Cybex Mios pushchair review

Its Platinum travel system is described by the company as ‘the new luxury of travel’ and sits above its Gold and Silver ranges. There is a strong emphasis on design and style which is apparent when you browse through the patterns and colour choices for the seat packs, with Springblossom, Birds of Paradise and Space Rocket by Anna K among the offerings. There is also a collaborative edition with Karolina Kurkova.

With this in mind, it certainly seems Cybex is trying to position itself at the top end of the market. The car booster seat retails at around £225 and sits just below the company’s SensorSafe i-Size and Sirona Z car seats in price. Similarly priced items include the Nuna Pipa Lite LX, which retails at around £250 and the Maxi Cosi Pearl Pro at £229. The Maxi Cosi AxissFix Plus range is slightly pricier at around £299.

Tested by:

Michelle is a mum-of-one who tested the Cybex Mios travel system with her six-month old daughter on days out and all-weather walks in the park and into town.

What were your first impressions of the Cybex Mios travel system?

This is a compact, super stylish system with an elegant look and feel. On first glance it’s apparent that this is best suited to town travel as it doesn’t look sturdy enough for rough terrain.

What’s the difference between the Lux CarryCot and the Lite Cot?

The Lite Cot is a lightweight mobile travel attachment for the Mios pram. It is designed to be used in the first months as a newborn cot and later as a windstopper, and features a detachable foot muff and hood. The Lux CarryCot, on the other hand, is suitable from birth up to six months and acts almost as a mobile cot. It is a really sturdy cot with a breathable mattress and sun canopy with UPF50+ sun protection.

What do you think of the Lite Cot?

The Lite Cot, which can be used up to 4 years (for a seat for the first 6 months and as a windstopper thereafter), has had a lot of use. It looks really stylish and my daughter is very comfy in it. I did worry about how clean the white interior would stay with a baby but it’s still looking pretty pristine and any bits of dirt have been easily removed with a wet cloth. The Lite Cot also has four adjustable recline positions, which are really simple to navigate and which we found we used quite a lot. It adjusts from full flat to a full upright position.

What do you think of the Lux CarryCot?

We haven’t used the Lux CarryCot as much as the car seat and the Lite Cot. When assembling, it needed a fair bit of force to push the bars into the base, but once in place the cot felt really sturdy. The breathable mattress base is thick and the cotton material of the cot really soft. The cover also zips closed and the handle is cleverly incorporated into the sun canopy. With this firmly up, and the extendable visor down, my daughter slept very comfortably in it before she got too big for the carrycot. It’s suitable from birth to around 9kg or 6 months. If we had had this earlier we would definitely have used it more for my daughter to sleep in at home.

A particularly quirky feature, which my nosy daughter loved, is the panel at the top end of the carrycot, which pulls away to reveal two mesh windows. As well as letting my daughter people watch, it allows for a bit of fresh air if it’s warm out.

What do you think of the seat unit on the Cybex Mios travel system?

The reversible seat unit reclines in 4 positions from upright to flat using a handle behind the canopy, and the leg rest has three different positions. Memory buttons on the side of the seat are also a handy addition. I’ve had to use the rain cover a few times already but it fits on really easily and folds up pretty neatly. The extendable UPF +50 canopy has also been very useful.

Is the seat reversible?

The seat unit can be positioned either front or back facing. We have used both with the Lite Cot and it’s really easy to change from one to the other as it’s so lightweight. Travelling around York for the weekend, my daughter much preferred the forward-facing position so she could see what was going on! The Cloud-Z fits onto the pram base in one (facing) position only.

How effective are the wheels?

The wheels on the Cybex Mios system are much smaller than on the system I currently use. So far they have been ok, but I do worry whether they offer enough stability on the uneven surfaces of the roads and pavements in my village.

Do the brakes on the Cybex Mios pushchair feel effective?

The brake is easy enough to use although it does feel quite flimsy and I’m never entirely confident if I’ve secured it or not. That said, I haven’t had any situations where the buggy hasn’t been in brake position when I’ve wanted it to be.

