Our articles “What type of car seat do you need?” and “Why is it safer with a rear-facing car seat?” have hopefully given you more clarity into why it is important with quality tests such as Plus Test and rear-facing travel. Once this understanding is in place, it is time to move on in the process. Before you buy a car seat, it can be a good idea to ask yourself questions such as; which car seat is compatible with my car and what are the different installation options?
Installation options
There are two installation options: ISOFIX and seat belt attachment.
ISOFIX is a connection system for car seats that is internationally standardised and is in principle found in all cars manufactured after 2006. Seat belt attachment means the installation instead is using the car's own three-point seat belt. Here, it is good to review what your car’s opportunities are.
From a safety point of view, it makes no difference if your child’s car seat is installed with ISOFIX or by seat belt attachment. However, an ISOFIX installation is generally simpler and reduces the risk of installation errors. Some seat belt attached car seats today have smart functions to facilitate installation, including self-tightening tether straps. Over 50% of all car seats are to some extent installed incorrectly, so make sure to choose a car seat that makes installation easy and smooth.
How do I know if the car seat fits in my car?
If you are unsure whether the car seat fits in your car, several of the car seat manufacturers have “Vehicle Lists” to give you the best possible guidance through your purchase. It is also good to remember that different spots in the car may be compatible for different types of car seats. The same car can, for example, be compatible with both ISOFIX and seat belt attached car seats in different spots in the car. This means if you have several children, you can advantageously combine seat belt attached car seats and ISOFIX car seats.
Read more about the choice of car seat and the importance of a rear-facing car seat, in our car seat guide, which you will find in Articles and Tools.