Cybex Solution G i-Fix car seat

Priced amongst the mid-range high-backed booster car seats, the Cybex solution G i-Fix offers sleek style, with ease of use and the added bonus of flexibility. The reclinable headrest and back is a selling point, with three positions that help with the head flop scenario, keeping your child's head and neck protected even when they doze off. With rear facing seats being a safer option for younger children, some parents may search for a seat that can be both rear and forward facing, but for those looking for a front facing stage 3 car seat, the Cybex comes with a safety rating of 1.7 (GOOD) in ADAC Testing.

Our tester Gemma tried out the Cybex Solution G i-Fix with her four year old son. Here's what she thought.

Testing the Cybex Solution G i-fix car seat

We tested this seat on our four year old son who transferred from his stage 0+/1 car seat and our seven year old son also travelled a short distance using it. Upon hearing that the car seat reclined both boys were very excited to see the product, with the eldest trying to persuade his sibling that he should be the one to have it (our eldest is a prolific forward slouched sleeper in seats)! This feature was a nice USP, as we are hopeful that our son will be more comfortable on longer journeys and having gone from a reclining bucket-style seat, it is nice to be able to continue this option.

The lower recline function tilts the child’s position back, which was simple to do, even with our son sat in it. Our son prefers to sit in the reclined position which may reflect the feel of his previous 360 car seat. So far, we have had no episodes of his head flopping forward during a nap, (although we have yet to have him fall into a deep sleep on a longer journey) and the reclining head position is another option for added comfort but must be decided beforehand unless stopping or there is a fellow passenger in the back that could alter this whilst on the move.

The seat comes fully assembled so was ready to use upon taking it out of the packaging. There wasn’t much packaging which is more sustainable from an environmental point of view, and it was all recyclable too. The seat was very flexible, both in the upright body and wings, and lightweight to carry. The splash of orange in the design was a nice touch of colour on the grey material. Installing the seat was quick and simple with Isofix, taking a matter of seconds to install into the car. Because of its flexibility, the seat moulded into the car’s seats much better than our elder son’s car seat, leaving less gap between the two.

However, a downside to this flexibility, is that our son could lean forward further than in our other seat. Whist he was happy that he could reach the play button on his DVD player, I did feel that this could give potential to annoy front passengers and I would tell him to sit back so that he was back with side protection. Unlike some other brands, this seat does not have built in cup holders, so having the added flexibility could prove useful for reaching drinks from elsewhere. You can also buy a cupholder for an additional £29.95 but we wouldn’t look into this option as the children can easily reach their water bottles in the spaces provided in the car.

The Cybex G Solution has a lower and narrower base with shorter arm rests than our other car seat. This didn’t seem to bother our children, and our son was able to climb in easily but also started buckling himself in with ease. Like any car seat it is important to ensure the head rest is positioned at the correct height for the child. It was obvious when it was set too high as the gaps was clear around the head rest but also the wings, which provide plenty of room.

When buckling the seatbelt, we had mixed experiences. On occasion, when in a rush, due to the flexibility the back rest would move slightly forward my son would tell me that the seat belt was near to his neck, another reason to make sure the head rest is fitted to the correct height. The dimensions of the base meant that this was easy to adjust, we could reach the buckle and reach around to unclip.

We tested this seat in our BMW X1 and our Nissan X Trail and found that the buckle would sometimes get caught under the seat base in the BMW, needing to be popped out so we could get the belt in. However, we've had no such issues in the X trail so this could be the design of the car rather than the seat itself that contributes to this issue.

With the base being shorter, I do wonder if my son’s legs would be uncomfortable on longer journeys, particularly as he continues to grow, and dangle over the edge. Having said this, we have had no complaints so far about this from either child. The wide wings gave our son plenty of room, more space than his sibling’s seat and he has plenty of freedom to move. The head rest is narrower and whist our 4yr old is happy and makes them snug when relaxing or taking a nap (so no head lolling), our 7yr old found this less to his liking. As you can see from the photo below, the sleeker head rest did improve rear view vision for the driver.

When having to squeeze another person in the back, the wings look as though they would hinder this due to their width, however due to their flexibility and removal of Linear Side Protection, this makes it more comfortable than a rigid seat would, allowing the middle passenger some wiggle room. I did have to look at how to remove the LSP as you have to take the cover off the side panel to access the catch on the inner panel, which wasn’t obvious (without reading the instructions).

Although we haven’t had extreme heat, my son has seemed to be comfortable in the car seat and has not felt hot when helped out of the car.

Final thoughts

Cheaper versions have built in cup holders or padding for seat belt, but this was not a game changer for us and it is competitively priced amongst rival brand’s mid-range options.

We would recommend the Cybex as a good all-rounder for a transition into high backed booster, offering good safety features, ease of use and transport, with the smart recline -  great for all children, but maybe more so for those who already enjoy this feature in their earlier stage car seat to continue those comfy naps!