Cybex Eezy S Twist review

The brand is best known for its range of innovative car seats, but it also manufactures baby carriers and pushchairs along the same stringent design principles. The Eezy S Twist is its latest lightweight buggy to push design innovation and it stands out for its clever rotating toddler seat which allows your little one to face parent or world.

For a compact stroller this is quite rare. The Babyzen Yoyo, Mountain Buggy Nano, Silver Cross Jet, for example, only allow the toddler seat to face the world, so it's the Eezy S Twist's real USP. It also has a super compact fold, and is a very reasonable £270. There are compact strollers with small folds that are cheaper, such as the Phil and Teds Go or the Joie Pact, but they don't offer the same functionality or sturdiness.

In addition, the Eezy S Twist is a lovely, sleek city buggy for parents on the go who are big on style but small on space. It fared well in our test...

You can buy the Cybex Eezy S Twist from John Lewis or Pramworld.co.uk

First Impressions?

Everything in the box – including wheels, sun canopy, shopping basket - is fitted and ready to go. It’s great to just lift out of the box. Design-wise I love the bright pink colour in contrast with the carbon-black frame which looks sleek.

The all-over pink is no longer available However, Eezy S Twist now comes in 5 equally fantastic colour combinations, such as the orange and pink Fancy Pink or the blue and orange Tropical Blue, as well as more understated themes, such as Manhattan Grey. Plus there are 4 fashion and 2 Cybex for Ferrari prints to choose from. I really liked that the fabric feels firm to touch and hard-wearing.

How does the Eezy S Twist compare to other compact buggies you’ve used?

At 5.9kg,the Eezy S Twist compared well on weight to most of the compact buggies I’ve come across. The popular Babyzen Yoyo and Bugaboo Bee 5 are both heavier (the former just a tad). In addition the Eezy S Twist is cheaper in comparison to the Babyzen Yoyo (£100 more) and the Bee 5 (nearly £400 more), but in my opinion it’s just as versatile. In addition, its fold is one of the smallest I have come across (although the Yoyo or the GB Pockit, for example, are still smaller).

Crucially, the toddler seat can face both parent or world, which most compact strollers, such as the Babyzen Yoyo, the UPPAbaby Minu or the Babyjogger City Tour don’t offer. This could be a real plus for parents, as many still want their toddler occasionally facing the parent - rather than just the newborn carrycot.

Can it be used from newborn?

Yes. It can be made into a travel system buggy with a group 0+ car seat and adapters. It’s compatible with all Cybex and GB car seats but they tend to be quite expensive. The car seats that are compatible include the Cybex Aton M, Cybex Aton Q, Cybex Aton Q i-Size, Cybex Cloud Q and gb Idan. Alternatively you can buy a cocoon to make it newborn friendly.

The Cocoon S is a lie-flat nest which has a cushioned head and neck support. It’s worth noting that I found it hard finding the Cocoon S online. Searching for ‘Cybex Eezy S Twist accessories’ gets better results than just ‘cocoon’.

What age do you think it’s best for?

The Eezy S Twist is brilliant for newborns with compatible car seats or the cocoon options. The seat is suitable from 6 months up to 17kg, 4 years old. This is quite unusual for compact strollers, who often only go up to 15kg. I only wish I could buy an adjustable footrest attachment as my 18-month old daughter’s feet dangled quite a bit.

How does it fold? Is it really one-handed?

The Eezy S Twist has one of the smallest folds on the market, which makes it fantastically easy to transport and store.

The folding mechanism is an easy, two-fold system:

• Lift a latch in the back of the hood to fold the seat dow
• Then, to collapse the frame, push a button and a lever in the handle bar at the same time to fold the chassis in on itself.
• An indicator at the side of the frame shows when it's properly secured

At first, it can be tricky using a thumb and palm action but it soon becomes second nature.

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How easy is it to push? How does it handle on different terrain?

