Are you looking for the best full-size stroller of 2020? We purchased and tested the top 24 competitors after researching over 100+ options. Finding a great stroller can be challenging with so many to choose from, especially if you don't know what to look for. Our extensive side-by-side tests look for ease of use, maneuverability, quality, weight, and more to bring you all the details you need to find the right stroller for your family. With our test results and hand-selected award winners, there is something for everyone in our list of the best full-size strollers. No matter what your budget or specific needs, you'll find everything you need to know in our detailed review.
The Best Full-Size Strollers
Tuesday March 3, 2020
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Best Overall Full-Size Stroller
Thule Urban Glide 2
Easy to maneuver everywhere
Stylish high quality
Great for jogging
Harder to lift and stow
The Thule Urban Glide 2 is a cool jogging stroller with impressive features for everyday use. This stroller has covered storage, giant canopy, nice suspension, and a lockable swivel front wheel with adjustable tracking. The Urban Glide 2 is easy to push and turn and equally up to the task of running. Parents will enjoy the foam covered adjustable handlebar with twisting handbrake, and passengers will like the deep recline seat back, seat-side storage pockets, and padded sling-style seat. The Urban Glide 2 is also compatible with a variety of infant car seats with the purchase of an adapter.
The Urban Glide 2 is somewhat more cumbersome and awkward when folded, making it a possible no-go for parents looking for light and compact. It doesn't have a parent console or cup holder (though they do offer accessories for purchase), so you'll need to consider this in your buying decision. Overall, this stroller is an impressive option that does double duty at a reasonable price. This stroller is an excellent choice for parents on the move who like being outdoors or going for an adventurous run. It is also a good choice for those looking for a one and done purchase who don't need a lightweight stroller.
Read review: Thule Urban Glide 2
Best Off-road Full-Size Stroller
BOB Rambler
Super mover over all-terrain
Nice quality
Jogging capable
Heavier
Scaled back Revolution
The BOB Rambler won our hearts with impressive ease of use and maneuverability. This BOB is easy to push and turn with off-road capabilities and run-ability with adjustable tracking and suspension for rider comfort. This stroller sports large pneumatic tires, giant canopy, and a locking swivel front wheel that provides versatility for errands and adventures. The Rambler has a variety of features and functions for the baby's comfort and parent convenience, and we think parents will be attracted to the versatility even if it is a scaled-back version of the BOB Revolution 3.0. Still, others will love that the Rambler is somewhat smaller and lighter than a traditional BOB.
The Rambler is somewhat heavier and more substantial than a traditional full-size stroller. So, while it may not be the best choice for families looking for lightweight and compact, if outdoor adventures are a must, then the Rambler is an excellent choice for the active family. This option is less expensive than other BOB's so it can save you money without sacrificing functionality.
Read review: BOB Rambler
High-end with a Reasonable Price
UPPAbaby Cruz
Easy to use
Lightweight and compact
Limited convenience features
Little harder to push and turn
The UPPAbaby Cruz is a sleek, no-nonsense stroller that is easy to use with impressive performance for quality, setup, and weight and folded size. While this option is not the lightest in the group, it does have a low weight of 21.1 lbs, which is about 4 lbs lower than the average and the lightest stroller in the top four. The Cruz has a large canopy, giant storage with a 25 lbs capacity, and easy to use seatback recline and leg rest adjustability. It is also compatible with several brands of infant car seats and has a fairly compact and easy fold.
The Cruz lost minor ground for maneuverability because it is a little larger and the four-wheel design paled in comparison to the three-wheel models with pneumatic tires that were easier to navigate. However, it isn't hard to push or turn and scored above average compared to traditional full-size options. The Cruz may not be the best bet for adventurous parents who plan to go off-road regularly with their baby or hope to jog with their older baby. However, it is great for days out in the city running errands and picnics in the park. It is hard to find a lighter full-size stroller with the same level of performance, quality, or features.
