The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a top concern for all parents. There's plenty of choices when it comes down to choosing the best newborn car seat (image source) for your baby.

With a soft baby-hugg inlay and enhanced side impact protection This Cybex Cloud T is the best newborn car seat UK. It has a one handed recline and 12 positions for the headrest to adapt to your child’s growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the most popular choice for taking your newborn with you on your journeys from the moment they are born until they become toddlers. It's the newest addition to the iconic Cybex Cloud line and features innovative reclining technology that gives your child a comfortable lie-flat position both inside the car and when used with a pushchair as part of a travel system. It is also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, so it can easily be attached to your vehicle by using the base that comes with it. It can also be rotated to assist you in helping get your baby into and out of the seat.

The car seat is constructed of top quality materials, and comes in a range of fashionable colors including Moon Black, Lava Grey and Beach Blue Plus. It's a sleek and sophisticated choice that effortlessly matches the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a safe, near-flat position that minimizes the chance of their heads bouncing forward while they sleep, which can cause breathing problems. It can be removed once your child is at 60 cm in height.

The car seat is a great option for safety, since it scored an impressive 1.7 in crash tests by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V.). The Cloud T i-Size is equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact protection) to safeguard your baby in the event of a collision and the revolutionary Flexi-Fix system that can be stretched to fit your child's size as they grow.

The innovative 180deg rotation system makes it simple to get your baby in and out of the car seat when you use it as a part of a travel system that includes a Cybex stroller. There is no more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat is able to be fully reclined for extra comfort on long journeys in the car. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats for this age range but the features it offers including the recline feature and superior safety features make it worth the investment.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus is one of the most popular infant car seat that swivels car seats on the market. It is simple to use and comfortable for infants. It is suitable 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 compatible with a variety of pushchairs, including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo, using adapters. The Baby-Hugg infant car seat rear facing support is included to ensure a better fit, laying in a more upright position, and also side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat which means it is suitable for use with infants from birth until 12 months old (45cm - 75cm). It is compliant with the new iSize regulations that require that children remain rear-facing for a longer period of time. It is 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.

Similar to 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 cushioned and the headrest can be moved up or down as your baby grows. It is also able to be removed at anytime if you wish to end using it.

It is a little heavier at 4.5kg than other newborn car seats, but this shouldn't be an issue if your infant car seat uk spends most of the time in it. You can put it on with a handle for more comfortable carrying, and it's light enough to be able to lift it into and out of rideshare vehicles or taxis too.

It is also a stylish seat. You can choose from a variety of colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the most affordable car seat for infants, but it's still a reasonable price and well worth the extra cost for your baby. It can be tricky to adjust the height and length however once you've mastered the art of it it's fine. You can adjust the straps by pulling them down on the back panel, pressing two buttons at the same time.

3. Joie Calmi

Joie Calmi is the ideal baby car seat. It's simple to use, and it is a great cot-like baby sitter. This car seat that doubles as a carrycot is certified R129. It's made tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and a plush padding to cradle you baby. It comes with an easy 3-point harness that is reachable with a single-pull tightening device and softly cushioned covers. It also features lateral positioning, which helps keep your baby's face in the most secure possible position in the event of an collision.

The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, meaning you can take it off and on the frame with ease. Additionally, with the adjustable handle bars, it's a breeze to lift, even when your child is asleep. If you're looking to build an entire travel system, the i-Base Encore adapters let you to connect Calmi with Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair too.

The design of the earlier i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. This model received an excellent score in the crash tests conducted by Which?, and a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested has locks to stop the seat from turning too quickly, ensuring that your child remains rear-facing as long as possible. It also has a huge sun canopy that's water repellent and provides 50+ UV protection, and has a mesh peekaboo window that lets you look in without disturbing your child.

If you're shopping for a car seat online, make sure you pick a retailer that offers free UK mainland delivery on all purchases and returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide selection of car seats for newborns from top brands such as Maxi-Cosi, Silver Cross and Cybex. Click and collect is free to any branch in your area (or Sainsbury's if you are near). You can also earn Nectar points on every purchase. Argos also has a wide selection of car seats with 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 participating Sainsbury's branches.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

The trusted British brand is well-known for its high-end prams as well as pushchairs, but the Silver Cross Motion all-in-one car seat is making its mark on the market. Our test subject Jasper was a fan, describing it "the most stylish of the bunch, and the one my baby appeared to be most comfortable on long drives."

This fully rotating R129-compliant vehicle seat can take your newborn all the way up to 12 years old and was awarded the top rated infant car seats baby toddler, child and car seat award in ADAC's autumn test in 2022. It has also been tested beyond the regulations to ensure that your child is safe on every trip.

It includes a removable, cozy cushioned insert for infants made of soft bamboo fabric. These fabrics 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 headrest and recline positions to fit your child's.

The 'green' light that indicates when the car seat is correctly installed and is ready to use is a unique feature. This makes it a perfect choice for parents who are new to the family, and may not be familiar with the correct installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a stowable strap that can be used either in the forward or rear-facing position.

It's also a permanent fixture, so you won't have to wake your baby up to get them out of the car for longer trips. It is not compatible with travel systems like the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize, or Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You will need to purchase an additional travel bag.

The drawback to permanently fixed car seats like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as easy to carry around if you need to move them between cars. If you decide to purchase an additional travel bag, pick one that is durable and able to endure the wear and tear of regular use. It's worth paying a bit extra for a bag which will last longer than your child's car seat.