Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe travel system review

Plus, the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe has already gained a celebrity fan, as Laura Whitmore was spotted pushing her newborn around in it.

Tested by

Mum of two Kirsty lives in Surrey with her fiancé, their 3-and-a-half-year old daughter Clementine and 2-month old daughter Clodagh. She tested the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe stroller with Clodagh on walks around Windsor Great Park, days out at Chessington World of Adventures, weekly Buggyfit classes, food shopping and on gravel driveways.

What were your first impressions of the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe?

When my DPD delivery knocked on my door, I was eager to delve inside the many boxes that had arrived to reveal what’s inside and I wasn’t disappointed. Everything was carefully packaged together with good padded protection. My first impression of the pram itself was really positive, I loved the deluxe look with a gender-neutral colour palette of grey, brown, black and chrome. The car seat looked very safe and secure for my little one to sit in and might I add, very chic.

How easy is the pushchair to build?

I was a bit overwhelmed by all the boxes at first and I thought it would take a long time to build and I would have to pull in my fiancé to help. To my surprise, it was a breeze… as building strollers go. It took me around 15 minutes from unboxing to building and I didn’t have to keep cross referencing the instructions manual or looking for videos on the internet like I have done previously with my old stroller.

The instructions were clear and easy to follow and there are diagrams of how to construct and which parts are required for each section. There are also useful videos on the Maxi-Cosi website which demonstrate how to build, fold and unfold if you are unsure.

When the chassis was upright in the correct position, I inserted the two side clips to attach the carrycot. They pushed in easily and it was simple to clip the bassinet on. To take off, you simply click the button on the clips. Switching from the pram to using the car seat is a doddle too as the seat simply clicks in where the bassinet would usually go.

How does the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe compare to previous versions of the pushchair?

This is the latest edition of the Adorra pushchair and it has been updated with an extra padded seat, breathable fabric and a new colour combo with vegan leather handlebar in brown and twill fabric. There is also a magnetic buckle so you can quickly fasten the harness and make sure your baby or toddler is secure.

What is the carrycot like?

The travel system includes a matching Maxi-Cosi Oria Luxe carrycot, which is designed to be suitable from birth to 6 months or 9kg in weight. My baby looked super comfortable inside and easily slept for three hours at a time uninterrupted when we went out for long walks.

The reversible thermo-regulated mattress is firm, but comfortable and I didn’t have that constant fear of the mattress not being breathable enough with the clever air flow regulation hood. The carrycot is also suitable for occasional overnight sleeping so could be used as a travel cot during those first few months.

The bassinet seemed quite narrow compared to my previous pram, so I am unsure it will last 6 months if you have a long baby like mine - my baby is 2 months old and has already outgrown 0-3 months clothes, so I would only expect this to last us up to 5 months at the most.

That being said, the width of 42cm seems fairly standard for carrycots and the Egg2 and Joie Ramble XL have similar dimensions to the Oria Luxe.

How easy is it to take the carrycot on and off the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe?

There are memory buttons on each side which you have to click to lift and release the carrycot. You can do this one handed as you don’t have to press both buttons at the same time like with some travel systems – instead there is a simple 2-click system.

I was able to smoothly to take the carrycot on and off with my baby inside without waking her up when she was sleeping.

With a weight of 4kg, it is fairly lightweight – lighter than the Silver Cross Wave at 4.2kg, although heavier than the Egg2 which weighs just 3.4kg – so lifting it didn’t put pressure on my back. The Oria Luxe also has an integrated handle which makes it easy to carry once you remove it from the chassis and there is a built-in extendable sun canopy as well as a rain cover and mosquito net.

One of the big plus points is that the carrycot folds down flat, making it easy to store when not in use.

What is the seat unit like?

Although the Adorra Luxe travel system comes with the carrycot included, the seat unit can be used from birth. The seat does go into a fully reclined position making it safe for newborns but it isn’t completely horizontal so you may be better off sticking to the carrycot for really young babies.

The seat can be put into both parent-facing and world-facing positions and there are three positions – upright, partially reclined and fully reclined, so you can adjust it to make your child more comfortable if they fall asleep.

The seat claims to be suitable for children up to 3-and-a-half years old, but some reviewers felt that might be unrealistic if your child is tall for their age. One user review on MadeforMums said their tall 14-month-old’s head was already touching the hood when in the reclined position.

