In general, all car seats made are now tested to ECE R129 (new regulation), however ADAC test their seats even more rigorously than these standards, so you, as a consumer, can see which car seats have really gone above and beyond to ensure your child’s safety and this year the testing conditions have gotten more rigorous.

The 3 main criteria for the tests are:

Safety (50%), Operations (40%) and Ergonomics (10%) & Harmful Substances

So, not only is the safety of the seat taken into account, but also the ease of use and fitting, how comfortable the seat is for the child and how accessible the user’s manual is etc, encouraging manufacturers, in turn, to focus on these aspects for your benefit.

ADAC Car Seat Test — What's Changed in 2025/2026
Starting with the spring 2025 test round, ADAC significantly overhauled its testing protocol. The key changes fall into three areas:

 1. New Frontal Crash Test
The old method (pre-2025) was conducted at 64 km/h using a VW Polo crashing into a deformable barrier - one that crumples on impact, absorbing energy gradually. That crumple zone meant the deceleration force was spread out over a longer time interval, softening the load on the child seat.

The new method is quite different in every key parameter. A Kia Sportage SUV is accelerated to 50 km/h and hits a rigid (solid, non-deforming) wall after 13 seconds of travel, producing a sudden, very intense impact pulse.
The lower speed (50 vs 64 km/h) can seem like it should make things easier, but that's a misconception — in the new setup, there is no crumple zone to absorb energy, so the entire force arrives in a much shorter time interval, and the loading on the child seat is actually higher.

There are two other important dimensions to why the SUV body matters. First, the Kia Sportage is heavier than a VW Polo, so it carries significantly more kinetic energy into the impact. Second, the new test is designed to simulate a realistic scenario — a collision with a fixed obstacle or a heavy vehicle — which is closer to what happens in real-world accidents.

2. New Side Impact Test
The changes here are arguably even more dramatic. In the old side-impact test, a light impactor was used at just 15 km/h. The new test uses a 6-tonne impactor at 60 km/h. That is four times the speed and an enormous increase in mass.
The 6-tonne moving barrier simulates a side collision with an SUV or van — exactly the type of accident that occurs frequently in everyday traffic. The increase in both barrier weight and speed reflects the real-world prevalence of large SUVs on European roads and the threat they pose in side collisions.

3. PFAS Chemical Testing (brand new category)
For the first time, ADAC is now testing seat fabrics for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) — chemicals that are considered a health concern and are extremely difficult to break down. PFAS are sometimes called "forever chemicals" because they are not biologically degradable and accumulate in the environment, entering the food chain. If a seat's PFAS rating is worse than "good," it results in a downgrade of the overall score — and a "poor" PFAS result causes an automatic fail.
This has already had real consequences: the Maxi-Cosi Nomad Plus failed the autumn 2025 test in part because very high levels of PFAS were found in its fabric — exceeding the legal limit.

The new test methodology is grounded in accident research and biomechanics findings. Children are not small adults — they have shorter necks which puts greater stress on the upper cervical spine during movement, and their spine and musculature are still underdeveloped. Research also showed that children aged 12 to 18 months are particularly vulnerable in traffic accidents, which helped drive the revision.
Here's a visual summary of the changes:The key insight is the rigid wall change for the frontal test. With the old deformable barrier, the car's crumple zone meant the child seat experienced a gradual deceleration. With a rigid wall, the entire kinetic energy is transferred almost instantaneously — think of the difference between punching a pillow and punching a brick wall at the same speed. The rigid wall produces a much sharper, more violent deceleration pulse even at the lower test speed.
For the side impact, the old 15 km/h light barrier was frankly quite modest. The new 6-tonne impactor at 60 km/h simulates precisely the type of accidents that happen frequently in everyday traffic — a large van or SUV T-boning the vehicle at a junction, which is a very common real-world crash scenario.

Because of these significant changes, 2025/2026 results cannot be directly compared to earlier ADAC tests — the new standard is more demanding than ever. A seat that scored well in 2024 might score lower in 2025/2026 not because it got worse, but because the goalposts have shifted to reflect more realistic accident conditions.

In short, ADAC has moved from a test that was already among Europe's toughest to one that is now more representative of real-world crashes — bigger vehicles, harder impacts, and broader scrutiny of the materials children are sitting on every day.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the car seats from Spring 2026's ADAC testing for you to peruse, most of which are available at Baby & Co.

Keep scrolling for more information, and to hear what ADAC had to say about some of your favourite seats!

ADAC tested the Silver Cross Glide Plus 360 and results showed that there was a low risk of injury in a frontal crash, average risk of injury in a side crash and that the child and seat can be connected firmly in the vehicle. The car seat was also praised for having good belt routing.

The ADAC tests showed us that the Silver Cross Approach 360 & Base boasts optimum belt routing, and the seat can be connected very firmly to the vehicle. However there was an average risk of injury in both a frontal and side collision.

The ADAC test showed that the seat was easy to install with the instructions and warnings remaining clear and simple, creating a low risk of incorrect operation. In addition to this the seat conversion was very quick and easy and the cover is machine washable. They also felt the BeSafe Beyond 360 & Beyond Base were crafted very well. ADAC’s only criticisms were that buckling in the child was a bit more complicated and the removing the cover for washing can be tricky. It also noted there were minor manufacturing defects.