How easy is it to manoeuvre when walking around town?

We used the Lite Cot around York town and it fared well across the cobbled streets and glided along narrow paths, whizzing around slow walkers effortlessly! It was no hassle trying to get the pram through narrow shop doorways, although I think this would have been a different story had we been using the Lux CarryCot.

We took the steam train to Whitby for the day and took the Lite Cot with us. It sat well on the train (albeit there was a lot of room in the luggage carriage!) with the brake on for the two-hour journey. My daughter slept in the cot and we also sat her upright in it and she was more than comfortable for the whole day.

The only issue was not having enough basket space for our belongings.

How does the Cybex Mios ride on challenging surfaces?

All in all, the pushchair handled relatively well on the bumpy roads and you really can feel the suspension working. As I mentioned previously, my only concern is because it is so lightweight, it might tip over too easily if the wheels hit something at the wrong angle.

I was really careful not to hit any potholes, and when going up and down a curb I was extra cautious not to hit it at the wrong angle and tip the pram.

How is interacting with your child when in the Cybex Mios pushchair?

My daughter has loved the new system and it has worked really well for us. I tend to be out quite a lot with her, whether at coffee mornings or classes, and I’ve found all elements of the Cybex system easy to get her in and out of.

While we were away in York we stopped for lunch and coffee a few times and my daughter sat quite content next to us without wanting to get out, which is unusual for her! It’s also been relatively easy for me to swap the seat position with her in it which is handy.

How sturdy is the Cybex Mios pushchair?

The pushchair does feel light to handle, but I don’t think this is necessarily a disadvantage. The Cybex Mios is clearly designed predominantly for city usage and this is apparent from its sleek, lightweight design. Despite the light feel of the system, I’ve always felt my daughter is more than safe in it. I’m not sure I would describe it as robust and longlasting, however, compared to my previous system, the Silvercross Pioneer.

How much does it weigh?

The chassis and seat unit are 8.7kg, the Lite Cot 4.5kg, the Lux CarryCot 4.26kg and the Cloud-Z 4.8kg.

The travel system is great for travelling as it is so lightweight, both to carry and when pushing around town.

How easy is it to fold the Cybex Mios?

Folding up the pram base is a breeze. The base is so light and the simple folding mechanism makes it super quick to put in the boot of the car. It also takes up far less space than my previous system and I’ve been able to slot it into the footwell of my car when my boot has been full from a grocery shop.

It can also be done one-handed, which is ideal when you’re holding a wriggly six-month-old!

The Lite Cot can be folded while on the base and does so easily. It is relatively compact once folded and so easy to store. The base is designed to stand alone once folded, which we have managed to do on occasions, but we found it doesn’t feel entirely secure standing upright.

How useful is the hood on the Cybex Mios pushchair?

The hoods on the pushair, carrycot and car seat give really good coverage. My daughter has slept in all of them on sunny days and not been bothered by the sun at all. I’ve been really pleased with this aspect of the system. They fold up and down really easily with no hassle or noise. My only issue was with the Lux CarryCot where I found the hood to be slightly stiffer to use.

What do you think of the basket?

My main grumble with the system is with the small basket. Unlike my previous system (the Silvercross Pioneer), which held a reasonable amount of groceries due to its deep basket, the Mios basket is relatively small and shallow and not that easy to access due to the position of the legs on the base.

I can generally fit the rain cover and a light jacket in it or one full shopping bag. This is the same when using the Lux CarryCot, Cloud-Z and Lite Cot.

How effective is the raincover?

I have used the raincover a couple of times when I’ve been caught out walking into Kenilworth from my village. I always carry it in the basket just in case (we do live in the UK after all!) and it is really easy to attach and take off. It also folds really well.

How well does the Cybex Mios work as a travel system with the Cloud-Z car seat?

I have always found securing my car seat onto the back seat a bit of a faff, but this is now a much easier process with the Isofix base. My previous car seat had to be strapped in with the seat belt and trying to do this with a fidgety six-month-old in the rain or when you’re in a rush can be something of a challenge!

