Quinny VNC pushchair review

In our review we’ll be putting these claims to the test, using the VNC as a travel system, alongside the award-winning Maxi-Cosi Pebble Pro i-Size car seat and 3WayFix base for secure Isofix installation.

Tested by:

Sonia has been testing the product with six-month-old baby Aariya, while out walking and on public transport.

What were your first impressions of the Quinny VNC?

My first impressions were good! Straight out of the box it was clear that it was a premium product with a lovely teal tone, which I loved. It was stylish, but it also felt solid and good quality. The design is beautiful and it has innovative features that I kept discovering.

What age is the Quinny VNC suitable for?

With a maximum weight capacity of 22kg, it can be used from six months up to approximately 4 years, giving it a longer lifespan than many prams.

What’s the difference between the Quinny Hubb and the VNC?

The Hubb can be used from birth, while the VNC is for use from six months onwards – although it can be used from birth if you buy the HUX carrycot for £199.

How does it compare to similar pushchairs?

At £579, the VNC is in a similar price bracket to the Cosatto Giggle Quad (£524.95 on Amazon), but unlike the Giggle Quad, the VNC doesn’t come with a carrycot, although, as mentioned above, it can be bought separately. The Britax B-Ready, at £520, is also in the price range, with a carrycot sold separately.

While the Giggle Quad has a weight capacity of 20kg, and the Britax B-Ready can bear 17kg, the VNC can carry 22kg (around 4 to 5 years old), meaning it should last longer or suit a larger toddler/preschooler.

At 11.1kg (or 13.97kg with the carrycot), the VNC is also lighter than both the Cosatto Giggle Quad and Britax B-Ready at 16kg and 13kg respectively. Its 10kg-capacity basket also dwarfs the B-Ready’s 7kg basket capacity and the Giggle Quad’s of 3.5kg.

Is the carrycot comfortable and good quality?

Yes, I really liked the carrycot with its large and stylish cocoon design, but best of all, it weighs just under 3kg – great when you are taking it off the chassis. And my baby loved its spaciousness.

High-quality fabric has been used and the bumper bar from the seat can be attached to the carrycot, although this was a little fiddly to do. There is no information on Quinny’s website as to whether it’s suitable for overnight sleeping, so I can’t recommend it for that.

Is the Quinny VNC seat comfortable?

The VNC is comfortable and spacious enough for my six-month-old and is both world- and parent-facing. Best of all, the seat reclines in many positions – everything from fully upright to horizontal.

There is a lever on the top of the seat which makes adjusting the position really easy and I found this to be a subtle and seamless design feature – a view backed up by one of our home testers, who regularly altered the seat for her baby to sleep in, or for her toddler to sit up and look around.

Does the Quinny VNC have a one-hand fold?

Although the VNC is described by Quinny as a one-hand fold, you have to remove the seat or carrycot first. At first I found it a little tricky but now it is easier, which one of our home testers agreed with it who said she found it very quick to fold down and put in her car.

To fold the pushchair you must:

• Put the brake on
• Press a button on each side to remove the seat/carrycot
• Push the buttons both on top and underneath the handle
• Slide the chassis down

Is it compact when folded?

The pushchair takes up a lot of space, measuring H96.5-107cm x W57.5cm x L92.5cm. Even when folded it is still quite substantial because of the bulky frame, measuring H90cm x W57.5cm x L35cm.

As a result, the buggy did not fit in the boot of my car, which was a pain, to say the least. I have a VW Polo so if you have a similar or smaller car, this pushchair would not be suitable.

Is the Quinny VNC a narrow pushchair, as Quinny claims?

Yes, the VNC measures 52.5cm in width, which is fairly slim for a pushchair. One of our home testers was pleased to find it suited her house’s narrow doorways, “The pram was able to fit through all with ease and I could bring the pram through the house if my baby was napping in it.”

Is it a lightweight pushchair?

The VNC weighs in at 11.1kg, or 13.97kg with the carrycot. Although this is an average weight for a pushchair, I did not find it lightweight at all – although one of our home testers did find it light to push.

Is the Quinny VNC easy to push?

Quinny claims that the VNC is ‘highly manoeuvrable’, but I found it very bulky. It is quite easy to push the stroller because of the swivel wheels and the adjustable handle.

However, you definitely always need two hands to steer it. It’s not as easy to push as the Cosatto Giggle Quad in comparison, which can be used one-handed.

What are the wheels like and how well do they handle uneven terrain?

The foam filled comfort wheels are fantastic - they swivel and there are two larger wheels at the front and two smaller ones at the back.

