Cybex Coya review: our verdict on the new ultra-compact travel stroller

Price: £539.95 | Buy now from John Lewis

Key specs

Suitable from: Birth to approx. four years old | Maximum load: 22kg (50 lbs) | Orientation: Forward-facing | Weight: 6.6kg | Unfolded dimensions: 79 x 44 x 105cm | Folded dimensions: 18 x 44 x 52cm | Materials: Polyester and mesh fabric; metal frame; leatherette handlebar | Included accessories: Carry strap and rain cover

What we like

• Easy and compact fold

• Travel system-compatible 

• Hand luggage size for plane travel

• Small footprint when unfolded

• Universal handlebar height

• Generously sized storage basket with extra storage pocket in sun hood

• Harness is easy to adjust and requires no rethreading

What we don’t like

• Forward-facing only, even from birth, unless used with a car seat

• Seat isn't fully upright in its highest position

• Jerky recline

• No bumper bar

• Not as sturdy on uneven ground as other travel strollers like the Babyzen Yoyo2

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Our verdict on the Cybex Coya

Compact, comfortable and cabin-approved for travel, the Cybex Coya is a worthy contender in the lightweight buggy category. After two months of testing it out with my now 18-month-old toddler, I have been impressed with the versatility of the Coya, both as a reliable buggy for day-to-day use and as a travel stroller to take on day trips. 

With a plush and roomy seat, extendable sun canopy and generously sized storage basket that will fit a large changing bag, this is a buggy that ticks many boxes. The fact that it can be used from birth as a travel system only adds to its charm.

If you’re a family that likes to travel, then the Cybex Coya offers even more value for money, especially as it folds down to cabin-bag size for flights. At only 6.6kg, its frame is exceptionally lightweight for carrying, but it’s also the ideal pushchair if you live in the city and regularly use public transport.

What lets the Coya down is its recline. The recline is jerky when the seat is put into a lie-flat position for naps, and the seat doesn’t sit fully upright when in its highest position. 

I have the similarly designed Babyzen Yoyo2 at home and, while I think the Coya beats the Yoyo on its larger storage basket capacity and sunshade, it feels much less sturdy than its travel-friendly counterpart.

How we tested the Cybex Coya

• Two months of using the Cybex Coya multiple times a week

• Used on day trips and in the local town and parks

• Tested with a 18-month-old toddler

I tested the Cybex Coya out for at least two days a week over the course of two months. During this time, I used the buggy for walks into the local market town, on a variety of terrain including tarmac, grass and gravel, and on day trips further afield. 

While I didn’t use the Coya on public transport or on a plane, I did test the compactness of its footprint out in small shop aisles and narrow pavements in built-up areas to see how it would fare in more urban environments, and transported it in my car boots for days out. I also compared the buggy dimensions and features closely with the Babyzen Yoyo2, which I used on a recent family trip to Portugal. 

As part of the testing process, I scored the stroller on eight key criteria, including: performance, quality and durability, ease of use, value for money, safety and stability, ease of folding and unfolding, comfort and storage. I then added all the scores together to give an overall score of 75 out of 100, which equates to a four-star rating.

Read next: The best lie-flat car seats for newborns

Cybex Coya: what’s in the box?

• Coya frame including wheels

• Seat unit

• Shopping basket

• Sun canopy

• Carry strap

• Rain cover

• User guide

The Cybex Coya is travel system-compatible, so it can be used with all Cybex infant car seats. Additional accessories you can buy separately for the buggy include the Cybex Coya Car Seat Adapters, Cybex Coya Bumper Bar, Coya/Orfeo/Beezy/Eezy S Line Travel Bag, Cybex Sun Sail, Cybex Snogga 2 2-in-1 Cup Holder, Cybex Summer Seat Liner and Cybex Coya Insect Net.

How easy is the Cybex Coya to assemble?

It's very easy to set up the Cybex Coya as it comes mostly pre-assembled. All you need to do is release the safety latch, unfold the buggy and then click the two front wheels into place. 

It took me less than five minutes to set the stroller up, but I did need to use the instruction manual to first learn how to unfold it. 

Cybex Coya: how does it look?