It is very easy to push. It handles beautifully and with ease. You’d expect it to glide in stores, shopping centres and smooth surfaces. But with its four-wheel suspension the Cybex Eezy S Twist is the exception to most compact buggies I have tried - it manoeuvres comfortably on cobbled streets, grass, stoney paths and when you hit upon those annoying uneven paving stones. Every time it surprises me when it mounts raised kerbs easily without jutting forward. Obviously, it’s a different story with highly raised kerbs as with every other buggy on the market. Overall, when it comes to pushing, the Cybex Eezy S Twist is a keeper.

How does the Eezy S Twist cope with public transport?

The Eezy S Twist makes for an ideal travelling companion. It’s small when folded, light to carry, has an auto-lock frame, is self-standing and has a travel bag that can be purchased separately. While it has a small fold (53x45x25cm), the Eezy S Twist may still be too big to fit overhead in a plane. It’s always best to check with the airline first before travelling.

It’s really useful to have on other public transport. It easily fits into the aisle of a bus and it’s narrow enough to fit buggy park space even with others buggies parked. The only downside is you cant adjust or reduce the size of the handle to let passengers pass if you’re standing or you need to make more room in the buggy park. Luckily you can quickly and tearlessly fold it with baby in one arm and carry it on thanks to the auto-locking frame.

Carrying the Cybex Eezy S Twist up and down your typical rail or tube station stairs isn’t as comfortable. The underside of the footrest can dig into your hands. And the bigger and heavier your child becomes, the more it will irritate. Get a helpful stranger to take the strain at that end!

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Does the Cybex Eezy S Twist fit in the boot of your car?

Easily. In the boot of my off-roader there’s enough room for a second buggy and shopping bags. So to test it I tried it in the back of my friend’s smaller Citroen. Even in this car you’ve still got room even after packing in the shopping and baby paraphernalia.

How lightweight is the Eezy S Twist?

It is a very lightweight stroller, weighing only 5.9kg .There are lighter ones out there, such as the GB Pockit (4.3kg), the Phil and Teds Go (5kg) or the Britax holiday (5kg), however, the Eezy S Twist combines its light weight with great functionality and robustness. In addition, the popular - and more expensive - Bugaboo Bee comes in at 9.9kg.

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How useful is its swivel function?

You can’t deny that the swivel makes a great selling point. It is very useful when your baby/toddler needs attention. Cybex claims that you can use the swivel function with the child in seat. That’s true of a newborn, but with a toddler it presents a little more of a challenge. I did it once when Isabella was asleep and I ended up having to cross her legs and hold them in place as I turned her around - a bit tricky. It’s best just to get them out of the seat first.

Is the frame sturdy?

Yes, I felt the frame was nice and sturdy. The black frame is more robust than it looks and adds a touch of style. However, it does show up the knocks and scuffs quite a bit. So you’re left with a black frame adorned with silver scratch marks.

What do you think of its handlebar?

The foam-covered handlebar is soft to the touch but it’s also the source of one of the few bugbears I have with the Cybex Eezy S Twist. At a height of 103cm off the ground, it is supposed to cater for an average height but it feels too high to me. I’m 5’5” so not short by any means. Worse still, it’s not adjustable. Ask my 6’4” husband, and the handlebar comes up just fine. A positive about the handlebar is it doubles as the carry handle when the buggy is folded.

What do you think of the size of the seat unit?

With its 45cm width, the seat unit is narrow. This means it’s great for navigating in tight spots, but might be quite snug as your little one grows. The Babyzen Yoyo and GB Pockit have even slimmer seat units. Isabella’s not a small 18-month-old and the seat is cosy but snug for her already. By 2 years to 2.5 years I’m not so sure she’ll be as comfortable. The Bugaboo Bee5 has a spacious 53.5cm at its widest.

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What’s the recline like?

The recline on the Cybex Eezy S Twist is ok. It has a ‘stepless recline’ which allows you to lower it to a near-flat position. It’s a great tool for eeking out nap times or quick nappy changes on the go. The pulley system at the back of the seat is easy to recline but difficult to reverse into an upright position. The older and heavier your little one gets, the more ‘muscle’ you’ll need.

How comfortable does the Eezy S Twist feel for your little one?

