Mutsy Nio review

This fabulous award-winning Dutch brand is in the same league as the ever-popular Bugaboo and has been lending a helping hand to new mums since 1937, the past 81 years!

Its aim is to provide comfortable, reliable prams to increase mobility and make life easier for parents the world over. And the latest addition to the Mutsy family is the Nio Adventure – ‘for all-round discovery’, as the brand promises.

At £699 for the complete Nio (chassis, carry cot, seat and rain covers) it’s on the higher end of the price scale, sitting with the big game players such as Bugaboo Cameleon (approximately £770) Graco Evo (£499), or the Maxi Cosi 3-in-1 (£549).

However, some of these mainstream brands have compromised on key features, which the Nio solves – such as bumper bar collapsing within the chair when it folds. So it’s well worth checking out. I’m a 35-year-old first time mum, living in Kent with my husband Mark. Am currently on maternity leave, looking after our five-month-old son, Ted.

What were your first impressions of the Mutsy Nio?

Stylish, light, easy-to-push with one hand, fabulously bouncy suspension. The Mutsy Nio has a high-end look with top notch ergonomics to boot – but, for me, it’s when the stroller seat is in position that the Nio really flexes its adaptability muscles.

The backrest and leg support can be set to three positions – including near flat, perfect for napping. And it can be collapsed with the seat and bumper bar in place, completely faff-less. Plus, after off-roading, the dirty wheels can be removed at the click of a button.

It comes in 8 different colours all in the same on-trend smokey colour palette from green to grey to blue, in varying shades.

How does the new Nio stroller compare to the Mutsy Nexo and Mutsy Igo buggies?

The latest to the Mutsy family, the Nio positions itself as a good ‘allrounder’ – for use on a busy high street as well as off-road country walks.

Whereas the Igo sells itself as a combi stroller, and the Nexo prides itself on “offering the luxury of an adjustable pushchair with the convenience and compactness of a buggy”, the Nio focuses on tackling any scenario – whether it’s a busy shopping centre with lots of toes to avoid, to a bumpy off-road country pathway.

How does the Nio compare to other buggies you’ve used?

As a first time mum I’ll be honest my experience with buggies has been limited, but compared to our current one – the Grace Evo – the Mutsy Nio is easier to handle, is much more compact and has fabulous suspension. Plus, unlike my current pram, I can control it with one hand – whether the other is busy with a coffee or Instagram scrolling.

Read about the best travel systems here.

Just how compact is Mutsy’s Nio when folded and unfolded?

Once folded, the Nio super compact. With wheels it measures around 76x57x41cm and without 72x48x21cm, which worked perfectly for us as we don’t have a hallway to store it in so being able to fold it away is a great option – and the trolley feature works perfectly for this, once collapsed you can pull the chassis around easily.

How lightweight is the Mutsy Nio?

The chassis alone is only 8.4kg – so around the same weight as your average 8-month old baby - super light. Put the carrycot or seat on there, as it can all fold down together, and you’re looking at no more than 12.5kg – which is the equivalent of a two-year-old child. And while Ted is neither of these ages – he’s five months – I know I can carry a two-year old.

How easy is it to push?

I am not exaggerating when I say the Mutsy Nio is a dream to push, and so easy to keep control and momentum with just one hand.

It takes dropped kerbs in its stride and the suspension means it’s super easy to take larger kerbs too – again, even one handed.

How does it ride on different surfaces?

While I’m not a jogging-in-the-park-with-the-pram type of mum, the Mutsy Nio did hold its own when put to the test across different terrains. The only one I struggled with was a bumpy allotment, though once we locked the wheels it was a lot easier.

We also took it on a country walk over stony pathways and stick-strewn floors. The Nio bumped over nicely and didn’t seem uncomfortable for Ted at all – again due to the great suspension.

How is it on public transport?

Ted and I ventured out to Bluewater shopping centre with the Nio and we put it to the test on two trains and a bus. The smaller front wheels made getting off the trains a little tricky, but reversing off – with the bigger wheels first - was a much easier option.

The sturdy brake also earned its crust when the bus took the corners and the sleek frame made tucking it away into corners easy. In addition, being able to drop the extendable handle helped when people had to pass.

What do you think of the wheels and suspension?

“This thing corners like it’s on wheels” – a direct quote from my Pretty-Woman-loving husband. The suspension was an obvious plus, something we both instantly noticed, and made it a dream to push around, and the wheels absorbed most of the bumps, making it a smooth ride for Ted.

How easy is the Mutsy Nio to store?

The Nio folds down to a nice flat compact square. It could easily fit under a dining room table to hide away or store.

Is the frame strong, durable?

The frame feels extremely strong, when going up and down deep kerbs there was no bending, giving or rattling of the handle.

What do you think of the Nio’s fold system?

I’ll be honest, it’s frustrating that it needs two hands to collapse, and it’s not intuitive as we tried to do it without reading instructions but didn’t get very far. But, once you know what you’re doing it’s smooth and simple enough.

In addition, the trolley stand is fabulous, as I could pull the folded chassis behind me. When using the seat in a front facing position you can fold the seat down with the bumper bar on with the chassis in two fluid movements.

However in the reverse seated position you need to remove the seat before collapsing.

The best thing is the unfolding, you simply pull it open at the handle, no buttons or latches needed!

What do you think of the handle bar?

I love the style of the handle, the soft tan leatherette. The fact it’s extendable (101cm at full) is fantastic, as my husband is 6ft2 and I’m 5ft 2 – quite a difference in arm length! It’s a durable, stylish and strong handle.