The Cybex Coya leaves a very good first impression. Stylish in design with plush fabrics and a lovely leatherette handlebar, this is a buggy most parents would find attractive.

One of the huge perks is that you can choose from five different fabric colours for your Coya depending on taste (Sepia Black, Mirage Grey, Off White, Peach Pink and Leaf Green) as well as three frame options: Rose Gold, Matt Black and Chrome. There are also four Fashion Collections (Pale Blush, New Beige, Jewels of Nature, Spring Blossom Light) and four Design Collaborations (Rockstar, Wings, We The Best and One Love) if you’re after a more striking design.

I tested out the Sepia Black fabric with Rose Gold frame for a pop of colour, which both myself and my husband liked.  

Read next: The best umbrella strollers for storage and travel

Is the Cybex Coya safe and sturdy?

Yes! The Cybex Coya boasts a five-point, one-pull safety harness akin to the system you see on many car seats, which is easy to adjust and doesn’t require any rethreading. It pulls taut to keep your baby and toddler securely in the seat and releases with one push of a button while you simultaneously pull the straps downwards. You can alter the straps easily for different child heights too.

The buckle is easy to operate, which makes getting your child in and out of the seat quickly, with no risk of small fingers getting trapped.

While the Coya generally feels very robust and doesn’t topple when a changing bag is placed on the handlebars, the lightweight frame and weight distribution makes the buggy feel less sturdy than the Babyzen Yoyo2, particularly on uneven ground like grass, even with its front-wheel suspension. 

With that said, the small wheels offer good traction to handle the rigours of my daily family life, and the buggy generally feels very well made. 

The brake's shape is one I’ve not come across before, but it’s nevertheless easy to operate and holds the buggy securely in place even on steep inclines. It can be engaged and disengaged while barefoot or in open-toe shoes, however it’s narrowness may make this uncomfortable. 

What's the Cybex Coya like to use day-to-day?

Day-to-day, the Cybex Coya is a versatile bit of kit. I’ve used it in a variety of scenarios, including on walks into and around town when running errands (navigating small shop aisles and cafés), as well as to the local park. I’ve also transported it in the car boots of my Ford Fiesta for day trips to the grandparents’ house and to different towns and cities. 

It’s an exceptionally good buggy if you live in the city, with a tight turning circle and small footprint that makes manoeuvrability much easier in busy areas as well as through narrow doorways and on buses and trains.

While I didn’t travel by plane with this buggy, most parents who travel regularly with their baby or toddler will love the fact that the Coya is cabin-approved, so it can be taken as hand luggage on your flight if you want to avoid checking your buggy into the hold.

When it comes to more rural areas, the Coya doesn’t perform so well, but that’s perhaps to be expected considering the type of stroller it is and how small the wheels are. It lacks sturdiness on grass, although it does generally perform well on this surface, and is unstable on bumpier terrain such as gravel paths. In towns, you’ll find that it doesn’t bump up curbs very well, however on tarmac and paving the ride is always smooth. 

The leatherette handlebar is one of the most attractive I’ve seen and is well designed for different heights. While the handlebar doesn’t extend, it suits both my husband and I equally well, with heights of 5’6” and 6’4” respectively, making the buggy comfortable to push and easy to steer. 

I like the Coya’s UV-protective sunshade, which can be extended for additional coverage in sunny weather, revealing a mesh fabric for added breathability, which also doubles up as a sort of peekaboo window. 

The sun hood is much more generous in size than on other travel buggies I’ve tested, like the Babyzen Yoyo2, and is particularly effective when the seat is in a lie-flat position, covering the top half of my daughter’s body completely during naps. For rainy days, the Coya comes with a rain cover as standard, which is easy to attach when needed, although it will take up space in the main storage basket when not in use as it doesn’t come with its own bag.

Read next: The best car sunshades for babies

What’s the storage like? 

I was impressed with the Cybex Coya’s medium-sized storage basket, which fits a large changing bag and the included rain cover. I found it to be much bigger than the storage basket on the Babyzen Yoyo2.

You’ll also find a storage pocket within the sun hood, which is ideal for storing valuables that you want in easy reach like a mobile phone or purse, or even newborn essentials like a baby bottle or muslin cloth.

Cybex Coya: how easy is it to fold?

