The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

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

With a cozy baby-hugg insert and enhanced side impact protection, the Cybex Cloud T is the most comfortable car seat for newborns in the UK. It has a one handed recline and 12 headrest positions to adapt to your child’s growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the best choice to take your baby along on trips from the time they're born until toddlers. It's the latest update to the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features an innovative reclining system that gives your child an ergonomic, flat position inside the car, and when used with a pushchair as part of a travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat, which means it can be attached to your vehicle by using the base provided, it can even be rotated 360 degrees to assist in getting your baby out and in.

The car seat itself is made from high-quality materials and comes in a range of stylish colours, including Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a sleek and sophisticated choice that seamlessly matches with the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a secure, nearly flat position that minimizes the chance of their heads flopping forward during sleep, which can cause breathing problems. This can be removed once your child is 60 cm in height.

In terms of safety, the car seat provides excellent protection for your child, achieving an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests from ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size comes equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact protection) to safeguard your baby in the event of a crash. It also features the revolutionary Flexi-Fix system that can be stretched to fit your child's size as they grow.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system with a Cybex pushchair, the unique 180deg tilt means getting your baby in and out is super easy - no more awkward bending or reaching. The car seat can also be positioned in a fully reclined configuration to provide extra comfort on long car trips. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats of this age 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 is among the most comfortable infant car seats available. It's a comfortable seat for babies and simple to use. It's suitable for babies from birth and can be used with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base or with your car's seat belt system. The car seat can be used with a variety of pushchairs, including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo, using adapters. It comes with the Baby-Hugg infant head support to allow for a better fit and the position of the child's head and side impact protection.

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

As with the previous version it's a comfortable seat and the latest edition comes with some enhancements. It comes with a brand new, better baby-hugging inlay that is both beautiful and comfortable. The shoulder straps are padded, and the headrest can be moved up or down as your baby grows. It is also able to be removed at any time to remove it.

It's a little heavier at 4.5kg than some other newborn carseats, but it shouldn't pose a problem if your infant spends most of the day in it. It comes with a handle to make it easier to carry and is lightweight enough to be carried to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a stylish seat and you can select from a wide range of colors and patterns to suit your car. It's not the most affordable infant car seat, but it's still a great 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. Simply pull down on the back panel and squeeze together two buttons to move up and down the straps without the need to rethread them.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're looking for a baby car seat that's super easy to use and cradles your baby like a cot then look no further than Joie Calmi. This dual-use carrycot and car seat is R129-certified which means it's built to last with a tough ventilated shell and plush padding to protect your infant. It features a 3-point safety harness that can be adjusted with a single pull and softly cushioned covers. It also has an lateral position to keep your baby's head in the most secure position in the event of an accident.

The seat's base is compatible with Joie Aeria and Finiti strollers, which means it's easy to pop it on and off the frame. It's easy to lift even if your baby is asleep, due to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to create a travel set, iBase Encore adapters allow you to connect your Calmi up with a MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

Joie has improved on the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned a high test score in Which?'s crash tests as well as an A+ rating from ADAC. The most recent model that we tested comes with a lock that stops you from rotating the seat to face forward too quickly, ensuring that your baby stays rearward-facing for as long as possible. It also has a large sun canopy that is water-resistant, with 50+ UV protection, as well as an open mesh that allows you to check in without disturbing the child.

If you're looking to purchase a car seat online, ensure you choose a store that provides free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide selection of car seats for newborns from top brands like Maxi-Cosi, Silver Cross and Cybex. Click and collect is free to your local branch (or Sainsbury's if you are near). You can also collect Nectar points on every purchase. Argos is another option for a variety of car seats, with prices starting at PS55. You can also avail 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 premium pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper loved it, calling it "the most stylish of the bunch and also the one my baby appeared to find most comfortable on long drives."

This fully rotating R129 compliant 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 most effective child, baby and toddler car seat. It's also been tested over and beyond regulations to ensure that your child's safety throughout every trip.

For babies, it has an adjustable and cozy padding made of soft bamboo fabric that's comfortable and breathable. It's also antibacterial. The body support and head support 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 when the car seat is properly secured and ready to use, making it a great option for new parents who aren't familiar with the proper way to install and set up car seats. It also comes with a harness that can be used in either a 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 your sleeping baby to take out for longer journeys. It is not compatible with travel systems like the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or Joie iSpin 360 Nania ERIS Isize Car Seat Fits 61-105cm. You'll need purchase an additional travel bag.

The downside to permanently fixed car seats like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as convenient to carry around if you're required to move them between vehicles. If you choose to purchase an additional travel bag, pick one that is durable and can endure the wear and tear of regular use. It's worth spending a little more to purchase a bag that will last as long as the car seat of your child.