How do I know ISOFIX is installed correctly?

All indicators (on both connectors and on the support leg or Top Tether) should be green, and the seat should not shift when you pull it towards you at the base.

Why a support leg if there are connectors?

The connectors hold the seat at the rear, while the support leg suppresses the seat tipping forward in a crash. It is a third support point that significantly reduces the load on the child.

Can the support leg rest on a floor-compartment lid?

No. The support leg must press only against a solid, hard floor. If there is a recess or storage lid beneath it, the prop can collapse in a crash.

ISOFIX: What It Is and How to Install a Car Seat

What ISOFIX is

ISOFIX is an international standard for rigidly attaching a child car seat directly to the car's body shell. Two metal bars (anchor points) are hidden in the seat between the backrest and the cushion, and the car seat has two metal connectors that lock onto these bars with a distinct click. The idea is simple: the seat becomes part of the body shell instead of being held by a belt that is easily routed loosely or incorrectly. Crash labs consistently find that installation errors are the main reason a seat fails to perform as intended, and ISOFIX removes that risk.

Three fixing points: connectors, support leg, Top Tether

A complete ISOFIX installation has not two but effectively three points of support, to suppress the seat's forward "nod" in a crash:

Two connectors — the main link to the body-shell bars.
Support leg — a telescopic prop down to the car floor. Never rest it on a storage-compartment lid or a footwell recess — only on a solid floor.
Top Tether — an upper anchor strap that hooks onto a dedicated loop behind the seat (often in the boot or on the parcel shelf).

A seat uses either the support leg or the Top Tether — rarely both at once. Which one your model uses is stated in its manual. Every ISOFIX model in the VELANO car seats catalogue comes with the appropriate second support point.

How to tell if you have ISOFIX

Almost all cars built after 2011 have ISOFIX anchors on the rear row. Look in the gap between the backrest and the seat cushion for small metal bars or tags labelled "ISOFIX". If there are no anchors, the seat can be fitted with the car's own belt — but then it is especially important to follow the instructions.

Step-by-step installation (HowTo)

Prepare the seat. Remove any clutter and, if needed, lower the car's headrest so it does not obstruct the seat's backrest.
Locate the ISOFIX anchors. If needed, use the plastic guides often supplied — they help the connectors find the bars.
Extend the seat's connectors fully using the lever or release button.
Push the seat in until both connectors click. Indicators must change from red to green on both sides.
Press the seat against the backrest, then pull it towards you again — it must not move.
Set the support leg to firm contact with the floor (indicator green) OR route and tension the Top Tether to the loop behind the seat (tension indicator green).
Check all indicators for green and for the absence of play. Rock the seat near the base — minimal movement is acceptable.

Common mistakes

Connectors not pushed fully home — a red indicator stays visible.
Support leg resting on a footwell recess rather than a solid floor.
Top Tether routed over the headrest rather than to the correct loop.
The car's headrest preventing the seat from sitting flush against the backrest.

After installation

Every few trips, check the tension and the indicator colours. Once your child outgrows the seat, the same mounting principle applies to ISOFIX boosters. And if you are still choosing a model, start with our guide on how to choose a car seat.