Evenflo Pivot Xplore Stroller Wagon Review

Evenflo Pivot Xplore

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How it Compares

Here’s how the Pivot Xplore shapes up against the other 2-seat stroller wagons we tested.

All of the wagons have very positive customer reviews, but in a side-by-side comparison, the Xplore comes out on top in several areas.

Where it Fits Among Other Choices

Stroller wagons differ from other kid wagons in that they can be pushed like a stroller and usually have other kid-friendly features like seat harnesses, snack trays, cupholders, and canopies.

The Pivot Xplore is a mainstream product, priced below several popular 2-seat wagons and even with others.

It is a reasonable alternative to a double stroller, though without reclining seats, not as comfortable for the kidos.

Most Common Complaints

Every product has weaknesses. We read every negative customer review (3-stars and under) and summarized the criticisms to compare them with our own experience.

Criticism	Our Experience
Handle too low	The handle adjusts between 37″ and 40″. The highest setting is one or two inches less than other stroller wagons. It wasn’t a problem for our mom and dad testers who ranged in height from 5′ 4″ to 5′ 10″ but could be low for taller parents.
Doesn’t lock when folded up	True. There is nothing to hold it in its folded position which sometimes makes it tip over when standing folded.
Bulky when folded	We found it to be less bulky folded than many other wagons, but not as compact as the Radio Flyer Discovery or Veer Cruiser.
Canopies come off too easily	True. They sometimes come loose when folding, unfolding or being grabbed by toddler hands.
Front wheels wobble	In our normal-use test, the wheels did not wobble. In our go-very-fast test, they did wobble, but so did the wheels on all the other wagons at higher speeds.
Difficult to move while folded, heavy, bulky	It is easier to fold, lift and stow than most other stroller wagons we tested.
Weak stitching	We saw no evidence of weak stitching
Difficult to fold and unfold	It folds in 20 seconds, unfolds in 13 seconds and we rank the ease of folding 9 out of 10. However, it is not a super-fast, single-motion, one-hand fold mechanism.
Folding hinge broke	Works fine for us
Screws rust when left outside, fabric fades	We haven’t tested leaving it outside
Wheel comes off	Some stroller wagons had wheels slip off. This one did not.
Brakes don’t always lock	There are separate breaks for each rear wheel. They don’t always engage smoothly. We rated brake effectiveness lower for this wagon than others.
Handle slides down to low position	Handle always stays up for us
Not all-terrain	True. Although the Xplore did well in our terrain tests compared to most other wagons, the tires are not wide enough to perform well in soft sand, gooey mud or paths with big tree roots.
Not enough space for kids feet	The footwell is 11″ from seat to seat and 3.5″ deep. That is on the small side. However, most 2-seaters don’t have a footwell at all.
Limited storage space	The storage bag is smaller than some other wagons. There is no space for storage inside the wagon when two kids are seated.
Canopies don’t cover the whole wagon	True. We estimate that the canopies provide about 50% total coverage. However, they are adjustable so the sun can be effectively blocked in most situations.

Kid Travel’s Evenflo Xplore Video Review

Testing and Research

We conducted 65 tests over a period of three months. We observed how it performed against 5 other 2-seat stroller wagons and two 4-seat wagons. This was a kid favorite.

Parent Comfort and Usability

Our children come first, but the gear has to work for parents too! We took a close look at features that are important to parents including storage, handles, customer service, brakes, cup holders, cleaning, car seat adapters, assembly, and even the manual.

Here are the scores for parent comfort and usability:

The Pivot Xplore didn’t shine in this category.

Out of the box, it is missing a car seat adapter. We didn’t immediately realize that there are two parent cupholders, but they aren’t sized or positioned well.

The handle only goes to 40 inches and could stand to be higher for taller parents. It is comfortable but we prefer the handles with a more rounded shape.

Brakes were adequate but not as effective as those on other wagons.

