Both Maxi-Cosi and Cybex have introduced their innovative rotating car seat ranges to make travel with kids easier. We dig into the details on Maxi-Cosi's user-friendly 360 line versus CYBEX's premium Z collection. Read on to see how they compare across seating, safety, comfort, convenience and more.
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Cybex Seats Explained
Cybex offers both infant, toddler, and booster seats across three key lines:
Infant car seats are designed for newborns and babies up to 12-15 months old (the infant stage). Accommodate up to 13kg rear-facing.
Some popular rear-facing Cybex infant seats are:
- Aton series: Lightweight infant carriers starting under 5kg, from birth up to 13kg
Toddler car seats: Used forward-facing once babies outgrow their infant seats, around age 1. For toddlers 15 months to 4 years, up to 25kg.
Some top Cybex toddler seats are:
- Solution series: Forward-facing seats from 9 months up to 36kg
- Sirona series: Luxury seat functioning rear-facing until age 4 then transitions to forward-facing
Maxi Cosi Seats Explained
The core Maxi Cosi offerings include:
Some leading Maxi Cosi infant seats are:
- Pebble series: Iconic Pebble 360 for newborns to 15 months
- Coral series: Innovative 2-part infant seat with detachable soft lining
Toddler car seats: Front-facing seats once children exceed their infant seat's limits around age 1. Used from 15 months to 4 years old.
Some top Maxi Cosi toddler options are:
- Axiss series: Forward-facing from 9 months with safety innovations
- Pearl series: Transforms from infant to toddler use in one seat
Comparing range offerings
Maxi Cosi provides exceptional convenience and adaptability. Between removable soft liners, 360 rotation, and 2-in-1 shell + liner combos, their focus lands on enabling smooth handling of your child in and out of the car. The extended rear-facing and side impact protection match Cybex safety standards. So Maxi Cosi concentrates more on functional flexibility across your baby's development.
Seating Options & Age Range
The Maxi-Cosi 360 range is comprised of two seats:
Pebble 360: Group 0+, car seats for newborns up to 15 months. Features body support cushion and head support cushion to accommodate infants. Weighs just 4.25kg.
Pearl 360: Group 0+/1 car seat, for newborns to approximately 4 years old. Grows with child and offers 5-point harness. Recline and height can be adjusted as needed. Weighs 8kg.
The CYBEX Z line also contains 2 seats:
Cloud Z i-Size: Group 0+, accommodates up to 18 months with a weight capacity of 13kg, meeting i-Size standards. Includes newborn inlay and multiple recline positions. Weighs 4.8kg.
Sirona Z i-Size: Group 0+/1 car seat for newborns to about 4 years of age. Extended rearward facing up to 105cm tall with 5-point harness system. Easy 12-position height adjustment and reclining. Weighs only 9.9kg.
Both ranges offer parent-facing seats for infants as well as front-facing toddler seats to cover approximately 0 to 4 years old. This allows one system to grow seamlessly alongside your developing child. Weight capacities and measurements allow extended rear-facing for safety.
Winner: Tie
Comfort & Safety Features
The Maxi-Cosi 360 car seats focus heavily on comfort. Both the Pebble and Pearl include plush padding like in the harness shoulder pads, head pillow, body support cushion, and around the buckle release. Ventilation systems with breathable fabric and mesh lining help regulate temperature. The seats are secured firmly yet cushioned in their bases to allow a smooth ride. Safety features include G-Cell impact absorption foam in the shell and anti-rebound protection in crashes.
CYBEX is renowned for their commitment to safety and the Z line has cutting-edge features. The seats offer Linear Side Impact Protection with energy-absorbing shells to shield from collisions. The adjustable headrest has 11 positions to precisely fit infants or extend the seatback for toddler legroom. An XXL foldable sun canopy provides ample coverage and UV protection. And the lie-flat functionality allows correct sleeping ergonomics outside the car. Plush padding ensures a comfortable, tailored fit at every age and stage.
With additional side impact security and lie-flat capacity making the Z line safer and cozier for little ones, CYBEX pulls ahead in comfort and safety offerings.
Winner: CYBEX Z line
Rotation & Installation
The standout feature of both ranges is seamless rotation, enabled by their bases. The Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix 360 base and CYBEX Base Z allow you to swivel the attached seat 180-360 degrees towards the car door at the touch of a button for easy in/out. The bases connect firmly with Isofix anchors and have visual and audio indicators - green lights and beeping sounds - to guarantee proper, secure installation without user error. Attaching and detaching the seat itself from the bases is fast thanks to release buttons and takes just one hand. This makes transferring sleeping babies in and out the car a breeze. Both provide exceptional, smooth rotation and hassle-free installation.
