The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

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

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection and a baby-hugging inlay. It's the most comfortable new car seat UK. It also has a one-handed recline setting and no less than 12 headrest positions that adjust to the growing body of your child.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that has everything you need to take your newborn on journeys from birth right until they reach toddler years. It's the latest addition to the iconic Cybex Cloud line and features the latest reclining technology that allows your child an ergonomic lie-flat position both inside the car, and when used with a pushchair as part of an overall travel system. It is also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, meaning that it can be easily affixed to your car seat newborn insert using the base provided. It can also be rotated to help get your baby in and out of the seat.

The car seat itself is made from high-quality materials and comes in a variety of fashionable colours, including Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It is a stylish and elegant choice that goes perfectly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also comes with a Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a secure, nearly flat position that minimizes the chance of their heads moving forward while they sleep, potentially leading to breathing problems. It can be removed once your child is at a height of 60 cm.

When it comes to safety the car seat offers superior 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 comes with LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to safeguard your baby from being thrown out of the seat in the event of an accident and the unique Flexi-Fix harness system that stretches as your child grows to ensure they always have a secure fit.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system with a Cybex pushchair, the innovative 180deg tilt means getting your baby out and in is super easy - no more awkward reaching or twisting. The car seat can also be placed in a fully reclined configuration for extra comfort during long car journeys. It does come at a somewhat higher price than some other cars seats for this age group, however the numerous features including the reclining option and the excellent security features make it worth the investment.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus is among the most popular infant car seats around. It is easy to use and comfortable for babies. It is suitable for babies from birth. It can be used either with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or with your car seat belt system. The car seat is also compatible with most pushchairs including the Maxi-Cosi range and Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It includes the Baby-Hugg infant head support for a better fit and laying position and side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat which means it can be used with infants from birth to 12 months old (45cm - 75cm). It's in line with the new iSize guidelines that requires children to be rear facing for longer. It is compatible with the 2way family base that lets you switch from rear-facing to forward-facing on the same vehicle. It also includes an excellent rotating feature.

It's still a very comfy seat, but the latest version has a few improvements. It now has a much-improved baby-hugg inlay which is extremely comfortable and looks great. The shoulder straps have been cushioned and the headrest has been made adjustable to accommodate your baby's growing. You can take it off at any point, in case you decide not to use it anymore.

It's a little heavier than other infant carseats, at 4.5kg however that shouldn't be a problem when your infant car seat newborn is in it for most of the time. It can be used with a handle to make it easier transport, and it's light enough to get it in and out of rideshare vehicles or taxis as well.

It's also a nice-looking seat and you can select from a wide selection of colours and patterns to fit your car. It's not the most affordable infant car seat, but it is nevertheless a good investment and worth the extra money for your baby. It can be difficult to adjust the harness's height and length, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy. You simply pull down on the back panel and press two buttons to move up or down the straps without having to rethread them.

3. Joie Calmi

Joie Calmi is the ideal newborn car seat. It's simple to use, and cradles baby like a cot. This dual-use carrycot and car seat is R129-certified, meaning that it's built tough with a sturdy air-conditioned shell and soft cushioning to hold your little one. It has a three-point safety harness that is adjusted with just a single pull and softly cushioned covers. It also features lateral positioning, which keeps your baby's face in the safest possible position in case of collision.

The seat's base is compatible with Joie Aeria and Finiti strollers, so it's easy to pop it on and off the frame. It's easy to lift even when your baby is asleep because of the adjustable handle bars. If you want to create a travel system, then the i-Base Encore adapters let you to pair Calmi with Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair, too.

The design of the previous i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. This model received a high score in Which?'s crash tests, and a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested has an electronic lock that prevents you from rotating the seat too quickly, making sure that your baby remains rearward-facing for as long as is possible. It also comes with a large sun canopy that is water-resistant and offers 50+ UV protection, and has a mesh peekaboo window that lets you look in without disturbing your child.

If you are shopping online for a car seat, select a retailer who provides free delivery to the UK mainland on all orders. They should also accept returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great selection of infant car seats with top brands like Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross, and provides free click and collect to your local store (or to the nearest Sainsbury's branch if you live near by). With every purchase, you can also earn Nectar points. Argos is another option for a broad selection of car seats, starting at PS55. You can also get free delivery, same-day collection in-store and free returns to any Argos or participating Sainsbury's store.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

The trusted British brand is most well-known for its premium prams and pushchairs however, the Silver Cross Motion all-in-one car seat is making waves in the market with its. Jasper who was our test subject, loved it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch, and my baby seemed to find it most comfortable on long drives."

This fully rotating R129 certified car seat is suitable for babies up to 12 years old. It was awarded the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the top rated baby car Seats (https://trademarketclassifieds.com) child, baby seat and toddler car seat. It has also been tested to the extent that it exceeds the requirements to ensure that your child is protected on every trip.

For infants, it comes with an easy-to-remove and comfortable padded insert made from soft bamboo fabric that is comfortable and breathable. It's also antibacterial. The body and head support can be removed as your child grows and the 3 headrest positions and recline can be adjusted to accommodate.

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

Another major selling point is that it's a permanent fixture in the car which means you don't have to wake up your sleeping newborn to get them out for longer trips. However, it isn't travel system-compatible like the Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus iSize (you need to buy an additional travel bag to do this).

The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat. They're not as easy to transport between cars. If you do choose to buy a separate travel bag for your car seat, ensure that it's a sturdy one that is able to withstand the wear and tear that comes with frequent use. It's worth spending a little more to purchase a bag that will last as long as the car seat of your child.