Recaro Lexa Elite pushchair review

What were your first impressions?

It’s hard to imagine how a buggy will size up from seeing it online, so I was pleasantly surprised when just one small cardboard box turned up (which let’s face it, is also a blessing in terms of having to dispose of the packaging). The slimline Recaro Lexa Elite stroller was neat and pre-assembled, so could be used straight away without the need for trawling through long, complicated instruction booklets. I was impressed by just how light it was, and how the manufacturers had come up with such an intuitive system for collapsing it again in a few simple steps.

How easy is the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller to assemble?

There’s no building required here, which is a godsend when you’re trying to juggle 2 kids. The whole stroller is pre-assembled, so you literally take it out of its packaging and flip it up to unfold it. The only time I had to check the instructions was to change it from parent-facing to world-facing, which you might want to do if you have children of different ages using it, or if you are using it straight away with a toddler rather than a baby.

How easy is the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller to push and steer?

The Recaro Lexa Elite is extremely light at around 8kg, so it really is easy to push and steer if used in a straightforward way, on smooth terrain. The wheels move 360 degrees too, which means it is great for cruising around small spaces or round tight corners. It felt ever so slightly rattly through the handle because of the smaller wheels, however, and when we moved onto more challenging surfaces these felt less able to cope well.

We also found that it proved difficult to bump up and down kerbs when there was a full basket or when 3-year-old Sofía was sitting in the buggy, thanks to there being no base bar for pushing your foot against.

How well does the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller push on different surfaces?

For an all-rounder with the benefit of being a small, folding pram, we thought this was great on a variety of surfaces. As with any pram, it dealt with smooth pavements most easily and was very quiet when used on normal streets with Rafael – the 5-week-old baby – in the seat and seemed to offer him good suspension across all different terrains.

It became trickier when under the pressure of 3-year-old Sofía’s weight and struggled when taken on boggy grass and muddy patches. Given this is first and foremost a pram for cities and travel, however, I thought that the fact that it managed pavements and gravel easily was a good starting point, but we probably wouldn’t recommend it to countryside dwellers.

Is the Recaro Lexa Elite easy to carry around and store?

The USP of the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller is how small and easy it is to both store and manoeuvre, and we weren’t disappointed. It folds up into a neat shape (measuring L47cm x W26cm x H55cm) and is light and easy to move – whether that means throwing it into the boot in minutes or storing it away out of sight when you’re in the house. An unexpected plus point was that it is free-standing so holds itself up on its base.

Other similar prams we’ve tried haven’t had this feature, meaning they have to lie down, which then results in not only a messy look but a lack of accessibility. With this prawn standing upright it meant no bending down to grab it, especially key if you’re carrying a young baby in one hand and need to minimise heavy lifting as far as possible.

Adding to its well-thought-out design was the carry handle, which is adjustable to 2 lengths – one for hand carrying and one for your shoulder. This was great when I needed to carry a car seat, changing bag and pram all at once, as it was slung over my back, leaving both hands free for the other essentials.

How comfortable is the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller for your baby?

The lie-flat position on this pram is suitable to use from birth, which is handy if you want to minimise how many different items you’re buying. It’s reasonably comfortable with 5-week-old Rafael even dropping off to sleep a few times when out and about. The minimalistic design isn’t plush, so it’s not super cosy, but it’s functional and didn’t seem uncomfortable.

With no rain cover and no footmuff supplied, we found it necessary to wrap the baby up snugly when heading out of the house. It’s also low to the ground which can feel unsettling when walking past big dogs or other perceived hazards when using the pram with such a young baby.

Is the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller easy to fold?

The buggy is really easy to fold when compared to similar models I’ve tried in the past. It’s intuitive, with one click of a button allowing for a one-movement transformation. You can do it with one hand too, which is great when you’re juggling small people and the inevitable accoutrement that comes with them.

How compact is the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller?

Once folded, the buggy is super compact, measuring L47cm x W26cm x H55cm, and stands alone. We have a VW Golf and there was plenty of space left around it when it was loaded into the boot. The fact that it does have the ability to rest upright by itself meant it was great for storing at home, even in limited spaces like small cupboards or our neat porch.

See MadeForMums roundup of the best compact folding pushchairs

How well does it work on public transport?

Because of its small size and weight, we found the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller fairly easy to use on most forms of public transport, as long as there was a lift rather than mountains of stairs. With a baby in the pram, it can be tricky to carry up and down steps – just like with any pushchair – if you’re by yourself.

The only issue we had was pushing it onto buses without lowered entrances. Where there was a high step, we found the lack of a brace bar under the back wheels meant we had to use a lot of force to tip the pram high enough to get onto the bus. Also, it’s worth noting that this isn’t compliant with some airlines’ cabin luggage dimensions, so if you were travelling by plane (which isn’t public transport, granted), you would have to check your buggy against the various size constraints.

Do you like the style of the Recaro Lexa Elite?

