6 of the best rear- and forward-facing car seats to buy now, reviewed by parents

It's a tricky decision, but choosing the best convertible car seat for your child is one of the most important decisions any parent or guardian can make. To help make the task much easier, we've tested out all the top seats on the market — here's our tried and tested guide. 

Looking for a convertible car seat? This type of car seat essentially 'grows' with your child, converting from rear-facing baby seats to forward-facing suits, suitable for toddlers and older children. 

If you've got a newborn on your hands, or toddler, it's important to note that car seats are grouped into strict categories according to the various stages of a child's development. To choose the best car seat for your child, you'll need to look at the options in the relevant category according to their age, weight, or height. So, for example, you might pick a rear-facing car seat for a newborn baby, followed by a forward-facing toddler car seat, and, finally, a high-backed booster seat for an older child. 

But that's where convertible car seats come in. They fit into more than one car seat group so instead of forking out for multiple seats over the years, you can buy one seat and adjust it as your child grows, saving money in the long run — which is always a win. 

Just note: some convertible car seats can be used from birth right up until your child is 12 years old, while others cater for shorter periods of time, such as from birth to four years. 

In this guide, we have reviewed six of the best convertible car seats including some that can be used until your child turns 12 and some that rotate 360º to make onboarding and offboarding easier than before. Plus, we've included a selection of the best convertible car seats with options for all budgets, from just under £150 to almost £500. So there's something for everyone. 

CURATED BY

CURATED BY

Heidi Scrimgeour

An established parenting and lifestyle journalist who has spent 16 years writing about all aspects of family life, Heid is an expert in the best gear to buy for your family - as well as what not to waste your money on. She is a mum of three and Deputy Editor of Goodto where she oversees consumer content including buying guides, shopping edits, and product reviews. 

The quick list

In a hurry to find out which is the best convertible car seat to buy? Here's a brief overview of the car seats we reviewed for this buying guide, along with quick links so you can jump straight to all the details about any particular seat.

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The best convertible car seats we recommend in 2023

The best convertible car seat overall

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Well-priced and long-lasting, the Ickle Bubba Radial Group 0+/1/2 360 Spin Isofix Car Seat from affordable baby brand Ickle Bubba is designed to last from birth to seven years. Its main selling point is that it allows babies to sit in the safest rear-facing seat position until they weigh 13kg, which is around 15 months.

It's easy to install in a vehicle with ISOFIX anchor points (which most modern cars have as standard) and has visual indicators to ensure it's safely fitted in your vehicle before you set off. 

This convertible car seat comes with an integrated base (included in the price) that rotates 360 degrees so that you can pop your baby in and out of the seat with greater ease compared to seats that are fixed in position. 

Our parent reviewer, Katy Islip put it to the test with her daughter Beatrice, who was 17 weeks old at the time. Katy loves how easy this car seat is to use and install, as well as the fact that it's such good value for money. She told us she’d highly recommend it to other parents based on its 'overall ease of use and product longevity'. 

Katy also liked the fact that the longevity the car seat offers is more environmentally friendly than buying new car seats every couple of years. 'The Radial car seat is smart looking, simple to use, and - based on how well my baby has travelled and slept in it -  it's also comfortable for her as well as safe,' she told us.

'With the cost of parenthood ever-rising, the fact the seat should see my baby through to mid-childhood is great, and also makes me feel like we're contributing less to the piles of single-use baby items that inevitably stack up.'

• Read our full Ickle Bubba Radial Group 0+/1/2 360 Spin Isofix Car Seat review

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The best premium convertible car seat

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If you’re looking for a high-quality, easy-to-use, and attractive car seat that will last your baby from birth to 12 years old, a fantastic option is the Motion All Size 360 from trusted British nursery brand Silver Cross. As well as its longevity, the car seat has plenty of selling points from its safety credentials to its luxurious anti-bacterial bamboo fabric. Impressively, it’s the first R129-approved 360 rotating all-stages car seat on the market. 

A 360-degree swivel makes installing kids in the seat easy, while an extended rearward-facing mode and a side protection system add an extra element of safety. There are also eight headrests and three recline positions to keep kids extra comfy in their seats as they grow, with easy-to-remove inserts and a stowaway harness helping you adapt the seat for your child’s age. 

Our parent reviewer, Grace Holliday, put the seat to the test alongside her nine-month-old daughter and was impressed by its ease of use, 360-degree spin, and the high-quality materials used. She also loved how comfortable her daughter found it compared to other car seats. 

'The Motion All Size 360 is a 360-spin convertible car seat suitable from birth right up to 12 years, with bamboo fabric and ventilation for all-year use,' she explained. 

