Weight trumps age when purchasing a new car seat

When purchasing a car seat the child’s weight is a more important factor than its age.

All car seats are classified into five groups which are defined by the United Nations safety regulations as follows:

Seat Group	Weight range	Approximate age range	General Characteristics *
Group 0	0 – 10 kg	Birth until 6-9 months	Rearward facing car seat with a carry handle, integral safety harness. Some double up as a rocker and come with a head hugger.
Group 0+	0 – 13 kg	Birth until 12-15 months	Rearward facing car seat with a carry handle, integral safety harness. Some double up as a rocker and come with a head hugger.
Group 1	9 – 18 kg	9 months until 4 years	Forward facing car seat with integral safety harness. Some come with an adjustable back rest to keep child comfortable.
Group 2	15 – 25 kg	4 years until 6 years	Forward facing booster seat with adjustable headrest. Some come with a seat belt clip and arm rests for added comfort. Some convert into a booster cushion by detaching the back rest.
Group 3	22 – 36 kg	6 years until 11 years	Booster cushion with arm rests and seat belt clip.

*Please note these are just general characteristics of the different Group car seats. Some car seat manufacturers might have slightly different features to what is mentioned.

It is possible to buy car seats that are a combination of these groups such as a Group 0+/1, Group 1/2/3 and Group 2/3 which are much more economical and will last you longer. Parents should only move up to the next group once their child has reached the maximum weight for the seat.

Now that you understand the different weight groups of car seats available you must also ensure that the car seat conforms to United Nations standard, ECE R44/04 and before fitting the car seat into your car you must read the user manual.

Please contact us if you have any additional queries regarding the car seat groups.