When facing forwards, an adjustable impact shield reduces the risk of shoulder injuries during a collision. If you have plenty of space in your vehicle and wish to keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible, this seat, which rotates 360° is a worthwhile buy.
Tested by Aisling Alsopp, 28, mum to Monty, four months. She says:
“This looks really swish, it’s easy to install, and has a very good recline angle for naps. Monty looked very cosy! However, the rotating function was redundant in our Golf as there wasn’t enough space behind the driver’s seat to rotate the car seat. The straps didn’t tighten as well as other models either.”
Tested by Laura Allen, 36, mum to Riley, 15 months. She says:
“I love the padded, comfy seat and magnetic holders that keep the straps out of the way, and the fact that you only have one button to press to rotate this seat – which makes it really quick and easy to use. It’s fiddly to remove from the vehicle, though, and the headrest was tricky to adjust while Riley was in the seat.”
Tested by Dawn Geddes, 35, mum to Beth, three years. She says:
“This is a really comfortable and attractive seat. It was quite tricky to install, but car seats are about safety, not convenience, so I think the additional safety features on this one make it well worth the hassle of a slightly fiddly installation. Beth seemed comfortable in this seat, especially facing rearwards, and even fell asleep in it, which is unheard of!”
This is a ‘rear-facing-for-longer’ model that can be used from birth as a rear-facing car seat and then rear or forward-facing for the Group 1 phase. The innovative swivel function lets you turn the seat to the side, making it easy to get your child into the car – a brilliant idea in theory, but in reality the mechanism didn’t work that well.
The innovative and brilliant notion of a swivel function to get your baby in and out of the car is great in theory, but not if the design is not up to scratch. The car seat randomly gets stuck when you try to swivel it and is temperamental on the whole.
There isn’t much room in the seat either and even small babies look cramped. The harness is difficult to pull through and tighten and older children might not enjoy having a cushion across them. It is bulky but smart looking.
2015 – Car Seat Group 0+ Award!
The Sirona by Cybex is a fantastic car seat! It is well-designed, robust, adjustable and comes with a swivel feature that makes installation a breeze. The fabric is good quality – soft, stylish and durable, and the chair is comfortable. It is, however, ISOFIX-only, which is great – unless you don’t have an ISOFIX attachment system. It is also quite heavy and would be taxing to move in and out of a car on a regular basis but its weight does add to the seat’s safety factor, giving it a good, solid feel. Instead of a five-point harness, the chair uses a safety cushion to protect little ones, so no need for straps – whether this could incite bad habits for seat-belt wearing later on could be a potential concern with this safety system.
And a heads up re the instruction manual; it’s tucked away in the back of the chair (to save you unecessary searching). It is an expensive product but the quality and build of the seat is evident immediately and feels incredibly safe – it’s worth every penny.
2014 – Shortlisted for 'Best Specialist Car Seat' Award!
The Cybex Sirona is a great car seat with loads of features. It lasts from birth until 4 years and has both forward and extended rear-facing functionality. The seat cover can be removed for washing and with the ISOFIX, the seat is easy to install but it is heavy, which can complicate the fitting process somewhat. It’s also not easily transferable.
The seat’s primary feature is its swivel mechanism, which is great – just remember that the seat must be locked in an upright position before any sort of swivelling can take place. The front bolster is a good safety idea but there are children who won't like it, and are likely to argue the point when you try to put them in the seat.
Overall, it’s good quality – safe, sturdy and comfortable. It is expensive but if you can stretch your budget, the Sirona is a great option.
Product Information
Cybex Sirona Car Seat
ISOFIX: Yes