'In several weeks of daily use, my daughter never complained when putting her in or out of the seat, or when tightening the straps. She also never had a tantrum, even on longer journeys, and fell asleep twice, which was almost unthinkable in her very first car seat. As such I would highly recommend the Silver Cross 360, particularly as it has the potential to last up to 12 years old.'

• Read our full Silver Cross Motion All Size 360 car seat review

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The best budget car seat

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A fantastic budget option for parents who only want to buy one seat to last their child 12 years, the SlimFit Combination Car Seat from trusted baby brand Graco is easy to adapt as your child grows.

Packed with safety features such as TrueShield side impact protection technology, a steel reinforced frame, and energy-absorbing EPS foam, it can be used in rearward-facing mode, forward-facing mode, and as a high-backed booster as your child grows. It keeps little ones comfy too, thanks to padded inserts, a four-position seat recline, a 10-position headrest, and a removable cup holder.

Tannice Hemming, on our parent testing panel, put the seat through its paces with her kids Rousseau, four, and Ares, 21 months, and was pleasantly surprised by just how many features the car seat offered, and how easy it was to use, especially considering its bargain price tag.

'The SlimFit Combination Car Seat is an attractive and comfortable, versatile, convertible car seat that can be used from birth to 12 years,' she told us. 'This is a versatile budget option - you could buy this and never have to buy another seat again, which makes it an absolute bargain.'

Our tester told us she'd recommend this seat to someone who needs a convertible seat for any reason (multiple children to care for, perhaps), who wants the ability to use the seat in a variety of different vehicles, and who also wants comfort and good design, without a huge outlay.

'The combination of it being versatile, having such an amazing longevity, and the design being so comfortable and nice-looking makes this a brilliant convertible car seat to choose.'

• Read our full Graco Slimfit All-in-One Convertible car seat review

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The best car seat for newborns

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Driving with babies or toddlers can be nerve-wracking, so if you want to invest in a car seat and brand that’s gone above and beyond when it comes to safety features, go for the iZi Turn B i-Size from BeSafe. The rotating car seat, which caters for the first four years of life, is packed with safety features to put your mind at ease.

Just a few of its safety features include a Baby Shell to offer a high level of protection from birth, built-in side impact protection in the seat shell, and a soft headrest with the brand’s Dynamic Force Absorber, which functions like a trampoline to give advanced protection in a side impact. 

There’s also Baby-Secure Swivel technology, which ensures babies will always travel rear-facing to avoid accidentally turning them forward-facing too early. Plus, the fact it rotates is gentle on parents’ already aching backs. Little ones will be supremely comfy too, thanks to a list of impressive features such as four recline options, a 10-step adjustable headrest, and a ventilation system.

We asked Katie Dancey-Downs, one of our parent testers, to try out the iZi Turn B i-Size with Auden, aged two and a half. Katie loved the seat’s safety features, stylish appearance, and ease of use.

'This car seat feels incredibly safe and secure, and the rotation system makes life a lot easier,' she told us. 'It's got a high price point, but the quality feels very high. Safety is arguably the most important aspect of a car seat, and it's rightly the main focus of this product. But BeSafe hasn't forgotten about style or comfort.'

• Read our full BeSafe iZi Turn B i-Size car seat review

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The best car seat for design appeal

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This convertible car seat is suitable from birth right the way up until your child weighs 36kg, which is around 12 years old. You can use it rearward-facing until your child weighs 18kg (around four years old) and then turn it around and use it as a forward-facing seat until your child is old enough - or tall enough - to use the vehicle seat belt instead and no longer requires a car seaat.

This is another rotating seat, so it's easy to get little ones in and out. You can secure it in your car using ISOFIX anchorage points but if your vehicle doesn't have these, you can opt to install it using the car's seat belt instead. 

The Cosatto All In All Rotate 360 has flip-out side impact protection wings and an anti-escape system, plus multiple recline settings, and it's easy to adjust. The seat fabric is made using recycled bottles, and a standout feature is the anti-escape system; this is really useful for a wriggly little one who loves trying to shuffle out of car seat straps.

Understandably, not everybody wants a combination seat that can be used across different age categories, but there's no denying that they offer good value for money since you won't need to keep buying the next stage seat as your child grows. The rotating design and the eco element of this seat also add extra appeal and real value.

We asked Emma Goodall to put this seat to the test for Goodto, along with her son Charlie, who was nine months old at the time. 

'This is an amazingly adaptable and flexible seat,' she told us. 'Knowing I only need this one seat all the way up until my child is 12 years old gave me peace of mind. Moving it between my car and my husband's van was also straightforward, and I knew this seat would adapt to suit my life rather than having to plan my choices around a car seat. The design is so fun and my son will love it even more as he grows.'

