What is ISOFIX?
When buying a car seat you will have an option as to whether you choose an ISOFIX or belted seat and of course one of the first things to look into is whether you have the isofix fitting system in your car. Isofix refers to the two metal bars that are welded directly on to your cars chassis, in some cars they are highly visible and in others they are not.
If you are buying a car seat for a newborn, the ISOFIX base and car seat are usually separate items allowing the car seat the be secured to the base easily with one ‘click’. When you need to take the car seat off the base it can quickly be removed by pressing a button or a lever.
How long will the ISOFIX base last?
This all depends on which car seat and base you have, companies like Maxi-Cosi, BeSafe and Joie have a base that can be used for two different stages of car seat and this system usually lasts until your child is around 18kg. By choosing one of these systems you know exactly which car seat to buy next and can rest assured that your child is super safe they are all great systems.
If you do not have one of these car seats, don’t worry, there are lots of options for next stage car seats when the time comes for your little one. It also means you are not limited to one car seat and you can see what is new on the market as car seats are developing all of the time.
We have two cars; do we need two car seat bases?
For an infant carrier usually not as they are easily transportable and take seconds to move from car to car. The car seat can also be belted in to the car if necessary - however make sure this is done correctly before travelling with your child. Buying two bases really does depend on your situation and if both parents do a lot of travelling with the child in the car where it is not possible to transfer the ISOFIX, then maybe the best option for you is to buy two bases.
How do I know if the ISOFIX base will fit into my car?
As mentioned earlier the first step is to check that you actually have ISOFIX in your car. Sometimes ISOFIX installation is possible at a later date if you don’t have it but please check with your car manufacturer about this.
Secondly check the vehicle fitting list, all car seat manufacturers will have a list of cars that their car seats fit into so you will be able to see the compatibility for the make and model of your car.
We would also always recommend that you visit a specialist store who car physically try the car seat into your car and make sure that it definitely fits. Your will also be able to see the position of your child in the seat and make sure you are happy with how the seat actually fits.
You can find more answers about ISOFIX here.