The best car seat newborn Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Safety in car seats is a top priority for all parents. Thankfully, there's an abundance of options when it comes to finding the ideal car seat for newborns for your baby.

The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection, as well as a baby-hugging inlay. It's the most comfortable new car seat UK. It features a one-handed recline and 12 headrest positions that adapt to your child’s growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T car seat is the premium option for bringing your baby along on trips from birth until they are toddlers. It's the latest addition to the iconic 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 of a complete travel system. It's also an ISOFIX car seat which means it can be easily attached to your vehicle by using the base provided, it can even be rotated 360 degrees to aid in getting your child in and out.

The car seat itself is constructed of high-quality materials and is available in a variety of trendy colors that include Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It is a stylish and sophisticated option that matches seamlessly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also includes the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a secure, flat position that reduces the possibility of their heads flopping forward while they sleep, which could cause breathing problems. It can be removed once your child is at 60 cm in height.

When it comes to safety the car seat provides excellent protection for your child, scoring an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests conducted by 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. It also features the innovative Flexi-Fix system that stretches to fit your child's size as they grow.

The innovative 180deg rotating system makes it simple to get your baby into and out of the car seat when you are using it as part a travel system, paired with a Cybex stroller. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat is also capable of fully reclined to provide extra comfort during long car journeys. The cost is a bit higher than other car seats of this age group but the features it offers including the reclining feature as well as excellent safety features makes it well worth the cost.

2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seats is one of the most sought-after newborn car seats on the market. It's comfortable for babies and simple to use. It's suitable from birth and can be used with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base or with your car's seat belt system. The car seat can be used with all pushchairs, including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo with adapters. It comes with the Baby-Hugg portable infant car seat head support to allow for a better fit and positioning for laying and side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus car seat is classified as a Group 0+, which means that it is suitable for babies as young as 12 months (45cm to 75cm). It is compliant with the new iSize regulations that require that children remain rear-facing for longer. It is compatible with the 2way Family base that allows you to switch between forward and rear facing on the same car and comes with a handy rotation feature.

As with the previous version it's a really comfy seat, and the most recent version comes with some enhancements. It now has a much-improved baby-hugg inlay which is super comfortable and stylish. The shoulder straps are cushioned and the headrest can be adjusted up or down as your baby grows. It is also possible to remove it at anytime if you wish to stop using it.

It's a little heavier at 4.5kg than some other infant car seat cheap carseats, however this shouldn't be an issue for a baby who spends the majority of the day in it. You can put it on with a handle for more comfortable carrying, and it's lightweight baby car seat enough to lift in and out of rideshare cars or taxis, too.

It's also a good-looking seat and you can pick from a variety of colors and patterns to suit your car. It's not the most affordable car seat for infants, but it's still very reasonable and well worth the extra cost for your baby. Once you've got the hang of it making adjustments to the harness's size and height is a breeze. You can adjust the straps by pulling them down on the back panel pressing two buttons at the same time.

3. Joie Calmi

If you're looking for a baby car 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 air-conditioned shell and soft cushioning to hold your infant. It comes with three-point harnesses that are easily reachable with a single-pull tightening device and softly padded covers. It also has the ability to lateralize your baby's head at the most secure position in the event of an accident.

The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, so you can take it off and on the frame easily. And, thanks to adjustable handle bars, it's also easy to lift, even when your child is asleep. If you're looking to build an all-in-one travel system, the iBase Encore adapters permit you to pair Calmi with Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair as well.

Joie has improved the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned an excellent score in Which?'s crash tests and a good rating from ADAC. The latest model, which we tested, features a lock that will stop you from rotating the seat to face forward too quickly, ensuring that your child stays in the rear the longest time possible. It also comes with a large sun canopy that's water repellent and offers 50+ UV protection and has a mesh peekaboo window that lets you observe without disturbing your child.

If you are shopping online for a car seat, select an online retailer that provides free delivery to the UK mainland on all orders. They should also accept returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great selection of baby car seats with top brands like Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross, and offers free click and pick up to your local store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you're near by). You can also collect Nectar points on every purchase. Argos is another option for a broad selection of car seats, starting at PS55. They'll also deliver your order for free, offer same-day in-store collection and free returns at any Argos store or participating Sainsbury's branches.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new vehicle seat that's all-in-one from the trusted British brand, which is known for its high-end pushchairs and prams. Our test subject Jasper loved it, calling it "the most attractive of the bunch and also the one my baby appeared to find most comfortable during long journeys."

This fully rotating R129 certified car seat is suitable for newborns up to 12 year olds. It won the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the best car seat for newborn toddler, infant and child car seat. It has also been tested beyond the regulations to ensure your child is protected during every trip.

It includes an adjustable, comfortable cushioned insert for infants made of soft bamboo fabrics. These fabrics are super breathable and antibacterial. The head support and body insert can be removed as your child grows, and the 3 recline and 8 headrest positions can also be adjusted to suit.

The 'green' light that indicates that the car seat is properly installed and is ready to use is an exclusive 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 comes with a strap that can be used either in the rear-facing or forward facing infant car seat-facing position.

Another major selling point is that it's a constant fixture in the car, so you don't have to wake your sleeping baby to take out for longer journeys. However, it's not travel system-compatible like the Joie iSpin 360 iSize or Britax Romer Dualfix Plus i-Size (you need to buy a separate travel bag for this).

The disadvantage of cars with a fixed structure like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as convenient to carry around when you need to transport them between different cars. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag, choose one that is sturdy and able to stand up to the wear and tear of frequent use. It's worth spending a little more to get a bag that will last as long as the car seat of your child.