The Cybex seat unit is a snug fit especially when my little one is napping and it’s in recline. There’s no wriggle-room or space to turn on one side. But a calm, still nap is no bad thing. I do however wish the footrest was adjustable.

Isabella’s feet dangle because her legs aren’t long enough to reach the footrest. Parent-facing there’s no support for feet at all.

Awake, Isabella’s sometimes leaning further forward than the seat will take her. I would suggest purchasing the bumper bar if you’re little one doesn’t like to miss a thing. The fabric straps on the 5-point harness are more giving than I’d like. If I don’t strap her in tightly she’s been known to take her arms out of the harness.

How is interacting with your little one when in the buggy?

It’s lovely to have the option of forward and parent-facing. While it’s obviously easier interacting when Isabella parent-facing, I find it tricky reaching over the high handlebar to get to her. There’s no peep window on the hood. But there’s no resistance flipping back the hood.

What do you think of the hood?

Cybex say the Eezy S Twist UPF50+ hood protects from wind and sun. It is however medium-sized so you can only get so much coverage, especially when your little one’s sat upright.

With newborns or in recline, the hood is more effective in covering. You might want to consider purchasing the Cybex parasol to get more protection from the sun and the Eezy S Twist raincover offers better protection overall.

Tell us about the brakes.

The flip-flop brake is quick and easy to engage as it’s literally at your feet in the middle of the bottom frame. At first it was a little stiff but it quickly loosened after use. There’s no indicator to show the brakes are on but you know if it’s vertical, it’s on. It’s also worth noting that the brake only stops the back wheels so the buggy could still move/rotate – albeit just from the front - with brakes on.

How user friendly is the shopping basket?

For a small stroller the Eezy S Twist basket is surprisingly deep so competes well with other buggies of similar size. You could comfortably fit a 12-pack of coke, with some space spare for a few smaller items. Cleverly designed, you can get easy access form front and back.

I also like the way the basket lip curls out at the back, making it easier to slot in the bigger items like a nappy bag. But the basket can’t hold everything. I’d suggest buying an organiser so you have some of the smaller essentials to hand.

What’s in the box?

• Buggy with wheels, sun canopy and shopping basket all pre-fitted
• Raincover
• Instruction booklet

Are the instructions useful?

Apart from the fold and swivel function, I didn’t really need the instructions. They’re clearly laid out and easy to follow.

Optional Accessories

• Bumper bar (£30)
• Travel bag (£31.95)
• Parasol £30)
• Cup holder (£20)
• Footmuff (£70
• Handlebar gloves (£45)
• Organiser (£45)
• Changing bag (£80)
• Car seat adapters (£30)
• Cocoon S bassinet (£100)

What was your favourite design detail of the Cybex Eezy S Twist?

The Cybex Eezy S Twist has some stylish branding detail. I particularly like the embroidered Cybex logo on backrest/headrest of buggy. Where most brands will use one block colour or even use a vinyl logo, the blend of pink and orange threading stands out and adds an exquisite touch to the buggy.

Is the Cybex Eezy S Twist good value for money?

At a price tag of £270 you’re getting good value with the Cybex Eezy S Twist. Even adding the cost of the Cocoon at £100 it’s still cheaper than Bugaboo Bee5 and marginally cheaper than the Babyzen Yoyo. However the Cybex and gb compatible car seats tend to cost more than the average, popular brands.

MadeForMums verdict

The Eezy S Twist is versatile buggy that can give you a lot for your money. It’s not for outdoors-y types who spend hours out in the countryside but it is a perfect match for parents navigating urban streets and public transport. And with the all-wheel suspension you don’t have to shy away from pushing it in the park either. It’s well designed with parents in mind. The one-hand fold, self-standing frame and its super light to carry. I can live with the narrow seat unit and the high handlebar. I just wish the hood was bigger and the footrest adjustable. But you can’t have everything and you get a lot.

How we tested the product

Melanie took the Eezy S Twist out on different surfaces including stores and shopping centres, riverside paths, parks and pitches.

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