Read review: UPPAbaby Cruz
Best Budget-friendly Full-size
Baby Jogger City Mini 2
Price
Small and lightweight
Multi-purpose
Bar across storage access
Double front wheel
The Baby Jogger City Mini 2 is a lightweight, compact stroller with a quick, easy fold and cozy napping space. It has a large canopy with two peek-a-boo windows, adequate storage, and a well-padded seat with almost flat recline and pop up footrest for added comfort. This basic stroller offers everything you need (including car seat compatibility) without the high-end design and features that often lead to a heavier stroller and a higher price. The Mini 2 won awards in our full-size review and our umbrella stroller review.
The City Mini 2 is not the best for heading off the beaten path regularly as the plastic wheels, and limited suspension makes pushing a chore. It also isn't suitable for jogging despite its "Jogger" moniker. The new Mini 2 is also somewhat heavier and larger than its predecessor. However, if you have a small budget and don't want to sacrifice features or comfort, then the Mini 2 is a double duty powerhouse that can work as a full-size go-to or your lighter weight travel wonder.
Read review: Baby Jogger City Mini 2
Off the Beaten Path Budget Ride
Baby Trend Expedition
Price
Smooth ride
Lower quality
Small canopy
The Baby Trend Expedition is a jogging stroller that can easily work for everyday use saving you money over time by buying one product, not two. We like the air-filled rubber tires and locking front swivel wheel that makes it ideal for smaller spaces and for getting off-road or going running. The Expedition has under-seat storage, sling-style seat, and parent tray (a rare find these days).
This budget stroller isn't the best quality, and the lack of adjustable tracking or suspension means it isn't the best choice for serious runners. However, if you want an easy to push and turn stroller that can head off-road occasionally, then the Expedition could be the right fit that also saves you money.
Read review: Baby Trend Expedition
Best for Seating Versatility
UPPAbaby Vista
Easy to use
High quality
Versatile seating
Heavy and large
Higher price
The UPPAbaby Vista earned a high score in our review with impressive results in almost every test. This stroller is easy to use, easy to push and can accommodate up to three children, making it a versatile option for growing families with top-quality materials that should last for years. The Vista comes standard with a bassinet and toddler seat, and the frame accepts up to two infant car seats, or two toddler seats, and other variations, including several using a bassinet with seats that can sit forward or back. This variety makes the Vista one of the most versatile in the review and a great choice for growing families and those with multiple little ones. The Vista also sports large storage (30 lb max limit!), a nice canopy, easy fold, and foam-filled rubber tires.
The Vista is one of the most expensive products in this review and is heavier than much of the competition due to its design for multiple seats. So unless you need more than one seat, it may not be the best choice. Overall, this full-size stroller is a very nice product that testers love for its versatility of seating and easy to use features, making it an excellent choice for growing families or those with twins.
Read review: UPPAbaby Vista
Great for Growing Families on a Budget
Evenflo Pivot Xpand
Easy to use
Inexpensive
Multiple seating options
Heavy and large
Harder to push
The Evenflo Pivot Xpand is an inexpensive multi-seater that has a lot to offer for a smaller price. We like that this option has versatile seating choice like forward or backward and the ability to accept up to two infant car seats at a time. It can accommodate up to 3 riders at one time, and it has large storage with a quick fold and adjustable handlebar.
There is much to love about the Xpand, but it isn't the best quality compared to more expensive strollers. While not bad, it fails to match the higher-end options. It is also somewhat heavy and large, so if you don't need three seats or aren't planning on more children, it may not be the best choice for your family. Despite these minor hiccups, we like what the Xpand has to offer for parents with multiple children. The price is very budget-minded, and we think it has everything a growing family needs without breaking the bank.
Read review: Evenflo Pivot Xpand
We tested a myriad of different full-size strollers over the course of several updates to this review. Several of these options are pictured here.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our experienced group of stroller testers is overseen by our BabyGearLab founder, Dr. Juliet Spurrier, Board Certified Pediatrician, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and mother of two. She uses her education and background as a Pediatrician, in combination with her experience as a mom, to define the BabyGearLab safety standards, and makes the final selection on the top products we include. The lead for the stroller test team is Senior Research Analyst, Bob Wofford, father of 7 who has been the leader of the stroller testing development and execution since 2013. Bob's team includes Senior Review Editor and mother of two, Wendy Schmitz, who has reviewed and researched over 200 various types of strollers since joining BabyGearLab in 2014, including hundreds of hours of hands-on use. The team also includes Senior Review Editor, Abriah Wofford, who joined the BabyGearLab stroller testing team in 2015. Overall, the team has over 20 combined years of experience hands-on using and testing more than 150 strollers of all types.