One of the big plus points on the seat unit is magnetic quick-lock harness, which makes it simple and quick to get even the wriggliest toddlers fastened in properly.

How easy is it to fold the Adorra Luxe pushchair?

This was truly a breeze to unfold and fold, you can’t really go wrong at all with easy to navigate buttons and levers. The pushchair can be folded with the seat on in both its parent and world-facing positions and it is possible to do it with one hand once you know what you’re doing.

The folded frame is slightly bulkier if you leave the seat on so you may want to take it off first by clicking the two release buttons. If you’re using the carrycot, you will have to lift it off before folding.

To fold the frame, push the handle bar clip down fully and then push the middle frame button before lifting and folding. Make sure the frame is fully secured under the black side clips.

To unfold, it is a simple case of pushing the black side clips to lift the handle bar up which then clicks into an upright position.

To fold with the seat on, simply squeeze the clasps on the top of the hood together and flip the seat in two. You can then reach for the central barrel where the main fold mechanism is.

The Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe is freestanding when folded, making it easier to store.

How compact is the buggy when folded?

Surprisingly, even though the carrycot and storage basket appeared quite wide and long, when folded it really transformed into something quite compact. With the seat on, the folded dimensions are 82.5cm x 59.5cm x 59cm, although it is less bulky if you remove the pushchair from the chassis before folding. The folded frame measures 67cm x 59.5cm x 44.8cm.

We have just upgraded to an electric car, the Jaguar I-Pace, which has a medium sized boot space measuring around 557 litres. After previously owning a Bugaboo, I knew how much of a pain it can be to fit a newborn bassinet into the boot of your car – taking each wheel off the frame to make it fit.

However, there was no need to take any wheels off the Adorra Luxe and the fact that the pushchair could stand upright when folded saved on the extra bending down. It took up 70% of the floor space when inside the boot, with just some extra space for a scooter and a few overnight bags/shopping bags.

How good is the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe to push and steer?

I found the Adorra Luxe so smooth and lightweight to manoeuvre going up and down pavements, kerbs, gravel drives and grass, although some reviewers have complained about the suspension. Designed for urban environments, the front wheels could easily swerve round sharp corners or tight supermarket aisles.

I loved how you could easily steer the pushchair one handed, without worrying about it swerving to one side – a definite plus when food shopping with a basket in one hand and the pushchair in the other.

At 11.6kg, it is fairly lightweight and while it isn’t as light as travel systems like the Silver Cross Wayfarer (10kg) or Didofy Cosmos (10.2kg), it isn’t as heavy as many of the ‘suitable from birth’ pushchairs on the market, including the Egg2 (15.5kg) and My Babiie Your Babiie Belgravia Rose (15kg).

Did you have any concerns about the suspension?

I would be a tad fearful of how long the wheels would last, as there were a couple of occasions when I found it a little challenging to push the pram over really uneven bumpy grass and stony paths. I had to walk extra slow to avoid my baby shaking too much, but it was a breeze to push when I stayed on pavements and gravel surfaces.

This experience was echoed by MadeforMums parent tester Rachel, who tried out the original Adorra and felt it jiggled around too much on uneven surfaces. She said while it was great in urban areas, parents would struggle if they lived somewhere with cobbled streets or uneven pavements.

Another MadeforMums reviewer found it tricky to navigate on bumpy ground and up and down kerbs.

I didn’t have the chance to use the Adorra Luxe on public transport, although the fact it folds easily with the seat on would be an asset on a busy bus or train.

What’s the chassis on the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe like?

I definitely felt this was a solidly built chassis and not in the least bit flimsy. The Adorra Luxe can handle being packed in the boot of the car without a scratch and that is with a scooter on top of it. The chassis is chrome with a shiny silver effect, although I think I would have preferred more of a matt finish personally.

How did you rate the buggy handle?

The Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe is great for taller parents, something noted by a number of reviewers.

Being 5ft 8 and my fiancé 6ft 2, we tested so many pushchairs out when buying for my first child so we could find one which suited both our heights. I was slightly worried I may have to stoop when pushing the Adorra Luxe but found it was comfortable when the handlebar was extended out fully to the highest point.

The height is easy to adjust with just one click, making it simple to alter if being used by parents of different heights.

What’s the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe’s hood like?

