Maxi-Cosi Adorra full stroller review: The child-first, comfy-padded from-birth pushchair-first
The safe car seat's manufacturer is, obviously, always thinking about the comfort of the child - that is the first feeling when touching this stroller with a heavily padded seat. How is the Adorra, and who is this stroller best for?
Read more in our Maxi-Cosi Adorra stroller review!
+ comfortable, spacious reversible seat
+ huge shopping basket
+ modern design
- the center of gravity changes when you reverse the seat (facing you)
- brake placement
- noisy rear wheels
- bulky fold
It looks really great when you take it out from the box and put it together. A modern, streamlined, while spacious stroller - you could almost say 'robust'. The dark chassis had a little scratch on the side straight from the box, but nothing terrible, I didn't mind it much, but it was there, I think it's worth mentioning.
The putting together was not difficult at all - we managed even without consulting the manual. The harder part was the fold - I had to check how to do it, I didn't find out how to fold the stroller intuitively. I saw the button activating the fold, but it was very hard to push in (I guess it's the novelty of it, and I believe it will get softer over time) - so I had to check if I do it right and how to do it properly.
One of the things the manufacturer could make better is the securing of the canopy. It's easy enough, but the rear part is secured only with the hole for the button, and when I open the hood with a stronger forward motion, I often loosen it up and have to put it back. The smell of the new stroller is also worth mentioning, I think - since it reminded me so so strongly of new shoes, and that's not necessarily a good thing. I recommend having it open (and maybe on the balcony) for a day or two before starting to use it with the child inside.
The fabrics (we had it in Nomad Black) are something in the jeans/melange kind of quality, which is truly stylish and good-looking (and feels sturdy and comfy). A disadvantage of it would be that any hair is very visible (if you have a dog, I recommend another colorway for sure). Apart from the soft padding, there are more comfort features to be found - an insert/seat liner and a head hugger (a pillow), making our 10-month-old happy in the seat, even during naps.
The chassis feels only to feature suspension on the front end - front wheels do absorb some shocks. The rear wheels feel "harder", compared, and I would like to have at least some suspension there as well. The wheels are EVA foam covered, and the foam quality is good enough - we didn't notice any small stones to get into the foam, making them uglier. The wheels are also nicely wide, meaning a stable stroller with the capability to go over some light terrain (like grass). The size is adequate - large enough, but not overly large for city mom's needs. The thing I minded the most about them, however, was the rattly noise that felt like something should be screwed tighter together or so. I checked but found nothing that would seem loose. The noise was not unbearable, but you will notice it over time.
Another negative thing to point out is the brake placement. I am 176 cm tall (I am taller, but nothing extreme), and I kicked the brake in the center of the axle constantly, which annoyed me a lot. I think that's the least thought-of thing on the whole stroller, and I truly hope they will change the position in the next years' version. I believe many people can get used to it and adjust their steps to it; I just didn't manage it that well.
The handlebar adjusts telescopically, and I had it in the highest setting. I think that it could be too low for those really tall parents/dads (190 cm+), so those should be trying it out for sure before making a purchase. The handle is covered with eco-leather, which, in this price category, is already a kind of a standard - it looks good and is more durable than simple foam. On smooth surfaces, you can easily push the Adorra one-handedly, but on any uneven terrain, I had to use both of my hands. The middle fold-initiating button is a bit in the way for such use.
A huge advantage of this pushchair is that HUGE storage basket with a tilt-out rear part. You can put even a big load of shopping there - or a large changing bag with other necessities. The access is good even when your little one is napping. I can honestly say that every mom will appreciate this basket; it's just perfect. The only thing to "complain" about there is that when getting up a curb, you sometimes need to help yourself with your foot - and then you can make it a bit dirty.
The folding system of the Adorra is simple in theory, but the push+rotate mechanism is a bit too stiff. I do think that over months, it will loosen and soften. The seat can be folded in half, making the chassis foldable with the seat attached (in any direction). The fold is, however, quite bulky for this weight category of a stroller, and I found it easier to put in our car boot when the chassis and the seat were folded separately. You probably will fit everything even in a smaller car boot, but it will take up most of it - or all of it. The folded chassis is securely folded thanks to an automatic lock, and it also stands by itself for easier storage.
The seat unit is comfortable even for smaller babies, but it's, at the same time, relatively spacious. It will certainly last at least two and a half/three years, depending on the child's size, of course. You can reverse it to face you or the world and recline it depending on the child's' needs (3 backrest positions, 2 leg rest positions). I am happy to say that the lay-flat is truly enough even for those kids that don't sit by themselves just yet, just as our little one at the time of testing.
10-month-old, 10 kg
almost 3-years-old, 14 kg
4-year-old - too big for the Adorra
A thing to know is, however, the downside of the reversibility of the Adorra - its center of gravity changes when the seat is parent-facing and reclined. When going up a curb with (even a heavier child in a) front-facing seat, no problem. When getting up with my 10mo baby laying flat facing me, I had to use a lot of force - and my foot - to get up up a curb- and I am truly not a short mum! That's disappointing to me because the reversibility and small baby use would otherwise be a huge advantage of this weight and style of a stroller.
The hood is not extendable in the sense that it could unzip an extra part, but ich covers the child rather well, and it's also equipped with a sun visor. We had no problems apart from its sliding out of position because of the rear securing system, and I also appreciate that the canopy doesn't move with the seat's backrest - it stays in position, and there's extra fabric on the side to protect the seat the most possible.
To use the Adorra from newborn, there are the carrycot plus the car seat adapters accessories available to create a full-size stroller system. With those, even a true newborn right from the hospital will be cozy and protected in the Adorra transformed into a full-featured pram/stroller (travel) system. For easy use (and swapping) of all these parts, including the seat unit, I have to mention the memory buttons on the sides that only need to be pushed once, no holding them. Such a nice feature, making the manipulation mostly one-handed.
I would sum the Maxi-Cosi Adorra model up as a modern urban medium-sized stroller with a very, very pleasant weight - mainly compared to its size and space.
There are multiple advantages that make it very easy to think about buying it - the padded, reversible seat unit that's honestly fantastically comfortable for any baby; the extra-large, accessible basket, the canopy coverage, and the stable chassis... But, as any giver pushchair, it has its downsides that made me a little indecisive in the end - mainly the brake and the center of gravity with a reversed, reclined seat. They are not that bad to darken the pros completely - but it always depends on what the priorities are and what do you need versus what do you mind the most. It's usually only a matter of time - for the manufacturer to make some details better and change things to better suit the customers. Anyway, if your car boot is large enough and the child's comfort is the thing you care about the most, the Adorra is an interesting choice for sure.
My personal rating would be 65 % - with a possibility to go much much higher if the main negative points would change (or if they wouldn't affect you and your stroller needs).
SUMMARY IN NUMBERS, DIMENSIONS, AND MEASUREMENTS:
Dimensions - unfolded: 107 x 59.5 x 95.5 cm
Dimensions - folded: 82.5 x 66 x 59.5 cm
Handlebar height: 99-107
Seat unit dimensions: 44 cm (backrest), 32.5 x 23 cm (sitting surface), 87 cm (laying surface length)
Front wheel diameter: 17,5 cm ~ 6.7 inch
Rear wheel diameter: 25,5 cm ~ 10 inch
Seat unit weight capacity: 11.6 kg
Basket weight capacity: 5 kg
This was an unpaid review describing the advantages as well as the disadvantages of the Maxi-Cosi Adorra pushchair, and it is based solely on our own experience. The aim was to provide honest information for moms thinking about purchasing this or any other stroller.