• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Moment With Franca

A Family, Lifestyle & Travel Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Family
    • Family Events
    • Family Life
    • Family Days Out
    • Birthdays
  • Lifestyle
    • Home & Interiors
    • Bathrooms
    • Bedrooms
    • Garden
    • Kitchen
    • Health
  • Travel
    • Days Out
    • Things To Do In London
    • Holidays
    • Press Trips
  • Reviews
    • Toys & Games
    • Days Out
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
  • Seasonal
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Easter
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Giveaways
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Diono Radian 5 Car Seat Review

amomentwithfranca · 6 February 2017 · 39 Comments

Diono Radian 5 Review: Choosing the best car seat for your child is not straightforward. In fact, it’s one of the most difficult things we have had to do because it is not only choosing one that you like but also one that is safe enough so it will protect someone that you care about the most: your children. You should research properly and choose the best in the market if possible.

My girls are now 6 and 2½ years. Bella has a new car seat for her age which is group 3 and she will be able to use it until she is 12 years old or until she is 135 cm tall which is the maximum required by law to be in a car seat. So we are happy with her car seat. However, Sienna has now outgrown the car seat she has used since birth, it was time for us to start researching a new cool and safe car seat for her.

Diono Radian 5 Car Seat Review

Diono Radian 5 Review

We previously used a MaxiCosi car seat for Sienna but we weren’t that happy as she was getting her arms out of the straps quite often and we were getting worried. So for us, this was something we wanted to address when choosing a new car seat for her. We have heard and read so many great things about Diono Radian 5 so we were really excited to be asked to review one. Given Sienna had outgrown her existing car seat, this couldn’t have come at a better moment for us.

Diono has recently launched the ultimate Group 0-2 car seat for children, all the way from newborn to seven years old (up to 25kg). How awesome is that? This is something that drew my attention as I thought it was great to only have to worry about a car seat just once for a child instead of having to change it a few times as they grow, until reaching 7 years old. It also means you can choose the right moment to turn the car seat around for your child to sit forward facing.

Diono Radian 5 car seat

It has been proven that it is safer for children to travel rear facing, so this car seat can be installed in this way too. The car seat also allows your child to be forward facing in a 5 point harness for longer. This is something that I thought was really good. It also comes with an exclusive fold mechanism which makes it easier to transport. Although bear in mind that it is not light at all. This is because it has a unique steel frame that will make the seat super strong and durable so obviously, it can’t be light.

Installing the car seat requires the seat belt of the car. Diono say this is because Isofix isn’t strong enough. Seat belts will hold more than twice the weight of the Isofix points so it is the only option with a higher harness weight capacity seat.

It is very easy to secure your child in the car seat using the 5 point harness. Just click the straps into the buckle. You then pull the strap at the bottom of the seat to tighten the harness around the shoulders. To undo, you lift a little trigger by the strap.

It also comes with a 10 year warranty which is very handy and proves that they are very confident about their product. This says a lot about this car seat.

CONTENTS

IMG_5136

Inside the box you will find:

  • Instruction manual
  • Car seat
  • 2 sets of harness pads (one for young/light children and one with SuperGrip for when they reached 15kg),
  • Safe stop attachment
  • Tether connector strap
  • Rearward-facing bolster
  • Head cushion
  • Infant pad
  • Cup holder
  • Rear facing bolster
  • Detachable base

DIONO 5 SPECIFICATIONS V2

Extra items

ASSEMBLY

You need to assemble the car seat before you install it in the car. We did this in the house first. Sienna weighs 14 kg so she is not too far off to the limit of 15 kg where she will need to use the other accessories. We have set up the car seat in a forward facing position which is suitable for 9 kg to 25 kg which is the longer 5 point harness use.

The first thing was to unfold the base of the car seat and adjust the 5 point harness to the right height. To do that we had to undo the straps from the yoke and pull the shoulder harness through and then re-slot it in the appropriate hole and re-connect to the yoke. We placed Sienna in it to adjust it correctly for her. Placing the harness buckle in the 3 front most hole of the 3 holes in the seat was was perfect for her. He also set the head rest at the right height.

This is what we needed to do at this stage. Then we were ready to install the car seat in the car, placing it firmly on the seat.

INSTALLATION

We made a video of how we installed this car seat in the forward facing position. See below:

We followed all the instructions from the manual. It was all pretty straight forward. although we must admit that it was a little bit confusing regarding the red locking clips (they attach on the door side on both parts of the belt). We actually didn’t get them in our box and I only realised about them when I was researching more to do my review.

