Car seat road test – how does the Britax Safe-n-Sound Millenia convertible stack up?
Car seat research can be painfully difficult – safety, longevity, ingenuity, quality… there’s a pretty big pool of variables to consider. We asked three families to test out the Britax Safe-n-Sound Millenia convertible car seat. From safety to installation, the parents have given us their honest opinions, to help other parents make the right choice.
We decided to give our three families the Britax Safe-n-Sound Millenia to try out with their little ones. The modern car seat for the modern family! It can be used as a rearward facing seat from birth for up to two to three years (30 months), is ISOFIX compatible, offers Thermo5 comfort for your child and ease of use with its Hassle Free Harness.
But the biggest drawcard for this car seat is the safety features. The Millenia has Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT), so your child’s head has a 180° layer of protection, and the popular Active Head Restraint (AHR) means your child remains just as safe as they grow. So here’s what our testers thought:
Installation
Two of our families installed the car seat themselves, the remaining family used a professional installer. Here’s what they had to say about the installation of this car seat:
- “Found the installation easy, had no problems securing the seat into the car and has very clear instructions. Never once did I get frustrated while installing it. As it was so easy to install, we tried it both rear facing and forward facing on the different aged children.”
- “We had an installer do this for us and he did so with ease.”
- “I had to refer to the book more times than I expected, however the functions on the seat were straightforward and easy to manipulate. I used the ISOFIX connectors for my car and it feels safe and secure. Overall I would say installation was relatively easy and took about 30 minutes.”
Britax have made it even easier for you with the Installation videos hosted on their YouTube channel.
Safety
Britax hangs its hat on being the world’s number one child restraint safety brand, and it didn’t disappoint when it came to the Millenia. Two of our testers awarded the Millenia a 10/10 for safety. Our third tester scored it slightly lower but still well and truly above average at 9/10. Here are the most impressive safety features of the Millenia, according to our three families:
- “Side Impact Cushion Technology and Infant Safety Cushion would have to be top two. Obviously the safety provided by a car seat is number one priority and this car seat definitely provides that. It looks and feels safe and all the research and material provided about this seat show it does live up to very high standards. (The) hassle-free harness is such an important feature, especially when getting three young boys in and out of the car on a regular basis. We had one car seat that I would have to fiddle with for ages sometimes when out as the harness would get stuck. Not fun with restless kids and a hungry baby. So important for harness to work well so that toddlers can’t get their arms loose.”
- “This harness provides a comfortable and snug fit and is easy to use, and my toddler who was previously able to get his arms loose wasn’t able to when we tried the seat with him.”
- “The Side Impact Cushion Technology – you never know when an accident arises but with this feature I feel more at ease my boy will be ok.”
- “The Active Head Restraint – because safety is at the front of any mum’s mind.”
- “Rear facing for longer – this is really important as all the research suggests it is much safer for the child to be rear facing.”
To view this Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT) in action check out this video from Britax which showcases this innovative technology.
Features
Like all of the seats in the Britax range, there are a bunch of snazzy features that make the ride more comfortable for babies while making life easier for parents. Our three testers gave a big thumbs up to some of the features unique to the Millenia.
- “Living in Queensland, Thermo5 High Performance Bamboo Charcoal Fabric is another important feature. Not once did our baby get hot and sweaty on our long trips back to see family, and he even slept longer in the car. Hoping that due to the comfort of this seat, our youngest will be able to stay rear facing for longer as the research shows that this is definitely the safest position for babies and toddlers.”
- “The ISOFIX anchor makes for easy removal from the anchor point in the car. Many times before I have pinched my fingers or had to use a tool to help me get the anchor off.”
- The hassle-free harness – only a mum would understand the struggle of getting a cranky screaming toddler into a car seat.”
- “The Thermo5 High Performance Bamboo Fabric – with a sweaty child this keeps him comfy and not sweaty and annoyed”
- “ISOFIX – my car is ISOFIX, but my mother’s isn’t so it gives us flexibility to use the seat in both vehicles.”
- “Hassle-free harness – this is convenient as I don’t have to re-thread shoulder straps.”
- “Aircraft compatible – we’re travelling to NZ in a month so this will come in handy!”
- “Thermo High Performance Bamboo Charcoal Fabric – My child sweats a lot, even in cool weather, so this fabric has been great in helping him manage his temperature/clamminess.”
It’s clear from these comments that Britax Safe-n-Sound’s Thermo5 made with Bamboo Charcoal fabric is a clear winner.
For the ultimate seal of approval, we asked our parent testers if they would recommend this car seat to their families and friends, and here’s what they said:
- “Absolutely. Hands down is the most comfortable car seat we have owed and by far the easiest to use.”
- “I already have recommended it to my sister for her boys and a friend who is expecting.”
- “Yes I would, and I have done. A friend’s baby recently grew out of their capsule and I recommended this seat for the fact that it is rear facing for longer and is compatible for children up to four years of age.”
For more information on the Safe-n-Sound Millenia, which retails for $679, or to see the entire range, have a browse at Britax.
(This is a sponsored post for Britax)