Axkid Minikid Core & Britax Römer Baby-Safe Pro - Admin Team Statement
In light of the recent ADAC results involving the Axkid Minikid Core and Britax Römer Baby-Safe Pro, we, the Bump to Booster UK Admin Team, would like to address the situation.
We have been asked repeatedly for our professional opinions, so we want to explain our understanding of the testing, the circumstances surrounding the results, and our position as a team.
ADAC’s new testing parameters
The 2026 testing has introduced changes to the crash-test setup compared with the protocol used in previous years. These updated parameters are not shared with manufacturers until the tests have been conducted, by which point it is too late to make amendments to account for such changes.
The test sled has changed from a Volkswagen Polo to a Kia Sportage structure, with different seatbelt buckle positions and higher ISOFIX anchor points. This causes a change in the crash pulse, suggesting an increase of approximately 20% in the load experienced by the seat structure.
These changes matter because the geometry of the vehicle, the position of the seatbelt buckle and the forces experienced during an impact can all affect how a child car seat behaves.
This also highlights that the crash testing setup does not replicate every system found in a complete vehicle, including functioning seat belt pre-tensioners due to a lack of electrical components, and the absence of the front seat.
We believe it is important to understand these differences when interpreting the results, particularly when comparing them with previous testing.
The 5 levels of testing
The five levels of testing that Axkid applies to its products:
Regulatory approval (R129): The mandatory testing required for a seat to be legally sold.
Independent consumer testing: Additional testing, including the ADAC-style protocol used before the revised parameters.
The Swedish Plus Test: A demanding voluntary crash test focused on the forces experienced by a child’s neck in a frontal collision.
Automotive testing: Testing within a vehicle structure to examine how the seat performs in a vehicle environment.
Internal verification testing: Additional checks, including testing with a heavier dummy and scenarios involving incorrect installation or an unlocked seat belt.
The Minikid Core had undergone, and passed, these stages of testing before the revised ADAC conditions were introduced.
This is an important distinction: different tests assess performance under different conditions, and passing one test does not mean a seat will necessarily behave identically in every other test environment.
What actually happened?
There are a combination of factors that, in our view, influenced the results for both seats.
Axkid Minikid Core
The seat was tested in its most reclined position with a dummy representing an older, larger child (23kg/115cm). The front seat was removed to accommodate this configuration, the seat belt pretensioner was not functioning due to the electrical components of the sled vehicle being removed, and the seat belt anchor position was further forward.
These conditions allowed the seat to move further forward, and to downward-rotate further during the impact. As a result, the seat base then contacted the support leg mechanism, triggering the leg to retract.
Axkid subsequently investigated the behaviour and developed a modified support leg.
Britax Römer Baby-Safe Pro
The higher ISOFIX anchor points in the new test structure had affected the seat’s recline angle.
The dummy used was of an 11.1kg/80cm child, with the seat in its reclined position, resulting in excessive recline which altered how forces were concentrated around the harness buckle, causing it to release.
The configuration and angle of the seat are critical to understanding this result, rather than assuming that the buckle itself is inherently defective.
In both cases, the central argument is that the test environment and configuration influenced the behaviour observed during the crash tests.
What has Axkid said?
Axkid has initiated a voluntary recall of Minikid Cores following this additional testing that identified a deviation from its own safety standards.
The company states that the seat continues to meet applicable legal requirements and that it is taking precautionary action by offering free replacements. The voluntary recall applies to specifically the Minikid Core, not every Axkid seat.
We recognise that Axkid has taken action in response to its testing findings.
Read Axkid’s statement and voluntary recall information here:
What has Britax Römer said?
Britax Römer has also announced a voluntary recall covering a defined population of Baby-Safe Pro seats manufactured between 26 December 2025 and 30 September 2026 - note this is further defined as per the website within these manufacturing dates..
The manufacturer’s notice relates to the reported issue when the carrier is used in its most reclined position on the Vario Base 5Z. Britax is offering affected customers a replacement product or a free product update.
The manufacturer has provided specific instructions for affected seats while the replacement and update process is arranged.
Read Britax Römer’s official safety notice here:
What are we saying as the B2B Admin Team?
We have complete faith in reputable manufacturers who invest in safety testing and thoroughly investigate all findings on their products.
We recognise, and advocate for, the importance of testing beyond the legal minimum and of manufacturers acting when results do not meet their own standards.
We also believe that test results should be understood in context. Changes to testing protocols, vehicle structures, seatbelt geometry and crash conditions deserve scrutiny and informed discussion. A result from one particular test configuration should not automatically be treated as a complete explanation of how a seat will behave in every real-world scenario, nor should these results be compared with previous testing set ups. .
Therefore it is important to note the conditions under which both seats were tested were highly improbable to occur in real life. Having children of those sizes using the seats in the reclined positions is almost unheard of, and as we always tell people, it is safest to travel as upright as the child can tolerate.
In particular, where the Q6 dummy was tested in the Minikid Core, the only time the child seat manual would allow for such a large child to be in the reclined position would be to counteract sloped vehicle seats. This is why we, as a team, strongly encourage selecting a retailer you trust so they can recognise these scenarios and support you with a correct and safe fit and install.
It is also important to note that seatbelt pre-tensioners were introduced back in 1981 and therefore almost all vehicles on the road nowadays have this important safety feature.
Wherever you choose to install your car seats, there will almost always be a seat, or dashboard, in front of the child seat as well.
The voluntary recalls demonstrate that both manufacturers have taken responsible and appropriate action in response to identified concerns. We respect the importance of that process and encourage affected customers to follow the relevant manufacturer’s instructions.
Our professional opinions are informed by our understanding of the testing and the technical explanation outlined above. We do not claim to speak on behalf of either manufacturer.
Child road safety is at the heart of what we do. Our responsibility is to help families understand the information available to them, ask informed questions and make decisions based on the circumstances of their own child and vehicle.
Here are our own children who are still safely using the Axkid Minikid Core.
What you choose to do with this information is entirely up to you.
This statement represents the professional opinions of the Bump to Booster UK Admin Team. It does not represent the views of Axkid or Britax Römer, and we encourage anyone with questions about an affected seat to contact the relevant manufacturer directly.
We have been asked repeatedly to comment on this situation. We have now shared our position, and this will be our first, last, and only response on the matter.
For further information, please contact Axkid or Britax Römer directly using their official statements linked above.
- Bump to Booster UK Admin Team
