New from award-winning Swedish car seat brand Axkid, the Minikid 4 is the latest rear-facing, belt-mounted seat on the market. It boasts extended rear-facing up to approx. 7 years old, with an automatically adjusting headrest and spacious legroom.

The seat has passed the world’s toughest crash test, the Swedish Plus Test, and has been designed to offer maximum safety for growing children. We caught up with Axkid to find out more…

Rear-facing car seats have become increasingly popular in recent years – why is that?

The key reason is education. With more and more studies looking into the benefits of rear-facing car seats, people across the globe are becoming more aware of the increased safety offered in comparison to forward facing seats. Parents naturally want to keep their children as safe as possible, so knowing that rear-facing seats offer up to 5 times more protection makes it an easy choice.

In the past, there’s been a definite cultural and social weight placed on the milestone of turning a child’s car seat around. Here in the UK, it’s seen as an important indicator of a new stage of childhood, which makes many parents eager to switch to forward-facing as soon as they hit the legal age limit of 15 months. Many parents enjoy being able to see and communicate with their child once they’re facing forwards, and there’s a myth that children are more comfortable this way.

Luckily, these myths are starting to be dispelled, and parents are beginning to realise that there is plenty of legroom and space for a growing child in a suitable rear-facing seat. If they want to see and talk to their child, they can use a mirror – though it’s important to acknowledge that it’s unsafe to frequently take your eyes off the road to look at your child when driving. It’s therefore actually safer for both parent and child if they stay rear-facing!

For most parents, choosing the right car seat is a huge decision. What key points should they consider?

The number one priority is safety. Parents should check that the seat has been thoroughly tested and regulated. All European car seats should meet the legislation of R44 and R129/i-Size, but you can also check for additional tests from bodies such as ADAC. The most rigorous crash test is the Plus test, we would therefore recommend choosing a Plus tested car seat when selecting.

In addition to this, parents should seek out which features are best suited to their vehicle, lifestyle and needs, a consultation with a trained specialist will help them with this decision.  At Axkid, our recommendation is to keep children rear-facing for as long as possible as this really is the safest solution.

How often should families update their car seat?

It depends on the seat they choose. Some car seats are highly adaptable and can support a child from birth all the way through to around 12 years. Others are specifically designed for only a few years, so it’s important to check the height and weight restrictions. Once a child exceeds these restrictions, it’s time to update the car seat.

While some car seats do offer longer term support, we don’t recommend buying your seat second-hand. To ensure your child’s safety, always buy new car seats.

Does Axkid offer fitting training to retailers who want to stock your products?

We offer first-class training and support to all of our retailers in order to ensure they can fully demonstrate our car seats, and assist their customers. Our expert team of sales and support staff travel across the country to fully equip Axkid stockists with all of the information and skills they need to understand the products and how to fit them.

Axkid has car seats to suit a wide range of budgets. What are the key differences from the top to the bottom end?

The main difference in our higher end car seats is the longevity of the product. While every Axkid seat is built to last, the likes of the ONE 2 + and Minikid 4 are specially designed to adapt and grow with the child. Both seats offer maximum support, security and comfort from birth all the way up to around 7 years, giving parents great value for money. These are also the latest versions of their models and are therefore equipped with the most up-to-date Swedish safety technology and additional features.

Comparatively, seats such as Spinkid and Nextkid are more age-focussed. The Spinkid has been specially designed for those first few years of life, offering advanced Swedish technology from birth to 105cm or approx. 4yrs. On the other end of the spectrum, Nextkid supports older children from 100cm or approx. age 7 and up, however we advise remaining rear-facing up to 125cm. Regardless of their price tag, all of Axkid’s products are designed to offer comfort, safety, quality and practicality.

How can retailers become stockists of Axkid?

Any prospective retailers are more than welcome to get in touch with our sales team at salesUK@axkid.com, where an expert team member will discuss becoming a stockist with you.

What’s the safety testing procedure at AxKid?

Every effort is taken to thoroughly test the safety and security of Axkid car seats. In addition to meeting the European legislation of R44 and R129, our rear-facing car seats are tested to the incredibly high standards of the Swedish Plus Test – the toughest crash test in the world. Unlike other testing procedures, the Plus Test checks that the child is not being exposed to excessive forces on the neck, which can be life-threatening in a collision.

Can you share any specific plans or developments for the year ahead?

While we have only just launched three brand new car seats (Nextkid, Spinkid and Minikid 4), there are certainly plans in the works for further product launches over the next 12 months. We are also working hard behind the scenes to influence change here in the UK which will hopefully extend the legal age at which children can turn forward-facing in the car. Watch this space!