The Best Car Seats For Newborns
A good car seat is a must purchase for infants. Suitable from birth to 13kg, they usually combine with a pushchair for the travel system. They are also equipped with the lay flat design to provide the best sleeping position for infants.
The law requires them to be rear-facing until your child is nine months old or 135cm tall. We recommend choosing an i-Size (also known as R129) or an ECE R44-approved baby seat that is fitted with ISOFIX and provides side impact protection.
Maxi-Cosi Pebble Pro i-Size
This Silver Cross model is worth an examination when you’re looking for an iSize infant seat that will safeguard your child right from birth until when they are ready to upgrade to an adult booster. It’s the only R129-approved car seats that can be used right from birth and also provides full protection in a rear-facing position until 7 years of age which makes it an investment that will last the lifetime of your child.
It’s important to check whether a car is i-Size approved. This includes side tests for impact as well as front testing for impact. It’s also important to consider other factors, such as the ease of installation and whether it’s compatible with your vehicle. Brilliant safety features won’t function correctly if they’re not installed correctly.
The Pebble Pro has a sleek elegant design and a soft fabric cover that is machine washable for easy cleaning. The seat cushion is padded for comfort and the reversible liner could be used for babies. It comes with a comfortable handle with a shaped grasp that makes it easy to lift and move.
As you can see in the images the base of this car seat can be connected directly to your vehicle with either the Isofix connectors or using your vehicle’s seatbelt. It is best to use the FamilyFix iSize base to ensure iSize compliance and for easier installation. The base is also compatible with a variety of Maxi Cosi accessories like seat covers, footmuffs and sun shades to provide extra warmth or to protect your child from the sun.
In addition to the iSize approval and the excellent crash test results, which see it achieve top marks in all categories it is a well-designed car seat with many other features worth a look. Its compact fold that takes up very little space in the boot and a 5-point harness, an ergonomic handle for carrying and 10 headrest positions, including memory foam for your newborn. The seat can also be used with the majority of pushchairs and travel systems, including the FamilyFix 360 base.
Silver Cross Dream i-Size
The Silver Cross Dream i-Size is one of the latest products in the range of the company and is a luxurious option that comes with the newborn insert for your precious baby. This car seat is i-Size approved and offers your child the longest life span from birth, with rear facing up to 18kg, and with a high degree of side impact protection due to its unique Motion Safe system. The seat’s rotating infant car seat design makes it easy to get your child inside and out. The ISOFIX built-in lock is a security feature.
This model is suitable for infants from 12 months to 12 months (85cm) and has been designed for comfort. It features soft touch bamboo fabric with premium branding from Silver Cross. The insert for newborns will keep your baby safe and secure. It has removable sections you can adjust to your baby’s growing needs and a five-position headrest which will ensure a comfortable fit. The seat is awarded the AGR 2022 certificate of acceptance – a top accolade for infant car seat rear facing car seats and is compatible with Silver Cross prams and pushchairs to create an entire travel system (adapters sold separately).
Similar to the Nuna PIPA Urbn, the Dream i-Size is also baseless that means you can use it with the ISOFIX connectors or your car’s seat belt. The ISOFIX system is a distinctive, built-in installation system that takes only seconds to install. The seat is an excellent choice for parents who frequently change cars or share a car with their family or use taxis and drivers.
The seat is priced a bit higher priced than maxicosi’s cabriofix however it’s among our top picks due to its design. It is stylish and has an swivel 360-degree feature. It also has a three-level gentle recline function and an infant-friendly inlay that can be removed. It’s also iSize certified, has an excellent crash-test rating, and is a top safety pick by Which? (they base their recommendations on safety, such as the ease of installation and whether it’s properly fitted). It’s important to note that even the most effective car seat newborn insert seats can only provide maximum protection if installed properly.
Axkid One i-Size
The Axkid One i-Size is the only ISOFIX seat we’ve tested to allow rear-facing for children up to 23kg and 125cm (around four years old). It has the highest height limit for rear-facing of any seat we’ve tested. It’s a unique feature that is worth taking into consideration if you want your child to be rear-facing for as long as you can.
The seat is solid and durable and offers plenty of room to grow for your child’s head and torso. It’s designed to be comfortable and features a one-handed reclining mechanism with 12 headrest positions and soft belt padding. We believe that it’s built to withstand the wear and tear of regular use, even though the mechanism and button used to release and tighten the straps can be a bit fiddly and we worry about it getting stuck or breaking over time.
It is also relatively light at just a little over 10kg, which makes it easy for you to lift into and out of your car. It has a pocket to keep small items in the back, and an integrated sun shade that is secured with a velcro strip. It can be easily clipped to a compatible stroller which is ideal if you have to make multiple trips.
Like most i-Size car seat the base of this seat uses Isofix connectors and clicks easily into place. The seat also has a support foot that can be adjusted with a tiny gray button on the back. It also has an indicator light so you know when it is secure. The seat slides over the top and has an easy grab handle for lifting it in and out of the car.
This seat has a great feature it can be shifted forward and backwards along its base in order to adjust the legroom. This means you can alter the legroom as your child gets taller so they can still cross their legs, even if they’re tall. This is a fantastic feature that works. It took me around 30 minutes to set up the seat and then adjust the legroom after a bit of practice.
George at Asda
If you’re looking for your first car seat for a baby or a second one to use alongside your current pushchair, you’ll find a fantastic range at George at ASDA. This well-known supermarket chain is known for its affordable clothes and homeware which is especially popular around Christmas and other shopping events.
As with all parenting items price can vary widely. You can purchase a newborn infant car seat that does not require base for as little as PS100 or a full infant carrier for up to PS725 when you’re looking to purchase one with the base. If you intend to use the pushchair you already have, buying an extra seat will save you money compared to purchasing a separate pram or travel system.
It’s important that you choose car seats that meet the most recent guidelines when purchasing one for your baby. The recline position is recommended to stop infants from taking an unsafe or unnatural posture. The seat should also have removable padding to keep the infant car seat rear facing snug and comfortable.
It is essential to select a car seat that can grow along with your child. For this reason, many parents opt for a group 1/2/3 or 0+/1 car seat that adjusts to fit their child’s height. This type of car seat is suitable from birth to 12 years old.
The best car seats for newborns are secure and safe therefore you should avoid second-hand ones unless they’ve been professionally cleaned and tested. Damon Marriott and Claire Waterhouse car safety experts strongly recommend against purchasing a secondhand seat from a relative or friend because it’s difficult to find out the history. They recommend a second-hand seat from a reliable seller or on eBay. It’s also a good idea to check the warranty prior to making any purchases. The warranty will include any repairs or replacements that may be required. Depending on the manufacturer, warranties vary from 2 to 6 years. The longer the warranty, the better. The most comprehensive warranties offer free replacement parts and repairs for the first 3 to 5 years.