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 finding the best newborn car seat for your baby.
Featuring a cosy baby-hugg inlay and enhanced side impact protection, the Cybex Cloud T is the most comfortable car seat for newborns in the UK. It features a one-handed recline and 12 positions for the headrest to adjust to your child's growing body.
1. Cybex Cloud T
The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the premium option for taking your newborn to the road from birth until they are toddlers. It's the newest addition to the renowned Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technologies that allow your child a flat, comfortable position in the car when used with a stroller as part of a complete travel system. It's also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it is able to be easily attached to your car using the base provided. It can also be rotated to assist you in helping get your baby in and out of the seat.
The car seat itself is constructed of top-quality materials. It comes in a variety of trendy colours such as Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a sleek and sophisticated choice that effortlessly matches the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with a Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies which helps to ensure a safe, near-flat position that reduces the possibility of their heads flopping forward while they sleep, which could cause breathing problems. It can be removed once your child reaches a height of 60 cm.
When it comes to safety the car seat provides excellent protection for your child, scoring an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests from ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size comes with LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to safeguard your baby from being thrown around in the seat in the event of an accident and the revolutionary Flexi-Fix harness system which stretches as your child grows, ensuring they are always in a secure fit.
If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system that includes a Cybex pushchair, the revolutionary 180deg rotation ensures that getting your baby out and in is super easy - no more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can be set in a fully reclined position for extra comfort during long car journeys. It does come at a slightly higher cost than other car seats for this age group, however the numerous features including the reclining option and excellent security features make it worth the cost.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus
The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus is one of the most comfortable infant car seats available. It's a comfortable seat for babies and simple to use. It is suitable from birth and can be used with Maxi-Cosi's FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or with the seat belt system in your car. The car seat is also compatible with all pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It comes with the Baby-Hugg infant headrest to allow for a better fit and positioning for laying and side impact protection.
The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat which means it can be used with babies from birth until 12 months old (45cm - 75cm). It is compliant with the new iSize regulations, which require that children be rear-facing 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 has a handy rotating feature.
As with the previous version it's a really comfy seat and the new version includes some improvements. It comes with a brand new, improved baby-hugging insert that feels and looks great. The shoulder straps are padded and the headrest is adjustable to accommodate the growth of your baby. It can also be removed at anytime if you wish to remove it.
It is a little heavier at 4.5kg than some other infant carseats, however this shouldn't be a problem for a baby who spends the majority of the time in it. It has a handle that can make it easier to carry, and is light enough to be lifted into and out of taxis or rideshare vehicles.
It's also a stylish seat. You can choose from a variety of colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the cheapest infant car seat, but it's an excellent investment and worth the extra cost for your child. It can be a bit difficult to adjust the harness's length and height but once you've got the hang of it, it's easy. 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 a great baby car seat for your newborn. It's easy to use, and can be used as a cot for baby. This car seat that doubles as a carrycot is R129-certified. It's built tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and plush padding to protect your baby. It has a three-point safety harness that can be adjusted with a single pull, 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 impact.
The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, which means you can pop it off and put it back on easily. It's easy to lift even if your baby is asleep, due to the adjustable handle bars. If you're planning to build an entire travel set, the iBase Encore adapters allow you to pair Calmi together with MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.
The design of the prior i-Spin 360 has been improved by Joie. The model was awarded a high score in the crash tests of Which? and a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested has an electronic lock that prevents the seat from turning too quickly, ensuring that your baby remains rearward-facing for as long as it is possible. It also comes with a large, water-resistant sun canopy with 50+ UV protection as well as a mesh peekaboo that allows you to check in without disturbing your child.
If you're looking for a car seat online, make sure you choose a store that provides 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 close to it). You can also earn Nectar points on all purchases. Argos is another good choice for a wide selection of car seats, with prices starting at PS55. They'll also ship your order free of charge, offer same-day in-store collection and free returns at any Argos store or participating Sainsbury's branch.
4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360
The most trusted British brand is most well-known for its premium prams and pushchairs but 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 fashionable of the bunch and my baby seemed to be the most comfortable during long drives."
This fully rotating R129-compliant vehicle seat can take your newborn all the way up to 12 years old and won the top baby toddler, child and car seat award at the ADAC's autumn test in 2022. best car seats for newborns uk 's also been tested above and beyond the regulations to ensure that your child's safety throughout every trip.
It includes an adjustable, comfortable padding for infants made of soft bamboo fabric. These fabrics are super comfortable and breathable, as well as antibacterial. The body and head support can be removed as your child grows and the 3 recline and 8 headrest positions can be adjusted to suit.
A distinctive feature is the built-in green light' that signals that the car seat is properly secured and ready to use and is a great option for parents who may be unfamiliar with the correct way to install and fit car seats. It also comes with a convenient stowable strap that can be used in the forward or rear-facing position.
Another big selling point is that it's a constant fixture in the car which means you don't have to wake your sleeping newborn to get out for longer journeys. But, it's not travel system-compatible, like the Joie I-Spin 360 iSize or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus iSize (you have to purchase an additional travel bag to do this).
The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat. They are not as easy to transport between cars. If you decide to buy a separate travel bag, pick one that is durable and able to endure the wear and tear of regular use. It's worth paying a little more for a bag that will last for as long as your child's car seat does.