Tutti Bambini Koji review

With a total RRP of £430 (£350 for the chassis and an extra £80 for the colour pack which includes the hood), the Tutti Bambini Koji is pitched against the likes of Cosatto’s Busy Pushchair (£239.99), Jané’s Minnum Lightweight (£399) and Bugaboo’s Bee5 (£499) stroller - both in looks as well as price. It is sister to Tutti Bambini’s slightly pricier Arlo (£530). Available in five colours the Koji’s main selling point is its folding mechanism, which allows you to fold it with the seat attached, and its compact, slimline chassis.

As a mum of three with two at nursery and one at school I spend my life lumping pushchairs in and out of the back of the car for drop offs and pick ups throughout the day – I know it and my poor back knows it. This means weight and ease of fold are my top priorities when it comes to buggies.

Designed for active parents who are always out and about, the Tutti Bambini Koji is dubbed the ‘little yet large’ pushchair with a generous seat both in terms of width and height and a slimline, compact chassis. It’s marketed as perfect for city life and I certainly agree – in fact I think it’s the smallest pushchair I’ve ever come across since becoming a mum with the added bonus of folding with the seat attached.

What were your first impressions of the stroller?

On first impression I thought the Koji looked so small it was going to be flimsy, but in fact the slimline tubing on the chassis is surprisingly sturdy.

What do you think of the Koji’s fold system? Does it fit into the boot of your car and is it easy to store?

The way the pushchair folds – essentially in half – means you can hold it in one hand and lift it into the boot of the car. This is a major bonus, especially if you’re holding on to a threenager trying to escape with the other hand. It also means you can easily stow it away in the back of the car or behind a door or under the stairs at home.

10 of the most compact folding buggies

The Koji is sold as a compact and lightweight pushchair perfect for city life – do you agree?

Yes, unfolded, the pushchair is nice and compact, measuring 90x50x106cm. When folded it makes a small parcel of 82x50.5x30.5cm, and it weighs 10.5kg, which is pretty good for such a versatile pushchair.

Our buyer's guide to lightweight buggies

How does Tutti Bambini’s Koji pushchair ride on different surfaces?

The Koji is really easy to push and you can adjust the height of the handle with easy-to-use clips on either side of the frame – perfect when you’re five foot something and your other half tops six foot. I found the Koji rides best on flat tarmac rather than uneven surfaces or grass. The suspension is rather bumpy and it doesn’t provide as much cushioning as it might which is probably due to the wheels, which are on the small side and are puncture-proof rubber as opposed to air-filled. Having said that, the Koji is designed for city life on tarmac rather than off road.

How does the Koji fare on public transport?

The fact the Koji is so slimline – it’s wider at the front than the back meaning you won’t get halfway through a door and get stuck – makes it ideal for public transport. Living in a city I regularly use both buses and trains and the fact the Koji is so lightweight means it’s easy to lift up and off buses and trains, and it also turns full circle really easily too.

Best buggies for city life

What do you think of the size of the seat unit, and how many recline positions are there?

A great bonus for me is that the seat, which is generous in size and has a surprisingly high back for such a compact pushchair, has three recline positions and lies flat as well as being travel system compatible. As a mum of three with nursery and school pick ups to adhere to, the youngest doesn’t always have the luxury of being able to nap in her cot at home, so being able to do so on-the-run is a must.

How is the Tutti Bambini Koji’s seat - is it reversible?

The Koji’s seat can either be parent facing or outward facing – you just release two clips on either side of the chassis to swap the direction – and the hood folds right down over the seat like a concertina, blocking out the light and cocooning your sleeping baby inside.

How comfortable does the Koji feel for your little one?

I have a rather chunky 15-month-old and while she fit snugly into the seat (the five-point-safety harness gives you peace of mind that they’re strapped in securely) there’s plenty of room for her to grow into toddlerhood. The pushchair is suitable from birth (it has a near-flat seat unit, but most importantly is compatible with a an optional carrycot for £110 plus £50 for the colour pack) up to 15kg.

What do you think of the hood?

The hood features an extendable panel that provides extra protection from sun and rain. It’s great for more or less completely shielding your little one.

Tell us about the brakes.

My only bug bear with the Koji is the brake. It is on the right-hand side of the rear chassis at ground level rather than on the handle bar, and I kept accidentally hitting it while walking until I learnt to avoid it – but that may have been just me!

Is the Tutti Bambino Koji travel system compatible?

Yes, the Koji is compatible with the ByGo Group 0+ ISOFIX car seat as well as a number of other models via a set of universal adapters (£26.25).

What age is the Koji best for?

The Koji is suitable from birth with the addition of a carrycot (£110) and up to 15kg (around 3 years). It also has a near-flat recline to the seat back, so is great for little ones that still need a lot of support and rest.

How is the size of the shopping basket - is it large enough to store everything you need?

The shopping basket is very generous – big enough to hold several bags of shopping, a PE kit and book bag. It also comes with a magnetic flap to allow for easy access. The basket makes the Koji great for public transport: there’s nothing worse than having everything dangling from the handlebars.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Wheels
• Seat
• Rain cover

Any additional extras?

• Colour pack (£80)
• Carrycot (£110)
• Carrycot colour pack (£50)
• Cybex and Maxicosi car seat adaptors (£26.25)

How easy is it to assemble the Koji pushchair?

I was able to assemble the Koji in under 10 minutes by simply clicking the wheels into place and slotting the seat on top. The shopping basket was already attached, and we were good to go.

What is the price, is the Koji good value for money?

The basic of chassis and colour pack comes to £430, with the carrycot an extra £110, plus a carrycot colour pack at £50, so if you want to use it from birth it’s quite a substantial outlay. But that gives you a pretty versatile travel system, in a compact package

Made for Mums verdict:

Tutti Bambini claims the Koji is perfect for city life and I agree: it’s compact, lightweight, easy to manoeuvre and collapse and easily stows away in a cupboard or boot of the car.

Here are some more compact and versatile strollers like the Koji:

• Baby Elegance TUX review
• Mutsy Nexo review
• Babyjogger City Tour review
• 10 of the easiest to fold buggies

MadeForMums product reviews are independent, honest and provide advice you can have confidence in. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links. However we never allow this to influence our coverage. Our reviews and articles are written by parents who are professional journalists, and we also include feedback from our parent community and industry experts.