The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a priority for all parents. Thankfully, there's an abundance of options when it comes to locating the ideal car seat for newborns for your little one.

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection, as well as an adorable inlay. It is the best car seat newborn new car seat in the UK. It comes with a single-handed recline and 12 headrest positions to adapt to your child’s growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the most popular choice to take your baby with you on your journeys from birth until they are toddlers. It's the newest version of the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features an innovative reclining system that gives your child an ergonomic, flat position inside the car and alongside a pushchair in the context of the travel infant car seat system. It is also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, so it can easily be attached to your car using the base provided. It can be rotated to help you get your baby in and out of the seat.

The car seat itself is constructed from high-quality materials and comes in a range of stylish colours such as Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a sleek and sophisticated option that is seamlessly matched with the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay, which is specifically designed for premature and newborn infants. This assists in maintaining the baby's head in a flat position, decreasing the possibility that their heads shift forward during sleep, causing breathing issues. This can be removed when your child is at 60 cm in height.

The car seat is a fantastic option for safety as it 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 child in the event of a crash and the revolutionary Flexi-Fix system that stretches to fit your child's size as they expand.

The unique 180deg rotating system makes it easy to get your baby into and out of the car seat when using it as part of a travel system that includes a Cybex stroller. There is no more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat is also equipped to fully recline to provide extra comfort during long journeys in the car. The price is slightly higher than other car seats in this age group but the features it offers including the recline feature and superior safety features make it worth the investment.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seats is among the most sought-after newborn car seats on the market. It is simple to use and is comfortable for babies. It is suitable from birth and can be used with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base or 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 by using adapters. The Baby-Hugg infant car seat rear facing seat is included to ensure a better fit, laying in a more upright position, and also side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus car seat is a Group 0+ that means it can be used for infants as young as 12 months (45cm between 45cm and 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 lets you switch from rear-facing to forward-facing on the same vehicle. It also features a handy rotating feature.

It's still a comfortable seat, but the new version is a bit more refined. It has a new, better baby-hugging inlay that looks and feels great. The shoulder straps have been covered in padding and the headrest can be adjusted to accommodate the growth of your baby. You can remove it at any time, when you do not want to use it again.

It's a little heavier than other newborn carseats at 4.5kg, but that should not be a problem when your baby is using it for the majority of the time. You can put it on with a handle for more comfortable carrying, and it's light enough to get it in and out of rideshare vehicles or taxis too.

It is also a stylish seat. You can pick from a variety of colors and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the cheapest infant car seat travel car seat but it's still very reasonable and well worth the extra cost for your baby. It can be a bit difficult to adjust the length and height, but once you've mastered the art of it it's fine. You can adjust the straps by pulling down on the back panel, pressing two buttons at the same time.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're looking for a newborn car seat that's super simple to use and holds your baby like a cot, then you should consider Joie Calmi. This dual-use car seat as well as carrycot is certified by R129. It's made tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and a plush padding to cradle you baby. It comes with a 3-point safety harness that is adjusted with a single pull and softly cushioned covers. It also has the ability to lateralize your baby's head in the safest position in case of an accident.

The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, so you can pop it off and put it back on easily. It's easy to move even when your baby is asleep, because of the adjustable handle bars. If you're planning to build an entire travel set, the iBase Encore adapters will allow you to connect your Calmi up with a MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

Joie has improved on the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned a high test score in the crash tests of Which? and a good rating from ADAC. The latest model that we tested features a lock that will stop you from turning the seat too quickly, ensuring that your child remains rear-facing for the longest time possible. It also has a huge sun canopy that is water-resistant and offers 50+ UV protection, and includes a mesh peekaboo window to allow you to check in without disturbing your child.

If you are shopping online for car seats, choose an online retailer that provides free delivery to the UK mainland for all orders. They should also allow returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide variety of car seats for newborns from top brands like Maxi-Cosi, Silver Cross and Cybex. Click and collect is free to any branch in your area (or Sainsbury's if you are nearby). With every purchase you make, you will also earn Nectar points. Argos also has a great range of car seats at prices starting at PS55. You can also get free delivery, same-day collection at the store and free returns to any Argos or Sainsbury's store that is participating.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new vehicle seat that's all-in-one from the trusted British brand that is renowned for its premium pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper loved it, describing it "the most attractive of the bunch, and the one my baby appeared to be most comfortable on long drives."

This fully-rotating R129-compliant car seat can carry your baby all the way to 12 years of age and was awarded the top rated baby car seats baby toddler, child and car seat in the ADAC's autumn test in 2022. It has also been tested above the rules to ensure your child is safe throughout every journey.

For infants, it comes with an adjustable and cozy padded insert made from soft bamboo fabrics that's super comfortable and breathable. It's also antibacterial. The body and head support can be removed as your child grows, and the 3 recline and 8 headrest positions can also be adjusted to accommodate.

The 'green' light that indicates that the car seat has been correctly installed and is ready to use is an exclusive feature. This makes it a great option for parents who are new to the family, and might not be aware of the correct installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a convenient stowable strap that can be used either in a forward-facing or rear-facing position.

Another reason to buy it is that it's a long-lasting vehicle fixture, so you don't have to wake up your sleeping baby to take them out for longer trips. However, it's not travel system-compatible like the Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus i-Size (you need to buy an additional travel bag for this).

The drawback to cars with a fixed structure like the Axkid One i-size is that they aren't as easy to carry around when you're required to move them between cars. If you choose to purchase an additional travel bag, select one that is strong and can endure the wear and tear of daily use. It's worth paying more for a bag that will last as long as the car seat of your child.