Maxi-Cosi Streety Plus Review

Quick Summary: Altogether the Maxi-Cosi Streety Plus represents an amazing package that is good quality and fantastic value for money. In an urban environment it gives you freedom and versatility whether you use a car or public transport. You must take a look, you won't be disappointed.

Frame

With the ability to fold with the seat in place, the frame is not the only talent on this team. ..more on the seat later. One of my first impressions of the chassis is how square it feels but having measured it; I found it to be an optical illusion because it has a width of 51cms and a depth of 86cms. It is the large, underseat basket that tricks your eye because it is 43cms square and a decent 20cms deep.

Beneath the basket are the 8cm rear and the 6cm front wheels. All have been tweaked in the new facelift but the rear wheels still retain the visible suspension springs to absorb impact thus deflecting the bumps away from your child.

The aluminium tubular frame which has been made thicker and more robust in the recent improvements, gives it a strong chunky feel. The handle has been raised to 110cms due to the height being one of the criticisms levied on the original version. Unfortunately the handle height is not adjustable but when you see the engineering complexities involved in the folding mechanism, it is understandable and forgivable.

The brake is applied by the red, right-hand pedal and released with the grey pedal on the left. It does need quite a stamp to get it to stick and the slick wheels don't offer much grip but in an urban environment it would be sufficient to make it stay.

A footplate spans the width of the front wheels with a hinge in the centre that allows it to break when folding.

Fold

The fold can be achieved with the seat unit in situ in the front facing position but for clarity it might be worth checking out what it actually does with it removed initially. Each of the points of contact involved in folding are numbered so even if amnesia strikes, you will still be able to figure it out!

1 is located on the handle; a twisting action makes the handle buckle.

2 is a grey secondary safety button found just above the chair sockets; press this and the handle telescopes into the frame and the chair begins to crumple.

3 is a grey handle that sits in the centre of the rear of the frame; pull this up and the pushchair is compacted horizontally and vertically to 69cms tall, 28cm deep and 29cms wide (without the seat)

Slide on the manual lock and it sits firmly balanced on the two front wheels.

Unfolding is equally elementary. Release the lock, pull up the handle, which extends to nearly full height, then step on the pedal at the rear of the frame. This pedal is larger than its predecessor which gives you plenty to push on to lock the frame open.

Seat

The seat unit seems floppy when you pick it up but its collapsiblity is the key to it being able to be in place on the chassis whilst folding down to such a tidy and compact package. Attaching it to the chassis is a case of inserting one side and then stretching it to reach the other socket, after which it can be clicked down into place. You can choose to have it in parent or forward facing mode, whichever suits you, although it will only fold with the seat in the forward facing position.

Removing the seat is a Maxi-Cosi/Quinny special. Press the grey buttons on either side of the seat, in no particular combination, and it will lift off with ease, especially if you use the bumper bar as a handle to facilitate this. It means you don't have to perform too much at once. It's not stubborn and you won't need to mutter any magic words, it's a simple 1, 2, lift.

The bumper bar has been tweaked to enable it to fold whilst mounted on the seat. It's one of the nicest I've seen. It's a knuckled, gate-opening bar with a rubberised coating that gives it a durable but flexible finish. Resembling the feel of a bag handle, it makes perfect sense to use it to lift the seat from the chassis.

As canopies go, the Maxi-Cosi Streety Plus has one of the largest. When the seat is upright and the canopy is at full stretch, it almost encases the seat. In recline, the canopy is cavernous, making it a great sleeping environment.

The five point harness has shoulder and crotch padding and can be adjusted to two heights, although achieving the alternative setting is a fiddly affair.

When your tired child needs a snooze, the two triggers at the top left and right of the seat will recline the backrest. Both must be actioned at the same time to put the seat into three possible angles with the last being virtually horizontal making it suitable from birth.

Car Seat

The Streety Fix 0+ car seat attaches to the frame of the Streety Plus in the same sockets as used for the main seat or a carrycot. You know you are buying into safety because car seats are the product that originally put Maxi-Cosi on the map. It also means you don't need to buy or carry around any car seat adaptors as the sockets are made for Maxi-Cosi products.

The chassis will also accommodate the CabrioFix or the Pebble if the StreetyFix is not your cup of tea. I find it hard to believe that anyone would want to use anything other and the one that comes included because it's free, and has an adorable little canopy with a viewing window at the rear. Looks aren't everything though and the foam padding around the head is of a decent depth to give you the reassurance that it will actually protect your child if you should find yourself in an accident. If you are after ultimate security, a car seat that affixes to an IsoFix base is the best solution, in which case either of the alternative car seats are appropriate.

Accessories

Included in the package is a raincover, essential, especially given the weather of late. It fits the pushchair well, if a little too well, possibly a little tight across the legs. It doesn't have an access flap, so if you need to get to your child you'll need to worm your way in.

The footmuff coordinates with the colour of the pushchair, is well padded and has a moleskin feel to the inner lining. In combination with the large canopy it makes a superbly snug sleeping environment.

Conclusion

This represents the perfect pushchair for the about town parent. The Maxi-Cosi Streety Plus has all the versatile mannerisms of a stroller without the flimsy instability. It can be used from birth as a pushchair but alternatively you can purchase a carrycot which would make the complete package only £425 with a car seat thrown in for good measure.

Being Maxi-Cosi, you know it's a brand that we have come to recognise as safe and good quality, so at last, we have finally found that elusive treasure - a quality travel system for under £500!

I love the huge canopy and of course the brilliant fold. Nipping on and off a bus would not be a problem and you won't find yourself spending ages faffing around at the front of a grumpy queue of passengers, cursing your tricky-to-fold pushchair.

It does have some failings but you have to look hard to find them. The non-adjustable handle will be a problem for some parents although I found it an ideal height at 110cms. The brake is not as immediate as I would like and the raincover isn't very sophisticated.

Altogether the Maxi-Cosi Streety Plus represents an amazing package that is good quality and fantastic value for money. In an urban environment it gives you freedom and versatility whether you use a car or public transport. You must take a look, you won't be disappointed.