We didn’t realise we were missing them because the manual explains about them on a separate page. We have now requested replacement locking clips so we can add them to the car seat. Obviously not everyone will write a review like me so wouldn’t necessarily realise. I would recommend Diono amend the manual to make this clearer.

Sienna happy with her new car seat

Sienna excited to get in her new car seat! Happy times!

Another thing that I would like to mention is the harness. As I mentioned before we had problems with Sienna taking her arms out of the harness of her existing car seat. This is something that I was hoping to improve with this car seat. At the beginning, this didn’t work. Sienna refused to stay inside the harness. I tried to tighten them as much as we could but I found this to not work completely. I thought it should be tighter but didn’t know how to do it. I pulled the strap that is located at the bottom of the seat as much as I could but it wasn’t tightening it as much.

Sienna on Diono Radian 5 car seat

I was worried because I didn’t want to have Sienna getting out of the car seat when were on a long journey. I contacted Diono and raised this issue. They actually suggested rechecking the harness was in the correct position. I checked this again and it was all good. We tried again to explain her about the importance of wearing her seatbelt and now she is actually behaving well. She has not tried to escape anymore which is a relief!

INTERESTING FEATURES

Diono Radia 5

The Diono Radian 5 comes with additional safety elements including Safe Stop and Supergrip harness pads. When the seat is used in the forward facing position and when your child weighs 15 kg, it is very important to put on the Safe Stop. There is a video from Diono that explains this very well along with how to install it.

The Supergrip is a fantastic addition to the car seat. Once your child reaches 15 kg, it is very important to change to harness pads. These pads are energy absorbent and significantly reduce the impact of crash forces on the child.

Another interesting feature is that this car seat is very comfortable. It includes a thick memory foam on the seat base, a comfy headrest and ample padding, plus a plush newborn insert to keep babies secure and content.

Diono cup holder

It also comes with an extra deep cup holder. You can put up to 4 cup holders which are very useful for drinks, snacks or even little toys.

It is very narrow so you have more space in the back of the car. This is very handy when you need to fit there a 3rd person at the back.

PRICE

The Diono Radian 5 has a retail price of £295 but it is currently on sale for £225 so it offers superb value as you will only have to buy a car seat once from birth until your child reaches 7 years old or up to 25 kg.  You can buy the Diono Radian 5 from the Diono website or from various retailers.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, we really like the Diono Radian 5. It has lots of features. The idea of having to buy one car seat from birth up to 7 years (or up to 25kg) is a good selling point. Also, the price is reasonable for what you are getting. I love the extra comfort and having the option of adding extra cup holders. It is great that it is foldable too and has a strong metal base. I would just recommend making the manual a little more clear and to perhaps check the tightening of the harness issue a little more.

What do you think of the Diono Radian 5? Have you heard of it? Do you have your child’s car seat in a rear facing or forward facing position? Do you like the features of this car seat?

*Disclaimer: We received a DIONO Radian 5 to test for the purpose of this review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. This post contains affiliates links. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Love you all ❤️

Franca  💋

Related

Filed Under: Travel, Kids, Parenting, Review, Reviews Tagged With: Car seat, Diono, Radian 5

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan B says

    26 February 2017 at

    A great review and giveaway. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Gemma Middleton says

    26 February 2017 at

    I have never heard of the Diono Radian 5 , but it sounds great from this review. It seems super safe and what more could you want if you have little ones.

    Reply
  3. hali kinson says

    26 February 2017 at

    never heard off it before so was good to read up on it, sounds great and safe

    Reply
  4. olivia Kirby says

    26 February 2017 at

    It looks great – we have forward facing in our cars. We’ve never used Diono.

    Reply
  5. Jane Middleton says

    27 February 2017 at

    It looks a great quality product and so practical too.

    Reply
  6. Jennifer Baker says

    27 February 2017 at

    I’ve never heard of it before but I love the sound of it. My daughter sits forward facing x

    Reply
    • Jennifer Baker says

      27 February 2017 at

      …. But my new baby will be rear-facing when he/she’s born xx

      Reply
  7. Carrie Talbot-Ashby says

    27 February 2017 at

    Not tried Diono with my lot, but my wee baby is rear facing! Thanks for the post! xx

    Reply
  8. LoobyLee says

    27 February 2017 at

    Our girl like to face forward so she can join in with all the singing we do, but this chair is definately to be checked out

    Reply
  9. tammy neal says

    27 February 2017 at

    Great product this would prevent many accidents x

    Reply
  10. paula cheadle says

    27 February 2017 at

    never heard of this make before, but looks really good, at the moment rear facing

    Reply
  11. Diane Carey says

    27 February 2017 at

    I hadn’t heard of this seat before. It’s brilliant in that it will last a child until they are seven years old. It also has a lot of interesting features. When my granddaughter is born in June, she will be rear facing. The mirror is brilliant especially for when baby is in the car with just a driver

    Reply
  12. Diana says

    27 February 2017 at

    Would be great to win. It looks good! At the moment our 4 year old is forward facing and 1 year old rear facing 🙂

    Reply
  13. Ben Robb says

    27 February 2017 at

    love the mirror! so useful! have not seen this product before but it looks well made!