They also have a thick tread on them which helps when tackling challenging terrain, where they performed well. It was pretty smooth on grass and other uneven surfaces, but I did struggle at times going up kerbs because of its bulk. Once I figured out my technique it was easier, but it took me a few attempts.

You can also take them off (although this is not very easy!), if you need to clean them.

Is the Quinny VNC a good buggy for public transport?

In my opinion this is a pushchair for those travelling on foot or by car rather than those travelling on buses, tubes and trains.

On public transport, I found the buggy quite difficult to manoeuvre, especially on London buses where, more than likely, another buggy would be occupying the designated space. And the VNC’s large frame made going up and down stairs quite difficult.

Does the hood provide good shade?

The hood provides a substantial amount of cover and comes down just over halfway. It also has a peekaboo window. It isn’t noisy to extend or pull back and also has a zip in the middle so it can extend even further.

Does the Quinny VNC have a large, easy-access shopping basket?

The basket is very easily accessible and offers an incredible 10kg of storage! The size of the basket is one of the pushchair’s selling points and one of the reasons why Quinny says you can leave the car at home.

I can see it being very appealing if you live in a town and travel on foot regularly. One of our home testers was able to fit a very large baby changing bag for two children as well as her shopping in it.

On the flip side, it doesn’t have a cover, so if it was overloaded things could easily fall out. While many mums would love the basket, from my point of view, a smaller basket would make the pushchair more lightweight.

Is the frame strong?

Yes, the frame feels durable but it is also very bulky.

Is the handlebar adjustable?

Yes, I could adjust the handlebar to the perfect height for me. It also has a really subtle and chic design.

Is the Quinny VNC’s brake effective and easy to apply?

The stroller has a one-touch brake on the right-hand side, near the right back wheel. At times I needed to apply quite a bit of pressure to activate the brake, and I would recommend wearing trainers or sturdy shoes for this, rather than flimsier footwear.

Having said that, one of our home testers had no problems applying the brake and says, “I like that it’s just a push rather than on some where you have to try and un-click, potentially dirtying your shoes.”

Can it be used as a travel system?

The pushchair worked really well as a travel system with the Maxi-Cosi Pebble Pro i-Size and was easy to install. The Pebble can be used from birth up to four years and is easy to lift and carry.

Plush and padded, with an ergonomic headrest and Baby Hugg inlay, it was very comfortable for my six-month-old, who has been quite difficult to settle in her previous Cosatto car seat. In this one she settled really quickly. It has handy memory buttons on the side which make transporting it from car to pushchair really easy – although I found the side adaptors fiddly when swapping between carrycot and car seat.

The 3wayFix base with Isofix function has visual and sound indicators which ensure the seat is securely installed, which certainly gave me more peace of mind.

It’s worth noting that the VNC is only compatible with the following Maxi-Cosi car seats:

• Pebble
• Pebble Plus/Pro i-Size
• Cabriofix, Rock
• Citi
• Marble
• Coral

Is the Quinny VNC a stylish pushchair?

Overall I like how it looks – there has clearly been a lot of thought put into the design. It comes in three colours – graphite twist, lilac twist and grey twist. However, the latter two have very pale seat covers which I doubt would stand up to much toddler snacking, so it’s good that the pushchair covers can be washed.

There are also seat liners in summer, winter, luxurious and standard variations, starting from £35, which would protect the seat.

The design is great, with lots of thoughtful touches – one of our home testers praised the rain cover as being the easiest she’s ever used, taking just seconds to put on in a sudden shower.

Is the Quinny VNC easy to put together?

No, I found the VNC quite hard to build. Although it came with instructions, I didn’t find them useful and assembly took me much longer than anticipated. If you are a sole guardian or parent, or doing this on your own, this is something to note as I found it quite difficult and tiring due to the weight of the chassis.

What’s in the box?

• Rain cover
• Bumper bar
• Cup holder clip
• Parasol clip
• Car seat adaptors

Are there extra accessories available?

Aside from the carrycot and liners mentioned above, you can buy a parasol, foot muff, cup holder, blanket and foot muff.

Where can I buy Quinny VNC?

It’s available to buy from John Lewis, Mamas and Papas and Amazon

MadeForMums verdict:

I think the Quinny VNC is a good choice for a parent who is always out and about, with a generous storage compartment which can be used for shopping and baby essentials. It’s ideal for those who travel on foot – or shop – a lot when out with baby, but its quite bulky to use on public transport.

My favourite feature was the carrycot. Although this adds £79.99 to the price, with an excellent Maxi-Cosi car seat and base included, it makes a great-value, easy-to-use travel system.

With lots of thoughtful touches, I felt that the VNC has been designed with both parents and the child equally in mind, but it might not be ideal if you live in a small house or have a small car, as there are lighter, nippier pushchairs on the market.

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