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 to locating the best newborn car seat for your little one.

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

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that includes everything you need to take your infant on journeys from birth right until they reach toddler years. It's the most recent version of the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features an innovative reclining system that gives your child a comfortable lie-flat position inside the car and alongside a pushchair in the context of the travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat so it can be easily attached to your vehicle by using 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 itself is constructed of high-quality materials and is available in a range of stylish colors that include Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a chic and elegant choice that goes seamlessly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay, which is specifically designed for premature infants. This helps to maintain the baby's head in a flat position, decreasing the possibility that their heads will move forward during sleep, which can cause breathing issues. This can be removed once your child is at least 60 cm in height.

When it comes to safety the car seat offers superior protection for your child, achieving an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests by 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 the seat in the case of an accident. Also, it has the unique Flexi-Fix harness system that stretches as your child grows to ensure they always have a secure fit.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system that includes a Cybex pushchair, the unique 180deg rotation means that getting your baby in and out is easy. No more awkward bending or reaching. The car seat can also be positioned in a fully reclined configuration for extra comfort during long car journeys. It is priced at a somewhat higher price than other car seats for this age group, but the extensive list of features like the reclining option and the excellent safety features make it worth the money.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

Maxi-Cosi's Pebble Plus is one of the most popular infant car seats around. It's comfortable for babies and simple to use. It's suitable for babies 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 all pushchairs, including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo by using adapters. It includes the Baby-Hugg infant car seat that swivels 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 until 12 months old (45cm - 75cm). It is in line with the new iSize regulations, which require that children sit in the rear for longer. It is compatible with the 2way family base, which allows you to change from forward-facing to rear-facing on the same vehicle. It also features an excellent rotating feature.

Similar to the previous version, it's a very comfortable seat, and the most recent version comes with some enhancements. It now has a much-improved baby-hugg inlay that is super comfortable and stylish. The shoulder straps have been padded and the headrest has been made adjustable to accommodate the growth of your baby. You can remove it at any time, in case you decide not to use it again.

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 that swivels 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 good-looking seat and you can select from a wide range of colours and patterns to suit your car. It's not the most affordable infant carrier seat car seat, but it's still a great investment and is worth the extra cost for your child. It can be a bit difficult to adjust the harness height and length, but once you've mastered the art of it, it's a breeze. You can adjust the straps by pulling downwards on the back panel, and pressing two buttons simultaneously.

3. Joie Calmi

Joie Calmi is the ideal newborn car seat for your newborn. It's simple to use, and it can be used as a cot for baby. This dual-use car seat as well as carrycot is certified R129. It's made tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and a plush padding to cradle you little one. It comes with a 3-point harness that's easily accessible with one-pull tightening and softly cushioned covers. It also has lateral positioning, which keeps your baby's face in a safest possible position in case of impact.

This seat's base is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, which means you can take it off and put it back on effortlessly. It's easy to move even when your baby is asleep thanks to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to build an entire travel system, the i-Base Encore adapters allow you to pair Calmi with a Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair, too.

The design of the earlier i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. This model received a high score in the crash tests of Which? and a Good rating from ADAC. The model we tested comes with an electronic lock that prevents the seat from rotating too quickly, making sure that your child is rear-facing for as long as it is possible. It also has a huge 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 your child.

If you're looking to purchase a car seat online, ensure you select a retailer which offers free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great range of newborn car seats with top brands like Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross and offers free click and collect to your local store (or to a Sainsbury's branch if you live 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 participating Sainsbury's store.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

The reliable British brand is well-known for its high-end prams as well as pushchairs however, the Silver Cross Motion all-in-one car seat is making its mark on the market. Jasper who was our test subject, loved it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch, and my baby seemed to be the most comfortable for long drives."

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

For infants, it comes with an adjustable and cozy cushioned insert made of soft bamboo fabric that's comfortable and breathable. It's also antibacterial. The body insert and head support can be removed as your child gets older. You can also adjust the position of the headrest and recline to suit.

A unique feature is the built-in 'green light' that indicates when the car seat is secured and ready for use and is a great option for parents who may be unfamiliar with the proper way to install and fit car seats. It also comes with a convenient strap that can be used in the rear-facing or forward-facing position.

It's also an ongoing fixture, meaning you won't have to wake your baby in order to get them out of the car for long journeys. However, it isn't travel system-compatible, like the Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus iSize (you must purchase an additional travel bag to do this).

The disadvantage of permanent fixed car seats such as the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as easy to carry around when you have to transport them between different vehicles. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag for your car seat, be sure it's a durable one that can withstand the wear and tear that comes with frequent use. It's worth spending a little more to purchase a bag that will last for as long as the car seat of your child.