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

HI THERE, I’M FRANCA!

Hi, I'm Franca, a lawyer mum of 2 gorgeous girls married to my best friend, living in London. Award nominated parenting & lifestyle blogger. Read More…

Family Days Out

  • The Best Light Trails In London 2022
  • The London Transport Museum At Christmas
  • Monopoly Lifesized Review

Collaborative Videos

Popular Videos





AWARDS

BritMums



BritMums

Tots100

Tutora Best Parent Insight Blog Award Shortlist

RANKING

Tots100
Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2020

Flea Network Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2018

MEMBER

LINKY

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
✨ Cat Cafe In London✨.📍Bella and I went t ✨ Cat Cafe In London✨.📍Bella and I went to @javawhiskersuk , a cat cafe located in @westfieldlondon . This was my present for Mother’s Day from her🌸.🌟 Before we went inside, we had to go to a separate room to wash our hands and remove our shoes..🐾 They have 2 different rooms: the Cat Lounge and the Kitten Lounge and you can choose to stay from 55 mins to 1hr 55 mins. The prices vary depending on the room you choose and the length of time..🍰 When we stepped inside the room we were greeted by a group of gorgeous kittens. We ordered (before we went inside the room) a latte and a delicious chocolate muffin with chocolate melted inside that was so good. This was served to us in the room while we were surrounded by these adorable kittens..🐱 We spent 55 mins playing and petting the kittens. They were so cute. We loved interacting with them..🥰 Their cafe is also a foster home for homeless cats so if you are looking to adopt one, this is the place to visit! They have had 230 successful adoptions already! 🙌🏻.🚨 The only downside is that you have to be over 10 years old in order to be allowed inside the rooms 😬.🐈 If you are a cat lover like us, I highly recommend you visit Java Whiskers! It is the perfect place to unwind and relax with these beautiful kittens! 🙌🏻.Have you visited a Cat Cafe before? 🐈‍⬛ .#javawhiskers #catcafe #catcafelondon #londoncafe #westfieldlondon #londondayout #daysout #thingstodoinlondon #newplaces #londonguide #lovecats😻 #catsofinstagram #catloversday #londonthingstodo #whatsonlondon
✨ Happy Mother's Day✨.If you are in the UK, ✨ Happy Mother's Day✨.If you are in the UK, I hope you are having a lovely Mother's Day! 🌸🌸.We actually started the celebrations yesterday as Bella took me to @javawhiskersuk a new cat cafe in Westfield as a present for Mother’s Day. We spent 55 mins arround gorgeous kittens. I had a great time! I am a cat lover so this was a fab present for me! I will talk more about this experience on another post but if you swipe left you can see a little peak of our time there! 🐈😉.Today, the girls and Nick took me for the actually Mother’s Day celebration 🎉 to @cafejackss in Queen’s Park where we had brunch. It was a yummy treat. Swipe left to check it out! 😋 .After that we went for a walk. There was a small market nearby so it was nice to have a little look around 😍. We then went back home and spent the rest of the day chilling which is something, I’m not going to lie, I love doing! 😉😂.How was your day?#mothersdayuk #mothersdayweekend #mothersday2023 #motherofdaughters #mumoftwo #mumofgirls #mydaughters #lovemydaughters #daughterslove #mummydaughtertime #daughtersarethebest #daughtersrock #spendingtimetogether #happyfamilytime #familytime💕
✨My Girls✨.Due to the strikes we had Sienna ✨My Girls✨.Due to the strikes we had Sienna at home yesterday and today, and Bella only today. I thought it would be very chaotic but despite it always being louder when the girls are at home, especially my youngest one, lol, we did well..Bella did school work at home today and had the afternoon free. Sienna didn’t do school work. We only asked her to carry on doing Spanish and Maths via Duolingo. She also had Spanish lessons this afternoon (every Thursday she has lessons) so both days were manageable thankfully 😍.How was it for you? Did your kids stay at home or did they go to school? .PS: let’s hope things get better for teachers. I fully support the strikes. .#sistertime #sisterlylove #sistersgoals #hermanas #sistersforever #sistersforlife #sisterslove #siblingslove #lovemydaughters #raisingdaughters #mydaughters #londonkids #WembleyPark #wembley #londondesigneroutlet
