Choosing the right car seat for your child is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a parent. It not only accompanies you and your newborn from the first moment you leave the hospital but also ensures their safety on countless journeys as they grow.

The right car seat provides safety, comfort, and protection for your child while offering complete peace of mind to you as a parent, from initial installation to daily use.

In this car seat buying guide, we'll cover the different car seat types, advanced features like ISOFIX bases, why rearward facing is always the better choice, and what you need to keep in mind if you’re thinking about buying a second-hand car seat.

Choosing a car seat system offers safety and convenience to both parents and children. Designed to accommodate your child from infancy through toddlerhood, a car seat system grows with your child, ensuring they receive the best protection on every journey.

The adaptability of a car seat system means you can easily transition from a infant car seat to a toddler car seat, using one base. And with matching car seat and stroller accessories, you can turn your car seat system into a convenient travel system from home to car to stroller. This reduces the time and effort involved in moving a sleeping infant, as well as makes sure your children are safe across different modes of transportation.

There are three main types of car seats: infant car seats, toddler car seats, and booster car seats. Choosing the right one will depend on your child’s age, height, and weight.

With each of these, you need to verify that they fit in your car and have a high safety rating. Additional benefit of a good car seat is an ISOFIX installed base that gives you real-time feedback on correct installation. Learn more about each type below:

These seats are designed specifically for newborns and smaller infants. They face the rear of the car, which is the safest position for your child. They provide the necessary support for your baby's head and neck. They can be installed with the 3-point harness of the vehicle but are even safer when installed on a matching ISOFIX base.

Age range: From birth until approximately 15 months.
Weight: For babies weighing up to 13 kg.
Height: Typically from 40 to 75 cm.

*Always check the local law and specifications for a particular seat and brand before purchasing.

Good to know: Safety starts at installation so make sure you choose a car seat with a base that makes it easy for you to install correctly. You might also appreciate an infant car seat that rotates, can easily be taken in and out of the car, and smoothly attaches to a compatible stroller.

These seats are designed to grow with your child and can be either rear-facing or convertible to forward-facing. They're meant for toddlers who have outgrown their infant seat but aren't yet ready for a booster seat. With these, a 5-point harness is often used, serving a different function than in infant seats.

Age range: From 6 months to 4 years, depending on the seat's specifications and how it's being used (rear-facing or forward-facing).
Weight: Up to 18 kg.
Height: Typically from 67 to 105 cm.

*Always check the local law and specifications for a particular seat and brand before purchasing.

Good to know: Shop with a brand where you will be able to use the same base for the toddler seat as the infant car seat to save money. While these seats can initially be more expensive, their long-term usability offers great value. They are not as portable as infant car seats meaning your child cannot be carried in it.



The main function of the booster seat is to ensure the seat belt is routed perfectly across the child’s bone structure, providing maximum protection. By elevating the child’s seating position, the booster seat also enables the child to take full advantage of the car’s built-in safety features for optimal safety.

Age range: From 4-12 years or 150 cm, depending on local law.
Weight: Starting at around 18 kg.
Height: Up to 135 cm or 150 cm, according to local EU law.

*Always check the local law and specifications for a particular seat and brand before purchasing.

Good to know: Booster seats are available both with and without headrests. By law, the backless version of the booster seat can only be used for children taller than 125 cm, as it offers no protection in case of a side collision. We strongly recommend using a high-back booster seat with a headrest to provide the best possible protection for your child.

It's time to upgrade your child to the next seat when they exceed the maximum height or weight limit of their current seat. Make sure to check the label specifying these limits on each car seat when purchasing.

ISOFIX, which is short for "ISO-FIXation", is a standardized system for attaching child seats to vehicles without using seat belts. It makes installation of car seats simpler, leads to less misuse, and connects the seat with the car in a stable, rigid way.

ISOFIX involves three critical connection points: two metal bar anchor points, which you find between the car's seat back and cushion, as well as a supporting load leg or top tether that prevents tilting.