Both the pushchair and carrycot have generous canopies to protect your child from the elements, plus a peekaboo window in the seat hood so you can keep an eye on your toddler even if they’re facing away from you. The large hood allowed my baby to sleep comfortably and didn’t fall back when travelling over uneven surfaces. The carrycot features a liftable air vent (mesh panel) at the back for really hot days, which I used a lot over the April heatwave.

The attachable sun shield was also a welcome addition, which I haven’t taken off, as I didn’t want the sun shining directly on my baby. The breathable mesh fabric is also useful for hot days as it keeps air flowing, helping regulate your child’s temperature and preventing them from overheating.

What are the wheels like?

The Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe features shock absorbing wheels made from bi-materials. They are simple to attach on and take off with a click in and push, even if you have weak wrists like me.

The front wheels are noticeably smaller than the back and I found this made it easy to manoeuvre round tight corners when out shopping and going up and down pavements. I also felt the back wheels were able to handle weight and it was easy to push, even with my heavy food shop in the storage basket.

However, the Adorra Luxe’s small front wheels and suspension have caused problems for some parents. Both John Lewis parents and MadeforMums reviewers found the pushchair struggled on uneven ground and had difficulties getting up and down kerbs. One customer review said the small front wheels struggled with kerbs so much, they had to give the pushchair a helping hand by lifting it up.

The front wheels normally swivel but you can choose to lock them into a fixed position – a must if you ever take it onto the beach. To lock the wheels, push the grey clip on each wheel and them lift the clip up again when you want to switch back to swivel mode.

How good are the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe’s brakes?

I cannot fault the brakes. The foot lever is easy to find – in a central location on the chassis – and it simply clicks up and down. Some pushchairs can hurt your toes trying to take the brake off as it is so stiff, but this wasn’t an issue with the Adorra Luxe.

The pushchair didn’t budge when the brake was on, even when we were on a hill. MadeforMums parent tester Rachel was also a fan of the Adorra’s brake, finding it very easy to use.

Does the Adorra Luxe have a storage basket?

Yes, there is an extra-large storage basket at the bottom of the chassis, which can hold up to 5kg and has high sides so you don’t have to worry about things falling out. This deep shopping basket is one of the Adorra Luxe’s most popular features and one which was praised in almost all the online reviews of the pushchair.

As I regularly go food shopping by foot, I really appreciated having an extra-large storage basket and it was one of my favourite features. I managed to visit the shops without any bags and could happily do a generous food shop and fit it all underneath without any fear of products falling out over the side or the basket collapsing due to the weight.

I recently started doing weekly Buggyfit classes and with the basket being so big, I could even fit a yoga mat underneath, plus a nappy changing bag and lunch bag for me.

What’s in the box?

• Adorra Luxe stroller
• Pebble Pro Luxe car seat
• Oria Luxe carrycot
• Adapters
• Rain cover
• Parasol clip
• General footmuff
• Sun shield

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

• Parasol, but I really wouldn’t say you needed it with the sun shield attachment.
• Handlebar gloves, which is a must to save your hands from freezing in those cold winter months.

Is the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe worth the money?

100% yes! With an RRP of £899, you get so much for your money and the travel system looks great and is made from premium quality materials. The design itself screams luxury and the package includes a great carrycot and one of the best car seats on the market, so you really cannot fault the price.

After previously owning a Bugaboo Cameleon with the birth of my first daughter the amount of added extras you get for your money with the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe is a clear winner for me.

Where can I buy the Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe travel system?

Available to buy at Winstanleys Pramworld, Natural Baby Shower and Direct 4 Baby.

MadeforMums verdict:

The Maxi-Cosi Adorra Luxe is a fantastic travel system and ticks all the boxes when it comes to practicality, style and value for money. The extra-large storage compartment alone gets my vote.

I loved how you could easily steer the pushchair one handed without it swerving to one side. It was light to push and so easy to fold and unfold, there were no stressful moments stuck in a car park trying to figure out how to erect the pram.

The Adorra Luxe would be a great choice for parents living in the suburbs or a city who want to avoid a bulky, heavy pushchair.

My only real criticism was that it was a bit challenging at times pushing the pram over uneven surfaces and I had to walk extra slow to avoid my baby waking up. I wasn’t sure how long the wheels would last if they were regularly put through their paces on bumpy ground so

If you live in a rural location, you might want to look for something with chunkier wheels and better suspension.