Axkid Minikid 4 review

When it comes to car seats for babies, we do everything we can as a parent to make sure we choose the safest ones, and with the Axkid Minikid 4, the worry really is taken away.

A robust yet stylish-looking car seat, the Axkid Minikid 4 offers a whole new advantage to rear-facing, by allowing children up to the age of seven to comfortably sit in the rear-facing car seat thanks to its extra legroom.

I tested the Minikid 4 with my two-year-old daughter to see how reliable it was as a secure car seat without ISOFIX and how comfortable it was for her.

Testing the Axkid Minikid 4

Design

The style of the Minikid 4 is wonderful. It looks stylish, which isn't an important aspect but it does add to the car seat design. I loved how much room there was for my daughter's legs too. She's only two, but is quite tall for her age and she had plenty of room for her legs to relax, and even to cross them comfortably.

In regards to the design of the safety features, I found it incredibly clever that the seat belt attachment goes through the car seat, and secures under a zipped-up pouch. This meant there was no awkward seatbelt hovering over my daughters lap, limiting her leg movement.

The headrest also has an automatic function that adjusts it to the correct height, which you can also lock into place. It also comes with a side impact shell, which you can take off depending on which side of the car your child is on, meaning it is less bulky, as it doesn't have two built into the seat.

Usability

I've never found it easy to install a car seat, there's always something fiddly that doesn't quite go where you need it to. But with the Minikid 4, all I can say is wow. The instructions are all on an app, which it walks you through step by step with clear descriptions and an animated video.

The app shows how many steps there are, how long it takes to set up and how many people are required to set the car seat. You can repeat steps, or go back if you've missed something too. It also gives instructions for installing the car seat in the front passenger seat too, to ensure this is done safely.

I found it incredibly easy to follow the instructions, and fitting the seat into the car was easy to do. The only problem some people might find is that the car seat is heavy, and they might struggle to reach down to attach the buckles at the bottom of the chair.

As well as the app being easy to use and the installation being easy, I found the car seat itself was easy to use. It has an automatic, adjusted headrest that positions itself correctly to your child's head height, and the straps were easy to secure too.

Performance

The main thing you need a car seat to do is to keep your child secured and safe while you're travelling, with complete reassurance that should you be in a car accident, your child will be safe. I've had car seats before where I haven't felt that reassurance because it wobbled ever so slightly, or it didn't feel padded enough around the sides of my children's heads. But genuinely, I didn't have any worry that this car seat wouldn't perform.

Once I'd followed all the instructions and secured the car seat, no matter how much I tried to move it, it just didn't move. It was really reassuring to know that it was extremely secure, even without ISOFIX.

The car seat also has four recline positions, so that your toddler can comfortably lay back if they need to or you can have them sat more upright. My daughter didn't complain or arch her back trying to stretch, which she normally does after half an hour in the seat. She looked comfortable and the material of the car seat is also incredibly soft, so I know it didn't irritate her either.

Final verdict

I thought the Axkid Minikid 4 car seat was brilliant. It was incredibly easy to install thanks to the efficient app and I loved that it didn't require ISOFIX either. The safety features give huge peace of mind knowing that your child is safe and secure too. Personally, I thought how the seatbelt attaches to the car seat was genius!

The only downside to the Minikid 4, as mentioned, is that it's really heavy and bulky to move. When in the car, it doesn't look bulky and the weight of it doesn't matter, as it adds to its safety, but if you're planning to move it between cars, I would note it probably wouldn't be the easiest to carry.

Another potential problem I found was, as it's not a rotating car seat, it's not always easy trying to fasten an upset toddler in at this angle. Again, this isn't a huge issue as it's not all the time, and it's not really easy trying to fasten an upset toddler in when the car seat can be rotated anyway.

However, overall I think the Axkid Minikid 4 exceeds safety expectations for a car seat, without having to compromise on the child's comfort or the style of the car seat. I would definitely recommend this as a car seat for two-year-olds and older.

Samantha Ballis a Commercial Content Writer and freelanced for the Mother&Baby website for two years before joining the team full-time. She's a mum of two and loves browsing for the best products and cute outfits.