Joie Every Stage Review

Quick Summary: As the Every Stage is so simple to use, there's little room for error when installing in the car. Covering each group, it also removes any confusion of when you need to switch stages, as it does it all! Following on from extensive research, we were very pleased to see that extended rear facing has been included for children up to 18kg or four years old. Child comfort and parent usability have both been considered, as well as the all important safety points. It's quick and easy to switch from stage to stage, which also make it a good option for parents of different aged children that need a spare car seat or a seat for in the grandparent's car. We think that at £200, or £17 a year over 12 years, the Joie Every Stage is a great value car seat that offers all of the safety and comfort features that you could need.

Joie are now well known in the car seat market for delivering great quality car seats at a good price, with a definite focus on extended rear-facing. We are taking a look at their latest release in our Joie Every Stage review.

Extended rear-facing, or ERF, is now a hot topic in the car seat world, and Joie are trying to make things simpler for us. The Joie Every Stage can be used from birth up to 12 years old, and rear-faces right up to 18kg, which is around four years old.

Fitted in the car with the car's own seat belt, the routing for the belt is cleverly designed and easy to do. There are three different stages for fitting. Baby - which is from birth to 18kg and rear-facing, Toddler - from 9-18kg forward facing and Junior - from 15-36kg, forward facing and with the car's own seat belt to secure the child.

When rear-facing, the recline has to be in the furthest position, and this is clearly labelled number 5, with blue arrows to align. This needs to be adjusted before you fit, as well as the head support and harness height. Joie advise that the harness is to be level or just below the shoulders when the child is travelling rear-facing. 

The lap part of the seat belt passes over the top of the seat into the waist belt slots and clips into the buckle. If you are fitting with the infant insert in place, then you'll just need to rotate it out of the way. Next, pass the vehicle shoulder belt around the back of the seat and pass it under the blue locking clip. Once you've tightened the belt thoroughly and made sure that there are no twists, you can lock it off. The side impact shield should be pulled out on the car's door side.

To fit the Every Stage in forward facing, it's just a case of passing the seatbelt through the back of the car seat and buckling. The lining of the seat can be pulled forwards and out of the way for better access, otherwise small hands are a bonus! Then the seat belt has to be tightened and passed through the red locking clip. Again, you do need to adjust the recline and head support height before you start. There are four recline positions to choose from, all shown by the red arrows this time. Forward facing, the harness should be level or just above the child's shoulders.

It's really quick and easy to fit. We love that a child can travel in the rear-facing position right up to 18kg or four years old! Rear-facing has been proved to be the safest way to travel for young children, so we would definitely recommend that the child is kept in this mode until the top weight limit. Though not much leg room, children will learn to sit with their legs up on the seat or folded. The only issue in this stage is that the seat belt passes the side of the seat, which partially blocks the way when you are placing your child. You'll need to either lift them over or under the belt. An older child may be able to climb in from the other side.

Once a child reaches 15-18kg, they are ready to travel in the Junior mode with the car's own seat belt securing them, rather than the five-point harness. Removing the harness can often be a tricky job, but not so with the Every Stage. The harness doesn't need to be removed at all from the seat, but instead is cleverly stowed away behind the seat pad and within the seat itself. This is a great idea and prevents lost harnesses too! The seat belt passes over the child's legs and buckles in, with the shoulder belt fitting into the red guide, near their shoulder.

As it covers every group, the Every Stage needs to be fully adaptable to cater for a newborn as well as 12 year old. There are 10 head support positions, which also adjust the harness, and it is moved smoothly up and down one-handed by squeezing the button at the top of seat. Once you reach position six, the AutoAdjust™ side wings expand to give a bit more room for older children.

To offer a better fit for small babies, Joie provide an infant insert that is to be used up to 9kg. Not only does it give greater comfort, but it also increases the side impact for their little heads and necks. Even without the insert, the whole car seat is cushioned with soft, plush fabrics to keep any child comfortable. There are even handy mesh pockets at each side to keep snacks or toys close to hand!

A new feature for Joie car seats is the Side Impact Shield. This needs to be opened on the door side of the seat, but can be left closed on the other side to to offer more room in the car. The panels simply pop out and provide added layers of security in the event of a collision. Adding reassurance, and to show off the steel frame of the seat, there's a cutaway at the side which adds to the styling. The steel frame helps to keep the Every Stage strong during a collision and also provides extra weight to keep the seat low and stable. It's still surprisingly light and comfortable to transport though.

Conclusion

As the Every Stage is so simple to use, there's little room for error when installing in the car. Covering each group, it also removes any confusion of when you need to switch stages, as it does it all! Following on from extensive research, we were very pleased to see that extended rear facing has been included for children upto 18kg or four years old.

Child comfort and parent usability have both been considered, as well as the all important safety points. It's quick and easy to switch from stage to stage, which also make it a good option for parents of different aged children that need a spare car seat or a seat for in the grandparent's car.

We think that at £200, or £17 a year over 12 years, the Joie Every Stage is a great value car seat that offers all of the safety and comfort features that you could need.