Our testing took place in the BabyGearLab in-house lab and the real-world with little ones. The full-size stroller reviews use research and details on their performance and ease of use derived from real-world use and comparison to the other competitors. We use each stroller from unboxing to in-house testing and hours in the real world to determine which are the easiest to use, have the most useful features, are the easiest to push and turn, and their quality level compared to the competition.
Related: How We Tested Full-size Strollers
Analysis and Test Results
We chose 24 finalists for our comprehensive side-by-side tests that include everything from maneuverability and ease of use to quality and weight. We chose competitors after extensive research on quality, innovation, and popularity. Our goal is to provide practical, detailed information to help create your short-list of potential strollers to buy.
Related: Buying Advice for Full-size Strollers
Value
A full-size stroller can be more expensive than other stroller types because you typically use it more frequently, and they usually have more features. However, this doesn't mean you need to break the bank to find a top-performing workhorse with the features you need. Many of the top options in this review happen to be jogging strollers with middle of the road prices. This design means you get a dual-purpose product for a reasonable price, theoretically, saving you money. Looking for something on a tight budget? The Baby Jogger City Mini 2 and the Britax B-Lively are both attractively priced with useful features and above-average performance in our tests. These options can be used as lightweight strollers, doing the job of two strollers in one. The Baby Trend Expedition is also a standout with one of the lowest prices and easy maneuverability, but you do sacrifice some quality for this impressive price.
We combined an extensive real world hands-on testing process with specific lab tests to compare each product's performance side-by-side.
Ease of Use
Ease of use includes the features you use frequently and that impact everyday functionality. Your stroller's ability to perform as desired and expected is the difference between a stroller you enjoy and one you'll want to leave by the curb.
In our tests, the UPPAbaby Vista (above left) and the UPPAbaby Cruz (above right) both earned impressive scores for ease of use. These strollers have quality features that work well, and both offer high maximum storage limits (25+ lbs) and the largest canopies. The UPPAbaby strollers have adjustable leg rests, easy to use recline adjustment and indicators on the seat attachment. The Thule Urban Glide 2 earned second-place for ease of use with intuitive features that are useful and improve the overall experience for passengers and parents.
The UPPAbaby strollers and the Thule Urban Glide 2 lack amenities like a parent or child console, but these accessories are available for purchase. We believe these conveniences can be useful, and we recommend you consider their cost in your decision-making process. However, we don't think they are mandatory and found that many strollers with these features standard were often not that useful or poorly designed checking a box instead of offering truly useful functionality.
While the Swift's bin is on the small side, we were still able to fit our larger diaper bag inside. However, the size, shape, and angle of the bin could easily result in items fall out if not in a larger bag.
The worst performer in our ease of use tests is the Mountain Buggy Swift, which is somewhat awkward, has smaller storage, and is harder than most to operate.
A relatively small width, larger tires with a quality swivel, such as the BOB's (shown above) help simplify navigating narrow supermarket aisles.
Maneuverability
Our maneuverability tests include a convoluted course of turns and corners over a variety of surfaces, including hardwood, pavement, gravel, grass, snow/ice, and dirt. We also created the crowded-supermarket-from-hell simulator, which is a multi-surface obstacle course that contains tight corners and real-world challenges. We then compare their results for ease of pushing, turning, and performance over various surfaces.
The top performers for maneuverability all share a 3-wheel design and larger rubber tires. The top-scorers are the Thule Urban Glide 2, BOB Rambler, and the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0, all with 9 of 10. These jogging strollers feature pneumatic (air-filled) rubber tires, suspension, adjustable tracking, and a locking swivel front wheel. The Mountain Buggy Swift, Baby Jogger City Mini GT 2, Baby Trend Expedition, and the Bumbleride Speed all earned 8s. These strollers performed well in our obstacle course and managed uneven terrain better than most of the competition.