ADAC felt the ergonomics of the Silver Cross Approach 360 & Base were good, complimenting the ‘good’ padding and comfortable seating position as well as the space allowance for the child. However they critisised the leg rest and the lack of visibility for the child of the outside. This seat also requires a large amount of vehicle space, potentially making it unsuitable for smaller cars.

The materials used in the Silver Cross Approach 360 & Base were concluded to contain a very low level of pollutants and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals.

The Maxi-Cosi Emerald 360 Pro has good belt routing and the child car seat can be attached very securely to the vehicle. However they found an average risk of injury in a frontal and side impact crash.

The Maxi-Cosi Emerald 360 Pro has a low risk of incorrect operation, the cover is machine washable and overall it was praised for its excellent craftmanship. However there were a few points of concern from ADAC, they felt the seat installation had complications as well as difficulties buckling in the child and converting the seat as the child grows. They felt the instruction manual and warning notices to have some slight weaknesses as well as the cover being difficult to remove. They also commented on the high weight of the seat.

The car seat recieved satisfactory in ergonomics with its comfortable seating position for the child and good leg rest. They raised concerns about the leg support, increased space requirements in the car, they also felt the child had a restricted view of the outside, however this isn't a concern as all rear facing seats, get this comment. They also felt the space for the child was adequete and could have been improved.

The materials used in the Maxi-Cosi Emerald 360 were concluded to contain a low level of pollutants and very low level of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals.

The Maxi-Cosi Topaz has a good belt path and the seat is stable in the vehicle however there is an average risk of injury in a frontal and side impact.

The Maxi-Cosi Topaz was easy to install and adjust as your child grows. ADAC praised it's low risk of misuse, as well as it being lightweight, machine washable and overall a well crafted product. However their criticisms were that the instructions have some weaknesses and the cover is tricky to remove as well as the buckling in of the child being slightly complicated.

The Maxi-Cosi Topaz received very good in the ergonomics category with its exemplary seating position for the child, good leg rest and a large amount of space. They also commented how the seat only requires a small space making it suitable for all car sizes. However their concern was the thin padding on the seat and that there was a restricted view of the outside for the child.

The materials used in the Maxi-Cosi Topaz were concluded to contain a low level of pollutants and a very low level of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals.

The Joie i-Irvana has an average risk of injury in both a frontal and a side crash. The ADAC also found that the car seat is stable in the vehicle with a good belt path.

The seat was easy to install and adjust as your child grows with a low risk of incorrect opperation. ADAC praised it for very good craftmanship as well as the cover being machine washable. However they thought it was slightly complicated to buckle in your child and criticised that the instructions have a couple of slight weaknesses and could be clearer. They also felt the cover was tricky to remove.

The car seat recieved good in ergonomics with its good leg rest, large amount of space for the child and good padding. They also praised the small footprint of the car seat within the car. However their concern was the need for a better seating positon for the child, they also felt the child had a restricted view of the outside.

The materials used in the Joie i-Irvana were concluded to contain a very low level of pollutants and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals.

The Avionaut Stardust was found to have good belt routing as well as the car seat being very stable within the vehichle. However it has an average risk of injury in both a frontal and a side crash.

ADAC praised it for very good craftmanship as well as the cover being machine washable. However there were a few concerns with the operation of this seat, firstly the instructions were difficult to interpret and therefore there is an increased risk of misue and the seat being installed incorrectly. They also felt the buckling in of the child was complicated as well as removing the cover. They also commented on the high weight of the seat.

The car seat recieved satisfactory in ergonomics with its good seat padding. However there were some concerns with the leg support, seating position and space requiring improvement. They were also concerned there was the need for a larger car as it takes up a lot of space, they also felt the child had a restricted view of the outside.

The materials used in the Avionaut Stardust were concluded to contain a very low level of pollutants and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals.

The Axkid Minikid 4 Pro received satisfactory in Security with its low risk of injury in a side crash but average risk in a frontal crash. The ADAC also found that the car seat is stable in the vehicle with a very good belt routing.

The seat was easy to adjust as your child grows. ADAC praised it for very good craftmanship as well as the cover being being machine washable. However their criticisms were the instructions have a couple of slight weaknesses and could be clearer, increasing the risk of misuse and incorrect seat installation. They also felt the buckling in of the child was slightly complicated and the cover was tricky to remove.

The car seat recieved satisfactory in ergonomics with its large amount of space for the child and good padding on the seat. However their concern was the need for a larger car as it takes up a lot of space, the seating position could be improved as well as the leg support for the child. They also felt the child had a restricted view of the outside, however this isn't a concern as its a rear facing seat.

The materials used in the Axkid Minikid 4 Pro were concluded to contain a very low level of pollutants and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals.

And that's it for our selection of 2026's ADAC car seats! Hopefully you'll have seen something to tempt your interest. With such a selection spanning from birth right up until 12 years old, you may have even found two seats to last your little one! Which car seats have you got your eye on?

Do you have some of these products? Let us know how you like them on our socials or leave a review!

Are you wanting to stock up for the due date but hesitant to purchase due to current lack of space, having to manage a budget or just need more time to decide on the nursery room layout? We offer our customers a free of charge Nursery Plan to hold all your baby goods till you are ready to pay and collect. For more information about our free Nursery Plan service click here or visit us in store to chat to one of our friendly team members.

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