The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a top priority for all parents. Thankfully, there's an abundance of choices when it comes to finding the best newborn car seat for your baby seat.

With a cozy baby-hugg insert and enhanced side impact protection, the Cybex Cloud T is the best newborn car seat UK. It comes with a single-handed recline and 12 positions for the headrest to adapt to your child’s growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that has everything you need to take your infant to their first journey right through to their toddler years. It's the latest version of the legendary Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technologies that allow your child a lie-flat ergonomic position in the car, or when used in conjunction with a stroller as part an entire travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat so it can be attached to your vehicle with the base that comes with it. It can also be rotated 360 degrees to aid in getting your child in and out.

The car seat is constructed of high-quality materials, and is available in a variety of stylish colors including Moon Black, Lava Grey and Beach Blue Plus. It's a stylish and elegant choice that effortlessly matches the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay, which is specifically designed for premature infants. This assists in maintaining the baby's head in a flat position, decreasing the possibility that their heads will move forward while sleeping, causing breathing problems. It can be removed when your child reaches 60 centimeters in height.

The car seat is a great option for safety, since it has scored an impressive 1.7 in crash tests conducted by 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 stretches to fit your child's size as they expand.

The innovative 180deg rotation system makes it easy to get your baby in and out of the car seat when using it as a part of a travel system that includes a Cybex stroller. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can also be positioned in a fully reclined position for added comfort during long car trips. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats of this age but the features it provides, such as the reclining feature as well as excellent safety features make it worth the cost.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

Maxi-Cosi's Pebble Plus is among the best newborn car seats around. It is simple to use and is comfortable for infants. It's suitable for infants from birth. It is compatible with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or your car seat belt system. The car seat is compatible with most pushchairs including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo with 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 a Group 0+ that means it can be used by babies as young as 12 months (45cm between 45cm and 75cm). It meets the new i-Size guidelines that require children to remain in the rear for a longer period of time. It is compatible with the 2way Family base that allows you to switch between forward and rear facing on the same vehicle and comes with a handy rotation feature.

It's still a comfortable seat, but the new version is a bit more refined. It comes with a brand new, better baby-hugging inlay that is both beautiful and comfortable. The shoulder straps are well-cushioned and the headrest can be moved up and 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 heavier than other infant carseats, at 4.5kg however 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 be lifted to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a fashionable seat that is stylish. You can choose from many different colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the cheapest infant car seat, but it is nevertheless a good investment and worth the extra money for your baby. It can be tricky to adjust the length and height, but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze. Simply pull down on the back panel, and squeeze together two buttons to move up and down the straps without needing 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 you should consider Joie Calmi. This carrycot that doubles as a car seat is R129-certified meaning that it's built tough with a sturdy ventilated shell and plush padding to protect your little one. It features three-point harnesses that are easily accessible with one-pull tightening and softly padded covers. Plus, it features lateral positioning to keep your baby's head in the most secure position in the event of an accident.

The base of this seat 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 move even when your baby is asleep because of the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to build an all-in-one travel system, the i-Base Encore adapters allow you to connect Calmi with a Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair, too.

Joie has improved on the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned a high test score in Which?'s crash tests and a good rating from ADAC. The latest model, which we tested, has a lock that prevents you from turning the seat to face forward too quickly, making sure your baby stays rearward-facing for as long as is possible. It also boasts a large sun canopy that is water-resistant and provides 50+ UV protection and includes a mesh peekaboo window to let you look in without disturbing your child.

If you are looking online for car seats, choose an online retailer that provides free delivery to the UK mainland on all orders. They should also allow returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great selection of infant car seats from top brands, including Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross, and offers free click and pick up to your local store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you're close to one). For all purchases you make, you will also earn Nectar points. Argos also offers a good 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 branch.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new all-in-one vehicle seat from the reputable British brand that is known for its top pushchairs and prams. Jasper who was our test subject, was a fan of it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch, and my baby seemed to be the most comfortable during long drives."

This fully rotating R129 safe Nania Disney Minnie Car Seat for Groups seat is suitable for babies up to 12 year olds. It was awarded the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the best toddler, infant and child car seat. It has also been tested to the extent that it exceeds the requirements to ensure your child is safe throughout every journey.

It includes a removable, cosy padding for infants made of soft bamboo fabrics. These are super breathable and antibacterial. The head and body inserts as well as the support can be removed as your child gets older. You can also alter the headrest and recline positions to accommodate.

The green light that signals when the car seat has been properly installed and is ready for use is an unique feature. This makes it an ideal choice for parents who may not know the proper installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a stowable harness which can be used in either the rear or forward-facing position.

It's also permanent, so you won't have to wake your baby to take them out of the car for long trips. It is not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or the Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You'll need purchase an additional travel bag.

The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat. They're not as easy to move between cars. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag, choose one that is sturdy and can endure the wear and tear of daily use. It's worth paying more to purchase a bag that will last for as long as the car seat of your child.