Related: The Best Jogging Strollers of 2020
The Bumbleride Speed is an easy to maneuver jogger with better than average run-ability.
The Bumbleride Speed, Mountain Buggy Swift, and the Baby Trend Expedition all provide impressive pushing, smooth rides, and effortless turns. Solid construction makes them more responsive and easier to guide through tight aisles and corners. Bumps in the sidewalk were no problem thanks to the larger air-filled tires with minimal impact passed on to the baby. The strollers with designs for jogging were notably better than the traditional full-size options.
While the Baby Jogger brand has the word "Jogger" in the name, most of their products are not designed for jogging. This applies to all of the Baby Joggers in this review. You should not jog with strollers that are not designed for jogging, as they do not have the proper design or features necessary to provide a safe jogging experience.
The City Mini 2 performs surprisingly well in maneuverability tests given the smaller, dual front wheel, plastic design.
It is worth noting that most of the high scoring strollers perform well on both paved and unpaved surfaces. On pavement, the more substantial wheels make for effortless pushing, single-handed turning, and they excel in smaller spaces. When going over grass or gravel in the park, their advantages were even more pronounced. Smaller wheel products with solid tires got bogged down on rough surfaces, often to unworkable levels. The plastic wheels also transmit jarring shocks directly to the baby because they do not absorb the energy and often lack suspension. If you need to stroll regularly over grass, gravel, or dirt, then maneuverability should be a critical factor in your decision-making process, and those with rubber tires should be at the top of your list.
The Baby Jogger City Mini GT 2 is a little bit of an anomaly in this metric. It performed well in our tests but has smaller wheels than the other top performers. It is not as good at traversing rougher terrain as the larger wheel products, but it is still superior to the plastic wheeled competition, dual front wheel designs, and options without suspension. Baby Jogger advertises the GT 2 as an all-terrain option. While we don't feel it is a good choice for regular off-roading (like hiking in the backwoods), our tests indicate it manages uneven surfaces better than other small-wheeled competition. However, its overall performance in our tests is merely average, making it a product that failed to truly impress or win an award.
The plastic wheels on the Chicco Bravo LE are partly to blame for the difficulty we had pushing it.
The worst performer for maneuverability is the Chicco Bravo LE with its foam-filled plastic wheels (under 7" on the front and less than 8" in the back). We found turning the Bravo through our obstacle course challenging and pushing over bumpy or non-paved surfaces frustrating or impossible.
The Thule Urban Glide 2 is a great jogging stroller that works well for everyday errands and outings.
Quality
Many believe that quality is directly related to price, and while this is somewhat true, we find that some of the mid-range products offer quality on par, or better than, the spendier options. This observation is good news for anyone hoping to find a high-performing, quality product that won't break the bank.
The best quality choice is the Thule Urban Glide 2 with a 9 of 10, with the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 following closely behind, the UPPAbaby Vista, BOB Rambler, Thule Sleek each earns an 8. These strollers combine quality components and high-end materials with a fit and finish that stands out in a crowd, and they have a significant price gap between them. Products earn higher scores for quality if they have comfortable and durable fabric, pneumatic or foam-filled rubber tires, and sturdy frames with smooth finishes and little flex or rattle. The lowest scoring earns only 4 and includes the Baby Trend Expedition and the Graco Aire 3; most of the low-scoring strollers have plastic wheels, stationary handlebars, and a lot of flex with multiple connection joints. The Baby Trend Expedition, however, does combine some nicer features like rubber pneumatic tires and larger wheels, which give it excellent maneuverability and the ability to run.
The B-Lively is the smallest folded option in the group.
Weight and Folded Size
To test the weight and folded size, we perform our own measurements. This practice proved important as we discovered that some manufacturers provided weights or measurements excluded components such as wheels or detachable seats. Our measurements include wheels and seats, but do not include accessories like bassinets or rain covers.
