Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair review

As with its new city pushchair, the Dragonfly, Bugaboo prides itself on the Fox 5’s environmental credentials. The frame is crafted using Akulon, an upcycled bio-based material that can reduce CO2 emissions by 20%. Bugaboo hopes this will put it on a path to reach net zero by 2035.

Tested by

Journalist Alex, her husband Dan, their two year old daughter and eight week old son. The family put the stroller through its paces in the small town of Petersfield where they traversed pavements, uneven grass, wooden decking and muddy woodland walks.

What were your first impressions of the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair?

My first impression was that the pushchair looked impressive and I wasn’t overwhelmed by the amount in the box. The individual pieces, such as the chassis, felt sturdy without being heavy or unwieldy. They were nice to touch with nothing feeling cheap or plasticky. The main fabric reminded me of the practical fabric of camping rucksacks. For a product with a luxury price tag (£1115), the look and feel of it lived up to expectations.

How easy was the Bugaboo Fox 5 stroller to build?

I found the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair reasonably easy to construct. You unfold the main chassis before clipping in the back wheels, the front wheels, and then attaching the basket. You then clip in the frame, which works for both the bassinet and the pushchair seat, before building whatever seat you choose around it.

The only fiddly part was attaching the stabilising parts at the head and feet ends of the bassinet. The instructions for this part were a little unclear. There is an online Bugaboo tutorial video, but it doesn’t show how to attach these parts in any detail.

Overall, it took 20 minutes or so to build the bassinet, and roughly the same amount of time to convert to the pushchair seat. With practice, I could see this becoming much quicker, especially as you only need to set up the initial framework once.

Can the Bugaboo Fox 5 be turned into a double pushchair?

The Bugaboo Fox 5 is a single pushchair and cannot be converted into a double. Bugaboo recently brought out a new edition of its popular single-to-double pushchair, the Bugaboo Donkey 5.

Does the Bugaboo Fox 5 have a good carrycot?

The carrycot feels very spacious. So much so, my eight-week-old baby looked almost dwarfed by it. He was content inside and slept happily in the carrycot on walks out and about. The carrycot can take up to 9kg (approx six months) and I like that it will last my son for a long while to come. The mattress inside the carrycot feels supportive and firm. Because it’s aerated, I felt confident it could help with controlling the temperature inside the bassinet. I tested its breathability by putting it against my own mouth – it felt reassuringly airy.

There’s also a flap around the outside, which opens to allow more air in, or you can close it to keep the baby cosier. There are helpful pouches at the feet end of the carrycot for useful items, a little feature I found surprisingly thoughtful. And it is very manageable to pick up the carrycot and carry it.

Is it easy to put the Bugaboo Fox 5 carrycot on and off?

Absolutely! It's very easy to click the carrycot into place on the pushchair and to remove it. It’s also simple to take off the bassinet with the baby inside. The bassinet can be used on a stand (available separately, £124.95), making it ideal for occasional use as a travel cot. When used with the Bugaboo carrycot stand, the bassinet is approved for overnight sleeping.

How did you find using the Bugaboo carrycot stand?

Bugaboo claim that the carrycot stand takes four clicks to set up and it really does — it was so simple it took less than 2 minutes. The accompanying carry bag has a strap so you can sling it over your shoulder. The ease of clipping the bassinet onto the stand and taking it off is unparalleled. It even has a small storage net underneath — which can take up to 4kg — for those crucial baby bits.

The bassinet can be used until the baby is 6 months or can sit up unaided and my son loved it. He was clearly very comfortable and smiled and kicked around in it for a long time.

How easy it is to switch between the carrycot and seat unit?

Very easy. The carry cot and toddler seat share the same frame, so it takes a few minutes to change from one to the other. The process is straightforward forward and clicking on the seat unit is easy.

How do you fold the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair?

Is it easy to fold and unfold the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair?

I found this pushchair difficult to fold down, despite the one-handed folding mechanism. The Fox 5 is designed to fold with the carrycot or bassinet attached but I just couldn’t get the hang of it. I found I needed to slam down hard on the handle to get the buggy to fold at all in the carrycot position.

I did manage to fold the buggy with the toddler seat attached in both the forward-facing and parent-facing toddler seat positions, but I couldn’t get the folded buggy to stand by itself. I’m sure I would get the knack of this in time, but, after repeated tries, I just couldn’t do it. I’d much prefer to take the carrycot or seat off, but that takes up more space. Unfolding, on the other hand, is quick and easy.

How compact is the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair when folded?

Once folded, especially if the seat is still attached, the buggy doesn’t take up much space (H:89cm W:53cm D:34cm). Picking it up is very straightforward and we found it fitted easily inside our car boot. The handy catch means it stays neatly folded together.

I struggled to get the buggy to self-stand, but this might be something I will learn through practice. When the fold and stand works, it is very easy to store and keeps itself out of the way.

How easy is it to push and steer the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair?

The Fox 5 is very responsive to touch and I found it easy to push and steer. It's also very nimble for its size. It’s not the most compact pushchair in the market (although at H:93cm W:60cm L: 105cm, it’s by no means the largest everyday buggy either). It felt like the SUV of prams. It turns well, the wheels are smooth and it is quiet.

