Maxi-Cosi Tobi - comfort and coziness for a child
The Dutch company Maxi-Cosi has been making car seats since the mid-90s of the last century. This company immediately proved itself as a manufacturer of quality, reliable and comfortable restraints.
Today Maxi Cosi is one of the leaders in the production of car seats for babies. Each year the company spends an impressive amount of money on new developments and testing of restraints.
And such actions are not in vain. Dutch car seats are recommended by many expert communities as seats for young travelers. Maxi-Cosi Tobi is considered one of these safe and convenient devices.
This fairly lightweight car seat weighing 9 kilograms belongs to category "1", that is, it is intended for babies from 9 months to four years. Judging by the body weight, then the child should fall within the range of 9 to 18 kilograms.
Parental reviews show that this soft and comfortable car seat is suitable for long journeys. Several options for tilting the backrest will allow you to choose the optimal position for children's relaxation and dreams.
Another feature of this restraint is the very high seating position. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, the child will have a good view, on the other hand, a tall baby will feel uncomfortable in a car with a lowered roof.
Main characteristics
| A country | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Mounting features | Fitted with a standard vehicle belt. For greater reliability, there is a strap tensioner function. Additionally, the child is fixed with internal five-point straps with an indicator of correct tension. |
| Construction weight | 8.9 kilograms |
| Latch mount | No |
| Category | "1" (from 9 months to 4 years, up to 18 kilograms) |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 45 × 55 × 75 cm |
| Installation | The car seat is installed in the direction of travel |
| Internal straps | 5-point, with soft inlays in the shoulder and groin area |
| Car seat transformation into a booster | Absent |
Design features
| Side impact protection | there is |
|---|---|
| Headrest adjustment | there is |
| Backrest adjustment | Yes, 5 positions |
| Removable cover | there is |
| Anatomical pillow | there is |
Extra features
| Small pocket | No |
|---|---|
| Cup holder | No |
| Sun visor | No |
| Can be used as a rocking chair | Absent |
| Can be used as a carrier | Absent |
| Swivel mechanism | Absent |
| Stroller compatible | Absent |
How safe is the Maxi-Cosi Tobi chair?
Despite the lack of Isofix fastening, the car seat shows good results in crash tests conducted by independent expert communities (we will tell you about the test results a little later).
Thus, the correct installation of "Maxi-Cozy Toby" using standard machine belts allows you to maintain a fairly good indicators of reliability. Moreover, the holding device has other advantages that are associated with a safe trip:
- The car seat is very tightly fixed with standard straps, although parental reviews indicate that you have to tinker a little (especially during the first installation).
- The retaining device is additionally equipped with an additional belt tensioning system, which is a special lever that tightens the straps to the optimal level.
- Users also like the comfortable inner straps of the seat itself with color signals of correct fixation. They keep the baby securely in the chair.
- The head, as well as the neck, is protected by an anatomically correct headrest. It can be adjusted along with the straps using a lever on the front panel.
- The impact-resistant plastic housing and advanced side protection are capable of absorbing and absorbing impact energy during a road accident.
- The fabric covering is resistant to mechanical stress, it is not susceptible to contamination, and can be easily cleaned if necessary.
In addition, the complete safety of the little passenger is evidenced by the fact that the Maxi-Cosi Tobi car seat meets all European standards and has been tested by independent experts.
Advantages and disadvantages of a car seat
As already noted, experts and parents did not agree on the pros and cons of this model. It will be all the more interesting to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the Dutch restraint device.
The advantages of the Maxi Cosi Tobi chair include the following design features:
- straps and buckles do not interfere with the disembarkation and landing of the little traveler;
- it is convenient to adjust the headrest and straps with the movement of one hand;
- sufficiently strong fixation of the car seat in the vehicle (parental reviews say that even in the event of an accident, the product does not budge);
- it is possible to easily change the position of the chair from almost horizontal to vertical (only 5 positions);
- the cover can be removed and washed;
- comfortable five-point inner shoulder straps with soft pads in the shoulder and groin area;
- the baby sits on a "pedestal", which allows him to explore the world around him and not distract the parent.
What about the disadvantages? Among the minuses, experts consider an incomprehensible system of fastening a car seat, although this problem is solved after careful study of the instructions.
Besides, the negative aspects of operating the device are:
- not the best ventilation system (reviews show that children sweat a lot while in a chair);
- high seating position (the dignity of the chair quickly turns into a disadvantage if the child is tall and the car itself is low);
- rather high cost for a seat of this class (for the same amount you can buy a much more "fancy" chair).
Thus, the car seat has a number of features that can be interpreted both as disadvantages and as advantages. Everything will depend on the specific situation and the subjective point of view. However, there are also objective indicators - for example, the results of crash tests.
Test results ADAC
The Maxi Cozy Toby car seat has been laboratory tested by the German auto club ADAC 4 times: in 2006, 2007, 2009 and, most recently, in 2015.
The test results had some differences from year to year, but in the last test the seat received the verdict "satisfactory" for such an important parameter as passenger safety.
Probably, this fact can be explained by the lack of Isofix fastening and the tightening of requirements.
But for the indicators of ergonomics and ease of use, independent experts rated it "good", which is confirmed by the reviews of direct users.
The chair also received good marks for environmental friendliness and care.
| Benefits | disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety |
|
|
| Ease of use |
|
|
| Ergonomics |
|
|
| Taking care of your device |
|
|
| Sustainability |
|
Installing and securing the car seat
All car seats of group "1" must be installed in the direction of movement of the vehicle. And Maxi Cozy Toby is no exception. Consider the main points of installing the seat, and in more detail the installation algorithm is described in the official instructions.
When installing, it is important to ensure the correct fastening of the standard belt of the machine. The strap must be pulled across the chair in a certain sequence along the red markings. Information sticker is attached to the side.
The installation process itself consists of several consecutive steps:
- All folding rear seats for passengers must be secured before installing the car seat.
- Bring the machine strap tensioners to a horizontal position by pressing the levers that open the shutter.
- Once you have positioned the seat in the passenger seat, you will need to run the strap over the red seat belt mark.
- The belt is routed through two red grooves. After pulling, press the seat into the passenger seat and lock the device in place.
- To tighten the car strap, the tensioners must be rotated up to a vertical position. First you need to make sure that the belt is not twisted.
After the chair has been installed, the main nuances should be checked again. This is to increase the safety of the little passenger.
Make sure the belt follows the red markings, through the grooves and levers. Check the tensioners are tight and the strap clips are closed. And, of course, look at how firmly and securely the car seat is mounted in the passenger seat.
Where to buy the Maxi-Cosi Tobi?
Today, parents can purchase a car seat not only directly at a retail outlet, but also in an online store. This method has a number of advantages, which can be discussed for a very long time. Here are some really good suggestions.
Car seat group 1 (9-18 kg) Maxi-Cosi Tobi
Let's sum up
The Maxi Cosi car seat Tobi is therefore a good choice for those parents looking for a reliable, comfortable and ergonomic restraint for a child aged 9 months to 4 years.
In general, customer reviews are positive, many like the appearance of the product, and the operational features, and the quality of materials. It remains only to choose the most optimal trading platform - a regular supermarket or an online store.
