The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety of your car seat is a top concern for any parent. There are a myriad of options when it comes to choosing the best car seats for infants 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 carrier car seat newborn car seat UK. It features a one-handed recline and 12 headrest positions that adjust to your child's growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that includes everything you require to take your baby to their first journey right until they reach toddler years. It's the latest addition to the iconic Cybex Cloud range and features innovative reclining technology that lets your child a flat, comfortable position in the car, or when used in conjunction with a stroller as part of an entire 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 be rotated to assist you in helping get your baby in and out of the seat.

The car seat itself is constructed from high-quality materials and comes in a variety of trendy colors such as Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a stylish and sophisticated choice that effortlessly matches the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay, which is designed for newborns and premature infants. This helps maintain the baby's head in a flat position, decreasing the chance that their heads may move forward while sleeping, causing breathing problems. This can be removed once your child reaches 60 cm in height.

In terms of safety, the car seat provides excellent protection for your child. It scored 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 protect your baby in the event of a crash and the revolutionary 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 set-up with a Cybex pushchair, the unique 180deg rotation means that getting your baby in and out is easy. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat is also equipped to fully recline for added comfort on long car journeys. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats in this age group but the features it has, including the recline feature and superior safety features makes it well worth the investment.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

Maxi-Cosi's Pebble Plus is among the most popular infant car seats on the market. It's comfortable for babies and easy 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 newborn seat is compatible with all pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range as well as Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). It includes the Baby-Hugg infant headrest for a better fit and the position of the child's head and side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus car seat is a member of Group 0+, which means that it is suitable for children as young as 12 months (45cm to 75cm). It meets the new i-Size guidelines that require children to stay in the rear of the car for longer. It is compatible with the 2way Family base which allows you to switch between forward and rear facing in the same car and 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 now comes with a more refined baby-hugg inlay which looks and feels super-comfy. The shoulder straps are cushioned, and the headrest can be moved up or down as your baby grows. You can remove it at any time, in case you decide not to use it any more.

It's a little heavier at 4.5kg than other newborn car seats, but it shouldn't pose a problem if your infant spends most of the time in it. 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 fashionable seat that is stylish. You can pick from many different colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the cheapest car seat for infants, but it's still affordable and well worth the extra cost for your baby. It can be tricky to adjust the harness length and height, but once you've got the hang of it it's fine. You simply pull down on the back panel and press together two buttons to adjust the height or down the straps without the need to rethread them.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're looking for a newborn car seats by age seat that's easy to use and cradles your baby like a cot then you should consider Joie Calmi. This carrycot that doubles as a car seat is R129-certified, which means it's built to last with a sturdy ventilated shell and plush cushioning to hold your baby. It features three-point harnesses that are easily accessible via a single pull tightening mechanism and softly padded covers. It also has lateral positioning, which keeps your baby's face in the most secure possible position in the event of impact.

The seat's base is compatible with Joie Aeria and Finiti strollers, so you can easily pop it on and off the frame. And, thanks to adjustable handles, it's easy to move, even when your bundle of joy is asleep. If you're looking to create a travel set, iBase Encore adapters allow you to pair Calmi up with MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

Joie has improved on the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned the highest test score in the crash tests of Which? and an A+ rating from ADAC. The model we tested comes with locks to stop the seat from rotating too fast, ensuring that your child is rear-facing as long as possible. It also comes with a large, water-resistant sun canopy with 50+ UV protection and a mesh peekaboo to allow you to check in without disturbing the child.

If you're looking to purchase a car seat online, make sure you pick a retailer that offers free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great selection of infant car seats cheap car seats from top brands, including Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross and also provides free click and collect to your local store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you live nearby). For all purchases, you can also earn Nectar points. Argos is another good choice for a wide 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 participating Sainsbury's store.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new all-in-one vehicle seat from the trusted British brand, which is known for its premium pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper was a fan, describing it "the most attractive of the bunch, and the one my daughter seemed to be most comfortable in on long drives."

This fully rotating R129-compliant vehicle seat can take your newborn all the way to 12 years old and was awarded the top baby, toddler and child car seat in the ADAC's 2022 autumn test. It's also been tested over and beyond the regulations to ensure your child will be safe throughout every trip.

It comes with a removable, cosy padding for infants composed of soft bamboo fabrics. These fabrics are super comfortable and breathable, as well as antibacterial. The head and body inserts as well as the support can be removed as your child gets older. You can also alter the recline and headrest positions to suit.

A unique feature is the built-in green light' that signals when the car seat is secured and ready for use and is a great choice for new parents who aren't sure with the proper way to install and set up car seats. It also comes with a harness that can be used in either rear or forward facing position.

It's also an ongoing fixture, meaning you won't need to wake your baby in order to get them out of the car on longer trips. However, it's not travel system-compatible like the Joie iSpin 360 iSize or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus iSize (you need to buy an additional travel bag for this).

The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat that is permanently fixed. They're not as simple to transport between cars. If you choose to purchase a separate travel bag choose one that is sturdy and can withstand the wear and tears of frequent use. It's worth paying a bit more for a bag that can last longer than the car seat of your child.