Review: Concord LIFT EVO PT car seat

Colourful, classy and recognised as one of the safest Group 2/3 car seats around, this is a popular model

Concord LIFT EVO PT Group 2/3 car seat

	Sturdy, easy to handle and good-looking
	The back of the seat is useful for older children but is very high if your rear window is positioned low down
Features:	Suitable from 15-36kg (approx 3 and a half to 12 years), headrest adjustable to seven different heights, shoulder protectors and seat depth are adjustable too which is useful for the wide age range, 'integrated air circulation system', suitable for use with a regular three-point seat belt harness Conforms to ECE R44/04.
Price:	RRP £84.99-£94.99 (depending on cover)
Contact:	The Concord website

The concept:
While all car seats have to come up to Europe-wide safety standards some have the edge over other designs because they have added a sense of fun to the important job of function.
In eight vibrant colours, Concord's LIFT EVO range has something for even the fussiest little traveller. In its design, it is also suitable for children from 3 to 12 years, so there's no need to spend yet more money on another car seat in a couple of years' time.

Concord's LIFT EVO seat in action:
The flexibility of the child age/size range makes this a really useful car seat. We've used it mostly for our three-year-old, but when our son's seven-year-old friend needed a lift the other day, it didn't take a minute to adjust it to his size.
As a parent who has years of experience cleaning out the scuzzy back seat of my car, I did worry when I first opened the box and saw this gorgeous bright blue seat - black may be boring, but it hides many more messy sins! However, the seat cover is easy to wash, and also small messes can be wiped off fairly easily. (I guess my one long-term worry would be that, by the age of 12, or the time Eleanor reaches 135cm, whichever comes first, a brightly hued seat is likely to look more tatty than a tough-looking black synthetic cover.)

Ease of use / safety
Boring cleaning gripes aside, the soft cotton-feel of the seat and its air-circulation system does make it a comfortable and less sweaty ride for Eleanor in hot weather. This, and the ergonomic shell which can be adjusted to suit each body size, are really useful. Welcome features when you want a child who isn't going to grizzle all the way down the motorway!
We like the extra straps you can use to keep the car seat in place even when there is not a child travelling in it. These ensure that the seat does nto become a danger to other passengers as a loose item if you have to make an emergency stop.

The ThinkBaby verdict

A reliable car seat that's a little high at the back, but which comes in lots of fun colours to make long car journeys a little more appealing to your kids.