Best Car Seat Newborn: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK
Car seat safety is a top concern for every parent. There are many options available when it comes to selecting the best car seat for your child.
The Cybex Cloud T offers enhanced side impact protection as well as a baby-hugging inlay. It's the best new car seat UK. infant car seats that swivel Push Chairs & Prams features 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 newborn to their first journey right up until they reach their toddler years. It's the most recent version of the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features innovative reclining technology that gives your child an ergonomic, flat position both inside the car and in conjunction with a pushchair as part of an overall travel system. It's also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it can be easily affixed to your car by using the base that comes with it. It can even be rotated to help you to get your child into and out of the seat.
The car seat itself is constructed of high-quality materials and is available in a variety of fashionable colours that include Moon Black, Lava Grey, Beach Blue Plus and Seashell Beige Plus. It's a chic and elegant choice that goes perfectly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay, which is designed for newborns and premature infants. This helps to maintain an upright position, which reduces the chance that their heads will move forward during sleep, causing breathing problems. It can be removed once your child is at a height of 60 cm.
When it comes to safety the car seat provides excellent protection for your child, scoring an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests 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 as they develop.
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 a travel system, paired with a Cybex stroller. There is no more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat is also capable of fully reclined for extra comfort on long car rides. It's slightly higher price point than other seats for this age group, but the extensive list of features including the reclining option and the excellent safety features make it well worth the investment.
2. Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus
Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus is one of the most comfortable infant car seats on the market. It is simple to use and comfortable for infants. It's suitable for infants from birth. It is compatible with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix or EasyFix base, or with your car seat belt system. The car seat can be used with most pushchairs including the Maxi Cosi range, Quinny, iCandy, and Bugaboo with adapters. It comes with the Baby-Hugg infant headrest for a better fit and the position of the child's head and side impact protection.
The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat, which means it is suitable for use for babies ranging from birth to 12 months old (45cm - 75cm). It is in compliance with the latest i-Size regulations which requires children to be 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.
It's still a very comfy seat, but the latest version is a bit more refined. It features a new, improved baby-hugging insert that feels and looks great. The shoulder straps have been cushioned and the headrest is adjustable to accommodate your baby's growing. You can remove it at any point, if you don't want to use it any more.
It's a bit heavier than other newborn carseats at 4.5kg, but that isn't a problem if your infant is in it for most of the time. You can use it with a handle to make it easier carrying, and it's lightweight enough to lift in and out of rideshare cars or taxis, too.
It's also a stylish seat and you can select from a wide selection of colors and patterns to suit your car. It's not the cheapest infant car seat, but it's still affordable and worth the extra investment for your baby. It can be a bit difficult to adjust the harness height and length however once you've got the hang of it it's fine. Simply pull down on the back panel and press two buttons to adjust the height or down the straps without having to rethread them.
3. Joie Calmi
If you're looking for a newborn car seat that's super simple to use and holds your baby like a cot then look no further than Joie Calmi. This car seat that doubles as a carrycot is certified by R129. It's built to last with a durable ventilated outer shell and a plush padding to hold your little one. It has three-point harnesses that are easily accessible via a single pull tightening mechanism and softly cushioned covers. Additionally, it has lateral positioning to keep your baby's head in the most secure position in case of an impact.
The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, which means you can pop it off and back on the frame with ease. It's easy to move even when your baby is asleep because of the adjustable handle bars. If you're planning to create a travel system, then the iBase Encore adapters permit you to connect Calmi with Maxi-Cosi or Britax pushchair, too.
Joie has improved on the design of its previous i-Spin 360, which earned a high test score in the crash tests of Which? and an A+ rating from ADAC. The model we tested has locks to stop you from rotating the seat too quickly, ensuring that your baby remains rearward-facing as long as possible. It also boasts a large sun canopy that's water repellent and offers 50+ UV protection, and includes a mesh peekaboo window that lets you check in without disturbing your child.
If you are shopping online for car seat, select a retailer who offers free delivery to the UK mainland for all orders. They should also accept returns within 35 days. John Lewis offers a wide selection of car seats for newborns 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 close to it). You can also collect Nectar points on every purchase. Argos is another option for a variety of car seats, with prices starting at PS55. They'll also deliver your order free of charge and offer same-day collection in-store and free returns at any Argos store or participating Sainsbury's branch.
4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360
The reliable British brand is best known for its high-end prams and pushchairs but the Silver Cross Motion all-in-one car seat is making its mark on the market. Our tester Jasper loved it, calling it "the most attractive of the bunch and also the one that my child seemed to be most comfortable during long journeys."
This fully rotating R129 safe car seat is suitable for babies all the way to 12 years old. It won the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the best baby, toddler and child car seat. It was also tested beyond the regulations to ensure your child is protected on every trip.
For newborns, it features an easy-to-remove and comfortable cushioned insert made of soft bamboo fabric that is breathable and antibacterial. The body insert and head support can be removed when your child gets older. You can also adjust the recline and headrest positions to fit your child's.
A distinctive feature is the built-in 'green light' that signals that the car seat is properly secured and ready to use, making it a great option for new parents who aren't sure about the correct method to install and set up car seats. It also comes with a stowable strap that can be used in the rear-facing or forward-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 them out for longer trips. It is not compatible with travel systems like the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize, or Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You will need to purchase a separate travel bag.
The disadvantage of permanently fixed car seats like the Axkid One i-size is that they're not as convenient to carry around when you're required to move them between vehicles. 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 daily use. It's worth paying a bit more for a bag that will last as long as your child's car seat does.