Whenever I (Susie) get a chance to review high-end strollers, I often end up comparing them to our Bumblerides (the Indie and Indie Twin). However, after having had the chance to review the Mamas & Papas Armadillo Flip recently, I had to get a closer look at the Urbo2, by the same company. A friend of mine recently bought hers online and I convinced her to let me borrow it for the weekend. It’s stunningly attractive.

To help you conceptualize it, it’s basically a compact luxury stroller, and it competes with other high-end single seat reversible strollers like the Stokke Scoot Stroller V2, Mamas & Papas Armadillo Flip, UPPAbaby Cruz, and UPPAbaby Vista. In short, it’s a pretty cool stroller. Here are the details.

Quick Review of the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 Stroller

The 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 is essentially a compact, lightweight, high-end stroller with retro design flourishes and a reversible seat that reclines deeply enough to be used with newborns. It’s the kind of stroller that turns heads when you go by, because it looks good.

The reversible seat is a roomy and padded one, and the Urbo2 can easily be turned into a travel system by fitting an infant car seat into it (and Mike has reviewed a ton of those here). Something I love about the Urbo2 is that it’s one of a few strollers on the market with a matching bassinet option. I’ll have more details on this in a bit.

Changes in the Urbo2 compared to the original Urbo include the addition of front-wheel suspension to smooth out the ride on the small wheels, as well as the addition of a bumper bar that’s covered in (faux) leather. The frame is classy, shiny, and delightfully narrow, and because of how little space the stroller takes up from one side to the next, it’s quite maneuverable, even in crowded environments. You can fold it up rather easily to stuff it into a subcompact-sized trunk (and if you’re curious about fitting 3 car seats into small or big cars, check out the 3 across guides later on), and the Urbo2 also features a much larger canopy with much better ventilation.

Besides all of this, even though looks aren’t the be-all, end-all of things, they do matter, and the Urbo2 is a good-looking stroller. It got a lot of attention when we tried it out at IKEA this weekend, although I barely noticed since I was admiring it so much myself. It feels good to push, to run your hands over, and it’s not even that much work to lift, as it weighs just 20 pounds.

Overall, I’d give the Urbo2 5 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for an urban or city stroller that you’ll have no trouble picking out in a crowd, this is the stroller to get. The fact that you can pair it with an infant seat or a bassinet makes it very newborn friendly, which also increases the amount of time you can spend using it, whether when you’re going to the mall, the park, or simply around your neighborhood. 

The main drawback to the stroller, in my opinion, is the wheel size; I’d like them to be larger. I’d also like to be able to fold the Urbo2 up even when the seat is reversed and facing me. Besides that, it’s a solid stroller.The cheapest price I’ve found so far for the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 is here on Amazon, which includes free shipping, free returns, and no sales tax, depending on your state.

Buy the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 stroller on Sale at Amazon.

Pros of the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2.

Large canopy. Mamas & Papas, like Baby Jogger, knows how important it is to make a full coverage canopy. I love that about them. The Urbo2 canopy can extend fully to the stroller’s bumper bar, which means your little one doesn’t need to feel the sun if s/he doesn’t want to.

Something else I like in the canopy is that the included peekaboo window is large enough for you to get a good view of your baby, yet also opened and closed through a magnetic closure. This means you won’t risk waking up your baby when sneaking a peek during a nap. If this is your first baby, trust me on this. You don’t wake a sleeping baby.

Reversible seat. The reversible seat is one of the best inventions in stroller history, along with the bassinet. To put it simply, I like being able to see my baby sometimes when walking him, and this makes it easy. The seat is 12″ wide and 24″ tall as measured from the bottom of the seat to the top of the canopy. Being able to see your little one wherever you go while you’re on your first walks after the delivery is an awesome thing. Well, depending on how sore you are, you might not feel awesome at first, but believe me…it gets better.

The seat is plush, comfy, and thanks to its nearly flat one-hand recline, you can make it flat enough to use with a newborn straight from the hospital. The seat is designed to be used from birth until 50 pounds. Naturally, it includes a padded 5-point harness to keep your little one snug and safe wherever you go. I can’t remember the last time I saw a stroller without one, but I figure it’s always good to mention. And even though it might sound shallow, I do enjoy how the fabric print on the padding matches the print on the canopy. It’s little touches like that that make the Urbo 2 stand out.

Beneath the seat is an adjustable foot rest that you can lift and drop, creating a pretty flat surface for your little one if that’s your goal. I’ve found it handy for quick diaper changes at the zoo when Mike and I didn’t want to brave the bathrooms.

Adjustable handle bar with runaway strap. To me an adjustable handle bar is about as basic as an adjustable seat height in a car; it should be in every stroller. Mike and I have different heights and it just makes sense to make strollers that accommodate those kinds of differences. It telescopes from 38″ above the ground to 41.” The handle bar feels good in my hands and has the same leather-like material that covers up the bumper bar. A runaway strap was added to the bar with the Urbo2; it’s handy as a way of holding on to the stroller if you’re jogging, although I wouldn’t try that with this stroller.

