Baby & Family
The Best Baby Strollers: 4 Popular Picks Compared
Strollers are one of the biggest baby purchases you'll make, and the marketing rarely matches real-world use. We compared four popular options across everyday errands, travel, running, and the newborn-and-car juggle. Some earned their reputation; one is a clever gadget that most families outgrow far too quickly.
Our verdict
Best overall: UPPAbaby Vista V3
The Vista V3 is the most versatile stroller here, adapting from a single newborn to three kids with a smoother ride and smarter storage than its predecessor. The YOYO3 is the runner-up for anyone who flies or lives in a city and values a truly compact fold over expandability.
A modular everyday flagship that grows from one baby to three without ever feeling like a compromise.
- New FlexRide suspension and a huge 30 lb reflective-trimmed basket make daily use genuinely pleasant
- 30+ configurations for one, two, or three kids via the RumbleSeat V2+ and PiggyBack board
- Heavy and bulky folded — not a stroller you'll want to lug up stairs or into overhead bins
- The bassinet is now a separate add-on rather than included in the box
Best for: Growing families who want one stroller that adapts from newborn to preschooler and possibly a second or third child.
The travel folder to beat — cabin-legal, feather-light, and noticeably smoother than the YOYO2 it replaces.
- Folds small enough for most airline cabins and weighs under 15 lb with a padded shoulder strap
- Upgraded 4-wheel 'soft drive' suspension and a larger under-seat basket fix the old model's weak points
- Needs a separate newborn pack to be used before 6 months
- Small wheels and single-child design rule out rough terrain and second kids
Best for: Frequent flyers and city parents who need a compact, one-child stroller that disappears into a closet or overhead bin.
A genuinely fast running stroller that still behaves itself on the daily coffee run.
- Air-filled, quick-detach tires and a lockable swivel front wheel with adjustable tracking make it steady at speed
- One-hand twist-and-fold plus a magnetic buckle and hand brake keep everyday use easy
- Best on roads and paths — it isn't built for rough off-road trails
- Single-child only, with a lower weight ceiling than everyday all-rounders
Best for: Runners and active parents who want race-ready performance and a stroller that doubles for everyday errands.
A brilliant car-seat-to-stroller trick that most families outgrow within a year.
- Transforms from an infant car seat to a stroller in seconds with integrated fold-out wheels
- Unbeatable for car-heavy trips and travel where you can't carry a full frame
- Outgrown around 15 months, giving it a very short useful lifespan
- Heavy as a car seat, upright-only ride, and almost no storage basket
Best for: Urban or travel-heavy parents of newborns who prioritize car-to-sidewalk convenience over years of use.
| Criteria | Vista V3 | YOYO3 | Urban Glide 3 | Doona+ Car Seat & Stroller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best use | Everyday all-rounder | Travel & city | Running & pavement | Car-seat travel |
| Portability | Heavy, bulky fold | Ultra-light, cabin fold | Mid-weight, one-hand fold | Heavy but car-seat integrated |
| Age range | Birth to 50 lb (modular) | 6 mo to 48 lb (birth with pack) | 6 mo to 49 lb | Birth to ~35 lb only |
| Storage | Huge 30 lb basket | Improved mid-size basket | Large bin plus pockets | Minimal |
| Expandability | 1–3 kids, 30+ configs | Single child | Single child | Single child, no growth |
| Ride & suspension | FlexRide all-wheel | 4-wheel soft-drive | Air tires plus suspension | Firm, upright only |
How we picked
Strollers get sold on lifestyle photos, but they’re bought for years of real errands, naps, curbs, airports, and cargo. We judged these four on how they actually perform across the jobs parents ask of them: everyday maneuverability, ride comfort, storage, portability, how long they stay useful, and whether they can adapt as a family grows. We leaned on independent testing and on what long-term owners report after months of daily use, not spec sheets alone. We also weighed value in qualitative terms — some of these strollers sit at the very top of the market, and the question is always whether the extra outlay buys something you’ll feel every day.
Three of the four earned a clear recommendation for different kinds of buyers. The fourth is a genuinely inventive product that we still can’t recommend for most families, for reasons worth explaining fairly.
UPPAbaby Vista V3 — Buy
The Vista V3 is the stroller most families should look at first. It replaces the already-excellent V2 and keeps what worked while sharpening the details. The headline change is the new FlexRide suspension, which reviewers and owners describe as noticeably smoother over cracked sidewalks and curbs. The all-weather toddler seat, a magnetic buckle that clicks shut without wrestling straps, and reflective trims on the wheels and basket round out a thoughtful refresh.
What we liked more: the sheer adaptability. With the RumbleSeat V2+ and a PiggyBack ride-along board, it offers more than thirty configurations for one, two, or three children, and the enormous 30 lb storage basket swallows a full grocery run. Few strollers grow with a family this gracefully.
What we liked less: it’s big and heavy. Folded, it takes up real trunk space, and you won’t enjoy carrying it up a flight of stairs. It’s also worth knowing the bassinet is no longer included in the box and is now a separate purchase — a plus if you’ll never use it, a hidden cost if you will.
