Infant Car Seats - Which One is Right For Your Baby?

The right car seat for your newborn is a key parenting purchase. It's crucial to know the differences between car seats for children and infant car seats.

These rear-facing seats, which are usually R129 or Group 0+ (i-Size) baby car seats for babies are suitable from the moment of birth. They are often combined with a pram to create travel systems.

Group 0+

A car seat for your newborn baby or infant is a necessity. These seats are designed to safeguard infants from dangers of driving including head injuries by ensuring they stay in the recommended position. Although all-stage car seats can also provide protection for infants, they lack the enhanced safety features offered by infant car seats.

Car seats for infants are typically rear-facing and allow babies to ride in the seat up to 15 months old. Many of these models come with a newborn insert to support infants and ensure they are in a comfortable position. Good infant car seats include recline recommendations to safeguard the child's brain during the ride.

All infant car seats must be approved according to the iSize standard, and must meet European safety standards. The I-Size standard is more sophisticated than R44/04, therefore cars that are approved to this standard are more likely to pass higher-quality side-impact crash tests, which is crucial for infants and newborns. The i-Size seat also uses the more sophisticated Q-series crash-test dummies, which provide more protection for infants.

When purchasing a new car seat, parents should think about how often they will require it to be moved from one vehicle to another. For those who regularly use taxis or car sharing services should search for a seat with distinctive baseless design, like the Nuna PIPA Urbn, that allows the seat to be installed within a matter of minutes. This allows the seat to be quickly moved between cars and makes it ideal for parents who have to take multiple trips.

ADAC has awarded the Silver Cross Dream i-Size an outstanding safety rating, which means that it offers excellent protection for infants. In addition, it has a built-in ISOFIX base and an EPS energy absorbing foam.

Group 1

The Cosatto All in One, as with other infant car seats, is designed to be used from birth until your child turns 12 years old old (or 36kg). Like Group 0+ seats, it rotates so that it's easy to get the baby in and out, be used with ISOFIX or a car seatbelt that has the top tether, and it's rear-facing. It's also easy to clean which can help with spills and stains.

It's important to keep in mind that your child can outgrow the infant car seat quite quickly. Many parents discover they need to replace the seat by nine months or earlier. The majority of manufacturers recommend moving to a different seat when your child's head is within an inch of the top of the car seat.

To be sold the car seat must meet certain European safety standards. This includes rigorous testing in simulations of accidents, and the use of certain types of materials to protect your child from side impact injuries. There are two standards currently in force - ECE R44, and R129 (known as i-Size) which is more stringent and takes into consideration both height and weight when classifying child car seats.

Our experience has shown that seats that have been approved to the R129 standard, also known as i-Size, tend to be safer and simpler to install. They can also keep your child facing backwards for a longer period of time. The only downside to these seats is that they can't be used with an airbag for the front passenger which might not work for certain families. It is important to check with the manufacturer in case you have any concerns prior to purchasing. They should be able to give you the most current information and advice on your particular situation.

Group 2

A group 2 car seat is designed for infants that are sufficient to upgrade from a Group 0+, but not yet old enough to use a Group 1 convertible car seat. It's not as common as all-in-ones but it's worth a look in the event you're looking to purchase an appropriate car seat for your child from birth up until around four years of age.

Like all car seats, it's crucial that your chosen seat is compliant with European safety standards. Look for the E mark to ensure that the seat meets ECE R44/04, also known as i-Size (which will eventually replace the old regulations) to ensure that you're getting the right seat that will safeguard your baby well in the event of a crash. Seats with the iSize certification are more simple to install, and provide better protection against side impacts, and can keep your child facing rear for longer.

The Maxi Cosi Pebble 360 Pro, designed for newborns to 15 months old, is a great choice with impressive crash test results. Its rigid LATCH connectors change color when properly connected. It also features a swivel-base that reduces movement in the vehicle and an inlay to hug the baby's neck, head and back to help maintain proper posture.

The Cybex Aviounaut Pixel Pro is another option. It also has 360-degree base swivel as well as an exclusive G Cell system that provides protection in the event of side impacts. It's a bit more expensive than some of the other seats, but offers good value and excellent protection. Jasper found it comfortable for long journeys, and it appears more appealing than other seats we tested, too.

Group 3

A group 3 infant car seat is a triple-in-one car seat that can be used by your child from birth until the booster stage. These seats are designed to be rearward facing (some to at least 9kg), but can be changed to be utilized forward-facing until the weight limit is 36kg.

These seats are usually very comfortable and provide good neck and head support. A lot of them have removable and machine washable padding for infants to ensure they are germ-free. One of the top models we have tested is Nuna PIPA aire Rx comes with two inserts – one made of eco-friendly materials and the other made from GOTS certified organic cotton to ensure that your baby is super cozy.

This model not only has impressive crash test results, but it also has a user-friendly design. It has an adjustable reclining feature that is single-handed and 12 different headrest positions. It's also easy to install using ISOFIX and comes with an excellent indicator that changes colour to show you've got it secure.

We do not recommend changing seats in a hurry, as children who are in the lower limits are more prone to injury during a crash. It's better to keep your old seat until they reach their new limit. There are still some excellent options in this group. We recommend the Silver Cross Motion All Size 360 which will last your child until their 12th birthday.

Cozy N Safe Arthur is another excellent option. It will take your child from the infant stage to the booster stage when they are four years old. It's not as expensive as the most rated Silver Cross and has a range of comfort and safety options that include a single recline option and as many as 13 headrest positions.

Group 4

The infant car seat is the latest addition to our list of top infant car seats that swivel car seats by age seats. It is designed for kids from ages 0 to 6. It can be used as an infant seat or in the rear-facing position. We highly rated this seat for its versatility and the fact that it can be used without a base, making it perfect for taxi rides, fly-drive holidays or trips in rental cars or the vehicles of grandparents. It has built-in ISOFIX connectors that click into the base of the vehicle with a satisfying clunk. It also has a variety of features that make it ideal for infants, such as the brand's hugging inlay, the revolutionary ClimaFlow ventilation system, and G-CELL side-impact technology to ensure your child's safety as he grows.

Our team of testers reviewed a number of different car seat inserts for newborns seats in the group 4 category to determine the most suitable options for you and your family. We evaluated each model based on its ease-of-use and the quality of the materials used as well as the comfort of your baby. We also examined the safety of each seat, including whether it was iSize certified and how it performed in crash tests. We considered the safety ratings provided by independent safety experts. For example the Swedish Plus test which examines the performance of a car seat during high-speed collisions as well as short brake distances.

We also considered the value of each model, as this is a crucial factor for many parents. Our top-rated car seats for infants are at a low cost, simple to install and come with useful accessories such as sleeping bags that can be removed, as well as a reversible cover.