The best kids’ Car Seats for over $500
It’s one of the most important investment you’ll make.
When it comes to ensuring your baby’s safety on the road, finding a car seat that strikes the perfect balance between security and affordability is essential.
Fortunately, there are a variety of car seat options available which feature the highest safety standards to help you transport your most precious cargo.
Read on, to find out which car seats, priced over $500, took out the top spots in the 2023 Bounty Baby Awards.
Bounty Baby Award Winners – Best Car Seats for over $500
The winning baby products of the year have all been exhaustively tried, tested and voted on by parents and bubs.
This year the awards were 100% voted for by Australian parents with more than 110,000 votes on a range of products from nappies and car seats, to prams and breast pumps, judging each one on quality, value for money, user-friendliness and innovation.
The products submitted were assessed on quality, value for money, user-friendliness and innovation.
READ NEXT: All of the 2023 Award Winners
The winners of the Best Car Seats – over $500 are:
Gold Award: Britax-Safe-n-Sound-b-compaq-ifix+
Silver Award: Britax-Safe-n-Sound-b-grow-ClickTight-tex
Bronze Award: Maxi-Cosi Pria-LX-convertible-car-seat
WATCH: Keep kids safe when you’re on the road. Continues after video …
For the complete list of what real mums (and an expert panel) consider to be the best in every category from prams and car seats, to toys and nappies read Bounty Baby Award Winners 2023 next.
The Best Car Seats for over $500
GOLD AWARD
Britax Safe-n-Sound b-compaq ifix+, RRP $849.00
Britax Safe-n-Sound b-compaq ifix+ is a beautiful compact car seat with closed protective shell design. The perfect solution for small cars and growing families needing more space, with user-friendly ease of use, safety, and comfort. B-compaq ifix fits your life.
Britax next generation range offers parents a selection of child seats that deliver on aesthetically beautiful design, safety, comfort and innovation. As safety leaders, we are here for all your firsts, seconds and growing family needs.
SILVER AWARD
Britax Safe-n-Sound b-grow ClickTight tex Harnessed Car Seat, RRP $799.00
Britax Safe-n-Sound b-grow ClickTight tex Harnessed Car Seat is a car seat that features Britax Safe-n-Sound’s unique patented ClickTight Installation System technology, Advanced Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT), and Grow-With-You™adjustable crotch buckle. Designed to reduce everyday misuse, whilst offering overall increased protection, b-grow ClickTight tex offers safety and flexibility.
The combination of Thermo5® and Nanotex® creates an advanced fabric resistant to stains and moisture, providing comfort with hygiene and convenience. This means when little accidents happen on the go, your seat is easy to clean and will continue to keep your little one comfortable.
The TEX Series incorporates liquid barrier technology, causing spills to bead up and roll off your seat without compromising on its look, feel or comfort.
BRONZE AWARD
Maxi-Cosi Pria LX Convertible Car Seat, RRP $849.00
Maxi-Cosi Pria LX Convertible Car Seat is a car seat suitable for newborns to approximately 4 years of age and includes our world exclusive SMART Guide® top tether guide, making this seat safer and easier to use every day. Pria is the most compact car seat on the market* ensuring a comfortable and easy 3-across fitment in most cars.
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Maxi-Cosi Luna Pro Harnessed Booster Seat, RRP $569.00
Maxi-Cosi Luna Pro Harnessed Booster Seat is a booster seat suitable for children from 6 months approx. through to to 8 years. World-first adjustable chin supports built into the headrest to reduce the risk of head flop. Featuring patented Air Protect® safety and luxurious bamboo wicking fabric for the comfort of your child.
Nuna Baby Australia REVE, RRP $579.00
The Nuna Baby Australia REVE convertible car seat is filled with extras like 2D growth™ system, five recline positions and side-impact protection. Using ultra-resilient, top of the line plastics and steel reinforcement, paired with all over side impact protection thanks to the smart SIP system including EPO energy absorbing foam, REVE is heavy duty, with a secure shell that is strong yet light and compact. Its 2D growth™ system works simultaneously with the headrest, expanding out while growing up. It also comes with two flexible, two-piece inserts with infant head and body support. One in a Merino wool blend, and one in an organic jersey blend – creating the most comfortable seat possible for your baby.
Britax Safe-n-Sound Graphene Convertible Car Seat, RRP $649.00
The Graphene advances our compact convertible car seat with the addition of patented Torso Side Impact Cushion Technology™ – SICT™, uniquely designed for optimised safety without compromise.
The Graphene maintains narrow, compact, installed depth making it great for small cars and growing families requiring multiple seat configuration.
Britax Safe-n-Sound Maxi Guard PRO Harnessed Car Seat, RRP $599.00
The Britax Safe-n-Sound Maxi Guard PRO is a Forward Facing Harnessed seat with SICT™ Safety Technology and an inbuilt Hassle Free Harness™ suitable for growing children from approx. 6 months to 8 years.
Revolutionary Safety – Dual layer Head and Torso Side Impact Cushion Technology™ (SICT™) minimises impact forces providing your child the ultimate side impact protection. Thermo5™ high performance fabric with Bamboo Charcoal means your child will travel in quality and comfort. Our 6 point Hassle Free Harness™ keeps your most precious cargo securely restrained and safer for longer.
When should my child switch from a car seat to a booster seat?
From the time you drive them home from hospital up until the time they’re ready to use an adult seatbelt, it will be your job to ensure they are in the correct car restraint.
Every child is different, but as a general rule, it’s recommended that you only move them up when they no longer comfortably fit their current child car seat.
Child car seat safety guidelines
As important as the type of car or booster seat is, ensuring that it’s correctly fitted and adjusted is equally as critical to safety.
According to Britax, car crashes are one of the leading causes of child death in Australia, yet around 70 per cent of our smallest travellers ride in child restraints that are not fitted or used correctly.
Requirements vary between the states and territories, but all child car restraints are required to meet the Australian Standards (AS/NZS 1754), which covers materials, design, construction, performance, testing and labelling.
As a general rule, buying or using hand-me-down second-hand car or booster seats is not recommended because older models may no longer comply with current safety standards.
However, if you are leaning towards a second-hand model, ensure it’s never been in a car crash, isn’t more than six years old, doesn’t display any cracking or fraying and can be safely installed in your car.
READ NEXT: When can my baby face forward in a car seat?
The minimum legal requirements in Australia by age group:
- Babies under six months must use a rearward-facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness.
- Children aged between six months and four years must use a rearward-facing or forward-facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness.
- Children aged between four and seven years must use a forward-facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness, or an approved booster seat with a fastened and adjusted seatbelt or a child safety harness.
- Children aged seven years and older can use a child restraint or adult seatbelt depending on their size. If your child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current child restraint until it is safe for them to move to the next level.