✨Happy Weekend✨.How is your weekend going so ✨Happy Weekend✨.How is your weekend going so far? I am finally feeling more normal after the massive jetlag I had after my trip to South America. I am not sure why it hit me so much this time but it has taken me about two solid weeks to properly be back to my routine without feeling right. Waking up in the mornings was the worst. It was very hard, especially when I had to be on time for the school run! 😩.Anyway, everything feels better now! 😊.How long does it take you to be back to normal after a jetlag? Do you have any tricks or tips to speed this process? .📸 Selfy taken in Barranco, a lively district in Peru considered to be one of the most romantic and bohemian places to visit and being the home and working place of many Peruvian artists, musicians, designers, photographers among others 😎.#thisisme #selfie #instaselfie #smilemore #brunettehair #greeneyes #over40#over40blogger #overforty #overfortystyle #over40andfabulous #over40mom #outandabout #barrancolima
✨The Costa Verde✨.Lima, the capital of Peru ✨The Costa Verde✨.Lima, the capital of Peru is located on the coast. Walking along the sidewalk of the Malécon in Lima’s picturesque seaside district, Miraflores, you can admire the most beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. .The “Costa Verde” is a coastal road. It runs along the south-central part of the Lima coast. You can visit in the morning for a jog or in the evening to enjoy a relaxing walk. It is a very lively where people have fun in the open air..This is one of the best attractions on the coastal road. You will see several parks with sculptures of famous artists that make this walk even more unique and enjoyable. Along the route, you can find numerous recreational activities such as surfing and paragliding..If you keep walking you will arrive at “Larcomar” which is a shopping centre and has many restaurants and cafes so you can enjoy a coffee or a meal with the gorgeous ocean view too. .Pictures explained below:1. Start of my walk with the view of the ocean showing one the most gorgeous restaurants in Lima “La Rosa Nautica” where you can walk along the pier and then seat down for a meal with a sea view. Very scenic 😍2. 📸 Greater view of the coast showing the Pacific Ocean3. 🎥 Parque Chino (Chinese Park)4. 📸 Parque El Libro (The Book Park) showing a colorful sculpture, “Silencio” created by Peruvian artist José Tola.5. 📸 Parque del Amor (Love Park) showing its larger-than-life sculpture of two lovers in a deep embrace called “The Kiss”. The monument to love was created by Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín. 6. 📸 Faro de Lima (lighthouse)7. 🎥 View of the Pacific Ocean from Barranco area where you can see Lima Marina Club, a members only club. .If you visit Lima, I highly recommend you to have a walk along this gorgeous area. You won’t regret it! (Save this post for later 😀).Do you enjoy walks with a coastal view? When was the last time you did a walk with a scenic view? .#oceanviews #oceanview #costaverde #costaverdelima #miraflores #lima #visitlima #limaperu #mirafloreslima #limacity #cometoperu #limaperu #beautifulviews #beautifuldestinations #perutravel
✨Peruvian Suspiro Limeño✨."Suspiro Limeño" ✨Peruvian Suspiro Limeño✨."Suspiro Limeño" is one of my favourite Peruvian desserts. When I was In Peru, I of course, made sure to have it not only once but several times 😉.This dessert is made of manjar blanco (milk, sugar, almond flour, egg yolks, vanilla) and meringue (egg whites, port, cinnamon) 😘.The history behind this dessert starts with Amparo Ayarza who was the creator. Her husband, José Gálvez Barrenechea was a poet and was the one who gave it its name. The poet called it "Suspiro de Limeña", which means, 'Sigh of a Lima lady', because it is soft and sweet like the sigh of a woman. Love this 🥰.Have you ever tried "Suspiro Limeño"? Or have you heard of it before? Would you try it? .📸 Picture taken @panchitasazoncriolla in Lima that has one of the best versions of this dessert 🙌🏻.#suspirolimeño #peruviandessert #meringue #merengue #desserttime #dessertlover #dessertpic #dessertgram #peruvianfood #cocinaperuana #gastronomiaperuana #perufood #peruviancousine #whatisfordessert #dessertsofinstagram
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Copyright © 2023 · A Moment With Franca · Privacy Policy