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Graco Snugsafe car seat and Evo pram any good? And do they fit a ford focus?

17 replies

CuttingOutTheCrap · 20/05/2014 15:08

Currently expecting DC1 and we're looking at prams/car seats/travel systems and feeling a bit overwhelmed.

We've looked at lots and the Graco Evo stood out, even though it's a lot more affordable than other we'd considered - and the Snugsafe car seat (which has an isofix base) is compatible so seems a great buy- it seemed to tick all our boxes,

  • light (I have an old back injury so this is a bonus but not a necessity)
  • Easily manouvered
  • One hand collapse
  • Decent size when collapsed (to fit in car, we are rural and don't have public transport nearby)
  • Easy to swap the car seat/seat/carrycot in and out
  • seat can be parent facing or outward facing
  • isofix base for car seat


Does anyone have this system and if so, would you recommend it?

We currently own a ford focus and are thinking of buying another as a second car but keep hearing that they are poor cars for car seats due to short seatbelts, but hoping the ISOFIX will mean it's ok.

Does anyone know if the car seat fits in a focus? We are trying to find a store that can try it out in the car for us,but finding it hard to track one down (we'll probably buy online in the end if it suits).

Any advice gratefully received!
OP posts:
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HappierThanEverBefore · 21/05/2014 14:20

Check that your focus has Isofix as a friend has a focus and hers didn't have Isofix. The focus was a 56 plate

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CuttingOutTheCrap · 21/05/2014 21:29

Thanks for replying Happier, it definitely has isofix, it's a 2013 model that we own and the one I'm thinking of buying is a 2010 or so. I think it became standard for all models in 2007 - but i've been checking anyway just to be sure :)

OP posts:
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jennyschreurs · 15/09/2014 13:27

Please do not buy the snugsafe car seat...i did and really struggled to the point i had to return it. Have a look at the reviews on mothercare they are shocking. I am currently in heated discussion with graco.. its unsafe
1- its not lightweight. The maxi cosi pebble is bigger but much lighter...i know as i carried it through town
2- the straps do not adjust well and my baby had marks on her legs where they were digging into her. Even mothercare staff could not adjust it and she is a tiny baby of 4 kg!
3- mid journey her head looped forward and we had to emergency stop on the M5.

the pram is excellent. But the car seat is dangerous....i just want your little one to be safe

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burns82 · 15/09/2014 19:16

After Reading Reviews on Mothercare I rang Graco and they said they was aware of certain complaints from Mothercare website of the Snugsafe, and the problem is with the Mothercare staff not knowing how to correctly adjust the waist and buckle strap. I admit it is difficult especially as it does not tell you how to in the Instruction book, They sent me a email with the different ways on how to adjust all the straps which i now know how to do. The Seat has passed all the safety Checks.

Regarding th Evo We love it, We brought the whole system with carrycot and was by far the best value for money we looked at.

I have a 59 plate Focus which did not have Isofix, Ford fitted it in for me for £75 all in. The seatbelt in my focus would not fit any rear facing Carseat as belt is too short.

Hope this helps.

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Mummy2two60 · 21/09/2014 19:00

Hi. I'm really worried. I got this whole travel system before lo was born. I am so unhappy with the car seat. Head falls forward, straps seem in wrong position, buckle does not have enough strap and digs into legs. Went into mothercare on sat and staff agreed did not look correct. I therefore got bus home and do not want to use this again. Graco are closed at weekends and I have no idea what to do as I bought the whole travel system so can't just take seat back and no other fits the pram system or the isofix base. Waiting on mothercare to call tomorrow but worried they say graco say its fine. ???

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emjgibson · 26/09/2014 14:05

I am having problems with my graco snugsafe car seat and graco not being helpful. I agree it looks uncomfortable and unsafe, the clip the straps go into sit between the legs and poor baby has to spread legs wide to strap them in? Does this part of the strap extend do you know? We've also had problems getting car seat to release from isofix base, gets stuck. Spoke to graco and say they have to take parts away to inspect but then leaves me without a car seat. Not very helpful fed up and just want to return the lot and start again but can't. Can you let me know how you are getting on with your complaints as to the other parts. Thank you

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Mummy2two60 · 27/09/2014 01:43

I've seen a few forums now of people complaining about car seat. Shame as rest if pram is great. Mothercare have a motto about guarantee safety in car seats. I told them it wasn't safe. At first only offered exchange of car seat, no other fits pram or isofix though. After talking and saying that it's not my fault and that I bought it as a package they eventually refunded full price of travel system and isofix base. After few hours in store looking at other options which were all a lot more expensive to exchange and pay difference for another make. Hope you get sorted. Keep posted with graco. They must know its completely faulty, strap at buckle is far to short. Try original retailer.

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emjgibson · 27/09/2014 23:03

Lucky you brought it from mothercare and glad you've managed to get an exchange. Kiddecare are being very unhelpful and unfortunately all out local stores have now closed down and graco being equally unhelpful. Lost my temper with them but will call back again next week but can't see they are going to do anything to change it. Did you say you were able to change the length of the buckle strap or is that just the length it has to stay at?

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emjgibson · 27/09/2014 23:03

Lucky you brought it from mothercare and glad you've managed to get an exchange. Kiddecare are being very unhelpful and unfortunately all out local stores have now closed down and graco being equally unhelpful. Lost my temper with them but will call back again next week but can't see they are going to do anything to change it. Did you say you were able to change the length of the buckle strap or is that just the length it has to stay at?

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Mummy2two60 · 28/09/2014 03:10

As far as I can see you can't extend buckle strap. It's designed all wrong, buckle curves out wards and digs into legs. I was able to extend the waist side straps but all that does is give you more to play with. Doesn't solve pinching legs. I had to move straps up at shoulders, the insert then didn't fit and had to cut it to make it safe enough to get lo home. Think it should be a watchdog complaint. Good luck.

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owainsmum · 28/09/2014 04:52

Not sure about that particular seat but Graco are generally not good. I recently got a new car seat for DS and Graco got awful reviews. I've also got a 2010 ford focus and it doesn't have isofix, so it's not standard although you can have it fitted. Re the seatbelt being too short, I have a Mothercare baby seat that came with my pram and have no trouble securing it with the seatbelt, so it probably depends what seat you go for.

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emjgibson · 29/09/2014 19:22

Thanks for your responses. I am searching other forums to see if any other people complaining but at the moment this is the only one I've really found. Going to call graco back again tomorrow and see what they say. Totally disappointed and it's not something you can try until baby comes along and then it's too late to change. Stressing me out

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emjgibson · 29/09/2014 19:22

Thanks for your responses. I am searching other forums to see if any other people complaining but at the moment this is the only one I've really found. Going to call graco back again tomorrow and see what they say. Totally disappointed and it's not something you can try until baby comes along and then it's too late to change. Stressing me out

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Phineyj · 29/09/2014 19:25

As a pram we have found the Graco Evo very good - not sure if we had the same car seat as you mention though, as we had no problems with it.

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Mummy2two60 · 29/09/2014 20:07

Mothercare website has bad reviews on it now.

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mummywren85 · 01/03/2015 09:13

Please does any one have any advice our graco evo car seat is stuck in the isofix. Does anybody have any ideas how to get it out? It is only stuck one side, it clicked in fine when we went to release it one side is stuck but the dots on the back of the isofix are showing it has been released.

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Tallmaris · 13/02/2017 13:35

Hi mummywren85, did you manage to un-stuck the carseat in the end? I'm having the same problem and it's not coming apart at all! :(

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