10 Best Car Seats 2025 in the UK

The Maxi-Cosi Nomad Plus is a forward-facing toddler car seat designed for children from about 15 months up to 4 years old (9-18 kg, 100-105 cm tall). Its standout feature is portability: it’s very lightweight (just over 4 kg), foldable, and comes with a water-repellent travel bag and integrated handle, making it ideal for families on the go who need a compact, easy-to-carry option. Installation is simple and quick, using the car's seat belt, and it fits in almost any car, which is great if you switch vehicles often.

Safety-wise, it offers reinforced side impact protection and a 5-point harness with anti-slip shoulder pads, which ensures your child is well-secured and protected during travel. For comfort, the seat has soft, padded fabrics and an adjustable headrest and harness to grow with your child, plus machine-washable covers that are convenient to keep clean.

The main drawback is that it is forward-facing only, so it’s not suitable for younger infants who need rear-facing seats, and its size might feel a bit tight for taller or heavier toddlers approaching the upper limits. If you want a lightweight, travel-friendly seat that balances safety and comfort for toddlers, this is a solid choice, though it’s less suited for everyday use as a permanent car seat in larger vehicles or for extended older children.

The Joie Stages R44 is a versatile car seat designed to grow with your child from birth up to around 7 years old (0-25 kg). It can be used rear-facing up to 18 kg, forward-facing with a harness between 9-18 kg, and then as a belt-positioned booster from 15-25 kg, covering multiple stages and saving you from buying several seats. Safety is a key strength here, thanks to its steel-reinforced shell that adds extra protection in case of impact and offers long-lasting durability. The seat uses a 5-point harness system for secure restraint.

Installation is done via a seatbelt, making it compatible with many older cars that don’t support ISOFIX, although this might require more care to get it tight and secure compared to ISOFIX models. Comfort and adjustability are well considered with a multi-height headrest and harness that you can adjust easily with one hand, even when the seat is installed. There are also four recline positions to ensure your child stays comfortable whether rear or forward-facing.

The seat is a bit on the heavier side at nearly 9 kg, which could make moving it between cars less convenient. Its size is fairly standard for a convertible seat but make sure it fits well in your vehicle, especially if space is tight. The Joie Stages R44 represents a solid all-in-one choice for parents seeking a seat to accommodate multiple growth stages, emphasizing safety and adaptability, though installation with a seatbelt might be less straightforward compared to some newer ISOFIX models.