Joie Chili Spin 360
If you have been looking at all of the toddler car seats with a rotation feature, but you need one that is compact, the Joie Chili Spin 360 may be the seat you are looking for. From our experience with the seat so far, it seems like this child seat would fit from birth if you are interested in that as well.
Our Review of the
Joie Chili Spin 360
If you have been looking at all of the toddler car seats with a rotation feature, but you need one that is compact, the Joie Chili Spin 360 may be the seat you are looking for. From our experience with the seat so far, it seems like this child seat would fit from birth if you are interested in that as well.
Our recommendation: From birth until the seat is outgrown (average 6-7 years old)
A convertible car seat that can be used rear-facing and forward-facing
From birth
Stand Out Features of this Car Seat
Swivels
The Joie Chili Spin 360 swivels in the rear and forward-facing modes. The swivel function is very easy to use and the seat turns smoothly. The child's body faces the car door when loading and unloading, making it easy to buckle up.
seat belt lock-off
The Joie Chili Spin features a seat belt lock-off that is referred to as the LockTight belt tensioner. We found it very easy to use.
anti-rebound bar
An anti-rebound bar (ARB) is built into the seat. The anti-rebound bar is an added safety feature for rear-facing that can reduce the secondary movement of the car seat, called rebound, during a crash. When a collision occurs, the car seat will move forward, towards the front of the vehicle, and rotate downward. As we all know from high school physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction — so after that initial movement, the car seat will rebound, or “bounce back” towards the backrest of the vehicle seat. The ARB minimizes this bounce-back effect, helping limit the car seat movement and your child inside it! ARBs may also limit the side-to-side rotation of the car seat in a side-impact collision. Overall, it’s a great feature on a rear-facing car seat!
Seat is good for you if
You have a small back seat.
In the picture, we have the Joie Spin installed at the maximum recline setting in a Toyota Corolla. We were able to install it without moving the passenger seat forward, so we would say it is a fairly compact option.
You want a swivel car seat.
There are many choices on the market for swivel seats now. But this one stands out as it has a lower price point than some of the others and it is easy to install. It also swivels in both the rear and forward-facing modes, which is not the case for all of them. We have pictured, our original model for this seat who is now 4 months old. She still fits well, but we did find the required harness pads a little bit annoying.
You want a car seat with a seat belt lock-off.
If you have an older vehicle (made before 1996), which would not have locking seat belts, the lock-off on this seat would make it easy to use in your vehicle. But this seat belt lock-off makes the seat easy to install in general.
You have a vehicle with non-removable headrests.
The Toyota Corolla that we are using does have non-removable headrests that tilt slightly forward. We did not have any issue with the Joie Chili Spin fitting with these particular headrests.
Use caution if
You need to fit 3 people in one row of the vehicle.
This seat is 18.5" wide, so it is not a good choice if you need to fit 3 across in your vehicle. In addition, the swivel function would not be usable if you had a car seat next to it.
Quirks to be aware of
Harness Pad Rules
The harness pads must be used on the straps until the child is 22 pounds and they are allowed to be used until the child is 40 pounds. The harness pads are very thick and stiff. Because of this, we had a hard time getting a good harness fit on our young model. We would prefer to use the seat after the child is 22 pounds due to this issue.
Child Fit Information
We were able to try a 2-month-old in this seat. She is approx 10.5 pounds and 23". She had an excellent fit! We had to move the headrest up a bit, so it is likely that it would fit newborn babies well.
Installation Information
Airplane Use
The Joie Chil Spin does not have aircraft approval, so you will need a different seat if you are planning on traveling via airplane. For help with all things airplane travel and car seats, check out our Wheels Up Course and private Facebook group.
Videos
SITS Bottom Line
Overall, the Joie Chili Spin 360 car seat is a nice choice for families seeking a swivel car seat with easy functionality in both rear-facing and forward-facing modes. Compact enough to fit in smaller vehicles like a Toyota Corolla, this rotating seat is a great option for families needing a compact, space-saving car seat without sacrificing features for car seat safety. While its 18.5-inch width may not be ideal for three-across configurations, it stands out as an affordable swivel seat option. However, caregivers should note the harness pad requirements and consider alternative options for air travel.
Similar Car Seats
Specifications
Joie
Product Information
Weight: 26.6 lbs
Width: 18.5"
Highest Harness Height: 17"
Rear Facing Limits
Height: 43"
Weight: 4-40 lbs
Head Height Rules: at least 1″ below the top of the headrest adjustment handle
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 35 lbs
Forward-Facing Limits
Height: 49"
Weight: 30-65 lbs
Head Height Rules: ears must be below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 35 lbs
No Back Booster Limits
Highest Belt Guide Settings
High Back Booster Limits
Other Important Details
Newborn Fit
fits from birth
Expiration Limit
10 years
Crash Replacement Policy
replace after a moderate or severe crash
Harness
no-rethread
Lock-off
yes
Vehicle Seat Protectors
This brand allows a thin towel