Cybex’s Sirona S Car Seat Keeps Selling Out, and Now I Understand Why

The seat rotates 360 degrees, so it doesn’t matter if you place it behind the driver’s seat, the passenger’s or in the middle—you can easily pivot it to get the angle you need, all with the push of a handle. Oh, and you can do it one-handed (critical, since most of the time, I’m holding my daughter on my hip with the other arm). Once it’s locked in place (forward- or backward-facing, depending on the age and weight of your child), it stays locked, so you don’t have to worry about rounding a corner and your kid going on an unintentional Tilt-a-Whirl ride.

Yes, there’s a load leg that helps stabilize the car seat, and it has what look like little wings on either side of the seat—known as Linear Side-Impact Protection—which absorb 25 percent more of the force of an impact in a collision when they’re in use. It received high marks for safety by ÖAMTC, the German Touring Club known for testing car seats, and is highly recommended by Touring Club Switzerland, which also tests them. And yes, it includes Sensorsafe technology, which plugs into your car and sends an alert to your phone if (A) your child manages to un-buckle the chest clip, (B) the temperature of the car gets too warm and puts your kid at risk of heatstroke, (C) they’re left alone in the car or (D) they’re in the car for too long. I’m not sure what, exactly, the latter would mean for cross-country road trips, but I get the intent.

Those are the truly important features, but I’m here to gush about one tiny little extra that I can’t believe all car seats don’t include: magnets. Yes, magnets. The Sirona S has a small buckle icon on either side of the headrest, and just under it is a discreet little magnet. Stick the metal prong of each belt buckle to it, and boom! The straps on the five-point harness are held in place, so you’re not fishing them out from under your child when she inevitably knocks them underneath herself while fighting to escape the seat.

Are magnets and a swiveling seat worth $500? No. But when combined with the safety features—and the ultra-plush seating that my daughter actually looks forward to curling up in—I’m willing to rethink my stance on luxury car seats. Peace of mind that also saves time? Now that’s worth it to me.