Babystyle Prestige Nimbus Review

It provides a stylish look similar to a Silver Cross, and convenience, as the travel system is designed to provide everything a parent may want.

Tested by:

Becky is a new mum to 4 month old Artie, and lives in both London and Brighton with her husband. She has an active lifestyle, and often uses both public transport and a car. She tested the buggy in London and Brighton, as well as in the park, on pavements, on beach paths, and on cobbled streets.

First impressions of the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus

The first impressions were very promising. The initial look is very appealing, with a definite nod to old school Silver cross prams. The bassinet is large and high on the chassis, making it easy to see the baby. The handlebar is also large and feels of very good quality. Due to the handlebar being large and coming out further, the brake is set back and therefore not easy to kick, which is the same flaw some other buggies on the market have.

There is also a lot included within the bundle for the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus, so it’s very convenient for those who don’t want to purchase individual components, but I found the accessories are more difficult to attach compared to its competitors.

However, all initial impressions were quickly replaced by a feeling of style over substance. At first glance it looks great, but many of the features are not well thought-out, or feel of low quality. The quality of the components, with the exception of the handlebar, is low and has a plastic feel which didn’t seem durable or like it could last long enough once put through its paces to be passed down to younger children.

How does the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus compare to other travel systems you have tried?

In all honesty, I found it disappointing in comparison to other travel systems. It has a lower quality feel and finish compared to other buggies from the likes of Bugaboo, Cosetto and Babyzen. The distinct difference is that it has far harder to manoeuvre than any other buggy that I have tried. The lack of dexterity really is limiting and was a hindrance when I was entering shops.

The suspension is also vastly different from other travel systems. It is extremely spongy, and whilst that might provide extra comfort for the child, it does not feel secure for mum.

It is also not suitable for my baby as he got bored in it! The old-school style meant he wasn’t able to look out and see the world, and I wasn’t able to hang any toys to stimulate his growing senses.

What age is the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus suitable for?

Thanks to all of the components included within the bundle, the travel system is suitable from birth through to a young child.

How many different configurations are there and how easy is it to swap between them?

The Prestige Nimbus can be set up with the bassinet for a newborn, and then have either a front- or rear -facing set-up for once the baby can sit up. The chassis can also be used with the car seat. It is simple to switch between all of these options. However, the attachments can sometimes feel a little sticky.

How do you fold the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus?

The Prestige Nimbus chassis does fold easily with a simple movement. This is not a buggy with a one-handed fold, but there is a handle underneath which requires a sharp pull then the chassis will collapse on itself, so it is a one-person fold.

How compact is the Prestige Nimbus when folded and unfolded?

The chassis folds easily and is compact. However the bassinet is extremely bulky and you’ll need a car with a large boot to fit it in. That makes it less appealing to mums who need a travel system which is transportable.

Does it fit in the boot of your car?

Yes it does, but due to the bulk of the bassinet this is not a compact fit.

What does the Prestige Nimbus weigh?

It is not a lightweight system, it feels light enough to lift with relative ease.

How easy is it to push?

The Prestige Nimbus is easy on well-maintained pavements, and when pushing in a straight line. However, that is not realistic for my lifestyle and as soon as I started to navigate tighter spaces or tried take the buggy into shops, it became cumbersome to push.

How does it ride on different surfaces?

It feels heavy and difficult to manoeuvre on all surfaces, but particularly on anything other than well maintained pavements. The spongy suspension made it difficult to mount and descend from kerbs.

Did you test the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus on public transport?

I couldn’t test it on our local buses as is too wide to fit down a bus aisle.

What do you think of its wheels?

The wheels are OK, but they do not feel like they would have that much mileage, especially on anything other than well maintained pavements.

Is the frame strong, durable?

No, it feels very plastic, low quality and like it would not last a long time.

What do you think of the handlebar?

This is the best feature on the whole travel system. It is wide, set at a low angle and comes out far enough that the footbrake can not be kicked by accident. The material on the handlebar has a luxurious feel.