Winner: Tie
Weight & Size
In terms of physical specs, the Maxi-Cosi 360 line is more lightweight and compact. The Pebble 360 is only 4.55kg compared to the 4.8kg Cloud Z. And the 8kg Pearl 360 is noticeably lighter than the 9.9kg Sirona Z. The narrower, more curved shape of the 360 seats allows them to fit better in smaller spaces when rotated compared to the wider CYBEX models. If using your infant seat mainly as a carrycot in a travel system, easy portability is key and the 360 range excels there.
Winner: Maxi-Cosi 360
Style & Customization
Those seeking flexibility in aesthetics are better served by CYBEX’s offerings. The Z line seats are available in over 10 rich colors like nautical blue, lava grey and peach pink allowing you to customize your look. Tasteful stitched accents and leatherette details up the premium feel. The 360 range offers only 3 muted tone options in comparison - black, grey and dark grey. For contemporary colors, patterns and textures, the Z line assures your car seat matches your style.
Winner: CYBEX Z line
Value & Accessories
Both CYBEX and Maxi-Cosi aim for the highest standards in quality which means their car seats come at premium prices. However they frequently offer sales and bundled packages that enhance value. When it comes to bases, the Z line Base Z costs approximately £185 while the 360 FamilyFix 360 base is around £199. And the infant seats themselves are both priced at about £200, with the toddler seats at roughly £280 and £320. So you pay for their outstanding safety and design innovations no matter which brand you choose. One advantage of the CYBEX system could be using the same Base Z from birth through approximately age 4 versus needing to purchase an additional 360 base when upgrading from Pebble to Pearl seat. Both seem fairly matched on value depending on deals and budget flexibility.
In terms of coordinating accessories, Maxi-Cosi and CYBEX have offerings like car seat foot muffs, rain/sun shades, travel bag options and more that allow you to build a complete system. The Z line does offer some higher end leather accessories if wanting to go ultra-luxury. But for the most part both support extending the experience through high quality, matching add-ons to consider.
Winner: Tie
The Verdict
It's hard to pick an overall winner between two equally well-designed rotating car seat systems made for optimal user-friendly function. The CYBEX Z line wins points for its standout safety innovations, plush comfort factors suited to extended time spent reclined, and wider variety of colors/patterns allowing you to customize their aesthetic. But the Maxi-Cosi 360 line takes the lead in lightweight portability which is a prime consideration if using as part of a travel system or frequently moving the seat. Both range from approximately £500 for the 2 seat + 1 base bundle to over £700 for adding extras like a second base or accessories. Ultimately Maxi-Cosi vs CYBEX comes down to whether parents prioritize convenience and compactness or advanced side impact protection and cushy, lay-flat comfort for their little one's journey. Both execute superbly on flexible rotation, stability and longevity across infancy and early childhood years when chosen.
Which offers better value for money?
It depends on your budget and feature priorities. Both command fairly premium pricing in line with their high quality, luxury status and innovation. If on a stricter budget, the Maxi-Cosi 360 line costs less for the combined infant + toddler seat bundle including base. The lighter, more compact seats also save on cost down the road if planning to use as part of a travel system. But for safety-focused parents, the CYBEX Z line's cutting edge side impact and cushioning technologies could justify the investment for extended rear-facing security. Ultimately either brand delivers an exceptional, long-lasting car seat system when making the commitment.
What is the difference between the Maxi-Cosi Pebble 360 and Pebble Pro i-Size?
The Pebble Pro i-Size is the newest version of Maxi-Cosi’s popular Pebble infant car seat. Key upgrades include an ergonomic headrest and 2-piece hug insert for adjustable cushioning and support. It is also lighter at 4.25kg vs the Pebble 360. The Pebble 360 is part of the rotating functional line, while the Pebble Pro focuses just on safety and comfort fundamentals rather than rotation. Other than those changes, the design and features align quite closely between the two seats.
What prams are compatible with Maxi Cosi and Cybex car seats?
The 360 and Z line seats easily click onto hundreds of pushchair brands and models to convert into a travel system using a universal car seat adaptor. Well-known compatible buggies include Bugaboo Donkey and Fox, UPPAbaby Vista, Cybex Gazelle, Babyzen, Ocarro and more. Be sure to check your exact pushchair for verification, but the rotating seats connect to almost all modern styles.
