Joie Bold Group 1/2/3 car seat review

When looking for the best car seat, you may be considering longevity as a cost-effective bonus. The Joie Bold car seat is three seats in one and will see your little one through from 9 months to 12-years-old. When your child is in the Group 1 size range the seat uses a five-point harness, but once they’re big enough to be in Group 2 and 3 it works as a belted booster. Side impact protection and Guard Surround Safety provide protection for the whole body. For ease of use, all these headrest and recline positions can be achieved using only one hand. For your child’s comfort on the move there’s ventilation on the sides of the shell, plus a cup holder attaches on the side for a drink when they want it.

Recommended as a car seat for five-year-olds, here's what our testers thought of the Joie Bold Group 1/2/3 car seat.

How did this product make your life easier?

Victoria: The fact that this car seat converts from a 3 point harness seat into a high back booster with ease is appealing. As a high back booster it is much more solid than other options and having the reassurance that it is secured by the Isofix fittings and the anchor belt give great reassurance as often high back boosters move around when your child gets in and out. It is also great value for money as it will see a child through until they no longer need a car seat/booster.

Sophie: This car seat makes me feel like my children are very secure and safe in their seats making travelling in the car easier as I don’t need to worry about their car seat not being secure. The harness lasting to 25kg is something I’m really impressed with so my children can stay securely in the seat for longer

Charlotte: This car seat makes your life easier as a mum as it is very easy to use. I really like the Joie product range. I feel that they make good quality products and the Bold is no exception. The Isofix base makes it nice and secure and easy to fit in any car. The Isofix arms extend as well which makes fitting it a breeze.

Would you recommend this to other parents?

Susannah: I would recommend it because it is good value for money, easy to use and my child seemed very comfortable in it. When my child.was in it he seemed very comfortable with very few complaints about it, which is always a big reason to recommend something to a fellow mum! It was also very quick and simple to use.

Anna: The seat looks really good quality, it’s attractive and the fabric is soft. The cupholder is a small but welcome feature- having to turn round and pass a child their water bottle from the passenger seat isn’t easy- and if you’re driving then there’s no way to get their drink to them, so having them be able to grab it themselves is brilliant! The side impact sections are a good feature- I’m not sure I’ve seen anything like them before.

Natalie: I would recommend this product to others as the material is very comfy. My little one looked so comfortable sitting in this car seat when going for a little drive. It is not too heavy although any car seat that has an Isofix base is going to be heavier than those that don’t. For me getting Isofix into the bars was easy with some car seats it is not

Would you choose this product above all others on the market?

Amy: I wouldn't choose this over other products because I don't like that it's forward-facing only. We now know that a child is the safest rear-facing for as long as possible, preferably up to even 4 years. It's a great car seat but safety is almost the important thing and I think this car seat ignores the latest safety advice for children, and that's enough for me to think this one shouldn't win.

Charlotte: I think I would choose this product as it’s an all in one seat that grows with the child so would save you buying a few car seats whilst your child is growing up and this is very comfortable.

Hayley: I would definitely choose this product on the market above any others once your child is old enough to sit forward-facing this seat offers different stages which will last you longer for your child which is great for getting use out of your car seat for as long as possible. The product stands out to me because of the design of the ISOFIX and how comfortable the car seat is. The straps are easy to use and the drink holder is great for your little one too. I definitely think this car seat should win.

What changes would you make to this product?

Arianne: The only thing I would really change is the lower age range. I think 9 months is far too young to be front-facing! There have been many studies undertaken on the effect of front-facing on a child's skeletal health! It is detrimental to their hip placement and development if they are front-facing too soon. My little boy is higher on the centiles and at 13 months old is still rear-facing. My 4 yr old is really low on the centiles and he fits in the chair comfortably but there is no way he could have used this seat under 2 years old. I think it should be from 2 years minimum.

Charlotte: I would add a spin feature just as I think they are amazing. It really helps to not be fiddling around trying to get your child in... but at the same time, not everyone wants a spin seat, so if that is the case then this seat is perfect. It’s really comfortable and also comes with a handy cup holder. It’s an every stage car seat so it’s great as they get older too.

Sophie: The forward-facing only aspect or the age it’s used from. Joie has so many car seats that are rear-facing and this being only forward-facing surprised me. I wouldn’t put my children forward-facing under 2 years or longer if they are ok with it. For my older children (age 3 and 5), this is a fantastic seat but for the 1-year-old, I wouldn’t even try her in the car in it.

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