The best scoring products for weight and folded size, are the Britax B-Lively and the Baby Jogger City Mini 2 scoring 8 of 10. The City Mini 2 weighs about 19.3 lbs, and the B-Lively is only 6,612 cubic inches when folded. These two strollers are light and small enough that we consider them to be good choices for travel or situations where weight and size are key. The Mountain Buggy Swift and the Bugaboo Bee5 are also on the smaller and lighter side but didn't perform well overall.
Related: The Best Umbrella Strollers 2020
The lowest result for weight and folded size is the Bugaboo Cameleon3. It is 25.7 lbs, which isn't the heaviest, but it is large when folded at 16,022 cubic inches. The largest is the Thule Sleek at 16,493 cubic inches, and the heaviest is the Baby Jogger City Select at 29.3 lbs. The average for the group is closer to 11,500 cubic inches and 24 lbs, with the UPPAbaby Cruz (21.2 lbs) coming close to these.
The new Chicco adapter for the Urban Glide 2 works well with just a click on to the loop.
Car Seat Compatibility
Most of the full-size strollers in our review are compatible with a variety of infant car seats, and some are light enough to work as a stand-in for a car seat frame stroller. Some are restricted in the seats they work with, or they don't accept infant carriers at all. Other strollers have significant cross-brand compatibility, including the Chicco Keyfit 30 and the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 which both won awards in our infant car seat review.
If you plan to combine your stroller with an infant car seat, then we encourage you to choose your car seat first. We also believe many parents should consider a car seat frame stroller for the first 6-9 months because they are easier, lighter, cheaper, and can give you a better idea of how you'll use a full-size stroller.
We test strollers with their brand car seat if we have a compatible option in the lab, and we ordered an adapter for the Chicco Keyfit 30 if an adapter was available. We test the Chicco because it has broad compatibility, and is an award-winning seat with a budget-friendly price. For the most part, the strollers work best with their same brand seat (i.e., the UPPAbaby Vista and UPPAbaby Cruz with the UPPAbaby Mesa). However, many work equally well with the Chicco, and a few even seem more stable or easier to install.
The Chicco adapter on the Baby Jogger City Mini is easy to use, but it requires the strap-in second step we worry parents will forgo.
Some car seats use a click-in attachment, while others click and strap the carrier in place. As a rule, we prefer the click only options because they are easier, more foolproof, and seem more stable. The strap method isn't challenging, but it is a second step, and we worry parents will skip it, which could create safety issues. If you choose a strap product, like the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0, we encourage you to use the straps as the manufacturer recommends.
The Cruz is the easiest stroller to use in the review with features that are intuitive and simple.
Ease of Setup
Ease of setup is a one-time task but still relevant to some parents who lack assembly savvy. We consider how long it takes to set up, difficulty, tools, and manual usefulness.
The easiest option to assemble is the UPPAbaby Cruz, with a perfect 10. It took four and a half minutes to put the Cruz together with a straightforward startup guide; we believe it is so intuitive that you may be able to do it without the manual. The Baby Jogger City Mini 2 and the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 are close, taking around 4:30 minutes to set up. The UPPAbaby Vista and several others earned 9s as well. The hardest to set up is the Bugaboo Cameleon 3, which took over 14 minutes to assemble.
We were disheartened to discover that many of the higher-end strollers were the most challenging to assemble, primarily due to sub-par documentation and excessive parts. These include the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 and Baby Jogger City Select. We feel that the combination of a higher price and poor user manual to be particularly distasteful. Excellent documentation is mostly a result of an intentional decision to generate clear, easy-to-understand manuals in each market language. In our experience, inferior manuals typically have an "international approach" with vague illustrations lacking text are in one part of the guide, and written text is in another.
We tested a variety of stroller models and brands in this full-size stroller review. This photo includes the strollers we purchased during our review process.
Conclusion
Is there a single stroller that is perfect for everyone? No, we don't think so. Every family has different needs that naturally vary as a result of strolling habits, travel, home location, family size, and budget. However, we do believe there is a right stroller for every family based on those differences, and we hope to capture those standout products. In this review, our goal is to share what we experienced or observed about each product and relay this information about our experience so you can make an informed decision for your family. We feel that between our award winners and the higher ranking products that you can narrow the field to a couple of top contenders.
— Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz