Britax recently sent us their Multi-tech II seat to test out. This means that we have now tried out three extended rear facing belted car seats from the Britax Range in our Ford Focus.
The first rear facing car seat we bought was our Britax Two Way Elite, which Arlo has been using since he was 16 months old. When it was Rory’s turn to upgrade from his group 0 maxi-cosi, Britax sent us the Max Way, which rear faces up to 18kgs, or approximately four years.
Arlo is very happy in his Two Way Elite, but for the last few weeks, we’ve swapped it out for the Multi-tech II, just to compare and contrast different extended rear facing options.
THINGS WE LIKE ABOUT THE BRITAX MULTI-TECH II
The combination of the slightly shorter seat base on the Multi-tech, and the fact that it has a leg stand and isn’t reliant on the back of the seat in front for positioning, means we’ve gained about an inch of room for the front passenger seat.
The padded headrest on the Multi-tech gives more side protection than the Two Way Elite.
The headrest and harness adjust simultaneously on an easy up and down track. There is no taking the straps out to thread through different slots like on the Two Way Elite.
WHERE THE TWO WAY ELITE BEATS THE MULTI-TECH II
Of all the extended rear facing car seats we’ve tried, the Britax Two Way Elite still offers the most room for older passengers. The relatively flat seat base gives Arlo way more space to put his legs, and it still remains the one seat I can see him comfortably using until he is six.
It is, however, a real nuisance that the Two Way Elite has to rely on the seat in front for positioning. It’s definitely our most inflexible car seat in terms of adjusting the space for the front seat passenger, and whilst it is suitable for younger toddlers (we used it from 16 months of age for Arlo), to get a more reclined position on the seat you really have to move the front seat forward quite a way. So, unless you have room in your car to do this without compromising other passengers, I’d say there are other extended rear facing seats more suited to younger toddlers.
WHAT ABOUT THE MAX WAY?
The Max Way is another extended rear facing seat from Britax designed for up to 25kgs like the Two Way Elite and the Multi-tech. If you are looking for a one-stop-shop that will last from outgrowing the group 0 car seat until your child reaches age six (approx), then you will be looking at a 25kgs rear facing seat (non-isofix because isofix is only designed for weight limits up to 18kgs, so all larger capacity extended rear facing seats are belted).
I love that the high base of the Max Way elevates Rory’s position so he has a better view out of the window. It is a much more supportive seat for 2.5 year old Rory, who is on the smaller side for his age. Whilst he can sit comfortably in any of our three seats, the Britax Max Way does come out on top for comfort at his age or younger.
Due to the high sides, I don’t see the Max Way being as comfortable when Rory reaches four as the Two Way Elite, with it’s flat base that allows better positioning for longer legs. However, this isn’t a problem as when Rory is ready to move on from his Max Way, Arlo will be six or seven and ready to go in a high back booster seat, so Rory will inherit the Two Way Elite.
Having tested three extended rear facing car seats from the Britax Range, the good news is that they all have their good points and there isn’t one seat that we dislike, or hasn’t fit well in our Ford Focus. The Multi-tech II, the Max Way, and the Two Way Elite – they are all very good options and it just comes down to a matter of personal choice.
Which extended rear facing car seat do you have? If you’ve used more than one, which did you prefer?
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Thank you to Britax for sending us the Multi-tech II to test
18 comments
As far as I know the Britax Max Way is up to 25kg, not 18kg as mentioned above. Or maybe you were suggesting the size of a child?
Can you tell me please how you can describe those 3 car seats in terms of being universal fit to other cars? We have Max Way and are about to buy a car seats for grandparents cars and need something as much universal as we can.
Oh yes, you are right! It is indeed up to 25kgs. My brain must have been having a day off when I wrote this post. Will update it.
In terms of universal fit, we have only tried the two way elite in other cars and that has fit with no problems in every car we’ve tried.
Thanks so much, Chloe, for you ERF advice! We’ve also got the Elite in our Ford Focus for our 3.5 year old daughter. We love it, but we’re struggling with leg room in the front when we angle the seat backwards enough for her to sleep without her head flopping forward (using the swing arm). Do you have any advice on the x3 seats for which you find best for titling backwards vs front passenger space? We’re only looking for my husband’s knees to clear the dash, instead of squashed to the side!! Thanks for any advice. xx
We’ve only tried the elite and the multi tech behind the front passenger seat – the TWE definitely seems to take up the most space if you need a bit of a recline on it. The multi tech maybe gave a little bit more room, not loads, but maybe an inch or so. The Max Way I haven’t tried behind the front passenger so I can’t say for sure, but I do think just by looking at it that the TWE seems to need more recline than the other seats we have.
Hi there, we are currently using the first class plus (rear facing) I wonder if you know, do you think the multi tech would take up more or less space? We have a Ford Focus too. My daughter is 1, but we won’t move her until she’s 18 months or so as she’s small for her age and hasn’t hit the 13kg yet. Thank you for any advice you can give!
Hi, I’m not sure as haven’t had any experience with the first class plus seat. If they are a similar size, maybe?
Ok thank you anyway. Did you find there was enough room in the passenger seat with the multi tech installed in the car? I know you said it gives a little more space than the twe (or was it maxway) Sorry. I’m carseat bamboozled at the moment!
Enough room for me and just about enough for my other half. It is a tight squeeze but do-able.
Hi, thanks for the great reviews, they’ve been really useful in my never-ending search for the perfect car seat! Do you know if the TWE has been discontinued, as there’s no mention of it in the 2016 Britax brochure and I didnt see it at my local car seat specialist? Assuming I’m limited to the the maxway or multitech, which do you think is better? I know the multitech can be firward as well as rear facing, but is the design of the seat much different? Which has the best recline, and of the two, which do you think has the most legroom for older children? Thanks
Hi Natalie,
I don’t think the two way elite is discontinued, but it is something which isn’t stocked by Britax in the UK so that’s probaly why it isn’t in the brochure. You can buy them from In Car Safety Centre: http://incarsafetycentre.co.uk/product/2-way-elite-cosmos-black/ or order online from one of the Scandinavian ERF websites.
The design of the max way and multitech are quite different. Max Way has a front bar so probably gives the best reclining options, whilst the multitech probably has better legroom for older children.
OK great, thanks for that. I was hoping you were going to say one of the seats had both the best recline and the most legroom, therby making a decision for me! I think perhaps the recline is slightly more of a priority, as my little girl is long in the body rather than legs, so maybe legroom won’t be too much of an issue. Thanks again.
If she is long in the body, I’d say both the multi tech and the two way elite have a higher back than the max way, so could be a better fit for her. THere is also the Axkid Minikid, which I haven’t yet tried myself but have heard many good things about and have seen 6/7 year olds still fitting comfortably in one.
Hiya, great blogs! Could you tell me which is best for a tall toddler with long legs – the multi tech or twe? Multi tech looks biggest in your photos. Also is there a car comparability list for these seats?
Hi, for long legs I would say the TWE as it has a flatter base so gives more space to cross/arrange legs. This is the seat my 5.5 yr old is still comfortably using, although the multi tech is comfortable for him too at this age. Not sure about a comparability list for the seats.
Hi, I was glad to find your blog as we’ve got two little ones in a 2003 Ford Focus and I’m looking at car seats for my 8 month old son for when he outgrows his Maxi cosi group 0. My daughter (3 in August) is in a TWE behind our passenger seat and my son is currently behind the drivers seat. I’m looking at a seat with a foot prop to allow us to adjust the drivers seat, so probably the max way or multi tech. My husband is a big guy so tends to have the seat all the way back. Would you say the max way or the multi tech is more compact? Thanks 🙂
Hi, there isn’t too much difference between those two seats. I’d say the max way might be slightly more compact, but not by much, and the multi tech will be comfortable for longer, as it’s more suited to older children’s bodies. We have recently been advised that even with a foot prop, it is far safer to brace the seat against the seat in front rather than leave a small gap. The foot prop is an extra safety mechanism that might help a little bit in the event of a crash, but from what I’ve read, it is the bracing against the front seat that gives rear facing it’s effectiveness in crash protection.
Hi! thanks for your review…I was told that max way is not as long as the multi tech…which year is your focus? I have got one ford focus (year 2004)..do you think both car seats (max way and multi techIII) would fit in? which car seat would you recommend for a tall baby ( in the 90 percentile)? have you heard about diono radian 5? thanks
We don’t have our focus any more we moved up to an S-Max when we had our third child. The multi tech is a little longer than the max way. We did use a radian 5 for a couple of years, have just switched it out again for the two way elite because it’s slightly roomier for my 5 year old – but I did really like the radion 5 too.