Tried & Tested
On trial: Silver Cross Motion
A car seat that lasts for 12 years? Tell me more
When it comes to the world of car seats there are so many to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming. Do you want one that grows with your baby? One that swivels? Do you need an ISOFIX? If it’s your first time buying a car seat then we’d recommend heading to your local John Lewis store for advice from our Partners, who can explain some of the legalities and need-to-knows, including:
- Never using a rearward-facing car seat when there’s an active airbag
- Checking the suitability of your car and whether it’s compatible with the seat you’re buying
- Not leaving your baby in a car seat for longer than two hours
What is it?
The Silver Cross Motion All Size 360 is one of the only car seats on the market that has been designed to take you through all the stages of your child’s car-seat life – from newborn to 12 years. The car seat comes with a built-in ISOFIX to ensure it can be securely fastened into your car and it has both rearward and forward-facing modes (babies should face backwards from newborn to 15 months). Better still, it comes with a 360-degree swivel design to give easy access when taking your child in and out of the seat.
Silver Cross has covered the car seat in their signature sustainable fabrics, which are crafted from recycled plastic bottles and easy to clean. It feels like a lot of emphasis has been placed on comfort with this car seat too, from the soft, naturally antibacterial, hypoallergenic bamboo lining, to the three recline positions for a snooze and the eight adjustable headrest positions.
Lastly, for those of us who aren’t overly tech savvy, there’s a really comprehensive Silver Cross car safety app that’s free to download and gives a step-by-step video tutorial on how to install the seat into your car.
The metrics that matter
ComfortI’m not joking when I say this seat looks so comfy I want to climb into it myself. There’s additional padding for a newborn, another layer for a toddler, and for a tween the headrest and supporting sides are super soft. Plus the three reclining positions make it look so good to sleep in.
Long-lastingThe car seat not only comes with a three-year guarantee, but it can also be used from birth until your child is 12 years old. Impressively long-lasting in my eyes. Plus, Silver Cross is the first car-seat brand to offer customers a recycling service, meaning they’ll take away an old seat (or this one in 12 years when you’re finished with it) free of charge and ensure every part of it is recycled and used in other products. Genius.
Value for moneyThe car seat costs £399, and if you divide that between the 12 years you can use it for, the price comes out at £33.33 a year – great value for such a safe, stylish seat.
Why do you need it?
In the UK, children are legally required to travel in a car seat until they’re 12 years old, or 1.35m tall – whichever comes first. So a car seat is one of the pieces of baby equipment you actually need.
I’d happily recommend this particular one because it’s worth its weight in gold – you’ll only have to make one purchase that will see your child through from newborn to 12 years old. With my firstborn, we were tricked into buying a Stage 1 seat and an ISOFIX, only to discover 15 months down the line that we needed a new Stage 2 car seat, which meant shelling out more money. When buying this option you’re making an investment that you’ll use for years to come.
On a personal note, after having a C-section, the swivel function has been a total gamechanger. At the push of a button the top of the chair swivels to face the side of the car so you can pop the baby in and then twist the whole seat to the front (or back, depending on the age). It’s been infinitely easier than trying to crane over and twist around into an awkward position like I’ve previously done with forward-facing static seats.
I also love that although it looks really sumptuous and the seat is made from wipe-easy fabrics – which makes such a difference for any spit-ups after feeding.
