Cybex Solution Z i-Fix Review

Quick Summary: If you are after a high back booster that complies with the new i-Size regulation for your little person, then the Solution Z i-Fix is a great option. Being a Cybex product, you can expect the best from their German engineering and technology. It's not the cheapest product available, but considering that it will protect and last your child for potentially 9 years, it's a good investment! You don't have to move them out of the seat until 150cm either, which is longer than other high back boosters are suitable for. All of the great safety features, including the LSP, ISOFIX and reclining headrest, reassure you that your child is kept safe, combined with the comfort features for them. The flexible fitting options mean that you can fit it in pretty much any car!

Upgraded to the latest UN R129/03 safety standard, the new Cybex Solution Z i-Fix is designed to grow with your child from 100-150cm (approx. 3-12 years old). It can be fitted in the car with ISOFIX and the vehicle seat belt or just the seat belt and has a host of brilliant safety features.

Things we love…

As the final seat you need, and probably the longest lasting, it's so important to get a good high back booster to keep your older child comfortable and safe.

The Solution Z i-Fix is suitable for use from 100-150cm or approximately 3-12 years. Although in this country it is the law to stay in a car seat until 135cm or 12 years old, we love that you can use this seat for longer and in keeping with other European countries. 

As they grow a considerable amount during this time, the seat is adjustable to grow with them. The 12 positions are adjusted with one hand using the button at the back, with the width widening automatically too from 51 to 63 cm.

Fitting the Solution Z i-Fix is simple - just sit on the vehicle seat and connect with the ISOFIX arms if you are using, or just use the vehicle seat belt over the child! We love the shape of the seat which means that independent children can fast the seat belt easily themselves as the buckle is easy to see. Just make sure that they pull both parts of the belt under the little armrests too and through the correct belt guiding route. It's all green so easy to see. To suit more vehicles, the backrest of the seat can recline to match the angle of different car seats.

On the outside of the car seat is the Linear Side Impact Protection system, when combined with the energy absorbing seat shell, it reduces side impact collision forces by 25%!

Older children can still nap in the car, so the patented reclining headrest is a brilliant idea. Rather than the whole seat reclining, the headrest tips back to prevent the child's head from dropping forward when they sleep. As well as for comfort purposes, it also ensures that their head is kept within the safety zone of the headrest in a collision. To adjust, just lift the headrest and tilt into your desired position. During our testing time, we can confirm that this really works! We have seen no head flop at all, even when asleep travelling.

Throughout the backrest of the car seat, there are mesh ventilation channels that keep air circulating round to keep the child cooler on hot days. Though it's not something we've had the luxury of testing throughout February, we can see the appeal after seeing how hot and sweaty children can get while travelling in the car!

Things to look out for…

If you are needing to fit three car seats across your back seat and have a taller child travelling in the Solution Z i-Fix, you may struggle for width room as the sides of the seat expand. It's a great feature to keep older children comfortable though!

Our verdict

If you are after a high back booster that complies with the new i-Size regulation for your little person, then the Solution Z i-Fix is a great option. Being a Cybex product, you can expect the best from their German engineering and technology.

It's not the cheapest product available, but considering that it will protect and last your child for potentially 9 years, it's a good investment! You don't have to move them out of the seat until 150cm either, which is longer than other high back boosters are suitable for.

All of the great safety features, including the LSP, ISOFIX and reclining headrest, reassure you that your child is kept safe, combined with the comfort features for them. The flexible fitting options mean that you can fit it in pretty much any car!