The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK
Car seat safety is a top concern for any parent. There are many options available when it comes to selecting the best newborn car seats 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 has a one handed recline and 12 positions for the headrest to adapt to your child’s growing body.
1. Cybex Cloud T
The Cybex Cloud T is the top car seat that comes with everything you require to take your baby on journeys from birth right up until they reach their toddler years. It's the latest addition to the iconic Cybex Cloud line and features an innovative reclining system that gives your child an ergonomic, flat position in the car and with a pushchair as part of an overall travel system. It is also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it is able to be easily attached to your vehicle by using the base that comes with it. It can be rotated to help you to get your child into and out of the seat.
The car seat itself is made of top-quality materials. It comes in a variety of fashionable colors such as Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a stylish 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 and newborn infants. This helps maintain a near-flat position, reducing the risk that their heads may move forward while sleeping, causing breathing problems. It can be removed when your child is at least 60 cm in height.
In terms of safety, the car seat provides excellent 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 prevent your baby from being thrown around the seat in the case of an accident. Also, it has the innovative Flexi-Fix harness system which stretches as your child grows, ensuring that they will always have a safe fit.
If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system with a Cybex pushchair, the innovative 180deg rotation means that getting your baby out and in is a breeze - no more awkward bending or reaching. The car seat can be set in a fully reclined posture for added comfort during long car journeys. The price is slightly higher than other car seats of this age but the features it has, including the reclining feature as well as excellent safety features make it worth the investment.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus
Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus is among the best newborn car seats around. It is simple to use and is comfortable for infants. It is suitable from birth and can be used with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or with the seat belt system in your car. The car seat is also compatible with most pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range, 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 infants from birth to 12 months old (45cm to 75cm). It meets the new i-Size guidelines that requires children to be in the rear of the car for longer. It is compatible with the 2way family base that allows you to switch between forward-facing and rear-facing on the same vehicle and includes an excellent rotating feature.
It's still a very comfy seat, but the latest version is a bit more refined. It has a new, improved baby-hugging insert that looks and feels great. The shoulder straps have been padded and the headrest has been made adjustable to fit your baby's growth. You can take it off at any point, if you don't want to use it again.
It's a bit heavier at 4.5kg than some other newborn carseats, but this shouldn't be an issue for a baby who spends the majority of the day in it. It has a handle to 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 pick from many different colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the most affordable infant car seat, but it's nevertheless a good investment that is worth the money for your baby. It can be difficult to adjust the harness length and height however once you've mastered the art of it, it's easy. You can adjust the straps by pulling down on the back panel, pressing two buttons at the same time.
3. Joie Calmi
Joie Calmi is the ideal newborn car seat. It's easy to use and cradles baby like a cot. This dual-use car seat as well as carrycot is certified by R129. It's made tough with a durable ventilated outer shell and soft padding to protect your baby. It comes with three-point harnesses that are easily reachable with a single-pull tightening device and softly cushioned covers. It also has an lateral position to keep your baby's head in the most secure position in case of an impact.
This seat's base is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, meaning you can remove it and back on the frame with ease. It's easy to lift even when your baby is asleep, due to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to create a travel set, the iBase Encore adapters will allow you to pair Calmi up with a MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.
Joie has improved on the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned a high test score in Which?'s crash tests and an A+ rating from ADAC. The model we tested has a lock to prevent you from rotating the seat too fast, ensuring 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 provides 50+ UV protection and has a mesh peekaboo window to let you observe without disturbing your child.
If you're looking for a car seat online, make sure you choose a store that offers free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide variety 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 nearby). 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 get free delivery, same-day collection in-store and free returns to any Argos or Sainsbury's retailer that is a participating one.
4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360
Silver Cross Motion is a new vehicle seat that is all-in-one from the trusted British brand that is renowned for its high-end prams and pushchairs. Our tester Jasper was a fan, describing it "the most attractive of the bunch and also the one that my child seemed to find most comfortable on long rides."
This fully rotating R129 certified car seat is suitable for babies up to 12 years old. baby seat was awarded the ADAC 2022 autumn test's award for the most effective baby, toddler and child car seat. It has also been tested to the extent that it exceeds the requirements to ensure that your child is safe throughout every journey.
It includes a removable, cosy padding for infants composed of soft bamboo fabrics. These bamboo fabrics are extremely breathable and antibacterial. The head and body inserts as well as the support can be removed when your child grows. You can also alter the position of the headrest and recline to suit.
The 'green' light that indicates when the car seat has been correctly installed and is ready for use is a unique feature. This makes it a great option for new parents, who may not be familiar with 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.
Another reason to buy it is that it's a constant vehicle fixture and you don't need to wake your sleeping newborn to get them out for long trips. However, it's not travel system-compatible like the Joie I-Spin 360 iSize or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus i-Size (you need to buy an additional travel bag for this).
The downside to permanent fixed car seats such as the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as convenient to carry around if you need to transport them between different cars. If you choose to purchase an additional travel bag, pick one that is durable and able to endure the wear and tear of frequent use. It's worth spending a little more for a bag that can last longer than the car seat of your child.