Stokke YOYO3 — Buy
Now sold under the Stokke name after the brand absorbed Babyzen, the YOYO3 is the travel stroller to beat and our runner-up overall. It weighs under 15 lb and folds down small enough to meet most airline cabin dimensions, then slings over your shoulder on a padded strap. If your life involves flights, subway stairs, or a small apartment, that compactness is transformative.
What we liked more: this generation fixes the old model’s weak points. The upgraded four-wheel “soft drive” suspension and new perforated-mesh, UPF 50+ canopy make for a more comfortable ride, and the under-seat basket is finally large enough to be useful — a common complaint about earlier versions.
What we liked less: it’s a single-child stroller with small wheels, so rough terrain and second kids are off the table. And to use it before six months you’ll need the separate newborn pack, which adds cost and planning. It’s a specialist, and within its lane it’s superb.
Thule Urban Glide 3 — Buy
If you plan to run with your child, the Urban Glide 3 stays our pick. It’s built around performance: air-filled tires (a smaller front, two larger rears) that detach quickly for transport, a front wheel that swivels for daily use and locks for jogging, and adjustable tracking so it holds a straight line at speed. Independent testers who logged serious mileage rate it among the best strollers for running fast on roads and tracks.
What we liked more: it doesn’t force you to choose between a jogger and a daily stroller. The one-hand twist-and-fold, magnetic buckle, hand brake, and generous storage — a large under-seat bin plus mesh and zippered pockets — make it easy to live with between runs.
What we liked less: it’s happiest on man-made surfaces. Take it onto rough off-road trails and it’s out of its depth. It’s also single-child only, with a lower weight ceiling than the everyday all-rounders here, so it won’t be your one-and-only for a growing family.
Doona+ Car Seat & Stroller — Skip
The Doona+ deserves credit: nothing else transforms from an infant car seat into a rolling stroller in seconds thanks to its integrated fold-out wheels. For parents who are in and out of a car all day, or navigating airports with a newborn, that trick is genuinely useful, and owners who use it in exactly that scenario tend to love it.
What we liked more: the seamless car-to-sidewalk transition. There’s no separate frame to carry, click in, or store — you lift the whole thing out of the car and roll.
What we liked less: the useful life is short. Most children outgrow it around fifteen months, which is a lot of money for roughly a year of use. As a car seat it’s heavy to carry, the ride is upright with no real recline for napping, and there’s almost no storage. For a narrow, car-heavy newborn phase it’s defensible; as a primary stroller for most families, the compromises are too steep, and that’s why it lands as a skip.
UPPAbaby Vista V3 vs Stokke YOYO3: which should you buy?
These two win for different lives. The Vista V3 is the answer when you want one stroller to do everything for years: it carries newborns and preschoolers, adds seats for siblings, and hauls cargo, all with a plush ride. The trade-off is bulk and weight — it lives in your trunk, not your overhead bin.
The YOYO3 is the answer when portability is the priority. It’s the stroller you barely notice folded, ideal for flights, cities, and tight storage. But it tops out at one child, needs an add-on for the newborn stage, and won’t tackle anything rougher than a paved path. Choose the Vista V3 as your everyday workhorse; choose the YOYO3 if travel and compactness outrank expandability.
How to choose
Start with the job you’ll do most. If it’s daily errands and long-term use across one or more kids, the Vista V3 is the safe, versatile bet. If it’s flying and city living, the YOYO3’s fold is worth building around. If it’s running, the Urban Glide 3 is purpose-built and still civilized for everyday duty. And if you’re weighing the Doona+, be honest about your timeline — it shines for a short, car-centric newborn window and struggles to justify itself much beyond that.
Also weigh the hidden extras. The Vista’s bassinet and the YOYO3’s newborn pack are separate purchases, so the stroller that looks simplest on paper may need add-ons to fit your stage. Storage, fold size, and how easily one adult can load it solo matter more day to day than almost any headline feature.
The bottom line
The UPPAbaby Vista V3 is our overall pick: the most adaptable, comfortable stroller here, and the one most families will keep using the longest. The Stokke YOYO3 is the runner-up and the clear choice for travelers who need a cabin-legal fold, while the Thule Urban Glide 3 is the runner’s pick that pulls double duty. The Doona+ is a clever gadget we’d skip for most buyers — impressive in its niche, but outgrown too fast to be your main stroller.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UPPAbaby Vista V3 worth it over the older V2?
Yes for new buyers. Owners report the updated FlexRide suspension rolls more smoothly and the reflective trims and magnetic buckle are welcome touches. If you already own a V2, though, the changes are refinements rather than reasons to upgrade an otherwise excellent stroller.
Can the Stokke YOYO3 be used from birth?
Yes, but only with the separate newborn pack, which lets it recline flat for infants. The standard seat is rated from 6 months. Factor the add-on into your plans if you want a single stroller covering the newborn stage through toddlerhood.
Is the Thule Urban Glide 3 practical if I don't run?
It works well for everyday use. The swivel front wheel unlocks for tight turns, the fold is one-handed, and storage is generous. Non-runners may find it larger than a standard stroller, but reviewers praise its smooth ride on sidewalks and paths.
Why do you rate the Doona+ a skip?
The car-seat-to-stroller design is genuinely clever and great for travel, but most children outgrow it around 15 months. Owners also note it's heavy to carry as a car seat and offers almost no storage, making it a costly choice for such a short window.