Unpackaging and assembly time was a decent 21 minutes and the user manual is very good.

We wrote to customer service and they responded 57 minutes later.

Storage Volume Ranking

You hope to have extra storage space when you buy a stroller wagon. The Evenflo comes with a moderately-sized storage bag in a handy location under the handle.

There is no additional storage if the wagon is occupied by two children.

Cleaning

The Evenflo isn’t difficult to clean. The fabric is resilient and spot cleanable. It is not removable but that isn’t necessary for cleaning.

The Xplore is average when it comes to crumb removal. There aren’t too many cracks where crumbs can collect, but there is a footwell to be cleaned.

The footwell can help keep dirt and mud off of the seats unless children are climbing in and out by themselves with muddy shoes.

Brake Operation

The Pivot Xplore is the only stroller wagon we tested with a separate brake pedal on each rear wheel. All the other wagons had a single pedal that braked both wheels.

We tested with bare feet and releasing the brake required some pressure and hurt our feet.

The brake didn’t always engage the first time and didn’t stop the fully weighted wagon as quickly as brakes on other wagons.

Steering and Maneuverability

The Xplore Pivot is easier to steer and push than many other stroller wagons. It is not quite as long as some, so it feels more like turning a stroller than turning a wagon.

Terrain Performance

We tested the Xplore loaded up with 80 lbs, 40 lbs in the front and 40 lbs in the back.

We pushed it through the grass and maneuvered over and around obstacles. While we don’t consider it to be truly all-terrain, it performed quite well on grassy soccer fields and parks.

We took it up and down hills, along paths, and over bumps. While it doesn’t push over bumps as well as the Veer that has large wheels in the front, it does perform well compared to other wagons.

If you need to use the wagon on paths with tree roots and branches, it is best to shift the handle to pull-mode. The pulling action lets you lift the front wheels over bumps as you pull and the larger wheels in the rear will roll over all but really big roots.

Bumpy terrain test:

The Xplore rear wheels are 10.5″ in diameter and 2.25″ in width. As you can see in the photo below they aren’t as wide as several other wagons with 12″ wheels but they are a touch wider at 2.25″ than some others.

Generally, a bigger diameter helps with going over bumps and wider wheels help to go through soft sand and mud. All-terrain wheels that can navigate soft sand well are 4″ wide or more.

Staying Straight

When you go on long walks you don’t want to fight your stroller wagon to keep it going straight. The Evenflo wasn’t our best nor our worst performer in the veer test:

Note that while the Veer Cruiser performed best in this test in the lab, in real-world conditions with a person pushing, it was actually more difficult than others to keep going straight due to its sensitivity to handle pressure.

Pushing and Turning Force

When making sharp turns from a dead stop, the Evenflo required less force to turn than most other wagons:

And the force required to get it rolling straight from a dead stop while weighted was also less than most others:

Steering

Overall we found the Evenflo Pivot Xplore and the Veer Cruiser to be the best and easiest when it comes to steering. The Evenflo navigates cleaning through narrow 28″ doors.

Maneuverability Ratings:

Folding and Transport

Folding

The Evenflo Xplore can be folded in 20 seconds and unfolded in 13. Not too shabby but also not the one-hand, one-motion fold action you find with some strollers. Fold time:

Folded Size in Cubic Feet

Stroller wagons folded size in cubic feet:

It fits easily into the trunk of a small sedan.

Kid Comfort and Usability

Kids use a stroller wagon to play, ride, snack and sleep so we evaluated these criteria and more. The Evenflo ranks well for kid comfort and usability:

Seats

Pivot Xplore seats are padded and reasonably comfortable. They are not ventilated and they do not recline.

There is a footwell that allows kids to sit in a more natural seated posture than by wagons that don’t have a footwell. The Evenflo footwell is not wide between seats or deep. It is 11″ x 12″ on the sides and 3.5″ top to bottom.

