Babyzen YoYo² Stroller Review

Babyzen YoYo²

---

---

How it Compares

The Babyzen YoYo² is a higher-priced, well-reviewed, compact travel stroller that competes with the Bugaboo Butterfly, the Zoe Tour+, the Joolz Aer and other high-end umbrella strollers.

It performed well for us in maneuverability testing and its quality, weight and folded size are among the best in its category. However, we find it difficult to fold compared to most strollers and not particularly compelling in ease of use or kid comfort testing.

Most Common Complaints

We read all of the critical reviews about the YoYo² stroller and summarized both the complaint and our own experience below. We have not experienced pilling of the fabric or scratches on the frame. It is possible that Babyzen has addressed those problems or that they only occur for certain color options.

Criticism	Our Experience
Difficult to fold	It takes longer to fold (unfolding is faster), has more steps to fold, and is more awkward than most other strollers.
Basket is small	The basket volume is approximately .47 cubic feet which is less than the volume of 15 out of 20 strollers we tested.
Doesn’t include accessories	Ours came with a travel bag and a sunshade.
Wheels make noise	We haven’t had squeaky wheels. The noise level in our sound testing was average.
Seat leans back to far in upright position	In its upright position the seat reclines at 51° which is the most reclined of the group
Not good on bumpy surfaces	We found it to be about average on rough terrain
Canopy provides limited protection	The sunshade leaves much of the child’s torso, arms and legs unprotected but covers their heads and shoulders reasonably well.
Tips over easily	In our tip-over testing the YoYo more easily tipped over sideways than most other strollers.
Difficult to push up over curbs	It took 8kg of force to push up on a curb which is better than most other strollers
50% restocking fee for returns	Ours arrived in good shape and there was no reason to return it.
Uncomfortable	Kids haven’t complained about the comfort.
Doesn’t stay closed	The clasp that keeps the stroller folded sometimes doesn’t fully latch and it comes unfolded
Wheels turn sideways and get stuck in cracks	This happens to us, but not much more than with other similar strollers
Harness straps loosen easily	Not for us

Testing and Research

We formulated more than 100 tests that address the most common complaints about lightweight umbrella strollers. We purchased and tested the Babyzen YoYo² as well as 19 other top strollers in the most important categories: Kid Comfort, Folding, Maneuverability, Ease of Use, Quality and, Weight and Folded size. Our process includes multiple parents pushing kids of different sizes and ages.

Weight and Folded Size

The Babyzen YoYo² is known for its compact fold size which enables it to be used as a carry-on in aircraft and stowed in overhead bins. Although it is small enough to qualify for many airlines, you should check the specific airline requirements to see whether they accept carry-on strollers with folded dimensions of 20.5 x 17.3 x 7.1 inches in size. Many domestic airlines use 22 x 14 x 9 inches as the maximum size.

This stroller is 13.6 lbs which is relatively lightweight, but not the lightest of the group. However, it “feels” light and responsive in active use.

Steering and Maneuverability

The Babyzen YoYo² makes a great travel stroller because it turns easily with one hand. We rated it 9 out of 10 in ease of steering:

It feels light jumping over curbs and required limited curb jumping force:

This may be a travel stroller but is not an off-road travel stroller. It is light enough to lift and push over sticks and bumps but the wheels easily get stuck in cracks.

The YoYo² has more wheel vibration noise than the other umbrella strollers in the group.

Overall Steering and Maneuverability Ratings:

It is annoying to push a stroller and have it pull to the left or the right. In our veer testing the YoYo² was slightly worse than average about veering to one side.

Ease of Use

Storage Capacity:

The basket holds up to 11 lbs which is ample considering the amount of space available under the seat.

The basket can be accessed from the front but two bars prevent placing larger items in the front of the basket.

This zippered pocket is very handy for wipes, car keys, mobile phones and other small items.

The Babyzen YoYo² does not have a parent console or cup holders. You are limited to the under-seat basket and small item pocket for storage.

Unfortunately, the stroller doesn’t come with a parent console or any other pockets or cubbies. Organizers, cup holders, and smartphone holders can be purchased separately.

A comfortable carry strap lets you carry this lightweight stroller over your shoulder when it is folded.

There is a small, plastic peekaboo window in the canopy. It would be nice if it were bigger and made of mesh so the sun wouldn’t reflect off it.

The handle cover is synthetic leather and is sturdy and comfortable. There is a safety strap that you can use to keep the stroller from running away from you on hills.

The handle is not height adjustable but it is a very usable 40″ high. There is a slight amount of flex in the handle where it folds but it generally feels stable.

The canopy is well made and opens and closes with a solid click sound. . It doesn’t provide as much sun protection as many canopies because it doesn’t extend as far forward or down as do some others.

The Babyzen took about 15 minutes to unbox and assemble. That was much longer than any other stroller we tested. The YoYo base and frame are separate from the “6+ Color Pack” which is a box that includes the seat and canopy of a specific color.

I found the setup process frustrating. We gave the manual 6 out of 10 stars. The explanatory text is separate from the diagrams. The diagrams were only adequate.

The seat can be reclined by pulling the two straps apart, and then back together to reverse the process (as demonstrated below). It is not difficult but many strollers have an easier mechanism.

