Finally after five years, there are new Infa car seats that include ISOFIX together with the easy‑adjust harness. This new car seat is the updated Infa Secure Quattro which now includes the Safe Grip clamp and ISOFIX.
Infa Secure released their only ISOFIX car seat in 2015. This earlier model was an A2/B seat with a manual re‑thread harness. At the time of release in November 2014, it was one of the first ISOFIX seats approved under the 2013 Australian Standard. Unfortunately, it remained the only ISOFIX seat from Infa Secure for many years.
Isofix Installation
Many user issues were considered during the design stage, such as how to tension the ISOFIX connection. However, the system still fell short when it came to achieving sufficient tension on the connectors. This is similar to the Maxi Cosi ISOFIX system, where installation experience (over 16,000 installations) shows it is not possible to achieve the level of tension families expect for a stable installation.
Britax — the creators of ISOFIX (along with Volkswagen) — have over 20 years of experience with ISOFIX. Their system is easy to remove, easy to stow, easy to tension, and capable of achieving the secure installation families expect.
SAI Global
The extract from SAI Global for the new Infa car seats (Quattro) states:
Convertible child restraint comprising blow‑moulded seat incorporating: multi‑positional headrest with Side Impact Pod and harness adjustment, a multi‑position recline and a 6‑point harness. Installation is ISOFIX compatible or may be used with a vehicle seatbelt.
Options and accessories include: Energy Attenuation pads, Safe Grip belt clamp, Insert pads, Shoulder pads, Buckle pads, and Seat protector.
New Infa Car Seat SIP
The new Infa car seat “Side Impact Pod” sounds phonetically similar to Britax’s Side Impact Cushion Technology (SIP vs SICT). There is no further mention of the older Air Cocoon Technology (ACT), and the author doubts there is any meaningful change beyond renaming the technology.
New Infa Car Seats Harnessing
Infa still uses blow‑moulding to create the shell of their child restraints. This limits the harness step increments (currently 40 mm). Compare this to Britax’s 15 mm increments — Britax seats offer a much better fit due to smaller adjustment steps.
New Infa Car Seat Extended Harnessing
The extract from SAI Global for the Type G (extended harnessing) seat states:
Child restraint comprising blow‑moulded seat incorporating: multi‑positional headrest with Side Impact Pod and harness adjustment, a multi‑position recline and a 6‑point harness. Accessories include: Energy Attenuation pads, Safe Grip belt clamp, Insert pads, Shoulder pads, Buckle pads, and Seat protector.
Harness increment
This is very similar to the Infa Secure Emerge, which has known issues. Blow‑moulding limits harness increments to 40 mm — far too large for a good fit.
In many cases, the harness strap sits too far from the child’s shoulders to be secure. Britax’s 15 mm increments provide a much better and safer fit.
Seat Recline and Head Flop
The recline mechanism of the Emerge needs redesign. It currently conforms to the shape of the vehicle seat rather than providing a true recline. This makes it unsuitable for dual‑cab utes and many SUVs.
The Britax Maxi Guard uses a pedestal recline system — the best recline for extended harnessing seats — preventing head flop for children who sleep during drives.
Integrated Headrest Issues
The centre‑position tether strap of the Emerge causes problems when the vehicle has an integrated headrest. The tether must be split or moved to one side — neither solution is ideal. If routed over the headrest, the tether can slip.
The only solution is not to purchase the Emerge when your car has an integrated headrest. All other major manufacturers (Britax, Maxi Cosi, Mothers Choice, etc.) use split tether straps positioned at the sides.
Conclusion – New Infa Car Seats
Not Recommended. Disappointment is an understatement. The SAI Global update shows very few meaningful changes, and those changes do not justify the cost of a new seat. Purchasing an older Quattro Treo provides a better seat. For extended harnessing, the best option is the Britax Maxi Guard, with its easy‑to‑use harness and superior recline.