Looking for a car seat that can conveniently rotate/swivel to the side to make buckling up your baby easier?
When buying a 360-degree rotating car seat the assumption is that you can rotate it in any position, from any position and in any mode. However, this is often not the case and many 360-degree rotating car seats are installed incorrectly to allow for this rotation. In reality this is not something the car seat was ever designed to do, in all/from all positions/modes.
Rotating car seats installed with ISOFix and Top Tether (TT), where the Top Tether is attached to the car seat itself (and not to the base or rebound bar), can ONLY rotate/swivel to the side when the car seat is installed REAR facing. The top tether strap should be routed on the inside of the vehicle (not door side) which correctly and automatically allows the top tether strap to loosen during rotation of the car seat towards the door.
360-degree rotating car seats with ISOFix and Top Tether attached directly to the back of the car seat itself are NOT designed, nor supposed, to rotate sideways when installed FORWARD facing. We have seen countless very dangerous situations where parents have loosened the top tether strap or have not installed it at all, to rotate the seat sideways while forward facing. Without the top tether strap tightly anchored to the designated top tether anchor point, the car seat and child will tip forward and/or sideways during an accident, potentially resulting in critical or fatal head/brain/spinal cord injuries when the child’s head contacts the front seat or door of the vehicle with incredible force.
Very important: ISOFix installations always require 3 (three) points of contact, the ISOFix points are only 2 points of contact – the 3rd point is either a Top Tether strap or Support Leg.
The Safeway Phoenix and the Joie i-Spin Signature Grow are examples of car seats available in South Africa, installed with ISOFix and Top Tether, that can rotate/swivel sideways and 360 degrees while installed Forward Facing as well. This is because the top tether strap is attached to the integrated L-shaped base / anti-rebound bar and not to the back of the seat itself, enabling rotation without impacting the top tether. The Maxi Cosi Axiss had a similar design and installation method and could also rotate sideways while Forward Facing; however, this car seat is no longer available in South Africa.
Car seats that can rotate sideways while installed forward facing use the design with ISOFix and Top Tether strap attached to the integrated base / anti-rebound bar (not seat itself) OR ISOFix and Support Leg, also known as a Load Leg, installation (support leg instead of top tether strap). To ensure a safe installation, a support leg needs to be installed on a solid floor (no hollow underfloor storage compartment). Do not install a support leg on the “hump” (rear wheel drive vehicles) in middle back row floor, because during a side impact collision, the support leg can slide off the hump, allowing the seat to pivot (turn) violently, greatly increasing the chance of critical or fatal injuries.
List of 360-degree Rotating Car Seats (ISOFix & Support Leg)
The following is a list of car seats with ISOFix and Support Leg installation which can rotate sideways* while installed forward facing (listed in alphabetical order; the prices range roughly between R4000 – R17 000):
*Very important: Check the Vehicle Fit list before purchasing and always correctly install the car seat into your vehicle/s as per the instruction manual before purchasing – make sure it can rotate sideways while installed forward facing. Vehicle seat’s shape differ and some can prevent a car seat from rotating so you may completely lose the rotating function of the car seat.
- BeSafe iZi Turn / Turn B
- Chelino Falcon 360
- Chelino Platinum Atlantis II i-Size Stages
- Cybex Cloud T iSize
- Cybex Cloud Z2
- Cybex Sirona S2
- Cybex Sirona T iSize
- Cybex Sirona Z2
- Joie Spin 360
- Maxi Cosi Mica Pro 360
- Maxi Cosi Mica Pro Eco i-Size
- Maxi Cosi Pearl 360 Pro / with SlideTech (car seat rotate & slides out of the vehicle toward you)
- Maxi Cosi Pebble 360 Pro / with SlideTech (car seat rotate & slides out of the vehicle toward you)
- Nuna TODL Next
- Peg Perego Viaggio 360
- Recaro Zero 1
- Silver Cross Motion All Size 360
List of 360-degree Rotating Car Seats (ISOFix & Top Tether)
Car seats with ISOfix and Top Tether strap attached to the integrated base / anti-rebound bar (and not to the back of seat itself):
- Joie i-Spin Signature Grow
- Safeway Phoenix
Top Tip: If you would like to be able to rotate the car seat sideways while installed Forward Facing, you should purchase a car seat with ISOFix and Support Leg OR ISOFix and Top Tether attached to the integrated base or anti-rebound bar. DO NOT buy a car seat with ISOFIX and Top Tether attached to the seat itself as it cannot rotate sideways when installed Forward Facing.
Still uncertain about your car seat choice? Read our blog post on Considerations for Choosing a Car Seat here.
