- Car seat adaptor - £24.99
- Colour packs - £49.99 (as you can’t use the pushchair without a cover, the total price comes to £398.99)
Click here to buy the Chicco Urban on Amazon
How easy is it to assemble?
I was pleasantly surprised how straight forward it was to assemble the Urban straight out of the box. The instructions come as a series of images, and although of them could be a little bit confusing, I managed to do it fuss free, with my two little ones running about, in no time at all (12 mins!). I actually found that for the most part, I did not need to use the instructions as the design was so simple.
What’s standout about the Urban?
It’s a good-looking stroller, stylish, simple in design and fuss free. I loved the fact that you can customize it to suit you, with the different colour accessory packs (although the colour packs cost £49.99 each). They come in a variety of colours and allow you to change the hood, seat reducer, apron and padding to whatever colour you feel like. It is an easy way to keep the buggy looking fun and fresh throughout use, also when you have a toddler with a habit of making strollers look a bit grubby, having a spare seat can come in useful.
How did the seat unit work on the Chicco Urban?
The buggy can be easily transformed from a carrycot to a stroller by unfolding down a compact in-built lining. It is also reversible for front and rear facing in stroller mode.
I liked the idea that you can adapt the Urban as your child grows without parts becoming obsolete and taking up space at home, like the obligatory carrycot of many travel systems gathering dust in the attic!
Did the pram have enough storage?
Yes, it had a large, accessible shopping basket - a definite plus for me, as it is much needed! The hood/canopy extended quite far forward, ensuring my little one was safe from glaring sun light. But my first niggle was that the front of the canopy seemed quite flimsy, and bent out of shape easily, taking away from the overall sleek look of the stroller.
Does it provide protection against the weather?
Our first jaunt out with the Urban was shopping on a very wet, blustery day, which really put the rain cover to the test. I found that it would be better suited to the carrycot mode with smaller babies.
When used with the stroller, it was a bit of a snug fit and there was no way to securely fit it to the chassis, combined with a wriggly 17 month old, I found myself chasing it down the street several times as well as having to constantly adjust it. As little ones get older it will not be much use and an alternative will have to be bought, which is a shame.
Is it good on public transport?
For the first time ever, I had to fold a stroller on a busy bus, with the Urban it took no time at all and was just as swift to reassemble, which took the stress off out of the situation!
I found the back wheels to be larger and wider than expected, as I have been used to quite compact strollers. Despite this, I found the stroller was easy to maneuver on buses and tubes.
Is it travel system compatible?
Yes, the Urban can be turned into a travel system with compatible Chicco AutoFix car seats. You will also need to buy separate car seat adaptors (£24.99).
How are the brakes?
The brake was so easy to use, actually one of the easiest I have tried (and I have been through many different buggies/strollers!). However, the position of it wasn’t good. My husband and I found ourselves kicking it quite frequently as we walked.
The only way around this was adjusting the height of the handles, (which took me a while to get used to, as it was higher than I’d had before) or being more aware of the way we were walking.
How is it to push?
The Urban is relatively easy and smooth to push and steer on flat ground, however, although I found it somewhat difficult to lever the wheels in order to mount curbs or doorsteps, especially with a heavier child in the stroller and shopping in the basket.
I also had issues on more uneven terrain (my street is quite uneven, with a lot of tree roots to dodge!) and narrower areas. It was great that the wheels could be locked and unlocked with the click of a button, in such situations. I found that it was easier to steer and negotiate corners when the handles were adjusted to a slightly higher level (must be good for leverage!).
The handles can be adjusted (to four heights) readily at the press of a button, situated in the middle of the bar. Unfortunately I found the positioning of the button made it difficult to steer the buggy with one hand.
The Urban is great for parents who are looking for a space saving, fuss free travel system compatible buggy that has longevity and is good value for money. It takes you from baby to four-years-old without having to buy extras. Although it’s quick and easy to fold away, weighing 10.5kg, it’s much heavier than we would have hoped.
