The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a top priority for all parents. There are a variety of options when it comes to choosing the best newborn car seats for your child.

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection, as well as an adorable inlay. It's the most comfortable new car seat in the UK. It has a one handed recline and 12 headrest positions to adjust to your child's growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the best choice for bringing your baby along on trips from birth until they are toddlers. It is the latest addition to the renowned Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technology that lets your child a comfortable and reclining position in the car when used with a stroller as part the complete travel system. It's also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it is able to be easily attached to your vehicle by using the base that comes with it. It can be rotated to assist you in helping to get your child into and out of the seat.

The car seat itself is constructed of top-quality materials. It comes in a variety of fashionable colors, including Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a stylish and sophisticated choice that effortlessly matches the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies that helps ensure a Safe & Stylish Baby Car Seats for Every Family, near-flat position that reduces the risk of their heads moving forward during sleep, potentially leading to breathing problems. It is removed when your child reaches 60 cm in height.

The car seat is an excellent choice for safety, as it scored a dazzling 1.7 in crash tests by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V.). The Cloud T iSize is equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to prevent your baby from being thrown out of the seat in the case of an accident. Also, it has the unique Flexi-Fix harness system that expands when your child grows to ensure that they will always have a safe fit.

The innovative 180deg rotating system makes it easy to get your baby in and out of the car seat when using it as part a travel system that includes a Cybex stroller. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can be placed in a fully reclined posture to provide extra comfort on long car trips. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats for this age group, but the features it offers including the recline feature and superior safety features makes it worth the cost.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat is one of the most popular infant car seats that are available. It is comfortable for infants and simple to use. It's suitable from birth and can be used with the Maxi-Cosi Coral 360 Lightweight Baby Car Seat FamilyFix or EasyFix base or with your car's seat belt system. The car seat is also compatible with most pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range and Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). The Baby-Hugg infant seat is included to ensure an improved fit, a more comfortable in a more upright position, and also side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus car seat is classified as a Group 0+ that means it can be used by babies as young as 12 months (45cm – 75cm). It is in line with the new iSize regulations that require that children sit in the rear for a longer period 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. It also includes an excellent rotating feature.

It's still a very comfortable seat, but the new version has a few improvements. It has a new, improved baby-hugging insert that looks and feels great. The shoulder straps have been cushioned and the headrest can be adjusted to fit your baby's growth. It can also be removed at any time to stop using it.

It's heavier than some of the other newborn carseats at 4.5kg, but that shouldn't be a problem when your baby is using it for the majority of the time. It comes with a handle to make it easier to carry and is light enough to be lifted to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a nice-looking seat, and you can choose from a wide range of patterns and colours to match your car. It's not the most cost-effective infant car seat, but it is an excellent investment and worth the extra cost for your child. It can be difficult to adjust the length and height however once you've mastered the art of it, it's a breeze. You can adjust the straps by pulling them down on the back panel, pressing two buttons at the same time.

3. Joie Calmi

Joie Calmi is the perfect infant car seat. It's easy to use, and it can be used as a cot for baby. This carrycot that doubles as a car seat is R129-certified which means it's built to last with a tough air-conditioned shell and soft cushioning to cradle your infant. It features a 3-point safety harness that is adjusted by a single pull, and softly cushioned covers. It also has the ability to lateralize your baby's head in the most secure position in case of an impact.

This seat's base is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, which means you can remove it and put it back on with ease. It's easy to lift even when your baby is asleep, due to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to build an entire travel system, the iBase Encore adapters permit you to connect Calmi with a Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair as well.

Joie has improved on the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned an excellent score in the crash tests of Which? and a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested includes a lock to prevent the seat from rotating too quickly, ensuring that your child remains rear-facing for as long as is possible. It also comes with a large, water-resistant sun canopy with 50+ UV protection and a mesh peekaboo that allows you to observe without disturbing the child.

If you're looking for a car seat online, make sure you pick a retailer that provides free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great selection of baby car seats from top brands, including Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross and offers free click and collect to your local store (or to a Sainsbury's branch if you're near by). You can also earn Nectar points on all purchases. Argos is another option for a variety of car seats, with prices starting at PS55. They'll also deliver your order free of charge, offer same-day in-store collection and free returns at any Argos store or participating Sainsbury's branches.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new vehicle seat that's all-in-one from the trusted British brand, which is known for its high-end pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper loved it, calling it "the most attractive of the bunch and also the one that my child seemed to find most comfortable on long drives."

This fully rotating R129-compliant car seat can carry your baby all the way up to 12 years of age, and won the best baby toddler, child and car seat in the ADAC's test for the autumn of 2022. It's also been tested over and beyond regulations to ensure your child's safety on every journey.

For babies, it has an adjustable and cozy 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 headrest positions and recline can also be adjusted to fit your child's.

The 'green' light that indicates when the car seat has been properly installed and is ready to use is an unique feature. This makes it an ideal choice for parents who are new to the family, and may not know the correct installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a harness that can be used in either a rear or forward facing position.

It's also a permanent fixture, so you won't need to wake your baby in order to get them out of the car on longer trips. It's not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You'll need purchase a separate travel bag.

The drawback to cars with a fixed structure like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as easy to carry around when you need to move them between vehicles. If you decide to buy a separate travel bag for your car seat, make sure it's a durable one that can withstand the wear and tear of frequent use. It's worth spending a little more to get a bag that will last as long as the car seat of your child.