The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a priority for all parents. There's a wealth of options when it comes down to choosing the best newborn car seat for your little one.

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection and a baby-hugging insert. It's the most comfortable new car seat UK. It also has a one-handed recline adjustment and more than 12 headrest positions that adapt to your child's growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that has everything you need to take your newborn on adventures from birth through to their toddler years. It's the newest addition to the renowned Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technologies that give your child a comfortable and reclining position in the car or when used with a stroller as part of the complete travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat, which means it can be attached to your vehicle using the base that comes with it. It can be turned 360 degrees to help get your baby out and in.

The car seat itself is made of top-quality materials. It comes in a range of stylish colors, including Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a stylish and sophisticated option that is seamlessly matched with the Cybex T line of prams. It also includes the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies that helps ensure a secure, nearly flat position that minimizes the chance of their heads moving forward during sleep, potentially leading to breathing difficulties. It can be removed once your child reaches 60 centimeters in height.

In terms of safety, the car seat provides excellent protection for your child, achieving an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests conducted by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size features LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to prevent your baby from being thrown around in the seat in the event of an accident and the innovative Flexi-Fix harness system that stretches when your child grows, ensuring they are always in a secure fit.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system with a Cybex pushchair, the revolutionary 180deg rotation ensures that getting your baby out and in is a breeze - no more awkward bending or reaching. The car seat can be set in a fully reclined position for added comfort during long car journeys. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats in this age, but the features it offers including the reclining feature as well as excellent safety features makes it well worth the investment.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus Car Seat is among the most sought-after newborn car seats that are available. It's comfortable for babies and easy to use. It's suitable for babies from birth. It can be used either with Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix, EasyFix base, or your car seat belt system. The car seat is compatible with most pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). The Baby-Hugg infant seat is included for an improved fit, a more comfortable in a position that is more comfortable, and provides side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat which means it can be used for babies ranging from birth until 12 months old (45cm - 75cm). It is in line with the new iSize regulations, which require that children be rear-facing for a greater length of time. It is compatible with the 2way family base that allows you to switch from rear-facing to forward-facing on the same vehicle and includes an excellent rotating feature.

It's still a comfortable seat, but the new version has a few improvements. It now comes with a more refined baby-hugg inlay which looks and feels super-comfy. The shoulder straps are cushioned and the headrest is able to be moved up or down as your baby grows. It is also able to be removed at any time if you want to end using it.

It is a little heavier at 4.5kg than other newborn carseats, but it shouldn't pose a problem when your baby spends the majority of the time in it. It has a handle that can make it easier to carry and is light enough to be lifted into and out of taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a fashionable seat. You can choose from many different colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the cheapest infant car seat but it's still a reasonable price and worth the extra investment for your baby. It can be difficult to adjust the harness's length and height however once you've mastered the art of it, it's easy. Simply pull down on the back panel, and squeeze together two buttons to move up or down the straps without the need to rethread them.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're looking for a newborn car seat that is simple to use and holds your baby like a cot then you should consider Joie Calmi. This dual-use car seat as well as carrycot is certified by R129. It's built tough with a durable ventilated exterior shell and soft padding to hold your little one. It features an easy 3-point harness that is reachable with a single-pull tightening device and softly cushioned covers. Plus, it features the ability to lateralize your baby's head at the most secure position in the event of an accident.

The base of this seat is compatible with Joie Aeria and Finiti strollers, which means you can easily slide it on and off the frame. It's easy to move even when your Nania BEONE Baby Car Seat Access Grey is asleep thanks to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to create a travel set, the iBase Encore adapters will allow you to pair Calmi together with MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

The design of the prior i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. This model received a high score in the crash tests of Which? and a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested includes locks to stop you from rotating the seat too quickly, ensuring that your child is rear-facing for as long as it is possible. It also has a large sun canopy that is water-resistant, with 50+ UV protection as well as a mesh peekaboo to allow you to check in without disturbing the child.

If you are shopping online for a car seats, choose a retailer who offers free delivery to the UK mainland for all orders. They should also allow returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide selection of car seats for newborns from top brands, including Maxi-Cosi Tanza ISOFIX Child Car Seat Grey, Silver Cross and Cybex. Click and collect is free to any branch in your area (or Sainsbury's if you are near). For all purchases, you can also earn Nectar points. Argos is another great option for a wide selection of car seats, starting at PS55. You can also enjoy free delivery, same-day collection in-store and free returns to any Argos or Sainsbury's retailer that is a participating one.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new all-in-one vehicle seat from the trusted British brand that is renowned for its premium pushchairs and prams. Jasper the tester was a fan of it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch and my baby seemed to be the most comfortable for long drives."

This fully rotating R129-compliant car seat is able to carry your infant all the way up to 12 years old and won the top baby toddler, child and car seat award at the ADAC's 2022 autumn test. It has also been tested beyond the regulations to ensure that your child is safe during every trip.

For newborns, it features a removable and cosy padded insert made from soft bamboo fabrics that's super breathable and antibacterial. The head support and body insert can be removed as your child grows, and the 3 recline and 8 positions for the headrest can also be adjusted to accommodate.

One of the most distinctive features is the built-in green light' that signals that the car seat is secured and ready to use which makes it a fantastic option for parents who aren't sure with the proper way to install and set up car seats. It also comes with a handy stowable strap that can be used in the rear-facing or forward-facing position.

Another big selling point is that it's a constant fixture in the car which means you don't have to wake up your sleeping newborn to get them out for longer trips. It's not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or the Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You'll need to purchase a separate travel bag.

The downside to cars with a fixed structure like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as convenient to carry around if you need to move them between vehicles. If you do choose to purchase an additional travel bag to carry your car seat, make sure it's a sturdy one that is able to withstand the wear and tear of frequent use. It's worth paying a bit more for a bag that will last longer than your child's car seat.