Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base Review

The 2wayPearl was the first Maxi-Cosi car seat to comply with the new i-Size regulations, and supports rear facing travel up to 4 years. The 2wayFix Base offers easy travel when combined with the Pebble or CabrioFix from birth, and can then be used with the 2wayPearl once your child is older.

Price

The RRP of the 2wayPearl Car Seat is £200, RRP of the 2wayFix Base is £175

The Pebble Car Seat can be purchased to use on the base from birth for £165 RRP.

Colour options

Raspberry Red, Modern Black, Confetti and Total Black

Specifications

• Car seat Group: i-Size toddler seat
• Child height: 67 – 105cm
• Childs Age: 6 months - 4 years approx

Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base: Installation in the vehicle

First of all, you need to install the 2wayFix Base. Unlock the support leg from underneath the Base, and place the Base flat on your vehicle seat. On the side of the base there are 2 grey buttons - push these to slide out the IsoFix anchors, and then push the Base firmly into the IsoFix points. There is a light system on the front of the Base, and the light will turn green and a beep will sound once the Base is installed correctly. Then extend the support leg down to the floor of the car – a second green light and beep will let you know when the tension here is correct too. It leaves you with no doubt that the Base is correctly installed; there is no margin for error.

You are now ready to fit your 2wayPearl car seat. Lift it onto the Base and click into place firmly. A third green light will now illuminate and you will get another beep to let you know that the car seat is correctly fitted on the Base. To remove the 2wayPearl, or turn it to a forward facing position, just push the grey release button in front of the light section on the Base, and the car seat will release.

Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base: Safety and ease of use

With this system being i-Size compliant, you know you are getting one of the safest systems on the market. Approved for rear facing travel right up to 4 years, the Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl provides enhanced protection for the head and neck. There is good side impact protection too. The fact that the Base comes with the light and sound fitting guide means that you can travel with peace of mind, knowing that your car seat is installed correctly.

In addition to this, i-Size marking clearly indicates when you should move your child from rear to forward facing, which is not before they reach 15 months old. Research has shown that this is safer because baby’s head is relatively heavy during the first year and the neck is not strong enough to withstand the impact of a frontal collision.

There is a strong and sturdy 5 point safety harness, with a great springback design. When you unfasten the harness, the shoulder and crotch straps will ping back against the sides of the seat – meaning that the next time you want to put your baby in, the straps don’t end up getting stuck underneath them, causing you to do the whole fishing about under their bottom thing (I have done that so many times). The harness is easy to adjust too – just unfasten the harness and grab the grey shoulder straps. Pull to lengthen them. To tighten, grab the grey ‘tail’ of the harness under the crotch strap and pull – the straps will tighten automatically so you can always get a snug fit for your child.

The fact that this car seat is installed with IsoFix and the 2wayFix Base just fills you with confidence. There is no chance of incorrect fitting; you get the safety and ease of use of IsoFix with the security of the new i-Size regulations. It’s a win win, and I would be more than happy putting my precious traveller in this seat.

Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base: Day to day use

Because installation is so easy, even with the addition of a Base, switching this system between cars is no hassle at all. Just remove the car seat, uninstall the Base using the grey IsoFix sliders and reinstall in another car. It takes a matter of minutes, and the seat and Base are both lightweight enough to make this easy for anyone.

As well as adjustable straps, the headrest is also adjustable so you can get a comfortable seating position for smaller and larger toddlers. Pop your hand behind the headrest and squeeze they grey button, then pull or push the headrest to the desired position.

Another fantastic feature of this seat is the recline. I often find that car seats don’t have a recline, especially those designed for older toddlers, but the 2wayPearl has 4 recline positions in both the rear and forward facing fit. This is activated by a grey button underneath the front of the seat – just squeeze the button in and the seat will slide forwards or back. The reclined position is more than adequate for sleeping, and will stop that awful head-tipping-forwards moment you get when a toddler falls asleep in an upright car seat.

The deeply padded seat makes this a comfortable choice too – it is so soft and cosy I quite fancy a ride in there myself. It is more than padded enough for a 6 month old to feel supported, yet a spacious enough seat for a 4 year old to have enough wriggle room too. There are soft shoulder pads on the harness too, so you can rest assured that your little one will be comfortable no matter how long the journey.

Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base Conclusion

If you are looking for an i-Size car seat, you can’t go wrong with the Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base combination.

Easy installation makes fitting and moving between cars a breeze, and the light and sound installation indicators mean that you can be confident that everything is correctly installed – there will be no doubt in your mind. The option to use this car seat as a rear facing option up until 4 years really appeals to me, but if that’s not for you, you can use forwards facing from 15 months too. Changing between positions is as easy as a squeeze of a button and a swivel round. Plus you don't need to have an i-Size car to install the 2wayFix Base and 2wayPearl as they will fit amost all cars with IsoFix, but check the Maxi-Cosi car fitting list first.

Comfort hasn’t been overlooked either. The deep, padded seat will keep little ones cosy and supported, and the easily adjustable harness and headrest make it easy to get the perfect fit. Add to that the fact that you also have a recline, so your little one can travel in comfort whether awake or asleep, and you have a very adaptable and family friendly car seat.

The 2wayFix Base can also be used from the day your baby is born, by combining with the CabrioFix or Pebble car seat. Once your little one is ready for the next stage, simply swap for the 2wayPearl without the need for an additional Base – I think this makes the £175 price tag great value when you are looking at getting 4 years use from it.

There really is nothing I don’t like about the 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base. Yes, it can’t be used in cars without IsoFix, which could cause issues for some, but the majority of people are able to access IsoFix now, and it really is worth it for the peace of mind you get when it comes to i-Size regulations and fitting.

If you are in the market for a new car seat, and are looking for a good value, long lasting option, then I would highly recommend checking out the 2wayFix Base for the very early days with your Pebble or CabrioFix seat, and then progressing to the 2wayPearl. It’s a feature packed, revolutionary car seat that offers everything you need in one reasonably priced package.  Add that to the safety guaranteed by the new i-Size regulations and you have one brilliant product.

We give the Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl and 2wayFix Base 5 out of 5 stars

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