List Price: $379
Weight Range: 5 to 65 lbs (RF to 40lbs)
The Good – Base with SafeCell technology; Integrated Steel Bars; HUGS with SafeCell Technology manages crash energy and forward head movement; SICT reduces side-impact energy transfer by 45%; Click & Safe Snug Harness Indicator for added peace of mind. No re-thread harness system.
The Bad – It is quite expensive; You can’t fit 3 in the back of a standard sized vehicle due to the SICT
The Bottom Line – The Britax Advocate G4 is one of the best convertible car seats on the market today. It has almost every possible safety feature that one could imagine in a car seat. It is also a comfortable seat that is easy to install and adjust.
UPDATE: The Britax Advocate has been replaced by the new and improved Britax Advocate ClickTight car seat. You can read my in-depth review of the ClickTight version of the Advocate here.
Britax Advocate G4 – Overview
The Britax Advocate G4 is a premium convertible car seat that is suitable for children weighing between 5 and 65 lbs (provided they are no more than 49 inches tall). It can be used rear facing up to 40 lbs.
It can be installed in your vehicle either using the adult seat belt or LATCH connectors.
The Advocate is very similar in look to the Britax Marathon G4, Britax Boulevard G4 and Britax Pavilion G4 car seats.
Just like the Pavilion G4, the Advocate G4 comes with HUGS Chest Pads with Safe Cell Technology, True Side Impact Protection and the Click & Safe Snug Harness Indicator.
However, the Advocate G4 is the only seat in the series that comes with Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT).
If you are trying to decide between the Britax Advocate G4 and the other seats in the Britax G4 range (and need a more detailed summary of the differences), you can read my Britax G4 comparison post here.
The Advocate G4’s Key Features Explained
The Advocate G4’s key features include:
- HUGS Chest Pads with Safe Cell Technology
- True Side Impact Protection
- Click & Safe Snug Harness Indicator
- Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT)
#1 HUGS Chest Pads with Safe Cell Technology – safe cells are engineered structures that are designed to compress in a crash and manage energy to reduce the amount of impact forces experienced by your child.
The benefits of Safe Cell Technology are explained in this video:
Note: The G4 models come with slightly different HUGS Chest Pads – they no longer have a strap running through them that attaches to the shell. The strap loosening mechanism is also smoother now.
#2 True Side Impact Protection provides greater protection against side impact collisions due to the special energy-absorbing foam that is used to line the head restraint. This enables your child’s spine to remain straighter during side impacts, which in turn reduces the risk of injury.
The benefits of True Side Impact Protection are explained in this video:
#3 Click & Safe is an audible indicator to help determine when your child’s seat harness is within the appropriate range of “snugness”. It is designed to be used as an additional safety feature as opposed to replacing your own judgment completely in this matter. Obviously, if the indicator suggests that your child is snug enough but s/he still looks a little insecure – tighten a little more! It is best used as a warning that you are not snug enough (if not within the range) rather than an absolute guarantee that your child is snug enough.
So, if it says your child is not snug enough then tighten more. If it says that your child is snug enough, still check with your own eyes and hands that this is correct.
Watch the video below to see how the Click & Safe feature works (it shows the G3 model but remains valid for the G4 model):
#4 Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT) – comprises energy-management cushions on either side of the seat that reduce side impact collision energy by 45%. The cushions absorb side impact forces before they reach your child, thereby reducing the risk of serious head injuries.
The Advocate G4 is the only seat in the G4 series to have this SICT safety feature.
Watch the video below to see an explanation of SICT:
Key Features
- Base with safecell technology features safecells designed to compress in a crash, significantly lowering the center of gravity and counteracting the forward rotation of the child seat which normally propels the child toward the front seat
- Hugs with safecell technology manages crash energy and forward head movement while keeping the chest clip properly positioned.
- Side impact cushion technology features energy absorbing cushions on the exterior of the child seat to reduce side impact crash energy by 45% by diverting crash forces away from your child and providing extra protection for the adjacent passenger
- True side impact protection offers a head restraint creating an extra layer of energy absorbing EPP foam, keeping the head, neck and spine in true or aligned, and deep side walls lined with EPP foam to distribute crash forces
- Click and safe snug harness indicator is an audible aid that provides extra assurance when the harness is within range of appropriate snugness
February 2014 LATCH Guidelines
Britax now advises that the LATCH lower tethers should only be used on this model until the child weighs more than 40 lbs. You can still continue to use the seat until the child weighs 65 lbs, but only if you re-install the seat using the adult seat belt instead. You should still use the top tethers as they are not affected by the law change.
Read more about this law change here.
Peace of Mind
The Britax Advocate G4 is packed with a great many excellent safety features. It is the top of the range car seat and I would be delighted to be able to drive any of my children around in it. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this might be my number 1 choice for convertible car seats if it wasn’t for the fact that I would need to fit 3 in row, and they just wouldn’t fit.
If you don’t need the SICT or Click & Safe Indicator, you should check out the Boulevard G4 instead.
Value for Money
UPDATE: The Britax Advocate has been replaced by the new and improved Britax Advocate ClickTight car seat. You can read my in-depth review of this seat by clicking on the banner below.
Where to Buy the Britax Advocate ClickTight
Find the Britax Advocate ClickTight here.
New Britax ClickTight Convertible Car Seats
Britax released a brand new range of convertible car seats in Autumn 2014, featuring their revolutionary “ClickTight” belt-installation system.
Safety Information
After purchasing any child car seat, you should always read the User Manual thoroughly before using it. It is also advisable to visit your local Fire Department or NHTSA Child Car Seat Inspection Centre to ensure that the seat is definitely suitable for your child’s specific requirements and that you have installed it correctly. These services are usually provided free of charge.
You can find your nearest NHTSA Centre here.
Do You Need More Help?
If you have any other feedback or questions about my Britax Advocate G4 Review, please feel free to leave a comment below or send an email to kristian@kidsafetyfirst.com
Very Nice Car Seat. Thanks for this information
Britax now advises that the LATCH lower tethers should only be used on this model until the child weighs more than 40 lbs. You can still continue to use the seat until the child weighs 65 lbs, but only if you re-install the seat using the adult seat belt instead. You should still use the top tethers as they are not affected by the law change.
This should read ” …..until the child weighs NO more than 40 lbs.” Right?
Please advise.
Thank you for taking the time to ask this question so that I can clarify this issue in another form of words to correct any misunderstanding.
The original statement correctly reads ” [LATCH] should only be used … until the child weighs more than 40 lbs”.
In other words, the “child weight limit” for using the seat when installed using LATCH is up to 40 lbs.
As soon as your child’s weight exceeds 40 lbs, they can only use the seat if it is installed using the seat belt.
I hope that this helps.