The YoYo² seat buckle is reasonably easy to fasten and unfasten. The hip and shoulder clips fit together so that you don’t have to snap in 4 different pieces each time. Of course, they don’t always stay together so sometimes you are having to slide the two pieces together on each side before snapping them in.

The strap material is smooth and the harness clips adjust without much effort. The shoulder harness straps need to be rethreaded as your child’s shoulder height changes.

The brakes are controlled with a single pedal which is much nicer than dual-pedal systems. The brake itself is comfortable to press and to release, even with bare feet.

The carry strap is designed to stick out of the top of the travel bag. We’ve learned that the travel bag keeps the stroller clean when it’s lying in the back of the van, but we don’t use it often because of the extra time required to put it off and on.

The Babyzen YoYo² is available in Black, Grey, Ginger, Air France Blue, Aqua, Peppermint, Taupe, Red, and Toffee.

A car seat adapter can be purchased separately that is compatible with these infant car seats: Cybex Aton Q, Cybex Aton 2, Nuna Pipa Lite, Nuna Pipa, Clek Liing, Maxi Cosi, and Mico Max Plus.

Folding and Transport

Our “How to fold the Babyzen YoYo²” video:

The folding mechanism and process for this stroller is probably its most disappointing feature. It is not a one-hand fold stroller. Two hands are required for the first step, to lower the handle. There are several more steps to complete the fold. Watch the video above to see what it takes.

Although it gets easier with practice, it still takes 6 seconds to fold and 4 seconds to open.

Fold Ratings:

Once folded, the YoYo is quite compact, though not a lot more than the Joolz Aer or Bugaboo Butterfly shown below.

The Babyzen can not be pulled on its wheels while folded like some umbrella strollers. However, it does stand and takes up limited space.

Kid Comfort

The Babyzen YoYo² seat is well-padded and comfortable.

In the upright position, the seat leans back at a 51-degree angle which is farther back than all but one stroller in this group. Your child may prefer to sit up straighter.

In its reclined position the seat goes back to 35 degrees, which is not as reclined as most strollers go.

The seat height is 17.5 inches. The maximum child height and weight recommended by the manufacturer are 40″ and 48.5 lbs respectively. Many strollers in our list have higher seat backs and accommodate bigger children.

Neither the seat nor the canopy is mesh for airflow. However, the canopy is small enough that it doesn’t block much wind.

The stroller does not include kid cup holders or a snack tray. Cup holders can be purchased separately.

There are several useful, but pricey add-on accessories including a bassinet, footmuff, rain cover, mosquito net, newborn pack, and stroller board to pull along an additional toddler.

We measured the vibration and bumpiness of the ride of each stroller. The YoYo² performed below average in our testing.

Quality and Safety

The Babyzen feels solid and the fabric is soft and plush. Although we don’t like the folding mechanism, it is operationally sound and less likely to have mechanical problems over years of use than many strollers.

We love the wheels on this compact stroller. The tread is rubber, they are solidly made and the bearings keep them spinning smoothly. The front wheels have spring suspension and the rear wheel suspension is built into the frame.

Even with the Babyzen YoYo² ‘s low weight, the frame is rigid and sturdy. The fasteners, clips, zipper and moving parts are high-quality.

In our sound testing, the YoYo² had an average decibel level:

We performed tip-over testing on each stroller. The Babyzen tipped over with a 12 lb bag hanging from the handle.

The Babyzen more easily tipped over to the side while empty than most other strollers in the group.

One safety concern for strollers is the potential for finger pinching or amputation. We found some pinching potential during the folding process. The user manual recommends that children remain away from the stroller while it is being folded and unfolded.

The Babyzen received a pinch rating of 6 out of 10, lower than most other strollers we tested.

Babyzen YoYo² vs Bugaboo Butterfly

The Babyzen YoYo² and Babyzen YoYo² are lightweight luxury strollers with similar features.

The Bugaboo is much easier and faster to fold than the YoYo. Both strollers fold to a compact size but the Babyzen is slightly more likely to be accepted as a carry-on by airlines.

The Butterfly has about 50% more storage space in its basket than the YoYo but it doesn’t have the YoYo’s small item pocket. Neither stroller has cup holders for either kids or parents.

These strollers are similar in quality of parts and materials. See the full Bugaboo Butterfly review.

The Butterfly is heavier than the YoYo by 2.5 lbs. Both strollers steer and maneuver smoothly.

We like the Butterfly’s brake, and recline mechanism better than the YoYo’s.

The Butterfly’s overall score is quite a bit higher than the Babyzen YoYo’s.

Babyzen YoYo² vs Joolz Aer

The Joolz Aer is the highest-performing stroller in our testing. Both strollers are light at around 13.5 lbs and have a compact fold.

We rate the steering and maneuverability of the Aer over the YoYo2 but both score high in steering responsiveness.

Both strollers have small storage baskets and a small item pocket. Both come with a travel bag, but the Joolz also includes a rain cover.

The biggest difference is in folding where the Joolz folds in 2 or 3 seconds and the Babyzen is twice that.

The Joolz also has an edge in the seat recline area. In upright mode it sits straighter up, and fully reclined, it goes back further. See our full Joolz Aer Stroller Review.