UPPAbaby MINU V2 Stroller Review

UPPAbaby MINU V2

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How it Compares

The MINU V2 was preceded by the original MINU. UPPAbaby has regular-sized strollers that include the Vista and Cruz, and lightweight strollers, the G-Lite, G-Luxe, G-Link and MINU. The MINU is the biggest and most full-featured of the UPPAbaby lightweight strollers.

The MINU performed very well in our testing in most categories, but its size and weight are greater than the leading strollers in the group.

Related Reading: Best Performing Umbrella Strollers

A Few Criticisms

The MINU is popular and draws little criticism but we read all the negative comments and summarized the most common ones here. In the second column, we share whether our experience with the stroller agrees or disagrees with the complaint.

Criticism	Our Experience
Seat back is flimsy	True. The seat back is supported only in the middle by the recline strap, which makes the seat swivel up and down when your baby leans backward and forward.
Large and bulky when folded	It is 16.9 lbs which is heavier than almost all the strollers in this group. Folded it is 3.3 cubic feet, which is middle of the road, and not bad for its size and weight.
The seat back is short	The seat back is 18″ high, and the seat is rated for kids up to 40″ in height. It could use another inch of seat height.
Recline mechanism requires two-hands	Only one hand is required to recline it. It takes two hands to raise it back up.
Extended canopy does not stay down	True. A bump in the road can make the canopy pull back up.
Wheels are noisy	The MINU was average in our sound test where we measured decibel levels.
Fabric not removable	False. The fabric is removable but it takes a lot of steps.
Bumpy ride	Agree. We used a device to measure bumps and vibrations and surprisingly the MINU has a bumpier ride than most.
Harness shoulder straps can scrape face	The shoulder straps are made so you don’t have to rethread them, but in their lowest position for smaller kids, they leave some of the strap near the face and head area. This can be bothersome when they are laying with their head on its side.
Wheel lock system broke	We haven’t had any problem with the brakes
No front wheel locks	True.
Not good for rough terrain	Agreed. It didn’t handle well for us on rough terrain.

Our Video Review

Testing and Research

We’ve reviewed hundreds of strollers over the years. For this set, we surveyed all those weighing 20 lbs or less and chose the top 20 to purchase and test. We scored them in these categories:

• Weight and Folded Size
• Steering and Maneuverability
• Ease of Use (for parents)
• Kid Comfort
• Folding (this is also ease-of-use but deserves its own score!)
• Quality

We designed more than 100 tests and measurements based on the most common criticisms and loved features and did our best to objectively compare all the strollers against fixed criteria.

Weight and Folded Size

Because we are specifically considering lightweight and umbrella strollers in this group, weight and folded size are important. The MINU V2 is not the lightest at 16.9 lbs so it can’t be considered a travel stroller or a compact stroller. It is also not the smallest when folded at 3.3 cubic feet, but is still smaller than some of the other lightweight and umbrella strollers.

The MINU V2 is 10 pounds lighter than the UPPAbaby Vista V2.

Steering and Maneuverability

The MINU V2 is very responsive and smooth, especially on flat surfaces. It scores well in Ease of Steering:

The MINU doesn’t fare as well on bumpy trails or sidewalks with cracks. The wheels tend to turn sideways and get stuck in the cracks.

We measured how much force it takes to push down on the handlebar and make the MINU jump a curb. The answer: 22 lbs. This is more than average for the group but less than some strollers like the Inglesina Quid which took 35 lbs of force.

Because it’s annoying when strollers don’t go straight we tested how far the MINU would go while pushing straight without veering off the center line. The MINU scored in the middle with half the strollers less likely to veer and half more likely.

Overall Steering and Maneuverability Ratings:

Ease of Use

Starting with storage, the MINU V2 has a decent-sized basket that is more usable than that of many strollers because it can be accessed from the front and the back. The basket is rated for 20 lbs which is higher than any other stroller in this group.

Notice the carry strap hanging down in the pictures above. It sometimes gets in the way of putting things in the basket.

Keep in mind that when it is easy to put things into the basket it also makes it more likely that they will fall out!

Another nice storage feature is the fabric pocket on the back of the canopy. It is not huge but I can easily fit my phone, keys, and wallet in it.

We also love the oversized peekaboo window on top of the canopy to see our little one. It is mesh and stays closed with magnets, unlike some strollers that use noisy velcro that can wake up your baby.

The full-grain leather handle feels comfortable. It is non-adjustable and fixed at a height of 39.5″ which is a fairly typical level. The handlebar feels rigid and stable.

This stroller took us 9 minutes to assemble. Figuring out how to put on the canopy and the brackets that hold the bumper bar cost a little time and frustration. The manual gets 8 out of 10 stars for its large clear diagrams.

Unfortunately, there are no parent cup holders or a parent console that comes with the stroller. UPPAbaby sells a parent organizer that hangs from the handlebar to make up for that.

The harness is 5-point, but we love the buckle operation because you only have to snap in two pieces.

We also like the harness strap adjustment. The hip straps don’t have to be adjusted because the clips just slide to where they need to be. That leaves the shoulder straps which don’t need to be threaded. The clips slide to adjust for shoulder height.

The parking brake is easy to understand. Red pedal for stop, green pedal for go. The pedals stop and release both rear wheels at the same time. They are easy on sandalled feet because you only have to press down.