• Read our full BeSafe iZi Turn B i-Size car seat review

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The best car seat for long term use

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If you're looking for the ultimate convertible car seat that you can use from the day your baby is born right up until they no longer need a car seat, we think this is the one to go for.

Not only is an extended rear-facing seat that allows you to keep your child in the safest rear-facing position until they're four years old - much older than most convertible car seats - but it also has a 360º rotating base that you can actually operate with one hand, making it so much easier to onboard and disembark your child.

And if you have any hesitation about using the same car seat for 12 years, not that this one is i-Size certified and compliant with ECE R129 - the very latest regulations that apply to car seat safety - so we think it's highly likely to stand the test of time.

One of the downsides of convertible car seats is that they go through a great deal of adjustment to ensure a safe and comfortable fit for a growing child - in this case, from birth all the way up to 12 years. If you choose a seat that turns out to be fiddly to adjust, it can feel like a false economy. There's little point spending a lot on a seat that you know is going to need constant adjusting over the years, only to discover that it's fiddly to do so. 

None of that is an issue with the Joie i-Spin XL car seat though - the headrest has 14 different height settings and when you change the setting, the harness automatically adjusts. Forget re-threading straps every time you want to tweak this seat - it's all taken care of. 

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How we tested these car seats

Our Consumer Editor shortlisted her pick of the best car seats, all suitable from birth, based on her research and industry knowledge. She arranged for parents from our pool of reviewers to take delivery of each car seat and asked them to put them to the test. 

Our parent testers were chosen according to their babies' ages so that we could get a sense of the best convertible car seat for different stages of development. We asked the testers to install the car seats in their vehicles and use them extensively with their babies over a period of several weeks in a variety of different circumstances, including both short journeys and long car trips. The testers were asked to complete a standardised review survey and consider a range of specific factors including comfort, design, value for money, and safety features. Based on their comprehensive testing and feedback, this is our roundup of the best convertible car seats to help you choose the right product for your needs.

How to choose

We spoke to Sarah Evans from BeSafe Regional Sales and Training, to find out what parents should look for when buying a convertible car seat.

'The main benefit to the consumer of a multi-stage child car seat is that it removes the need to buy multiple seats for your child,' she explained. 

'One seat can cover many different age groups, for example, baby and toddler - from birth to four years, or from baby to a child of up to 12 years. This can also in some cases be more cost-effective. This may appeal to grandparents or someone who may be travelling with the child in the car less frequently.

'Extended rearward-facing travel is proven to be the safest way for your child to travel and seats that are suitable from birth legally in the UK need to be rearward facing until the baby is a minimum of 15 months of age.

'If you are considering a multi-stage seat it is worth checking it rotates forward-facing for when your child is 15 months old, if turning them forward-facing is your preference.

'Multi-stage seats used from birth should always be supplied with extra inserts such as a baby shell and additional padding and support specifically designed to suit the size and shape of a newborn. As your baby grows these are removed to expose a larger seating area suitable for your growing child.

'Child car seats designed for one particular age group will have been designed specifically to help protect a child of that height and weight range. 

“Consumers should be aware, however that when buying a multi-stage, multi-functional seat - for example from birth to 12 years - it is likely some compromises may have been made to accommodate such a wide age range as it is very difficult to meet the ultimate safety requirements of both a newborn and a 12-year-old in the same seat.  

'I’d advise the consumer to do their research and if possible visit a reputable child car seat retailer so you are confident you are buying the safest possible seat for your child.'

Which convertible car seat should I buy?

The best convertible car seat for you depends on your child’s age, your lifestyle, and how many children will be using the seat. Buying a more expensive seat is a bigger outlay at the beginning, but when you consider that convertible car seats can often be used for as long as your child needs one, higher prices for more premium features may well be worth it, especially if you divide the cost per year of use. 

You may want to invest a bit more for a seat that rotates to save your back from years of strain. If you’re buying a car seat for older children, you might have different priorities such as how easy it is to adjust as they grow, how comfortable it is, or how easy it is to keep clean. 

Convertible car seats can be heavy so if you often move the seat from car to car - for example, if grandparents often do the school run - then choose a lighter model 

Can convertible car seats be used for newborns?

Yes, you can use a convertible car seat for a newborn if it's designed for use from birth, and installed in your car in a rear-facing position. Not all convertible car seats are designed for newborns, but those that are usually come with inserts to give newborn babies extra support. 

Is a rotating car seat worth it?

Good question. Like all other car seats, a rotating car seat puts the safety of your child first. However, as it's the name suggests, a rotating car seat also rotates so you can easily onboard and disembark your little one, making it easier to get your baby or todder in and out of the car. 

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