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 finding the most suitable car seat for your child.
The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection and a baby-hugging inlay. It’s the most comfortable new car seat in the UK. It has a one handed recline and 12 headrest positions to adjust to your child’s changing body.
1. Cybex Cloud T
The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that has everything you need to take your infant on adventures from birth through to their toddler years. It’s the most recent addition to the iconic Cybex Cloud line and features the latest reclining technology that allows your child a comfortable lie-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 can easily be attached to your car by using the base supplied. It can also be rotated to assist you in helping get your baby into and out of the seat.
The car seat is constructed of high-quality materials, and comes in a variety of stylish colours including Moon Black, Lava Grey and Beach Blue Plus. It’s a stylish and elegant choice that seamlessly matches with the Cybex T line of prams. It also comes with a Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies which helps to ensure a secure, nearly flat position that reduces the risk of their heads bouncing forward during sleep, potentially leading to breathing difficulties. It can be removed when your child is 60 cm in height.
When it comes to safety the car seat offers excellent protection for your child, scoring 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 child in the event of a crash and the innovative Flexi-Fix system that stretches to accommodate your child as they expand.
The innovative 180deg rotation system makes it easy to get your baby in and out of the car seat when you use it as part of a travel system, paired with a Cybex stroller. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can be set in a fully reclined position for added comfort during long car journeys. The price is slightly higher than other car seats in this age but the features it provides, such as the reclining feature and excellent safety features make it worth the cost.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus
The Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix i-Size Car Seat: Lightweight Essential Black Pebble Plus Car Seat is one of the most popular newborn car seats available. It’s easy to use and is comfortable for babies. It is suitable for babies from birth. It can be used with the Maxi-Cosi Titan i-Size Car Seat in Black FamilyFix, EasyFix base, or your car seat belt system. The car seat is compatible with a variety of pushchairs, including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo with adapters. The Baby-Hugg infant seat is included for the best fit, better laying in a position that is more comfortable, and provides side impact protection.
The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat, which means it is suitable for use for babies ranging from birth until 12 months old (45cm to 75cm). It’s compliant with new iSize regulations, which require that children be rear-facing for a longer period of time. It is compatible with the 2way family base that allows you to switch between forward-facing and rear-facing on the same vehicle. It also has an easy-to-use rotating feature.
It’s still a very comfy seat, but the new version has some improvements. It has a new, better baby-hugging inlay that feels and looks great. The shoulder straps are padded, and the headrest can be moved up or down as your baby grows. You can take it off at any time when you do not want to use it again.
It is a little heavier at 4.5kg than other newborn car seats, but it shouldn’t pose a problem for a baby who spends the majority of the day in it. It has a handle that can make it easier to carry and is lightweight enough to be carried to and from taxis or rideshare vehicles.
It is also a stylish seat that is stylish. You can choose from a variety of colors and designs that will fit your car. It’s not the cheapest car seat for infants, but it’s still very reasonable and is worth the investment for your baby. It can be a bit difficult to adjust the length and height however once you get the hang 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 infant car seat. It’s easy to use, and can be used as a cot for baby. This dual-use carrycot and car seat is R129-certified, which means it’s made tough with a tough ventilated shell and plush cushioning to hold your baby. It comes with a 3-point harness that’s easily accessible via a single pull tightening mechanism and softly cushioned covers. It also has lateral positioning, which keeps your baby’s face in the safest possible position in case of collision.
This seat’s base is compatible with Joie’s Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, which means you can pop it off and back 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 make an entire travel set, the iBase Encore adapters will allow you to connect your Calmi together with a MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.
Joie has improved the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned the highest test score in the crash tests of Which? and a Good rating from ADAC. The latest model that we tested comes with a lock that stops you from turning the seat to face forward too quickly, ensuring that your baby stays rearward-facing for the longest time possible. It also comes with a large, water-resistant sun canopy with 50+ UV protection and a mesh peekaboo that allows you to check in without disturbing the child.
If you’re looking for a car seat online, ensure you select a retailer which offers free UK mainland delivery on all purchases and returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide range of infant car seats from top brands, including 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 collect Nectar points on all purchases. Argos is another good choice for a variety of car seats, starting at PS55. You can also avail 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’s all-in-one from the reputable British brand that is known for its high-end pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper loved it, calling it “the most attractive of the bunch, and the one that my child seemed to be most comfortable during long journeys.”
This fully rotating R129 certified car seat is suitable for babies all the way to 12 years old. It was awarded the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test’s award for the top child, baby and toddler car seat. It has also been tested beyond the regulations to ensure your child is protected throughout every journey.
For babies, it has an adjustable and cozy padded insert made from soft bamboo fabric that is comfortable and breathable. It’s also antibacterial. The body support and head support can be removed as your child grows, and the 3 headrest positions and recline can be adjusted to accommodate.
The ‘green’ light that signals when the car seat is properly fitted 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 proper installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a handy strap that can be used either in the rear-facing or forward-facing position.
It’s also permanent, so you won’t have to wake your baby up to take them out of the car for long trips. It’s not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You’ll need purchase a separate travel bag.
The disadvantage of cars with a fixed structure like the Axkid One i-size is that they’re not as convenient to carry around if you’re required to transport them between different cars. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag, pick one that is durable and able to endure the wear and tear of regular use. It’s worth paying a bit more for a bag that will last as long as your child’s car seat does.