Some people complain about the recline mechanism. It reclines with one hand if you do it right, but takes two hands pulling on the straps to raise it.

The UPPAbaby MINU V2 is available in these styles and colors:

• Greyson – charcoal melange, carbon, saddle leather
• Charlotte – coastal blue, carbon, saddle leather
• Stella – grey melange, silver, chestnut leather
• Jake – charcoal, carbon, black leather
• Emelia – sage green, silver, chestnut leather

It can be purchased with an UPPAbaby bassinet. The UPPAbaby from birth kit is not compatible with the MINU V2. Car seat adapters like these are available for Mesa infant car seats. And this one for Maxi-Cosi, Nuna and Cybex car seats.

Folding and Transport

Our “How to fold the UPPAbaby MINU V2” video:

The fold action for the MINU V2 is smooth and easy with one-hand. It took us an average of 3 seconds to fold the stroller. Unfolding isn’t exactly difficult with one-hand, but you have to release a latch and then separate the frame to keep the latch from closing itself again before you pop the stroller up. Unfolding took an average of 4 seconds after we learned how to do it.

Unlike some strollers, the MINU stays together when folded so you don’t have to worry about it opening up when you are carrying it or putting it in the car.

The shoulder strap is very accessible. It is adjustable and comfortable, which is good because the stroller is almost 17 lbs. A travel bag can be purchased separately.

The strap is easy to grab!

It is 3.3 cubic feet when folded. Compare that to the Babyzen YoYo² and Bugaboo Butterfly which are both 2.0 cubic feet folded.

The folded dimensions are 12.5″ L x 20.3″ W x 23″ H. It is too big for most airlines to accept as a carry-on bag because of overhead bin size restrictions.

Fold Ratings:

Kid Comfort

Very surprisingly to us, the MINU V2 had poor performance in our vibration and bumpiness testing using a device that measures peak and average motion. Because of the results, we re-checked the numbers several times. In the end, it was one of the worst performers in this test.

The MINU V2 is designed for kids up to 50 lbs or 40 inches tall. The seat is plenty wide at 13 inches, and deep at 9 inches, but the seat back is only 18 inches, which is not enough for taller kids.

One quirk of the MINU is that the seat is supported in the center only by the strap that is used to raise and recline the seat. As a result, it tilts forward and backward and can be uncomfortable because when your child leans forward the seat goes with her.

No kid cup holders or snack tray is included with the stroller but a tray with cup holders can be purchased separately.

The bumper bar is also made from real leather and is padded.

The seat itself is reasonably comfortable. It sits upright at a 71-degree angle which is better than many other strollers where toddlers are too far reclined to see straight ahead or out the sides. It reclines to a 31-degree angle which is adequate for napping but not particularly flat.

If you need a firm and completely flat surface for a baby, buy the compatible bassinet.

The sunshade has pros and cons. It provides decent coverage, extending out over the knees. It is UPF 50+ material and the fabric feels soft and sturdy. There is a zipper to partially collapse the canopy when you need partial sun protection.

The downside is that the canopy sometimes bumped partially closed when it was fully extended. It is annoying to have to keep pulling it down.

Quality and Safety

Like most UPPAbaby strollers the MINU V2 is high quality. The wheels, frame, materials, clips, harnesses, buckle, and zipper all look and feel first-rate. We haven’t had any mechanical problems or quality problems with any of the parts.

The folding mechanism has proven reliable.

The MINU V2 isn’t the quietest stroller we tested, but is nearer the quiet than the noisy end of the spectrum. It had an average decibel level of 50 over the course where we measured sound.

We used a pencil which is the size of a child’s finger to check for pinch-points when the stroller is being folded and unfolded, and when the canopy is opening and closing. No stroller is without the potential for some pinching but the MINU received our highest rating. Always keep children away from the stroller when you are folding and unfolding it to avoid the risk of pinching.

We performed two tip-over tests. In the first, we hung a 12 lb bag on the handle and the MINU tipped backward under the weight.

In the second we hung weights at various distances from the side of the stroller to simulate sideways tipping. The MINU V2 was less likely to tip to the side than most of the strollers in the group.

UPPAbaby MINU V2 vs Babyzen YoYo²

The UPPAbaby MINU V2 and Babyzen YoYo² are comparable in price and quality.

The MINU V2 is 3.3 pounds heavier than the YoYo² and over 50% larger when folded. The YoYo² is small enough folded to fit in many airlines’ overhead bins.

We were disappointed in the YoYo² because it is both difficult to learn how to fold and difficult to fold even after you’ve learned how. The MINU V2 is a true one-hand-fold stroller whereas the YoYo² requires two hands at the beginning and is complex after that.

Both of these strollers maneuver well. We like the MINU’s storage basket size and accessibility compared to the YoYo².

We also prefer the MINU’s buckle operation, harness operation, brake operation, recline mechanism, sun protection, and handle stability.

The YoYo² comes out ahead in seat comfort and ride smoothness. See our full review of the Babyzen YoYo².

The MINU V2 had an overall score of 72 vs the YoYo²‘s 70. The MINU had better performance in many areas but the YoYo²‘s smaller folded size and lower weight make the overall score close to call.