When it comes to travel, whether that’s on public transport or a plane, you want a stroller that’s easy to fold and carry.

Thankfully, the Coya doesn’t disappoint, folding easily and compactly with one hand into a concertina shape - although, like me, you may have to practise a few times to really nail it. I’d also recommend folding the rain cover up well, if storing in the storage basket, so that the stroller folds as compactly as possible.

To fold, you need to press the two buttons on the handlebar, which causes the buggy to collapse into a Z-shape fold. Once flat enough, the stroller will lock into place using the locking latch and can be left freestanding. You use the same two handlebar buttons to unfold the Coya in a matter of seconds.

With folded dimensions of 18 x 44 x 52cm, which is the same as Babyzen Yoyo2 - a buggy I have used on trips abroad, including to Greece and Portugal, taking the buggy on the plane with me as hand luggage both times - the Coya feels equally as travel-friendly.  

The Coya’s integrated carry strap is more subtly hidden within the seat fabric than the strap on the Babyzen Yoyo2 (which is positioned underneath the main seat), but the stroller is just as easy as the Babyzen to carry.

Read next: The best baby carriers, wraps and slings

How comfortable is the Cybex Coya?

My 18-month-old has found the Cybex Coya to be very comfortable, even for naps on the go. The seat is comfortable and well padded, with a breathable backrest for optimum airflow, and the integrated leg rest offers good support, however it might be a bit short for older toddlers. 

There are three recline angles to choose from and the recline is simple to adjust using the toggle strap. However, I found the mechanism to be jerky, especially when moving the seat into a lie-flat position - so much so that it disturbed my toddler during a nap.

My daughter also likes to sit bolt upright in her buggy to fully observe her surroundings, but unfortunately the seat doesn’t accommodate a 90-degree angle, which means her back isn’t properly supported at all times. In this instance, the Coya would benefit from a bumper bar that she could hold onto. 

What’s the Cybex Coya like to use with a newborn?

While I didn’t test the Coya out with a newborn, the beauty of this stroller is that it can be used from birth either using the ergonomic lie-flat seat or by attaching one of Cybex’s baby car seats, although you’ll also need to buy car seat adapters for the latter.

The downside to using the main seat for your newborn is that it is forward-facing only, which may be a dealbreaker if you'd prefer your baby to be parent-facing in the early months.  

Is the Cybex Coya easy to clean?

I tended to spot clean the seat whenever there was a spillage, which occasionally left a small stain (even with the black fabric colour), but the Cybex Coya seat fabric is removable and better washed in your washing machine at 30°C if you want to get rid of stains completely.

When folded, there is the potential for the seat fabric to get dirty in transit as it faces outwards when the stroller is collapsed. But the Coya generally holds up well to wear and tear, and looks almost brand-new even after two months of in-depth testing.

Read next: The best toddler car seats as tested by parents

Does the Cybex Coya offer good value for money?

Retailing at £539.95, the Cybex Coya is one of the more expensive travel buggies on the market. But, longevity-wise, it offers good value for money as it can be used from birth all the way up to 22kg, which is around age four.

It is forward-facing only unless you attach a car seat, and there is no compatible carrycot available, so isn’t as snug for newborns as a larger travel system would be. It’s also purpose-built for travel, so won’t suit you if you live in a rural area and regularly go off-roading.  

It performs exceptionally well as a travel stroller though, rivalling other popular lightweight buggies like the Babyzen Yoyo2. Is it as good as the Babyzen Yoyo2? I’d personally say no, but it’s a slightly cheaper option as, unlike the Yoyo2, it comes with added extras like a rain cover. It also offers a much better sunshade and storage basket.

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet. Mum to a one-year-old, she’s always keen to make travel safe and fun for her daughter, so is fully invested in discovering the best and most affordable baby products on the market, and sharing her knowledge and findings with other parents.

With over seven years' experience as a full-time editor, five of which have been spent writing, commissioning and editing pushchair product reviews and round-ups, Laura has a keen eye for what parents love and likes nothing more than putting together honest reviews to make parents' lives that little bit easier. 

In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has also appeared in a number of baby product videos for Mumsnet's YouTube channel. Her top 10 pushchairs video currently has over 230K views.

About Mumsnet Reviews

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