Nuna Pipa Urbn car seat review

Nuna is a global brand, producing baby equipment since 2007, focused on creating products that are smart, look good and are ultra helpful.

This rear-facing infant car seat aims to make life easier for parents who are on the go. It comes at a premium price but, as a parent of 2, our reviewer found the ease of use something that really appealed.

Tested by

Rachel lives in Cardiff and is mam to 7-week-old Jac and 3-year-old Alys. She tested the Nuna PIPA Urbn car seat with her newborn in a Seat Cupra estate car on daily short journeys, as well as a long car ride to York.

Journalist Rachel has written for a number of national magazines and newspapers and now specialises in social media content. She covers family content on her Instagram account.

First impressions

Unboxing the car seat left me feeling impressed. It's a stylish product with a luxury feel. It comes with a leatherette carry handle which not only looked good but provided a secure and comfy grip. This isn’t always the case with baby equipment and was very welcome!

How easy is it to install?

My daughter’s previous car seat was seatbelt installation so using an ISOFIX car seat was new for me and I didn’t know what to expect. Safety is my number one priority in a car seat, followed by something that is all-round easy to use. With 2 children, I need a car seat that is quick to install and release. This car seat ticks all of those boxes.

How do you install the car seat?

The product came with an instruction leaflet and was as easy to install as it promised. You simply pull down the ISOFIX connectors that are on the car seat and click those into the car. The red boxes turn green once it is in place to show you have the correct fit.

The website boasts 2-second installation and this is accurate. It can be released with one hand and, as a parent carrying and juggling lots of different things, this is a helpful feature. There’s no need to carry an ISOFIX base around as it is integrated. For those who prefer seatbelt installation, the seat comes with belt pathways meaning it offers the best of both worlds.

How does it compare to similar car seats for this age range?

The Avionaut Pixel Pro is sometimes offered as an alternative infant carrier that is also lightweight. However (at the time of this review) the Nuna PIPA Urbn is the only infant carrier in the world with baseless ISOFIX installation and this unique selling point has been appealing to parents. Bear in mind, though, you'll pay for this feature – the Nuna PIPA urbn is more expensive than many infant carriers on the market.

What are the key safety features of the car seat?

This car seat meets the latest European safety standard (ECE R129/03) and has Side Impact Protection (SIP). It feels robust and safe, with a three-point harness and high-quality materials. I felt confident the car seat would transport my son safely.

The fit felt safe as well as comfortable, with the ability to tighten the belts and release them easily. It comes with an insert for smaller babies, but I found it is difficult to know when to stop using this as the fit becomes a bit of a squeeze when ensuring the pads sit close to the top of baby’s shoulders.

The seat has Aeroflex foam that is lightweight and minimises the force that is transferred to the baby. It also includes a peekaboo window to check on your baby. Each element is flame resistant and contains no added fire retardant chemicals. The canopy that offers UPF 50+ sun protection.

How long is it rear-facing for?

The seat takes up to a 13kg baby, which on average is around 15 months. As it's an infant carrier, the seat is rear-facing for the duration of its use. My child is currently 75th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for height, so is unlikely to be using this infant carrier past a year.

How comfortable is the NUNA PIPA Urbn car seat?

My son seemed to enjoy the car seat and looked comfortable. He didn’t have head flop as the seat was not angled too far. It comes with robust padding, keeping baby supported, as well as providing peace of mind if there was ever an impact. The headrest has patented Tailor tech memory foam, meaning it has a custom fit for your baby’s head. The leatherette on the carry handle means it is also a comfortable car seat for caregivers who are moving it from one place to another.

How do you rate the straps?

The straps were very easy to use - pushing a button to loosen them. Unlike some car seats, the straps did not twist and were easy to tighten and secure.

How robust does the car seat feel?

The PIPA Urbn is high quality and feels very robust. I think this seat will easily last for the duration my son will use it for, and I'm sure would last longer – making it ideal if you were planning to have another baby.

How easy is it to clean?

The seat covers are machine washable, another practical feature of the seat that makes life easier – especially if your baby is prone to car sickness, as my daughter was. That said, I haven't needed to machine wash the car seat yet. It doesn't get dirty easily and any small marks were easily cleaned away.

How do you find the car seat to carry around?

The NUNA PIPA Urbn weighs only 3.3kg (without the hood canopy and insert) which meant carrying it from the house to car was easy. It actually weighs more than a previous travel system infant carrier I used but strikes a balance between being sturdy but lightweight enough to move about.

Does it have a sun hood?

This car seat comes with Nuna’s iconic Dream Drape - offering full canopy coverage with UPF 50+ which is one less thing to worry about when your child is being transported on very sunny days. It is easily retractable by holding a button on either side.

What’s in the box?

• PIPA Urbn seat
• Insert for smaller babies
• Dream Drape sun hood
• ISOFIX connectors built into the seat
• Instructions

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the car seat?

I'd like to use the PIPA Urbn as part of a travel system and connect it to a pram for short trips from the car to the shops, etc.

The PIPA Urbn is compatible with all Nuna pushchairs as well as models by Egg, Silver Cross, Joolz, Bugaboo, UppaBaby and i-Candy. But it is not compatible with all brands and models, so it's worth checking before you buy. There's a full list in the manual section of the Nuna website.

Is this car seat worth the money?

At £300, the infant carrier is expensive and most babies will outgrow the seat before they reach 18 months of age. The car seat has the luxe feel you’d expect for a premium price and the baseless installation is unique – but if you don't need to move your car seat between vehicles, there are other, more reasonably priced options on the market.

How does the Nuna PIPA urbn compare to similar car seats?

Where can I buy the Nuna PIPA urbn?

It is available from Nuna, John Lewis, Mamas & Papas and Boots

MadeForMums verdict:

If money is no object and an easy ISOFIX option is appealing, the Nuna PIPA Urbn could be the perfect car seat for you. The baseless design means it is perfect for those who use different transport options such as car rentals, taxis and car lifts or car sharing.

It would be perfect to take abroad and to be able to transport baby around in taxis or car rentals. It is also lightweight enough for any parent to carry and I found it stylish, safe and sturdy.

The pram we have is not compatible with this infant carrier so I was not able to use it as part of a travel system. While I’d highly recommend this baseless ISOFIX car seat to others, I believe there are more reasonable options in terms of cost.