The Cloud-Z just clicks onto the base and turns into position, which my daughter seems to love. A colour indicator on the base gives you peace of mind the seat is secure and locked in.

I’ve found myself using the Cloud-Z lots as it’s so convenient to just take straight from the car and place onto the pram base. It also suits my daughter’s current size right now and is suitable up to 18 months or 13kg. I’d be more than happy to keep using it up to this age, as the seat appears to be large enough to accommodate a growing baby. The sun canopy (providing UVP50+ sun and wind protection) also pulls right down. Another standout feature for me was the extra-wide harness straps. They are really easy to pull out and tighten compared to others on the market – ideal when you’ve only got one hand free!

My only issue with the Cloud-Z is the handle, which can sometimes be a bit tricky to pull up single-handedly when it’s positioned right back behind the hood as you have to press in the two buttons to release it simultaneously. I now tend to just leave it up all the time. It is also no lighter than my previous car seat.

Overall, I really do like the safety feel of the Cloud-Z and the fact my daughter just looks really snug in it.

Does the car seat recline?

The Cloud-Z seat can be adjusted to a recline position, which I’ve found really useful when trying to get my daughter to sleep on the move! There is also an adjustable headrest, which we made use of straight away as my daughter was too big for the newborn attachment.

Is the Isofix base compatible with different car seats?

The Base Z is compatible with the Cloud-Z and Sirona-Z car seats. The Sirona-Z car seat is the next size up from the Cloud-Z and is designed for 18kg up to four years.

Is it easy to build the Cybex Mios travel system?

The system arrived very well packaged in a large set of boxes. I set about assembling the stroller first, which was pretty stress-free until I had to attach the material of the backrest around the tubular frame. According to the pictures on the instruction pamphlet, and from the YouTube video I resorted to, it was supposed to zip together relatively easy. The fit was extremely tight and my frustration with it meant I eventually gave up and left my partner to do this.

The net cover for the footrest was equally as difficult to fit but with help from my partner we got there eventually. Everything else, however, clicked together with no effort whatsoever. It’s worth noting that the instructions lack words. There are plenty of pictures but on the two issues I had, I had to resort to YouTube videos when an explanation in the instructions may have helped.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Cybex Mios?

Just how small the basket was going to be. It’s surprising how much you find yourself using it and how much you need to put in it.

Is it a stylish travel system?

The whole system has been a pleasure to use and I’ve had a number of comments on its look from other mums. We chose the black version with brown trim and it looks sleek and super stylish.

There are a whole range of other colours and patterns to choose from but I wasn’t daring enough!

Do you have to buy a lot of additional extras?

There is nothing additional you need to buy when you purchase the Cybex travel system but you do have a choice of accessories such as:

• A footmuff
• A snacktray
• An insect net for the Lite Cot
• An insect net for the Lux Carrycot
• A cup holder
• A changing bag
• A parasol

Who would the product be most useful for?

A family that wants a compact system, both folded and unfolded, that travels well around town.

Is it good value for money?

Apart from a few teething issues setting it up, the travel system is really user-friendly. I still use both my previous system, the Silver Cross Pioneer, and the new Mios system. The Pioneer is like the 4x4 of the pram world and works well for me across fields and it feels much sturdier than the Mios.

The flexibility of the system is its major selling point. As a four-in-one system, I found it really easy to switch from the Cloud-Z to the Lite Cot to the Lux Carrycot without hassle. I like to keep busy doing classes with my daughter, so a system that travels well has become essential for me. I’m usually running late so being able to quickly disassemble the pram and throw it in the boot of the car is really handy!

Where can I buy the Cybex Mios?

Its available to buy from Uber Kids and Baby Planet

MadeForMums Verdict

The Cybex Mios system has been great for travelling and when I’m shopping about town. It’s a compact, super stylish set of kit with an elegant look and represents good value for money. For me, however, I would prefer a larger basket and I’d like the system to feel sturdier on the bumpy roads I use.

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