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

The size is more than enough for Ted, who is five months. It’s also sleek – more narrow than our current pram - and lightweight.

How many recline positions does the Nio have?

Three, including the flat napping reclined position – I’m sure if Ted could chat he’d claim this is the best one! When pulling the handle lever at the back to put the Nio into position, it sometimes didn’t click into place properly, and Ted would look lopsided in the seat.

So you can’t really reposition in a rush, but if you stop and make sure it all clicks into place it’s good to go.

How comfortable does it feel for your little one?

Ted is five months old and a bit in between – he gets too bored in the flat bed and is desperate to sit up, but sometimes seems a little too young and slumped in the stroller seat. However, we used the Nio rear facing seat and he seemed more than comfortable, no wriggling or whinging.

He seems to like the ‘sun roof’ feature of the pram, and frequently looks up out of it. Ted also got some of his best afternoon naps when put in the full reclined position.

Can the Nio be used from newborn?

It can, with the collapsible carrycot. I wouldn’t suggest collapsing it regularly, as it was a bit faffy, but it’s great if you’re travelling and need more space in your boot.

Read here why your newborn needs a lie-flat buggy.

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

At Ted’s age he is in the parent facing seat making interaction with him easy. Plus the bumper bar undoes one side at a time, so you can access your little one without having to take it off totally, and making it easy to feed him when he’s in it.

What do you think of the hood?

I love that the hood has an extendable bit that unzips – perfect for when you recline right down for naps. And the sun visor is great for that extra inch to shield little peepers from the rays. The only drawback is that the hood doesn’t lock in place, and Ted frequently pushed it back.

Tell us about the brakes.

The brake handle is situated next to the right wheel, and is engaged with the foot. It’s a wide lever and easy to click on. I hang my changing rucksack on the right side, so it can tricky to reach the brake - one on both sides may be handier. But it’s a sturdy brake.

Does the Nio fit in the boot of your car?

We have a Jaguar estate and this fits in perfectly, especially since the seat folds completely flat. After a country walk we removed the wheels so that they didn’t dirty the house when we got home – ingenious!

Is the Mutsy Nio travel system compatible?

If you buy the additional car seat adaptor accessories, it is compatible with a huge range of car seats, from the Maxicosi Pebble or Cabriofix, to the Besafe iZi Go or the Kiddy Evolution Pro.

What age children is the Nio best for?

The Mutsy Nio is perfect from birth. The carrycot is useful. It is collapsible, has lots of pockets with a comfy mattress and sits high on the chassis, so it’s a dream for my 6ft 2 husband to deal with the baby. However, I feel the Nio really comes into its own when your little one is sitting up and you can make the most of the easy seat-on collapsible features.

How easily can you access the basket and is it big enough to store everything you need?

Compared to my old pram the seat/carrycot on the Nio sit high, giving lots of space to fit items in the basket without wrestling the seat out the way. And the basket is also a great size – I managed to get plenty in while shopping.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Wheels
• Seat
• Seat bar
• Hood
• Carrycot
• Bumper bar
• Rain covers for both

Is it easy to build the product?

The Nio was very intuitive to build – did it on my own. I didn’t find the printed instructions too helpful, but the YouTube videos were fantastic.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the item?

I was super excited at the thought of being able to collapse the whole thing in one. However, this is only possible when the stroller is in the front facing position. This is a bit disappointing as I still have a while before Ted can use the front facing position.

Who would the product be most useful for?

I think this pram would be fabulous for parents on the go, families who love travelling – especially avid walkers and outdoor lovers.

The fact the Nio collapses to such a compact size, that the seat and bumper bar collapse completely flat, and that all four wheels are removable is perfect for when you need those extra inches of space in the boot! Plus, the front wheels are nippy and sensitive which makes it great for whizzing around people in busy shopping centres.

Is there anything unique about this product?

The fact the seat and bumper bar fold down with the chassis is fantastic. Plus, the foot muff (added extra) unzips off completely, so if you’ve used it with your little one and – in true brit style – the weather turns hot, you can remove the top in one zip motion without waking any sleeping little ones.

Is the Mutsy Nio good value for money?

For £699 you get the chassis, seat (which can be both front and rear facing) collapsible carrycot with mattress and breathable mesh layer, plus seat and rain covers. At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking you can get more for your money from another brand, but the fabulous features the Mutsy Nio offers are more than worth it!

Additional extras:

• Matching changing bag (£74.50)
• Footmuff (£74.50)
• Boot cover (£35.50)
• Parasol (£44.96)
• UV seat cover (£35)
• Safe2Go car seat
• Cup holder (£14.50)
• Adapter set Safe2Go (£24.75)
• Adapter set maxi-cosi (£32.75)

MadeForMums verdict:

I thoroughly enjoyed test driving the Mutsy Nio pram. Disclaimer: I felt like I was cheating on our bargain (bought second-hand) Graco Evo.

Not only was the Nio super stylish – I noticed a few other mums checking it out and was even asked about it while shopping – but it was super practical, easy to use and push one-handed when out and about, plus the extendable handle made it perfect for when my 6ft 2” husband wanted to take the helm.

The life-changer for me was when navigating bumps and low kerbs, the Nio did these with ease. I would – and did to the mum-to-be asking me in Bluewater – recommend the Mutsy Nio as a great transitional pram from birth to toddlerhood, the folding and compact features make it super easy to fall in love with.

Read about some travel systems similar to the Mutsy Nio:

• Koochi Modhero review
• Uppababy Vista 2017 review
• Ickle Bubba Stomp V3 review
• Red Kit Push Me Fusion

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