The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Car seat safety is a top priority for any parent. There are many options available when it comes to selecting the best newborn car seats for your child.

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection, as well as a baby-hugging insert. It's the best new car seat in the UK. It features a one-handed recline and 12 headrest positions to adjust to your child's changing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the Premium Nania Easyfix Booster Seat Made in France car seat that includes everything you need to take your infant on journeys from birth right until they reach toddler years. It's the newest addition to the iconic Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technologies that allow your child a comfortable and reclining position in the car, or when used in conjunction with a stroller as part a complete travel system. It is also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it is able to be easily attached to your car by using the base supplied. It can also be rotated to help you get your baby in and out of the seat.

The car seat itself is made of top-quality materials. It comes in a variety of fashionable colors such as Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a stylish and sophisticated choice that seamlessly matches with the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay, which is specifically designed for premature infants. This helps maintain an upright position, which reduces the chance that their heads will move forward during sleep, causing breathing issues. It can be removed once your child reaches 60 cm in height.

In terms of safety, the car seat provides excellent protection for your child, scoring an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests conducted by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size is equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact protection) to protect your baby in the event of a crash and the revolutionary Flexi-Fix system that stretches to accommodate your child as they grow.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system that includes a Cybex pushchair, the innovative 180deg tilt means getting your baby in and out is easy. No more awkward reaching or twisting. The car seat can be placed in a fully reclined configuration for added comfort during long car trips. It does come at a slightly higher cost than other seats for this age group, however the extensive list of features including the reclining option and the excellent safety features make it worth the cost.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat is among the most popular infant car seats that are available. It is comfortable for infants and easy to use. It's suitable for babies from birth and can be used with Maxi-Cosi's FamilyFix or EasyFix base or in conjunction with your car's seat belt system. The car seat is also compatible with most pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range as well as Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It comes with the Baby-Hugg infant head support for a better fit and the position of the child's head and side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus car seat is classified as a Group 0+ which means it can be used for infants as young as 12 months (45cm – 75cm). It is in compliance with the latest i-Size regulations which requires children to be in the rear of the car for longer. It's compatible with the 2way Family base that allows you to change between forward and rear facing on the same vehicle and has a handy rotation feature.

Like the previous version, it's a comfortable seat and the new version has some improvements. It now comes with a more refined baby-hugg inlay that looks and feels super-comfy. The shoulder straps are well-cushioned and the headrest can be adjusted up or down as your baby grows. You can take it off at any time, when you do not want to use it any more.

It's a bit heavier at 4.5kg than other newborn carseats, but this shouldn't be a problem when your baby spends the majority of the time in it. You can use it with a handle for easier carrying, and it's lightweight enough to lift in and out of rideshare cars or taxis too.

It's also a nice-looking seat and you can pick from a wide range of patterns and colours to suit your car. It's not the most affordable infant car seat, but it is an excellent investment that is worth the money for your baby. Once you've mastered it making adjustments to the harness's height and size is easy. You can adjust the straps by pulling them down on the back panel, pressing two buttons simultaneously.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're looking for a baby car seat that is easy to use and cradles your baby like a cot, then look no further than Joie Calmi. This dual-use car seat as well as carrycot is certified R129. It's made tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and soft padding to hold your little one. It comes with a 3-point safety harness that is adjusted by a single pull, and softly cushioned covers. Plus, it features an lateral position to keep your baby's head in the safest position in case of an accident.

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 thanks to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to make a travel set, iBase Encore adapters will allow you to pair Calmi with MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

Joie has improved on the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned the highest test score in Which?'s crash tests as well as an A+ rating from ADAC. The model we tested has an electronic lock that prevents you from rotating the seat too fast, ensuring that your child remains rear-facing for as long as it is possible. It also comes with a large, water-resistant sun canopy with 50+ UV protection and a mesh peekaboo that allows you to check in without disturbing the child.

If you are shopping online for a car seat, you should choose a retailer who provides 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 offers free click and collect to your nearest store (or to the nearest Sainsbury's branch if you are near by). For all purchases you can also earn Nectar points. Argos is another good choice 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 Sainsbury's store that is participating.

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 that is known for its high-end pushchairs and prams. Jasper who was our test subject, was a fan of it. He said it was "the most fashionable of the bunch, and my child seemed to be most comfortable during long drives."

This fully rotating R129 compliant car seat is suitable for newborns up to 12 year olds. It was awarded the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the best child, baby and toddler car seat. It has also been tested above the rules to ensure that your child is protected during every trip.

It includes a removable, cozy padded insert for newborns made of soft bamboo fabrics. These bamboo fabrics are extremely breathable and antibacterial. The body and head support can be removed as your child grows, and the 3 headrest positions and recline can be adjusted to fit your child's.

The green light that indicates that the car seat has been properly fitted and is now ready to use is an unique feature. This makes it an ideal choice for new parents, who may not be familiar with the correct installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a convenient strap that can be used in the rear-facing or forward-facing position.

It's also permanent, so you won't need to wake your baby in order to take them out of the car for 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 downside to permanently fixed car seats like the Axkid One i-size is that they aren't as easy to carry around when you're required to transport them between different cars. If you decide to buy an additional travel bag, select one that is strong and can endure the wear and tear of daily use. It's worth paying a little more for a bag that will last for as long as your child's car seat.