The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a priority for all parents. There are a variety of options when it comes to selecting the most suitable car seat for your newborn for your child.

With a soft baby-hugg inlay and enhanced side impact protection, the Cybex Cloud T is the best infant car seat UK. It also comes with a one-handed recline setting and no less than 12 headrest positions that can be adjusted to your child's growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the premium option for taking your newborn with you on your journeys from birth until they are toddlers. It's the most recent update to the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features the latest reclining technology that allows your child a comfortable lie-flat position in the car seat inserts for newborns and when used in conjunction with a pushchair as part of the travel system. It is also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, meaning that it can be easily affixed to your vehicle by using the base that comes with it. It can even be rotated to help you get your baby in and out of the seat.

The car seat is made of top-quality materials and is available in a range of fashionable colors, including Moon Black, Lava Grey and Beach Blue Plus. It's a sleek and sophisticated option that is seamlessly matched with the Cybex T line of prams. It also includes the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a safe, near-flat position that reduces the possibility of their heads flopping forward while they sleep, which can cause breathing difficulties. It is removed when your child is 60 cm in height.

In terms of safety, the car seat offers superior protection for your child, achieving an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests from ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size comes equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact protection) to safeguard your baby car seat in the event of a crash and the innovative Flexi-Fix system that stretches to accommodate your child as they expand.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system with a Cybex pushchair, the unique 180deg tilt means getting your baby out and in is easy. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can also be placed in a fully reclined posture for added comfort during long car journeys. It is priced at a slightly higher cost than some other cars seats for this age group, however the numerous features like the reclining option and the excellent security features make it worth the money.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus is among the most comfortable infant car seats around. It is easy to use and is comfortable for babies. It's suitable from birth and can be used with Maxi-Cosi's FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or with your car's seat belt system. The car seat is also compatible with most pushchairs including the Maxi-Cosi range and Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It includes the Baby-Hugg infant headrest to ensure a better fit, laying position and side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat which means it is suitable for use with babies from birth until 12 months old (45cm between 45cm and 75cm). It is compliant with the new iSize regulations that require that children sit in the rear for longer. It's compatible with the 2way Family base that allows you to switch between rear and forward facing in the same car and has a handy rotation feature.

It's still a very comfortable seat, but the new version is a bit more refined. It now comes with a more refined baby-hugg inlay which is extremely comfortable and looks great. The shoulder straps have been cushioned and the headrest can be adjusted to accommodate the growth of your baby. You can remove it at any point, when you do not want to use it anymore.

It's heavier than other newborn carseats at 4.5kg but should not be a problem when your baby is using it most of the time. It has a handle to make it easier to carry, and is light enough to lift to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a good-looking seat, and you can choose from a wide selection of patterns and colours to suit your car. It's not the most affordable infant car seat, but it is an excellent investment and is worth the extra cost for your child. It can be tricky to adjust the harness's length and height however once you get the hang of it it's fine. You can adjust the straps by pulling down on the back panel and pressing two buttons at the same time.

3. Joie Calmi

Joie Calmi is the ideal infant car seat for a newborn baby. It's easy to use, and it cradles baby like a cot. This dual-use car seat and carrycot is certified by R129. It's built tough with a durable ventilated exterior shell and a plush padding to protect your baby. It features a 3-point safety harness that is adjusted by a single pull, and softly cushioned covers. Additionally, it has lateral positioning to keep your baby's head in the most secure position in the event of an impact.

The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, so you can take it off and put it back on with ease. With the adjustable handle bars, it's also easy to move even when your child is asleep. If you're looking to build an entire travel system, the i-Base Encore adapters allow you to connect Calmi with a Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair as well.

Joie has improved the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned an excellent score in Which?'s crash tests as well as a Good rating from ADAC. The latest model that we tested has a lock that prevents you from turning the seat too quickly, making sure your child stays in the rear as long as possible. It also has a large 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, make sure you choose a store which offers free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great range of newborn car seats from top brands, such as Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross, and offers free click and collect to your nearest store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you're near by). On all purchases you make, you will also earn Nectar points. Argos is another option for a broad selection of car seats, with prices starting at PS55. You can also enjoy free delivery, same-day collection at the store and free returns to any Argos or Sainsbury's retailer that is a participating one.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

The reliable British brand is best car seats infant known for its high-end prams and pushchairs, but the Silver Cross Motion all-in-one car seat is making its mark on the market. Our test subject Jasper loved it, describing it "the best-looking of the bunch and also the one that my child seemed to be most comfortable on long rides."

This fully rotating R129-compliant car seat can take your newborn car seat all the way to 12 years of age and won the top baby toddler, child and car seat award in ADAC's autumn test in 2022. It has also been tested to the extent that it exceeds the requirements to ensure your child is protected during every trip.

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

The 'green' light that indicates that the car seat has been properly fitted and is now ready to use is an unique feature. This makes it a perfect choice for parents who may not know the correct installation and fitting of car seats. It also has a handy harness that can be used in either the rear or forward-facing position.

It's also an ongoing fixture, meaning you won't need to wake your baby up to take them out of the car for long trips. It is not compatible with travel systems like the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or the Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You'll need to purchase a separate travel bag.

The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat that is permanently fixed. They are not as easy to transport between cars. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag for your car seat, be sure it's a sturdy bag that can keep up with the wear and tear of frequent use. It's worth paying more for a bag that will last longer than the car seat of your child.