The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a top concern for all parents. Thankfully, there's an abundance of choices when it comes down to choosing the most suitable car seat for your child.

With a soft baby-hugg inlay and enhanced side impact protection This Cybex Cloud T is the best infant car seat UK. It also has a one-handed recline setting and no less than 12 headrest positions that adjust to your child's changing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the best choice for taking your newborn to the road from the time they're born until toddlers. It is the latest version of the legendary Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technology that lets your Nania Topo Child Booster Seat in Blue a lie-flat ergonomic position in the car when used in conjunction with strollers as part of an entire travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat which means it is able to be easily connected to your vehicle using the base that comes with it. It can also be rotated 360 degrees to help get your baby out and in.

The car seat is made of top-quality materials and is available in a range of fashionable colors, including Moon Black, Lava Grey and Beach Blue Plus. It's a chic and elegant option that works seamlessly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a safe, near-flat position that reduces the possibility of their heads flopping forward during sleep, which can cause breathing problems. This can be removed when your child is at 60 cm in height.

The car seat is a fantastic option for safety as it has scored an impressive 1.7 in crash tests by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V.). The Cloud T i-Size comes with LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to prevent your baby from being thrown around in the seat in the event of an accident and the unique Flexi-Fix harness system that stretches when your child grows, ensuring they are always in a secure fit.

The unique 180deg rotating system makes it simple to get your baby into and out of the car seat when you are using it as a part of a travel system, with a Cybex stroller. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat is also capable of fully reclined for added comfort on long journeys in the car. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats of this age however the features it offers including the reclining feature as well as excellent safety features makes it well worth the cost.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus Car Seat is among the most popular newborn car seats on the market. It is easy to use and comfortable for infants. It's suitable for babies from birth. It can be used with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or with 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 support is included for the best fit, better laying in a more upright position, and also side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus car seat is a Group 0+ which 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, which allows you to switch from rear-facing to forward-facing within the same vehicle. It also has an easy-to-use rotating feature.

As with the previous version it's a really comfy seat, and the most recent version has some improvements. It has a new, improved baby-hugging insert that is both beautiful and comfortable. The shoulder straps are padded, and the headrest can be moved up or down as your baby grows. You can remove it at any time, in case you decide not to use it anymore.

It's a little heavier at 4.5kg than other infant carseats, however this shouldn't be an issue for a baby who spends the majority of the day in it. You can put it on with a handle for more comfortable carrying, and it's lightweight enough to be able to lift it into and out of rideshare cars or taxis too.

It's also a good-looking seat and you can pick from a wide range of colors and patterns to fit your car. It's not the cheapest infant car seat, but it's an excellent investment and is worth the extra cost for your child. Once you've got the hang of it, adjusting the harness size and height is simple. Simply pull down on the back panel and squeeze together two buttons to move up or down the straps without needing to rethread them.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're in search of a new car seat that is user-friendly and can be used by your baby like a cot then look no further than Joie Calmi. This car seat that doubles as a carrycot is certified R129. It's built tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and plush padding to hold your little one. It has a 3-point harness that's easily accessible via a single pull tightening mechanism and softly padded covers. Plus, it features an lateral position to keep your baby's head at the safest position in case 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 lift even when your baby is asleep due to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to build an entire travel system, the i-Base Encore adapters allow you to connect Calmi with Shop Maxi-Cosi Titan Pro i-Size Child Car Seat! or Britax pushchair as well.

The design of the previous i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. The model earned a high score in the crash tests of Which? and a good rating from ADAC. The most recent model that we tested comes with a lock that stops you from turning the seat to face forward too soon, ensuring your child stays in the rear as long as is possible. It also boasts a large sun canopy that's water repellent and provides 50+ UV protection, and features a mesh peekaboo windows to allow you to look in without disturbing your child.

If you are shopping online for car seats, choose an online retailer that offers free delivery to the UK mainland on all purchases. They should also allow 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 provides free click and collect to the nearest store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you are nearby). You can also earn Nectar points on all purchases. Argos also has a wide range of car seats at prices starting at PS55. They'll also deliver your order free of charge and provide same-day pickup in-store and free returns at any Argos store or Sainsbury's branch.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new all-in-one vehicle seat from the reputable British brand, which is known for its high-end pushchairs and prams. Jasper, our tester, was a fan of it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch." My child seemed to be most comfortable during long drives."

This fully rotating R129 safe car seat is suitable for infants all the way to 12 years old. It was awarded the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the best child, baby and toddler car seat. It was also tested to the extent that it exceeds the requirements to ensure your child is protected on every trip.

For infants, it comes with an easy-to-remove and comfortable padded insert made from soft bamboo fabrics that's super comfortable and breathable. It's also antibacterial. The head and body inserts as well as the support can be removed when your child grows. You can also adjust the recline and headrest positions to accommodate.

A unique feature is the built-in 'green light' that lets you know that the car seat is secured and ready for use and is a great option for parents who aren't sure with the correct way to install and set up car seats. It also has a handy stowable harness which can be used in either rear or forward-facing position.

Another big selling point is that it's a constant fixture in the car, so you don't have to wake up your sleepy baby to take out for longer journeys. It's not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You'll need purchase an additional travel bag.

The drawback to permanent fixed car seats such as the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as convenient to carry around if you're required to transport them between different cars. If you decide to purchase an additional travel bag for your car seat, ensure that it's a sturdy one that can withstand the wear and tear that comes with 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.