On pavements, wooden decking and roads, it glides along, and I didn’t have a problem going through water or muddy/boggier areas. Uneven ground including tree roots and stones were, of course, less smooth, but my baby didn’t complain. Going up and down kerbs is a dream.

The pushchair feels light and it’s easy to lift the nose up. In some pushchairs I’ve tried, going up kerbs can be really abrupt and jolt the baby around. The only surface I had to put in more effort for was pushing it through some areas of gravelly sand.

The wide base and big wheels do make the pushchair feel very secure and like it could tackle anything. It feels very light to push with both the baby and toddler inside. My toddler moves around a lot, and even with her weight unevenly distributed as she twisted and turned, the pushchair didn’t feel unstable. It even has a two-wheel mode which can be used when parent-facing, to allow the pushchair to move more easily through sand or snow.

What’s the Bugaboo Fox 5 chassis like?

I tested the chassis by thoroughly, tapping, banging, and even scraping it along a wall going around a corner, and it didn’t mark. It probably would fall victim to everyday wear and tear after a while, but it’s hardy. It looks very smart in the matt black finish and feels lovely to touch. The design feels luxurious.

How do you rate the Bugaboo Fox 5 buggy handle?

The handle is really comfortable. It has a leatherette-style finish and has some give to the material, which is important when you’re holding on very tightly. I do feel it could be bigger, though, and the material does feel a little cheap. It’s easy to find a comfortable height because there are plenty of choices, and you can adjust it with one hand while on the move.

I found adjustments easy, even though you need to press two buttons. I’m 5ft 7ins and found the longest handle suited me perfectly. It can also become very compact when needed.

What do you think of the seat unit?

My toddler loved sitting in this pushchair. It felt like she was more upright and higher than in other buggies (the seat is 59cm from the floor) and she really enjoyed the ride. I gave my toddler a snack in the pushchair and it was very easy to wipe clean, which is a big bonus. No more sticky marks left on the fabric!

As the toddler seat isn’t too bulky, it’s easy to see your child even when they are world-facing. The five-point harness really was put through its paces by my wriggly toddler, but it kept her contained. It’s easy to change the position with your child in it.

The seat itself is W39cm x L50cm, with another 10cm available with the extendable canopy and footrest. This means the pushchair should easily last a toddler until the age of around four. My two-year-old daughter is tall for her age and enjoyed resting in it, whilst looking like there was plenty of room for her to grow.

What’s the hood like on the Bugaboo Fox 5?

I struggled to secure the hood in place. It’s easy to use and has a peephole, but I found there were gaps at the bottom which didn’t keep it totally secure and could let it be a little too draughty.

What are the wheels like?

The wheels are easy to fix on and remove. At 22cm and 30cm, they can cope with different terrain easily. They feel sturdy and are made of a durable puncture-proof material.

How effective are the brakes on the Bugaboo Fox 5?

They’re brilliant! The brake pedal is to one side rather than in the middle so it is really easy to find and put on in a hurry. It holds well and has a red indicator to show when it is engaged. I felt confident in the safety of the brakes and there was no annoying or painful kicking of the brakes by accident.

How do you rate the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair’s storage basket?

The Bugaboo Fox 5 has extendable flaps for extra space in the basket, giving 39 litres of storage overall. I found it very easy to store things in there, even with the carrycot in place. Sometimes you may need to reach further into the basket to retrieve items or engage in a bit of a tug-of-war from the front of the buggy, but I didn't find this a problem.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis with wheels and grips
• Seat
• Carrycot
• Sun canopy
• Underseat basket
• Rain cover

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

• Cup holder, £24.95
• Comfort wheeled board, £104.95
• High performance rain cover, £64.95
• Carrycot stand, £124.95
• Turtle Air by Nuna car seat, £209
• Foot muff, £124.95
• Parasol, £41.95
• Mosquito net, £16.95

Can the pushchair be used with a car seat to create a travel system?

Yes. By purchasing adaptors separately, the Bugaboo Turtle Air by Nuna car seat can be attached to the pushchair to create a travel system.

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair?

Although it is pretty compact and nimble for an everyday pushchair, those large all-terrain wheels do take up space. So storing it folded up would probably be the best space-saving idea, otherwise, you need a significant amount of room.

Is this pushchair worth the money?

At around £1115, this pushchair is a premium-priced product. You have to pay extra for a car seat (£209) to turn it into a travel system. But, I felt my child was safe, secure and comfortable inside the pushchair and the quality shines through. I do think it’s cheeky, however, to charge extra for a footmuff (£124.95), an accessory that I think is essential.

How does it compare to similar pushchairs?

Where can I buy the Bugaboo Fox 5 pushchair?

It is available from Bugaboo, John Lewis and Beautiful Bambino.

MadeForMums verdict:

The Bugaboo Fox 5 is a premium pushchair that looks sleek, feels luxurious, and is easy to manoeuvre. It has smooth suspension, a breathable carrycot, and fits easily into a car boot, making it a good choice for busy, active parents who are often on the move. It is also one of the first pushchairs to use sustainable materials. The only feature that let it down was the one-handed folding mechanism, which I found proved difficult to use. But overall I was really impressed.