The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK
Car seat safety is a top concern for any parent. There are a variety of options when it comes to selecting the best car seat for your child.
The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection as well as a baby-hugging insert. It's the most comfortable new car seat in the UK. It comes with a single-handed recline and 12 headrest positions that adjust to your child's growing body.
1. Cybex Cloud T
The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the best choice to take your baby along on trips from the moment they are born until they become toddlers. It's the newest addition to the renowned 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 a complete travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat, which means it is able to be easily connected to your vehicle using the base that comes with it. It can be turned 360 degrees to assist in getting your baby out and in.
The car seat itself is constructed from high-quality materials and comes in a variety of trendy colors, including Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige 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 and newborn infants. This helps maintain an upright position, which reduces the possibility that their heads move forward during sleep, which can cause breathing issues. This can be removed when your child reaches 60 centimeters in height.
The car seat is a fantastic option for safety, since it has scored an impressive 1.7 in crash tests by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V.). The Cloud T i-Size is equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact protection) to safeguard your baby in the event of a collision and the revolutionary Flexi-Fix system that can be stretched 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 innovative 180deg rotation ensures that getting your baby in and out is a breeze - no more awkward bending or reaching. The car seat can also be positioned in a fully reclined posture for added comfort during long car trips. It's slightly higher price point than some other cars seats for this age group, however the extensive list of features including the reclining option and the excellent security features make it worth the cost.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus
The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus Car Seat is one of the most popular infant car seats available. It's comfortable for babies and simple to use. It's suitable for infants from birth. It can be used either with Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix, EasyFix base, or with your car seat belt system. The car seat is compatible with all pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range as well as Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It comes with the Baby-Hugg infant head support for a better fit and positioning for laying and side impact protection.
The Pebble Plus car seat is a Group 0+, which means that it can be used for babies as young as 12 months (45cm to 75cm). It is in line with the new iSize regulations, which require that children sit in the rear for longer. It's compatible with the 2way Family base that allows you to switch between forward and rear facing on the same car and has a handy rotation feature.
It's still a very comfy 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 are well-cushioned and the headrest is able to be moved up or down as your baby grows. You can take it off at any point, in case you decide not to use it anymore.
It's a bit heavier than some of the other infant carseats, at 4.5kg however that shouldn't be a problem when your infant is in it for most of the time. It comes with a handle to make it easier to carry, and is light enough to be lifted to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.
It's also a nice-looking seat and you can pick from a wide range of colors and patterns to fit your car. It's not the most affordable car seat for infants, but it's still affordable and well worth the extra cost for your baby. Once you've mastered it and adjust the size and height is simple. Simply pull down on the back panel, and squeeze together two buttons to adjust the height or down the straps without having to rethread them.
3. Joie Calmi
If you're looking for a baby car seat that's simple to use and holds your baby like a cot then look no further than 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 plush padding to hold your baby. It comes with a 3-point harness that's easily accessible with one-pull tightening and softly cushioned covers. It also has an lateral position to keep your baby's head at the most secure position in the event of an impact.
The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, which means you can remove it and on the frame easily. It's easy to move even when your baby is asleep due to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to build an all-in-one travel system, the iBase Encore adapters permit you to connect Calmi with Maxi-Cosi Foldable Car Seat: Compact & Lightweight or Britax pushchair as well.
Joie has improved the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned the highest test score in Which?'s crash tests and a Good rating from ADAC. The model we tested includes locks to stop you from rotating the seat too fast, ensuring that your child remains rear-facing as long as 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 observe without disturbing the child.
If you're shopping for a car seat online, make sure you select a retailer that offers free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide selection of infant car seats from top brands like Maxi-Cosi, Silver Cross and Cybex. Click and collect is free to your local branch (or Sainsbury's if you are close to it). You can also earn Nectar points on every purchase. Argos is another option for a broad selection of car seats, with prices starting at PS55. You can also avail 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 all-in-one vehicle seat from the trusted British brand that is renowned for its high-end pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper loved it, describing it "the most attractive of the bunch and also the one my daughter seemed to find most comfortable on long rides."
This fully-rotating R129-compliant car seat is able to carry your infant all the way up to 12 years old and was awarded the top baby toddler, child and car seat award in ADAC's autumn test in 2022. It was also tested beyond the regulations to ensure that your child is protected throughout every journey.
It includes an adjustable, comfortable padded insert for newborns made of soft bamboo fabrics. These fabrics are super comfortable and breathable, as well as antibacterial. The head support and body insert can be removed as your child grows and the 3 headrest positions and recline can be adjusted to fit your child's.
The 'green' light that indicates that the car seat is properly installed and is ready for use is an exclusive feature. This makes it an ideal choice for new parents, who may not be familiar with the proper installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a convenient stowable strap that can be used in the forward or rear-facing position.
It's also a permanent fixture, so you won't need to wake your baby up to take them out of the car for long trips. But, it's not travel system-compatible like the Joie iSpin 360 iSize or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus iSize (you need to buy a separate travel bag for this).
The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat. They are not as simple to transport between cars. If you do choose to purchase a separate travel bag for your car seat, make sure it's a sturdy bag that can keep up with the wear and tear of frequent use. It's worth paying a bit more to get a bag that will last longer than the car seat of your child.