Smooth tires and all-wheel suspension. The tires on the Urbo2 are made of a hard rubber and have a 6″ diameter in the front and a 7″ diameter in the back. You can swivel or lock the front wheels, and a quick release button is now included on the front wheels to make them easier to store or clean. The rims are silver-toned and stylish, and work well with the chrome frame and all wheel suspension. The previous Urbo had suspension only on the rear wheels, so this is a step up.

The Urbo2 is easy to steer, even when it’s fully loaded with a baby and a basket full of diapers. We tried it out in the Woodfield Mall in Chicago (well, the suburbs, anyway), and it performed admirably. That said, this definitely isn’t an all-terrain stroller; you’ll want to stick to sidewalks, grass, pavement, and dirt trails at the most if you don’t want to deal with bumps.

The parking brakes are red and by the rear wheels; you can activate them with your feet, shoes, or flip-flops without trouble.

Compact fold, included rain cover, included insect net.  The Urbo2 has a two-handed compact fold that’s pretty easy to pull off. You turn the seat so it’s forward-facing first. Next, you push the side buttons and collapse the stroller until the automatic lock clicks in. When folded, the stroller is 11″ tall, 21″ wide, and 33″ long, which is quite small. Technically the fold is a standing one, but it’s not a stable one, so I wouldn’t rely on it.

I’m always a fan of free goodies thrown in my stroller companies, especially when spending a good amount on the stroller to begin with. The Urbo2 includes a free rain cover that’s been redesigned since the original Urbo. I turned the hose on mine in the garden and it kept my phone dry in the seat, so I’m calling that a win. They also throw in an insect net, which, by the way, works even better as a shade for sleep.

Optional bassinet, optional footmuff, travel systems. I’m a big believer in bassinets for infant-friendly stroller transport. Unlike travel systems, which rely on car seats, which you aren’t supposed to leave infants in whenever possible, bassinets are actually good for your baby, since they allow your baby movement and the ability to lie flat, which is the best lying position for a newborn or any other baby who hasn’t yet developed head control. The optional bassinet looks great and is large enough to be functional. It basically turns the Urbo2 into a pram, which means your baby can comfortably and safely sleep while you leave together for a walk, and it also means you get to see your little one while you’re out together.

Another neat optional accessory for the Urbo2 is a footmuff. It’s basically a giant sleeping bag for your baby, and yes, it matches the rest of the fabric print. It feels soft outside and inside and is also wind and water resistant, making it a good choice for keeping your baby nice and toasty when out for a brisk winter walk.

Finally, the traditional travel system is still definitely an option with the Urbo2. You simply pop out the included seat and insert the infant seat. You’ll also need an adapter, but once you’ve got it, you can use the Urbo2 with a range of seats, including the Primo Viaggio, Cybex Aton 2, Mico Max 30, and other infant seats Mike has reviewed here.

Buy the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 stroller on Sale at Amazon.

Cons of the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 stroller.

Wheel size. The wheels are easily the biggest drawback to the Urbo2. They work well for their size, and I definitely had no problem using the stroller as designed on intended surfaces, but if you’re planning on doing a lot of park or trail exploration, you’ll want to look for an all-terrain stroller instead, like the Indie or Indie 4 if you want a built in bassinet.

Specifications of and Warranty for the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 stroller.

The Urbo2 is 22″ wide, 39″ long, and weighs 20 pounds. It can be used with a child from birth until s/he weighs 50 pounds. The handle bar is adjustable between 38″ and 41″ while the seat offers 24″ of height.

Mamas & Papas provides a 2-year warranty for the Urbo2. The clock starts ticking on the purchase date. You can read more information about the warranty here.

Where to Buy the 2015 Mamas & Papas Urbo2 stroller.

Whenever possible, I buy my strollers, car seats, and other baby goodies on Amazon, since their prices tend to be the lowest I come across. They also sweeten the pot with free shipping and free returns, and you typically don’t pay sales tax with them unless you’re in a state that charges it.

As far as high-end single seat reversible strollers go, the Mamas & Papas Urbo2 is a solid addition to a field that includes alternatives like the Mamas & Papas Armadillo Flip, Stokke Scoot V2, UPPAbaby Cruz, and UPPAbaby Vista. It’s quite possibly the most attractive stroller on the market today, and that’s saying something, considering how much style has come into the stroller market in the last few years.

You can buy the Urbo2 here in Navy Blue, Chestnut Tweed, Donna Wilson Foxleaf (the color I used in this review), Black, Teal, Atticus, and Camel. You can buy the bassinet in Chestnut Tweed here or in Donna Wilson here.You can buy a Primo Viaggio car seat adapter here and a Maxi-Cosi adapter here. Canadians can buy the Urbo2 and a range of bassinets here.

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If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.