The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

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

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection and a baby-hugging insert. It's the best new car seat UK. It also has a one-handed recline adjustment and more than 12 headrest positions that adjust to the growing body of your child.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the most popular choice for bringing your baby with you on your journeys from the moment they are born until they become toddlers. It is the latest version of the legendary Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technologies that give your child a flat, comfortable position in the car, or when used in conjunction with a stroller as part of a complete travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat which means it can be easily attached to your vehicle using the base provided, it can also be rotated 360 degrees to aid in getting your child in and out.

The car seat itself is made from high-quality materials and comes in a variety of fashionable colors that include 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 includes the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies which helps to ensure a safe, near-flat position that reduces the possibility of their heads moving forward during sleep, which could cause breathing problems. It is removed when your child is at least 60 cm in height.

When it comes to safety the car seat offers excellent protection for your child. It scored an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests from ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size features LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to protect your child from being thrown around in the seat in the event of an accident. It also features the revolutionary Flexi-Fix harness system that expands as your child grows to ensure that they will always have a safe fit.

The unique 180deg rotating system makes it simple to get your baby into and out of the car seats newborn seat when you use it as a part of a travel system, with a Cybex stroller. There is 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. It does come at a slightly higher price point than other seats for this age group, but the wide array of features, including the option to recline and the excellent safety features make it worth the investment.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus Car Seat is among the most popular newborn car seats available. It is simple 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 and Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It includes the lightweight baby car seat (Cameradb site)-Hugg infant car seat headrest for a better fit and laying position and side impact protection.

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

It's still a very comfortable seat, but the latest version has a few improvements. It now comes with a more refined baby-hugg that is extremely comfortable and looks great. The shoulder straps are padded and the headrest is adjustable to fit your baby's growth. You can remove it at any point, in case you decide not to use it any more.

It's a bit heavier than other infant carrier seat carseats, at 4.5kg, but that shouldn't be a problem when your child is in it for most of the time. It has a handle that can make it easier to carry, and is light enough to lift to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a stylish seat, and you can choose from a variety of colours and patterns to match your car. It's not the most affordable car seat for infants, but it's still very reasonable and well worth the extra cost for your baby. Once you've got the hang of 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

Joie Calmi is the ideal newborn car seat for a newborn baby. It's easy to use, and it is a great cot-like baby sitter. This dual-use car seat as well as carrycot is certified R129. It's built to last with a durable ventilated outer shell and plush padding to protect your baby. It has a three-point safety harness that can be adjusted by a single pull, and softly cushioned covers. It also has the ability to lateralize your baby's head at the most secure position in case of an accident.

The seat's base is compatible with Joie Aeria and Finiti strollers, which means you can easily pop it onto and off the frame. With the adjustable handle bars, it's a breeze to lift even when your baby is asleep. If you're looking to create a travel set, iBase Encore adapters will allow you to pair Calmi with MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

The design of the prior i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. The model earned a high score in the crash tests conducted by Which?, and a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested comes with an electronic lock that prevents the seat from turning too quickly, making sure that your child is rear-facing for as long as it is possible. It also has a large sun canopy that is water-resistant and has 50+ UV protection as well as a mesh peekaboo to allow you to check in without disturbing the child.

If you are looking online for car seats, choose a retailer who offers free delivery to the UK mainland on all orders. They should also accept returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great selection of baby car seats with top brands like Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross and offers free click and collect to the nearest store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you live nearby). You can also earn Nectar points on every purchase. Argos is another good choice for a wide selection 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 participating Sainsbury's store.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new all-in-one vehicle seat from the trusted British brand that is renowned for its premium prams and pushchairs. Jasper the tester loved it. He said it was "the most fashionable of the bunch, and my baby seemed to be the most comfortable during long drives."

This fully rotating R129-compliant car seat can take your newborn all the way up to 12 years of age and won the top baby toddler, child and child car seat in the ADAC's autumn test in 2022. It's also been tested over and beyond regulations to ensure that your child's safety during every trip.

It is equipped with an adjustable, comfortable cushioned insert for infants made of soft bamboo fabrics. These are super comfortable and breathable, as well as antibacterial. The body insert and head support can be removed when your child gets older. You can also adjust the position of the headrest and recline to accommodate.

A unique feature is the built-in green light' that lets you know when the car seat is secured and ready for use which makes it a fantastic option for parents who aren't familiar with the correct way to install and set up car seats. It also comes with a convenient stowable strap that can be used in the rear-facing or forward-facing position.

Another big selling point is that it's a constant vehicle fixture which means you don't have to wake up your sleepy newborn to get them out for long trips. But, it's not travel system-compatible like the Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus iSize (you have to purchase an additional travel bag for this).

The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat. They're not as easy to transport between cars. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag select one that is strong and can withstand the wear and tears of daily use. It's worth paying a bit more to get a bag that will last longer than the car seat of your child.