Nuna TRES lx car seat review

The Nuna TRES lx car seat at a glance:

TRES lx seamlessly follows the transition of your child from toddler to big kid. This all-in-one, i-Size car seat is in it for the long haul, packed with pluses like side impact protection, adjustable headrest, expanding shoulder width, and harness storage. It goes from cradling your napping newborn to supporting your independent tween. In what feels like the blink of an eye.

We spoke to these real parent testers to get their review...

How did this product make your life easier?

Lizzy: My son found the seat comfortable and he was very happy to sit in it. I like that you can change the angle of the seat to suit the child depending on age, he seemed very happy to be sitting slightly further forward than in his previous car seat meaning he could see out of the window more easily. It certainly kept him happier for longer which is brilliant when you have a toddler who isn’t keen on car journeys! The car seat adjusts height etc very easily, meaning we could make it the perfect fit for him with ease and the whole seat feels very sturdy and safe. This product spans such a huge age range that it would be ideal if you were looking from a car seat from birth, all the way up to an older child. It would also be great for grandkids in this respect, as multiple children of multiple ages could use it.

Margo: This product makes my life easier as a mum as it grows with my child and means I don't have to keep buying different seats as they get older. It has plenty of space and fits well in all types of cars so can easily be transferred between family cars if they are looking after the child. I also like the safety features of the car seat.

Harriet: Being a mum is very expensive, constantly having to buy new items/products as your baby grows. Having this product that goes from birth to approximately 12 years old, and grows with your child, is such a brilliant idea, saving both money and stress over the years as your child out-grows each car seat you buy.

Would you recommend this to other parents?

Ellie: Overall I would recommend this product to certain friends, particularly ones who I know are looking for a good quality brand and premium finishes and fabrics, but who are also wanting to save money by only having one car seat. Its design and look is overall very polished and is super comfortable for baby and the car seat as a whole is really sturdy and well made. I definitely felt confident and safe with my daughter in it so I would happily recommend it from a safety and quality point of view. Where I feel the car seat is really well made and put together though, I feel it lacks really crucial features so I think it is suitable for some mums but not all. For £300 though I do think it's excellent value for money because it's a one-off payment for a car seat that will last years. I would recommend it to a friend who worked as a child-minder who would find the broad age range useful and has different children in and out of the car.

Sophie: Yes. There are so many great aspects to this car seat and it’s clear to see that attention to detail has been paid throughout, with safety clearly in mind for every stage of its use. Positives include: Being suitable up to 12 years so grows with your child and so there's a cost-saving to be made there. Extremely comfortable - memory foam padding which also absorbs energy, thereby reducing the force of any impact. Side impact protection which was easy to install. Lots of attention to detail, such as the magnetic clip holders which I think is a genius idea. Can be secured via a seat belt or Isofix base. Numerous recline options, front and rear-facing. Easy to adjust one-handed.

Lizzy: Overall I would, yes. This is because of the versatility of the age range and brilliant safety aspects. I think it would suit someone pregnant and looking for a first car seat. It would save a lot of money down the line as it will adapt with the child, ranging from newborn all the way to age 12. Once it is secured in the car you could leave it in position meaning you don’t have to worry that it is fitted correctly every time you go out. It also feels very padded and I imagine a newborn would be very comfortable in the seat with the added insert. The side impact protection was very easy to add to the seat also. My favourite thing about this car seat is the fact that the child can be rearward facing up to roughly 4 years old, which is a very important factor to me when choosing a car seat. If the parent were happy to use the car seat with a seat belt rather than Isofix then it would suit them very well. I would recommend it to other parents who have never had a seat that swivels so they don’t feel they are missing out on this feature. It would be a brilliant choice of car seat for someone wanting a seat to last a long time. The seat seems as though it was built with both comfort and safety in mind. It is very padded and the materials are of good quality. I would also recommend this car seat to grandparents who may sometimes look after children of different ages, as it could be used for them all. Childminders may also love this car seat for the same reason.

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

Lizzy: No. Although I really liked some aspects of this seat, it is lacking some features that I would desire from a car seat so I wouldn’t choose it over all others on the market. I think it is great if you want one car seat to last all the way through from newborn to child however I think it could have been designed a little better when it comes to ease of use. The main reasons I would choose a different seat are the lack of swivel on the base, and not being able to use the Isofix function when extended rearward facing. At this price range, I feel there are other car seats on the market that have the same safety features as this seat but that are also a little more user friendly.

Nikki: I would choose this above other products on the market because of the longevity of it - this is not only cost-effective but also carries eco and sustainability credentials which are really important to me. Another important point for me is the ease of washing and the covers on this seat are really easy to remove.

Pip: It just seems really well made. The magnetic seatbelt holders are a real added bonus and the easy buckle is easy to get them in and out. The collision side inserts are a nice touch however you could lose them ou have to get them out each time do there is nowhere to put them and could easily be misplaced or left on the top of the car.

What changes would you make to this product?

Abbie: The swivel aspect would be most important to me. This may not be something that can be changed but I do feel with the other seats on the market this one lacks ease of use. I'm not sure I truly understood how important this feature is to me until using this seat and I'm not sure it's something I can compromise on.

Rosalie: An option to carry the car seat for when the baby is little would be beneficial and a chair that swivels makes it easier. It's possible that I would find this the best option for slightly older children though, from three years onwards. For right now, with a toddler, this car seat is not the best option for me.

Lizzy: Firstly, I would like it to swivel. Since using a car seat that swivels, I have found it difficult to transition back to a seat that doesn’t have this capability. When you are fighting a kicking toddler into a car seat it is even more difficult to do when they aren’t facing you. I didn’t realise this feature was so important to me until I used this seat and struggled with the angle. I would also want to use the Isofix base rearward facing. Isofix is such a great safety aspect and extended rearward facing is very important to me so I thought it was a shame I couldn’t use the Isofix for my son when rearward. I ended up having him front facing with this car seat as I have never used a seat belt with a car seat before and felt uneasy doing so. He really enjoyed facing forwards but I felt the benefits of this didn’t outweigh the risks.

The rubber on the straps is great for keeping them in place, however, they somehow seemed too sticky and would get stuck to my son's hair and then pull it whilst I was trying to adjust them, causing him to get quite upset. This hasn’t happened with other car seats we have used as they have had slightly less grip, a good thing in this case. I also found the straps to be extremely difficult to tighten as I couldn’t get much grip on the pull cord at the awkward angle when he was in the seat. I like to extend the straps to get him in each time as this makes it a lot easier, however, then it was very difficult to pull them tight again each time. The button to loosen the straps is also a little hidden making it a bit more tricky to loosen them easily. I would prefer if the button were more difficult to push to keep the child safe, however in a better position to make it easier for the parent to get to quickly.

Natalie: If we could change one thing on the Nuna Tres LX car seat it would be to have the swivel base. Going from a seat that swivels, to a seat that doesn't was actually quite challenging, especially when you're trying to get a wriggling toddler in the car sideways kicking and screaming. We would prefer a rear Isofix fitting too.

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