Chances are you'll be using a baby car seat for a good few years, so it's important you choose one that stands the test of time. Awarded silver for Best Baby/Toddler Car Seat (Stage 1/2) in our 2023 Mother&Baby Awards, the Joie i-Harbour has a one-hand turning activator that simplifies the 360º spin – making getting your child in and out of the car hassle-free. It's part of Joie's Encore spinning system like the i-Base Encore which has a clear install indicator located on top of the load leg to ensure you’re properly connected and your baby is secure.
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Get the i-Base Encore here.
Pros
- Side impact protection
- 360 spin
- 5-position recline
- Install indicators
Cons
- Large seat
- Price
- Buckle can be tricky
| Weight: | Seat 7.4 kg, Base 7.1 kg |
| Usage: | 40-105 cm, ≤ 18.5 kg |
| Forward facing size: | 67.3 x w 52.8 x h 56–63 cm |
| Rearward facing size: | 72.3 x w 52.8 x h 49–55 cm |
Testing the Joie i-Harbour with i-Base Encore
There's no need to worry when it comes to installing the Joie i-Harbour and i-Base Encore as our mums found it took just five minutes to get the car seat secure in their car. "The Isofix and car seat fitted effortlessly into my vehicle, and other vehicles I have since used it in, and was very user-friendly to fit. I found the product easy to use and my child fit into it perfectly, with the seat straps adjusting with ease and the seat turning to be effortless," say one mum.
"I liked all the individual green markings on the base so you can see as you are installing that everything is secure and I can be confident my child is safe at all times."
The 360-degree turning was a definite highlight for parents, with testers applauding this feature and how easy it made getting their child in and out of the car.
"The 360 rotate feature is excellent as I was easily able to get my daughter out the other side of the car when a van parked extremely close to my car door at the side of the car seat. The recline is also a really good feature to have for combining long journeys with nap time."
The headrest and harness of the i-Harbour adjust simultaneously so alterations are as simple as possible and are ready for those surprise growth spurts.
Our testers did find the car seat larger than their usual car seats with some needing their front passenger seat to be moved further forward but as one mum put it: "The fact my daughter has more room when rear facing negates this as her safety and comfort is my paramount concern."
The seat being so lightweight and easy to manoeuvre makes it ideal if you need to switch between multiple cars for childcare purposes.
Final thoughts
Due to the large size, some of our mum testers felt that for a newborn they'd be more inclined to use an infant seat that could be attached to a travel system and use the i-Harbour from six months. Others had trouble with the buckle but loved the harness straps. "I've found with other seats that you need to put them over the child's shoulders yourself but they're already in the right position on this seat so you can be confident your child is safely and properly fastened in."
Overall, our testers were really impressed with the car seat, citing the modern design and functional features. "My daughter looked both comfortable and secure when in the car seat and it felt sturdy," praised one mum.