Inspired by vehicle and sports product design, dad-of-two Davey has come up with a sleek single-to-double buggy system that can accommodate one or two children from birth to around 4 years (17kg), including twins.
The ergonomic 11kg Z-shaped aluminium chassis has four foam-filled wheels – the rear two are larger lockable swivel wheels and the front two are smaller. The chassis folds with or without one seat attached by simply pushing down on a safety button on the arm of the chassis and pushing the frame forward.
Both seats can be used parent facing or forward facing, there are three seat recline angles and both the seats and the carrycots can be used a two different heights. Weight wise, the Kobi is 19.4kg when set-up with two seats attached to the chassis.
Other standard features include a foot-operated brake, adjustable handle (it rotates back and forward rather than getting longer), shopping basket, 5-point seat harnesses, removable bumper bar and raincover.
A range of accessories is available at extra cost including parasol, footmuff and mosquito net. But included in the package is the clever changing pod, a bag that fits perfectly into the shopping basket.
The Kobi is travel system compatible. To team the buggy with either the Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix or the Cybex Aton, you can purchase separate car seat adaptors for £28. The Kobi can take a single car seat and single carrycot at the same time, but not two car seats.
I tested the tandem Kobi in a very cool dark grey with Sangria Red seat pad. A black seat pad is also available. We reviewed the Mima Kobi in single buggy mode too, so head to the full roadtest if this is how you plan to start using the Kobi.
What we love
Aside from being able to convert from a single buggy to a double, the USP of the Mima Kobi is the unique seat pod. Made from high gloss EVA (mouldable plastic used to make shoes, footballs and surfboards) it feels like luxurious, soft leather. But here’s the clever bit - the seat pods double as a storage shell for the metal-framed carrycot hidden inside. You just unzip the seat and all is revealed.
The ‘carrycot inside’ means that, unlike the system used by some of its rivals, with one bit of kit, you’ve got the baby stage and the toddler stage covered.
The Kobi handles so well, I felt like I was gliding along the pavement. It was if I was auditioning for Strictly!
It’s a little bouncy over bumps but taking my two daughters out on a trip to town was a pleasure for me, and them. Minnie, 28 months, loved being up high in the top seat – it compares to the height of a Stokke – and baby Poppy, 8 months, enjoyed her unrestricted view thanks to the minimalist ergonomic design that creates more space between the seats. With the sunshade attached, Minnie’s head (she is 84cm tall) was touching the shade though.
The seat pad is wonderfully spongy and having taken a battering from soggy rice cakes and gummed biscuits it came up sparkling with a quick wipe.
What to watch out for
The Mima Kobi has a very clear target parent – think urban family, rather than country-family. For this reason, it’s hard to find much wrong with the set up.
I haven’t used an inline double buggy yet that makes light work of getting the second child into the lower seat. Poor Poppy has been shoved, lowered and twisted into many lower deck seats and the Kobi with the sunshade attached is no exception – the three–leaf shade leaves little room to manoeuvre a child into the seat and the problem gets worse the bigger your bub gets. One advantage of the Kobi though is being able to raise the height of the top seat, which does give you more room. The easiest solution is to take the sunshade off.
You’ll have to find somewhere to store the seat units before you need them – the pod system is a great storage solution but only once you’re done with the carrycot stage. If you’re using the Kobi with twin babies, the carrycots stack one on top of each other so you can hardly see the second baby.
The brake is annoying - each time I tried to put it on, my foot slid off the pad. I had to give it several tries and be very purposeful to make sure the brake was on securely.
The cost of this high-end buggy will induce a sharp intake a breath, particularly when you add the extras required to turn it into a tandem. The single Kobi is £950, a second seat is £160 (or £225 with concealed carrycot inside), the second canopy is £58 and a second footmuff £79.99. That's £1,247.99. A double raincover will add £39.99. That said, it's not the only premium buggy around right now with this kind of price tag.
Who is the Mima Kobi buggy best for?
Style-savvy parents with big budgets and two children or long-term plans to have more than one child.
The Mima Kobi is a head-turning convertible buggy. It truly stands out from the crowd with its design and innovative features. It doesn’t fair too well off-road and its minimalist design isn’t for everyone, but it’s a good investment if you intend to expand your family and city living is your long-term plan.
