facing from birth up to 4 years old. Having said that my 2 year old struggled with rear-facing in this car seat because of the lack of legroom.

Does the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat rotate?

Yes; the 360-degree rotation is undoubtedly the Turn2Me's biggest USP and it is a key feature which I used every time with both children to help me strap them in. The seat rotates 360 degrees by pulling a lever at the front of the seat itself and turning at the same time. This lever is directly above a very similar lever for the recline function, however, which meant I often pressed the wrong one first (it is difficult to see and reach the buttons – both of which are grey – if the seat is rear-facing). Other brands have the turn lever on the side of the chair which I feel is easier to see and work with one hand.

Parent tester Lana loved how easy it was to rotate the Turn2Me, saying "the spin function is reliable and fast to move. We previously had the Joie 360 Spin and it was nowhere near as smooth and would often catch. I haven't had this problem with the seat yet."

How comfortable is the Graco Turn2Me for your child?

The newborn padding feels soft and good quality, but the main cushion is very bulky and the headrest narrow, so with even on the lowest recline my baby looked too upright and his head seemed at risk of lolling forward. Removing the cushioned inserts (which are secured with poppers) to accommodate my 2 year old was simple, but re-inserting them wasn’t intuitive and the pictures in the instructions were not clear on this point. Once all the inserts have been taken out I felt the seat itself seemed very square, with little or no padding on the sides, but the surrounding headrest was well-cushioned. My toddler was easier to strap into the car seat but did not sleep on all of the longer journeys.

Parent tester Lana really rated how comfortable the car seat was for her son, she said "the fabric is lovely and my son seems very comfortable in the car seat. His head is well-supported at all times and he is comfortable no matter the recline in the seat."

How well does the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat work with different age children?

In my experience it seems to work well for one or the other, but I wouldn’t want to keep switching between them as it takes time and is fiddly to re-insert the newborn inserts and padding. The shoulder pads are large and soft which is good for older children but awkward to position for newborns. It's a good seat to grow with your child, but maybe not the best for swapping between different aged children regularly.

How do you rate the straps?

I like that the Graco Turn2Me harness is inbuilt, rather than one you have to re-thread for different height children. The straps were fairly standard and easy to work, although one of the buckles got twisted once and was a pain to untangle – the same as any car seat harness. There is a button under the padding on the front of the car seat which needs to be pressed and held to tighten or loosen the harness, which can be fiddly, but once clicked in and tightened they feel very secure.

How robust does the car seat feel?

The Graco Turn2Me car seat feels fairly robust because of its size and weight, and I didn’t feel that the quality of materials had been compromised on. Similar to other rotating models, the whole car seat does have some give even once safely installed. I would expect it to last at least for the duration of its use for a newborn to 4 years.

Does the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat recline?

Yes. The manufacturer states it has 10 reclines – 5 rear-facing and 5 front facing – however I feel this is slightly misleading. There are actually just 5 recline positions, which are counted for both rear and front facing. Realistically, I would only use the fully upright or fully reclined positions, and I personally don’t think the seat reclines enough for newborns – the degree difference was minimal and the lowest setting was still very upright, so it was difficult to get my baby to lie his head back into the headrest.

What is the headrest like on the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat?

The Graco Turn2Me comes with a newborn insert for the headrest, which is well-padded but may be a little narrow for some babies with larger heads (like mine!). I found it tricky to position the baby as, again, the recline felt too upright. The main headrest is also well-padded and has 6 height positions which are adjustable using a button at its back, which has to be pushed in at the same time as moving the headrest. I found it a little stiff and awkward to reach and manoeuvre when the car seat was in place though.

How easy is it to clean?

Very. My toddler was a little sick on one of the journeys and the shoulder and buckle pads were easy to wipe clean. The cover is machine washable on a delicate cycle too.

Is the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat easy to carry around?

No. It isn’t designed to be carried around easily – while at 12.66kg it's lighter than similar models, it's still big and heavy and therefore awkward to lift and manoeuvre into position. If you’re looking to switch the seat between cars frequently this may not be the car seat for you.

Is the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat big enough for a growing child?

The seat is designed for rearward facing from 40cm to 105cm (birth to approx. 4 years) and forward-facing from 76cm to 105cm (approx. 15 months to 4 years). My 2 year old looked big in the seat and, though the main seat seems wide enough to accommodate older children, I’m not sure how comfortable the overall curved shape would be for taller 3 and 4 year olds with longer legs overhanging.

What’s in the box?

• Graco Turn2Me R129 car seat
• Newborn inserts and headrest
• Detachable side-impact wing protector
• 2 x plastic ISOFIX guides
• Instructions and vehicle guide (to indicate where the seat can be safely installed)

What is the packaging like?

Overall it was quite simple packaging with some plastic. The Graco Turn2Me car seat was delivered in a large branded cardboard box, with a slip of Styrofoam padding over the top of the seat. The whole seat was covered in one large plastic bag (which is not recyclable), while the instructions and side-impact wing protector were packaged separately in a small plastic bag which was cable-tied to the harness.

Does Graco offer any repair options for the Turn2Me i-Size car seat?

The car seat comes with a 2-year warranty from the date of purchase.

Now you've tested it, what would you have wanted to know before buying the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat?

It would have been useful to know the degree of the recline compared to similar models, as I felt it wasn't quite reclined enough for my young baby.

Who would the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat be most useful for?

I'd say those who are after a rotating car seat that doesn't cost a fortune, as well as those who plan to have more children as this car seat could be used for the new baby, and a second car seat purchased designed for older children (until 12 years of age).

Is the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat worth the money?

Yes. It is a very similar to the Joie model, but significantly cheaper. The main differences are a more upright recline, making the Graco less comfortable for newborns, and a less accessible handle for rotation. However, for those who could really benefit from a rotating car seat, this is a really solid budget option.

Parent tester Lana agreed, saying that the Turn2Me i-Size is a great value option: "at £180 the car seat represents incredible value for money compared to other products. I would recommend this product to other families."

Where can you buy the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat?

The Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat is available at Graco, Boots and Halfords.

MadeForMums verdict:

Overall, I'd definitely recommend the Graco Turn2Me i-Size car seat. It's good value for money compared to similar models by well-known brands, is relatively lightweight for this type of car seat and is straightforward to install once it has been lifted into the car. The recline and bulky newborn padding would, however, put me off from using the car seat from birth, as my baby did not look comfortable and I would be reluctant to take him on longer journeys. I feel it's better suited to older babies and toddlers, where you'll still manage to get your money's worth.