It has a pared-back, simple design that feels very ‘no frills’. If you’re looking for something straightforward for easy city living, I think this would be perfect. The frame is matte and both it and the handle feel sturdy and well made. There’s also a large basket underneath the pram which is big enough to fit a bag of shopping and a changing set, for instance, so handy for everyday errands.

How do you rate the buggy handle?

Both Jess – my twin sister – and I are short. We’re 5ft 2in and so can struggle with ‘regular’ sized things. The handle on the Recaro Lexa Elite is one, fixed height, which made it slightly less comfortable to push than other pram styles we’ve trialled. The handle has a comfortable, non-slip cushioning, however, which makes it easy on your hands for longer walks.

What do you think of the seat unit?

The Recaro Lexa Elite stroller seat isn’t the most luxurious on the market, but it felt comfortable enough for daily use and had enough padding to keep our newborn secure and relaxed. It comes with a good range of positions that run from lying completely flat to fully upright, which we found useful in a couple of different ways. Firstly, you can adjust the seat quietly and easily if the baby has fallen asleep, to prolong naptime. Secondly, we liked that we could tip it up to help ease the effects of reflux in Rafael’s first few weeks.

With parent- and world-facing settings you can set up the pram to be able to interact with younger children or give older kids a view of what’s going on around them.

Sofía, my 3-year-old niece, was able to fit into the seat once it was extended at the back (a feature which we took a couple of days to discover) but she was probably teetering on the edge of being able to use it. A caveat here is that she’s very tall for a 3-year-old, so we imagine most children of her age would sit comfortably in it.

What’s the hood like?

The Recaro Lexa Elite hood is effective enough to keep showers at bay, but there isn’t a rain cover supplied, so for sunny Scotland, it felt a bit risky going for walks if it wasn’t a clear day. I liked that there’s an air vent and peephole in the back so that not only would this keep the baby cool while napping in warmer weather, but it also means a handy quick-reference view for Mum (or Aunty!) to keep a check on the little person.

What are the wheels like on the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller?

The wheels are fairly small, which means mounting large kerbs or high buses can be an issue, but the size also comes with its benefits. They’re unfixed so are well suited for manoeuvring in small spaces. We found this a blessing in our 2 small terrace houses when we wanted to leave the baby napping in the pram once in the house. It was easy to wheel it around and settle it into place quietly.

How good are the brakes?

Brakes-wise, we found the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller to outperform competitor models we’ve used like the Babyzen. It had good sturdy mechanisms which held the whole thing in place soundly. We also liked that the simple on/off paddles were each on different sides of the pram which made them easy to use, even when you have the seat set up to be parent-facing.

How do you rate the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller's basket?

I thought the basket was generously proportioned for this type of stroller. The spacious area under the buggy meant there was plenty of space for the baby’s things, plus bits of shopping. We did note that this was easier to use when world-facing vs parent-facing, as the pram covers a lot of the front section in the latter set-up. That being said, you can easily access it from the rear if needed.

What’s in the box?

Just the pram, which includes the under-pram shopping basket and bumper bar.

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

• Raincover
• Insect net
• Car seat adaptors
• Cup holder

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller?

It doesn’t come with a rain cover. If you’re expecting a baby in the UK, we’d say that you’d definitely need to purchase that as an additional piece of kit – whether that's a specific Recaro design or universal rain cover. We also liked that you could extend the back of the pushchair — but didn’t discover that for a few days! Aside from those 2 small niggles, we thought that the pram itself was extremely intuitive to use and functional in its performance, and because it was so simple to set up, we couldn’t think of anything else we’d have wanted to know before purchase.

Who would the Recaro Lexa Elite be most useful for?

City parents are likely to get the most use out of this compact, neat pram. It’s ideal for homes with limited storage and performs best on smooth terrain. It’s also very lightweight, which is ideal for busy parents on the go who know they’re going to be throwing it into the back of a car one minute and carrying it to the bus the next.

Is the Recaro Lexa Elite pushchair worth the money?

With an RRP of £319, I think it’s pretty good value when compared to similar styles. Yes, it’s not the most luxurious pram on the market, but it does the job and does it well. It’s well-made for a reasonable price point and seems to have been thoughtfully designed using good-quality materials. The best bit is that it grows with your child, so it is great to use from birth right up into the early years. It also seems like it would wear well, making it perfect for homes with multiple children coming up through the ranks. You can find it heavily discounted to around £179 on most websites at the moment too.

Where can I buy the Recaro Lexa Elite stroller?

Available from Kiddies Kingdom and The Nursery Store.

MadeForMums verdict

The Recaro Lexa Elite is a great choice for city dwellers or people who are on the move a lot. It’s extremely easy to use, robust and packs away to a surprisingly small size when collapsed. It isn’t the most luxurious pram in the world, but it’s ideal for bopping around town doing chores when you don’t want to have to wield a big, heavy pram. We thought little extras like the roomy basket and extendable seat made this a piece that we could use for a long time without any issues, and the price point for the quality makes it excellent value.