The main benefits of ISOFIX are safety for children and convenience for parents. A base installed using ISOFIX instead of seatbelts is safer because it reduces the chance of installing the car seat incorrectly. And another reason is that it makes the car seat more stable and less likely to move during a crash.

ISOFIX systems are more convenient for parents because they make car seat installation easier with "click-in" mechanisms, that allow quick attachment and detachment. This is much simpler and faster than the complex (and often done wrong) process of securing car seats with seatbelts.

INFOBOX: A car seat can only protect when installed correctly and fitted properly. A study by the German Insurers Association (GDV) in 2018 found that 47.6% of all examined children's seats were NOT correctly secured.

i-Size, also known as R129, is the European car seat safety standard, introduced in 2013. The main benefits include improved protection in front and side-impact collisions, rear-facing travel up to at least 15 months, and ISOFIX installation to minimize the risk of incorrect fitting.

The main difference between i-Size compared to the older ECE R44/04 norm is that i-Size uses the child’s height as the main criterion instead of weight. This makes it easier for parents to choose the right car seat and ensures a better for for the child. i-Size is also tested more rigorously so it has higher standards for certifications.

Learn more about how Thule crash tests car seats

Rear-facing car seats are the safest way for infants and toddlers to travel in a car, especially in the event of a frontal collision (which is the most common type of crash).

Children's bodies are still developing, and their heads are proportionally larger and heavier compared to the rest of their bodies. In a rearward-facing seat, the force from the crash is distributed more evenly across the shell of the car seat than in a forward-facing car seat, significantly reducing the impact on the child's vulnerable head, neck, and spine.

Even in rear-impact collisions, a rear-facing car seat is still safer for your child, which is supported by physics and car crash research. With the car seat facing rearwards, the child gets pushed into the car seat, instead of out of it when faced forward. This way, the forces are more evenly spread over the back area, protecting the head and neck area better in both front or rear-impact collisions.

Transitioning from birth to toddler with car seats and strollers makes for a seamless journey of comfort and safety for you and your child. From the moment you bring your newborn home, a car seat provides the utmost protection and ease of use. And what makes a travel system even better, is a stroller that is compatible with the car seat.

Whether it's a quick trip to the grocery store or a longer journey, choose a stroller that can handle any adventure you and your baby wish to embark on. From robust, all-terrain models to the more compact, city-friendly options that make navigating urban environments a breeze, you’ll find there's a stroller to suit every family's lifestyle.

Car seats always have an expiration date, typically ranging from 6 to 10 years. This lifespan begins from the date the car seat is first used, and its maximum duration depends on the manufacturing date. An expiration date for the car seats exists because materials can degrade over time, safety standards change, and wear and tear can reduce a seat's effectiveness in protecting a child during car accidents.

Always check the label of your car seat to find its specific manufacturing or expiration date and follow the manufacturer's guidelines.

If you find out your car seat is expired, it’s important you don’t use it or pass it on to others.

Never buy a used car seat without knowing its full history.  Not only is there a chance it may be expired, but you can’t know if it was involved in a car accident. If a car seat has been involved in a car accident, its structure is weakened, which makes it less effective in protecting your child.

If you decide to buy a used car seat, then consider getting it from someone you know and trust. This person should be able to provide you with detailed information about its history and condition, but most of all guarantee you that the seat hasn’t been recalled from the manufacturer, fallen from any heights or involved in a car accident.

Always prioritize your child's safety above cost savings. And if you're uncertain about the seat's safety or history, then it's safer to purchase a new one.

We hope this car seat guide was helpful and that choosing the right car seat for your child is now a little easier. Remember that safety starts at installation and a good car seat will not only ensure your child’s safety and comfort, but also your peace of mind. Whether you're gearing up for another family outing or preparing for the arrival of your first child, we wish you the best on this incredible journey.