Snack Tray and Storage

A removable snack tray with kid cupholders fits across the middle of the wagon. The tray and cupholders are deep enough to keep snacks and cups in unless you are flying over major bumps.

There is also an elastic mesh storage pocket sewn into the insides on each side that can be used for storing a bottle or toy.

The Inside

The Pivot Xplore doesn’t have room for kids to move around or play. It functions more as a double stroller than wagon in that sense.

The inner dimensions are 30″ x 15″ by 15″. This is roughly the same size as the Veer although the Evenflo has a bit higher sides.

Stroller wagons that are boxier in shape and look more like classical wagons are typically larger and have more room for play and storage. These include the Radio Flyer Discovery, Jeep Wrangler and Keenz 7S. Those wagons are 2 or 3″ longer and 2″ wider than the Xplore.

The boxy wagons also have a flat inner surface that can be used for napping while the Xplore does not.

For toddlers who want to climb into the Xplore without being lifted, the front folds down. The sides are low enough in general for bigger toddlers to be able to climb over them.

Part and Material Quality

We found that the Pivot Xplore is a high-quality product overall. Here are the ratings for part and material quality:

The Evenflo arrived with all the parts and included spare parts and tools. The packaging was protective and the manual is excellent with helpful pictures and explanatory text.

The frame is solid and the folding mechanism seems sound although we don’t have long-term experience with it.

The wheel, axel and bearing assembly seem high quality. The wheels do not have springs or shocks.

The canopy is easy to open and close. As we’ve noted, the canopies can slide off of their mountings when kids pull on them and when the wagon is being folded or unfolded. This is annoying but they are easy to slide back on.

There are no buttons, zippers or velcro to break or wear out.

Wheels

The wheels are made of a combination of plastic and rubber in contrast to most other wagons with wheels made from EVA foam.

Evenflo Pivot Xplore vs Wonderfold

We tested the 4-seat Wonderfold W4 Elite. If you are comparing Wonderfolds to the Pivot Xplore, the W2 version is a 2-seater that is a more apples-to-apples comparison.

The Wonderfolds are more classic wagon-shaped strollers. they have reclining seats with a deeper footwell that results in a roomier, more comfortable ride.

Generally, the Wonderfold is great for kids but not so great for parents. It is more difficult than other wagons to fold, stow and steer. Whereas the Evenflo performs well in all of those areas.

Our full review of the Wonderfold W4 Elite

Advantages of the Wonerfold over the Evenflo:

• Reclining seats
• More foot room
• A flat surface to nap or play on (without the seats)
• Larger storage space

Advantages of the Evenflo over the Wonderfold:

• Lower price
• Folds more easily and more compact when folded
• Maneuvers like a stroller

Evenflo Pivot Xplore vs Baby Trend Expedition

These two stroller wagons are similar in price with the Evenflo generally running higher. The inner dimensions of these wagons is almost identical except that the Evenflo has a footwell.

In our testing the Xplore outperformed the Expedition in most categories including steering and maneuverability, folding and transport, and part and material quality. The Expedition came out ahead in parent comfort and usability in part because of its additional storage space and the car seat included with the base model.

The Baby Trend is bulky when folded making it more cumbersome to load and stow in a vehicle. There is no footwell and the seats are straight up and down resulting in a less comfortable ride for children. It also didn’t perform quite as well in our terrain and steering tests.

See our full review of the Baby Trend Expedition 2-in-1 Wagon

Evenflo Pivot Xplore vs Veer Cruiser

These were the top two performing 2-seater wagons in our testing and we recommend both of them. The Xplore is significantly less expensive but the Veer has rugged construction not found in any other stroller wagon.

See our full review of the Veer Cruiser.

While there is a lot to love about the Veer, the Xplore comes better equipped out of the box with additional storage and canopies, all for a lower price.

Evenflo Pivot Xplore vs Jeep Wrangler

See our full comparison: Evenflo Pivot Xplore vs Jeep Wrangler stroller wagons