How comfortable and spacious is the seat unit for your baby?

I didn’t test the recline positions. The seat was a sufficient size for my baby, but again, as was the case for the buggy, it felt low quality and plastic.

How is interacting with your child when in the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus?

Interacting with my baby was fine, there is a decent amount of space between the top of the hood and where the baby is. However, the pram lacks a peep hole to check on baby without disturbing them.

What do you think of the hood?

It’s badly put together. It is very clunky to put up and take down (the first few times I thought I was going to break it). The action needs to be much smoother. Also, there is no bar in order to hang toys to keep the baby entertained.

How effective are the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus' brakes?

The foot brake is well thought out. It is set back from the handlebar and therefore cannot be easily knocked or kicked when walking. Instead there needs to be a deliberate action to press it on and off.

How big is the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus' basket?

This is one of the major design flaws of the pushchair. Whilst the basket is large, it is very frustrating that it is so difficult to access the basket.

What do you think of the car seat included with the Prestige Nimbus?

It feels very low quality and not comfortable for the baby.

How did you like the look of the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus?

The look is very stylish, that is indisputable. But the quality of the finishes take away from the look. The colours choices are extremely limited, to black or grey. It would be much better to give different color options for the material finishes, and give the option of upgraded handles and wheels.

What’s in the box?

There were 15 different components within the bundle (which contained multiple boxes!):

• Chassis
• Carrycot
• Seat unit
• Bag
• Footmuff
• Parasol
• Fabric pack
• Isofix car seat
• Isofix base
• Car seat adaptors
• Hand muffs
• Blanket
• Raincover for carrycot / seat unit
• Raincover for car seat
• Insect net

Does the bundle include everything you need?

More than! Even a blanket is included, as well as a changing bag and a hand muff.

Are there any additional extras that you need to or can buy?

No! It all comes in the one package. If anything, it would be better to have fewer components, lower the price and give more choice for additional extras.

Is it easy/hard to build the product? Are the instructions useful? How long does it take?

The product was relatively simple to build, but the instructions were awful. They were incomplete and not all steps were included, therefore I needed to use my intuition. It took about 10 minutes from unboxing to the chassis with bassinet to it being set up.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus?

How large the bassinet was, that the chassis lacked maneuverability and the unusual level of suspension.

Who would the Babystyle Prestige Nimbus be most useful for?

An urban mum who only wants to walk on well maintained pavements and who does not need to transport the buggy, either in one piece by public transport or folded or taken apart in a car. The size of the bassinet makes both tasks difficult.

What was your favourite feature of the Prestige Nimbus?

The handlebar is large, comfortable, feels well made and is well thought out.

How much does the Prestige Nimbus cost and is it good value?

The total package is £899 for all 15 parts. This feels far too expensive, as it seems to be of lower quality. Although when you consider all that is included it doesn’t seem too much, but as mentioned before, I would prefer to have less in the package and have a lower price to reflect the quality, and give the option for parents to pick and choose what they want – as not all may want or need yet another blanket!

MadeForMums verdict:

The Babystyle Prestige Nimbus looks very stylish, with a classic large bassinet and chassis. The initial handling feels good on pavements with little dexterity, but as soon as the terrain changes or tighter corners are required, the lower quality finishes mean that it lacks stability and maneuverability.

The overall package includes many accessories and that means additional purchases are not required. However, the components and the materials used have a low quality and distinctly plastic feel, and do not appear durable as it feels quite rickety.

I feel it is sadly lacking a number of basic features and functions its competitors provide – like an easily retractable hood that you can hang mobiles from, cup-holders, or multiple reclining positions for the bassinet. This buggy needs considerable improvements in order to compete successfully at the current price point.

I would recommend the Babystyle Prestige package to a mum living and travelling in urban areas who occasionally uses the buggy on flat, well maintained pavements. But I wouldn’t recommend it if you need to get on or off public transport, or where space is limited. This buggy is not built for pounding the pavements, coping with smaller spaces or negotiating twists and turns.

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