The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK
Safety of your car seat is a top priority for any parent. There are a myriad of options when it comes down to choosing the most suitable car seat for your newborn for your child.
The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection, as well as a baby-hugging insert. It is the best new car seat UK. It also features a single-handed recline setting and no less than 12 headrest positions that can be adjusted to your child's changing body.
1. Cybex Cloud T
The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that includes everything you need to take your infant to their first journey right until they reach toddler years. It's the newest update to the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features the latest reclining technology that allows your child a comfortable lie-flat position in the car, and when used in conjunction with a pushchair as part of a travel system. It's also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it can be easily affixed to your car by using the base supplied. It can even be rotated to help get your baby into and out of the seat.
The car seat itself is constructed 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 option that works seamlessly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also includes the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies to ensure a safe, near-flat position that minimizes the chance of their heads bouncing forward while they sleep, potentially leading to breathing problems. It is removed when your child reaches 60 centimeters in height.
The car seat is an excellent option for safety as it scored an impressive 1.7 in crash tests by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V.). The Cloud T iSize is equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact Protection) to protect your child from being thrown out of the seat in the case of an accident. Also, it has the revolutionary Flexi-Fix harness system that expands when your child grows, ensuring that they will always have a safe fit.
The innovative 180deg rotation system makes it easy to get your baby into and out of the car seat when you use it as a part of a travel system that includes a Cybex stroller. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can also be set in a fully reclined posture for extra comfort during long car journeys. It's slightly higher cost than other car seats for this age group, however the extensive list of features, including the option to recline and excellent safety features make it well worth the money.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus
Maxi-Cosi's Pebble Plus is among the most popular infant car seats around. 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 a variety of pushchairs, including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo by using adapters. The Baby-Hugg infant seat is also included to provide a better fit, laying in a more upright position, and also side impact protection.
The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat which means it can be used with infants from birth until 12 months old (45cm between 45cm and 75cm). It meets the new i-Size guidelines that require children to remain rear facing for longer. It's compatible with the 2way Family base that allows you to change between forward and rear facing on the same car and comes with a handy rotation feature.
As with the previous version it's a very comfortable seat and the new version comes with some enhancements. It features a new, improved baby-hugging inlay that is both beautiful and comfortable. The shoulder straps are cushioned and the headrest can be adjusted to accommodate your baby's growing. You can remove it at any time in case you decide not to use it anymore.
It's a little heavier than some of the other infant carseats, at 4.5kg however that shouldn't be a problem when your baby is using it most of the time. It has 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 stylish seat and you can select from a wide selection of colors and patterns to match your car. It's not the most cost-effective infant car seat, but it is still a great investment that is worth the cost for your child. It can be a bit difficult to adjust the harness length and height however once you've mastered the art of it, it's a breeze. You can adjust the straps by pulling downwards on the back panel and pressing two buttons simultaneously.
3. Joie Calmi
Joie Calmi is the perfect baby car seat for a newborn baby. It's easy to use, and cradles baby like a cot. This dual-use carrycot and car seat is certified R129, which means it's built to last with a sturdy air-conditioned shell and soft cushioning to cradle your infant. It comes with an easy 3-point harness that is accessible via a single pull tightening mechanism and softly padded covers. Plus, it features the ability to lateralize your baby's head at the safest position in case of an impact.
The base of this seat is compatible with Joie Aeria and Finiti strollers, which means you can easily slide it onto and off the frame. And, thanks to adjustable handle bars, it's a breeze to lift even when your bundle of joy is asleep. If you're planning to build a travel set, iBase Encore adapters will allow you to pair Calmi up with MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.
Joie has improved the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned a high test score in Which?'s crash tests and a Good rating from ADAC. The model we tested includes a lock to prevent you from rotating the seat too quickly, ensuring that your baby remains rearward-facing for as long as it is possible. It also has a huge sun canopy that is water-resistant and offers 50+ UV protection and features a mesh peekaboo windows that lets you check in without disturbing your 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 offers a wide selection of infant car seats from top brands, including Maxi-Cosi, Silver Cross and Cybex. Click and collect is free to any branch in your area (or Sainsbury's if you are nearby). On all purchases, you can also earn Nectar points. Argos also offers a good range of car seats at prices starting from PS55. You can also enjoy 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
The most trusted British brand is well-known for its premium prams and pushchairs but the Silver Cross Motion all-in-one car seat is making a name for itself. Jasper, our tester, was a fan of it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch, and my baby seemed to be the most comfortable on long drives."
infant car seat best -rotating R129-compliant car seat is able to carry your infant all the way up to 12 years of age and won the top baby, toddler and child car seat award in ADAC's 2022 autumn test. It's also been tested over and beyond regulations to ensure that your child's safety on every journey.
For infants, it comes with an easy-to-remove and comfortable cushioned insert made of soft bamboo fabrics that's super comfortable and breathable. It's also antibacterial. The head and body inserts as well as the support can be removed as your child grows. You can also alter the headrest and recline positions to fit your child's.
The green light that indicates that the car seat is correctly installed and is ready for use is an exclusive feature. This makes it a perfect choice for parents who are new to the family, and may not know the correct installation and fitting of car seats. It also comes with a convenient strap that can be used either in a forward-facing or rear-facing position.
Another reason to buy it is that it's a constant vehicle fixture and you don't need to wake up your sleeping baby to take them out for long trips. It is not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or the Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You will need to purchase an additional travel bag.
The disadvantage of permanently fixed car seats like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as easy to carry around when you're required to move them between cars. If you decide to buy an additional travel bag for your car seat, be sure it's a durable one that can keep up with the wear and tear that comes with frequent use. It's worth spending a little more to purchase a bag that will last longer than the car seat of your child.