Joie Versatrax Travel System Review
Review Overview


It's every parent's dream - one pushchair that does it all... The multi-mode Joie Versatrax has got parents around the country jumping for joy, so we have put it through its paces to see if it really is all that.
Review Summary
A practical parent pleaser, the Joie Versatrax is the perfect pushchair for parents wanting one pushchair that will see them through until the end of their pushchair days.
- High weight limit of 22kg
- Can be used as a complete travel system
- Excellent wheels that go over any terrain
- Roomy seat unit
- One piece fold
- Large shopping basket
- Ramble XL carrycot not included in the box but can be purchased as a bundle
- On the heavy side
- Hood could give more coverage.
Review Content
A practical parent pleaser, the Joie Versatrax is the perfect pushchair for parents wanting one pushchair that will see them through until the end of their pushchair days.
At £299 the Versatrax is not only affordable but is also exceptional value for money. There are no shortcuts in the quality and production of this everyday all-rounder and the quality really speaks for itself.
The good looking but super stable chassis is great for newborns when paired with the Ramble XL carrycot (purchased as an added extra) and the seat is roomy providing the baby with excellent recline options in either parent or world facing positions.
The go-anywhere wheels were a real winner for everyday family life and made the drive of this pushchair so incredibly light.
The extra large basket can hold all your belongings safely whilst you go about your travels and the one-piece folds makes for excellent storage and transportation.
When paired with the Joie i-Snug infant carrier, baby can be seamlessly transported from car to pushchair chassis to carry on your quick trips without the need for disturbing your precious bundle.
What's not to like about a pushchair that performs as well as this?!

The first thing that strikes us when we set up the Versatrax is the wheels. They looked epic! They gave off the impression of wheels that would go anywhere…. And yes indeed they did! We used the pushchair through suburban streets and off the beaten track and the wheels carried us everywhere we wanted to go. We locked the front wheels into a fixed position to cross longer grass and bumpy ground. After a few muddy dog walks we used the handy quick release buttons to take the wheels off and wash them ready for the pushchairs next use.
The single padded leatherette handlebar allowed for one handed steering on most occasions, which was really handy when holding the hand of one of our other children as well. It was also great to be able to alter the height of the handlebar depending upon who was driving the pushchair.
The Versatrax isn't the lightest push that we have ever experienced. Tight corners and aisles usually needed a bit more of a firm hand on the handlebar. When popping up and down curbs and over cobbles we also noticed a bit of play in the handlebar. This was slightly disconcerting at first but after a while we became used to it - this play is something that is a common feature on many pushchairs and is not something to be worried about.
The huge basket was a great asset for us when we headed out and about. As a family of 5 we carry a lot of luggage at times and the Versatrax basket never failed to fit everything we needed into it. The high mesh sides of the basket really mean you can pile it high without anything falling out as you stroll.
The chassis has a smart but sleek look with its tubular frame coated in a matt black finish. It pairs perfectly with the fabrics of the carrycot or seat unit.
The grey pedal next to the right hand side rear wheel operates the brakes. It is simple to use and a nice size meaning it can be flicked on and off easily.

In the box of the Versatrax you receive the seat unit. If you want to use the Versatrax with a carrycot for a newborn then you will need to purchase the Joie Ramble XL carrycot as an extra for £100.
The seat can be popped onto the chassis in a parent facing position which is great for younger babies. The lever on the back of the seat allows for three recline positions. The flat recline position is suitable for newborns but as the seat is quite open we would prefer to use it with the ramble xl carrycot from birth. To use the ramble xl on the Versatrax frame, you first need to clip on the adapters which are included in the pushchair box. The adapters are cleverly designed so that they can go on either side of the pushchair which takes the fuss out of what could be a fiddly job.
The seat is covered in lovely fabrics which are easily removed and cleaned. We tested the grey flannel colour but all of the available colours are of a neutral colour palette and really pleasing to the eye.
To turn the seat around on the chassis so that baby is facing the big wide world, there are buttons on either side of the pushchair frame. Just push the grey buttons at the same time and lift the seat of the frame and click it back down in the direction you prefer.

The seat itself was nice and wide and with a weight limit of 22kg meant that even our 4 year old could use the pushchair. There is plenty of height and length in the leg rest of the seat to accommodate babies as they grow into toddlers and the harness has plenty of adjustment in it to allow for this also. The nicely padded harness was covered in pads that matched the pushchair seat fabrics and was simple to fasten and unfasten.
The leg rest is adjustable and popping this up meant our little one could rest their legs when napping. Equally, when our 4 year old needed to hitch a ride we popped the leg rest down and he rested his legs on the footrest which is built into the pushchair chassis.
The hood has an extendable panel and gives ample enough coverage. We did find that when the pushchair was in the fully reclined position, the hood didn't cover baby as much as we would of liked. It would have been nice for it to extend all the way down to the bumper bar but nevertheless it is still a great hood.

Your infant car seat and pushchair are two of the most important purchases you will make for your newborn. Often the two are used hand in hand with one another for convenience sake so we chose to use the Versatrax with the Joie i-Snug i-Size infant car seat.
The i-Snug makes a great choice for an infant carrier as it has passed all of the i-Size (ECE R129/02) regulation tests and as infant car seats go, it is as safe as they come.
It is used in the car on top of either the Joie i-Base, i-Base lx or i-Base Advance so that it can click on and off the base without the need to thread car seat belts every time you travel. It clicks onto the chassis of the pushchair using the adapters that come in the Versatrax box.
The seat itself is deep and cosy. It kept the baby nice and snug and secure. Newborns sit really comfortably in it with the newborn insert, which keeps baby's back and neck straight to allow for correct development of the spine and to keep baby's airways open too.
The built-in hood on the car seat has a UPF rating to protect from the sun but also makes for a more private and cosy space for baby to rest in.
Using the Joie i-Snug seat and ISOFIX base as part of the travel system simplified short journeys such as the school run and quick trips into the supermarket. The seat clicks off the pushchair frame with memory buttons on either side of the frame meaning it could be done with just one hand.
It was even possible to remove the i-Snug from the base and fold the pushchair chassis. The chassis won't close with the carrycot adapters in place unless you press the safety buttons underneath the adapters - this might seem like more of a fiddle but it is a safety feature put in place to stop the chassis folding with the infant carrier in place.

The easy fold was a real crowd pleaser in our house. Even Grandma and Grandad could operate the fold with ease without the need for too many lessons!
You operate the fold by pressing the recline lever and the additional small button on the recline lever at the same time. Fold the seat unit in half and then pull the carry handle that rests above the pushchair basket. The pushchair folds itself down in one snappy movement. To pop the pushchair back up just reverse the process and pop the seat back up.
We were really impressed that the one piece fold could be operated when the seat was parent facing too - leaving the same sized end package. The fold size is average and the pushchair freestands when it is folded. When folding the pushchair we really appreciated the finer details in the design of the Versatrax such as the rubber buffer on the handlebar which prevents the leather becoming scuffed on the floor when the pushchair is folded.

Tech specs
112cm
65.5cm
92.4cm
11.7kg
2 yrs
1
All-rounder
Single
One-handed-fold, Free-standing-when-folded, One-piece-fold, Car-seat-compatible, Lie-flat-seat, Quick-release-wheels
Pushchair
Foam-filled
4.5kg
Up to quantity_4.format., Up to 22kg
0% finance from £96.00 p/m