Maxi-Cosi, the UK’s biggest child car seat manufacturer, has launched the first child car seat in Europe that complies with the new, safer i-Size regulations.
The i-Size regulations, introduced by the European Union in July 2013, are designed to provide children with additional protection and safety in the car; Maxi-Cosi has been involved in the development of the legislation.
i-Size does not replace the existing ECE R44/04 legislation, but will run alongside it. The key differences are increased support for the child’s head and neck and better protection in the event of both frontal and side-impact. The seat’s five-point harness ensures that the child stays in the seat even in a roll-over accident.
i-Size also helps parents choose the right seat more easily by classifying seats by the child’s length/height rather than weight. It can be used in most cars that have IsoFix fittings, which have been standard in the majority of cars since 2007, and which make the seat easy to install correctly. The legislation also states that the child must travel rearward-facing up to a minimum of 15 months old.
Andrew Ratcliffe, managing director of Dorel UK, which owns Maxi-Cosi, says: “The Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl is the first car seat in Europe to comply with the new i-Size regulations. It’s a step forward in safety for children travelling in cars and will become the benchmark for the future development of child car seats.”
The two seats are not even comparable. Simply the cybex is not an i-Size seat, this means that it has been tested the old ECER4404 regulation. The 2way Pearl has been tested/homologated to the new i-Size regulation. Higher impact pulses in testing with the introduction of side impact testing including door intrusion replication, reduction in the gforce that the child/baby is allowed to feel inside the car seat. An i-Size car seat will fit any i-Size car without the need for a compatibility list. Introduction of a roll over test and the introduction of a new Q0 dummy which is the most difficult size class of dummy to protect during testing. None of the above is included in ECER4404. In an i-Size product the child has to remain rearward facing until 15 months old by law.
Hope this helps!
Ryan Leeds
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As this is all new in the world of I-Size can someone who knows explain the difference between the Cybex Sirona which is also a seat that fits a child up to the age of 4, rear facing. With the option to face farward if required. It seems to have all the same features as the 2way Pearl.
Stuart Rochdale
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