Baby Jogger City Mini 4-Wheel Stroller Review

Baby Jogger City Mini 4-Wheel stroller is almost identical to the City Mini model, but it has 4 wheels instead of three. That’s pretty much is the main difference between the two.

It has all the feature we love so much in City Mini like huge canopy, roomy seat, infinite recline, and one-hand fold. The 4-Wheel model has a larger weight limit and can accommodate a child from birth and up to 65 lbs. It also weighs almost 20 lbs, which is more than City Mini that is only 16.8 lbs.

I got many emails asking which City Mini is better 3-wheel or 4-wheel and I think it’s a matter of preference. The 4-wheel model is more stable and is easier to maneuver, while 3-wheel has lower weight capacity and weighs less.

I personally like the original City Mini because for me light weight is very important. I also would like to add, that this is NOT a jogging stroller despite being made by Baby Jogger. Many parents get confused by the name of the company and think that they only have jogging strollers. This is more for everyday use like going to the store, mall, or park.

I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars which is lower than what I gave City Mini (5 stars) because of the weight. It’s almost 20 lbs! This is too heavy to compete with umbrella strollers and at the same time the wheels are too small for a full size stroller. So it puts it somewhere in between.

The difficult to access basket, non-adjustable handle bar, and lack of accessories like bumper bar and the cup holder also made me take points away. I think it’s a good quality stroller and you not going to be disappointed if you decide to get it. The City Mini 4-Wheel model is available only in two colors and can be purchased for around $259 on Amazon.com (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax).

Buy City Mini 4-Wheel Stroller »

Features

-Huge canopy. Just like other City Mimi models, the canopy on this one is absolutely HUGE! City Mini has one of the best canopies on the market that will shade your child from the sun at any angle any time of the day. It’s so big, they even put two large peekaboo windows. The peekaboo windows are made out of clear plastic and have a Velcro closure. I of course, would like to see a magnetic closure like they have on Elite model.

-Handle bar. Non-adjustable handle bar is located 41″ from the ground. This is one of the things I wish Baby Jogger would improve. As taller parents, my husband and I would like to see an adjustable handle bar. It has a rubber covering without the convenience grip that is so popular these days.

-Roomy seat. The seat is 14″ wide with 19.25″ seat back and 22.5″ from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. The infinite strap recline operated by a strap system, goes to almost a flat position. Like with most strap systems, while you can recline the seat with only one hand, you will need both hands to bring the seat back up.

-Mesh window. Once the seat is reclined, you can see a large dark mesh window in the back. It provides more air circulation on a hot day and prevents a baby from falling out of the stroller. If it gets windy or cold, you can cover it up with an attached a closure.

-5 point harness. There is an adjustable padded 5 point harness with a center release button. To adjust the straps, you don’t need to re-thread it since the straps are attached to the seat with the hooks. All you need to do is just hook the straps to a different loop. Easy! You don’t even need to take your child out of the seat.

-Large pocket. There is a large storage pocket in the back of the seat where you can put your little essentials like keys, wallet and sun glasses.

-Large basket. The basket is a great size, but is hard to access because of the curved crossbar in the back. I find it much easier to access from the sides. You can definitely fit a large diaper back in it.

-Wheels. The main difference between the 4-wheel model and a regular one is the four wheels instead of three. City Mini 4-Wheel rolls on four 8″ rubber wheels with sealed ball bearings. Ball bearings allow the wheels to spin more freely and effortless. Two single front wheels are swivel, but can be locked straight when terrain gets rough.

-Front wheel suspension. Just like City Mini, it has front wheel suspension that provides your child with a smooth ride.

-Parking brake. The there is a single foot brake located between the rear wheels. In one step, it locks both of the rear wheels in place. Unfortunately, it’s NOT flip-flop friendly.

-Easy one-hand fold. This is what sells this stroller, ONE-HAND ONE-STEP fold! Lov it! All you need to do is pull on the handle in the middle of the seat and the stroller will fold in half. Done! You can even do it with a child in other hand. The stroller has a very compact fold with the dimensions of 24″W x 30.5″L x 9″H. It should fit even into a small trunk.

-Travel system option. Works with most popular car seats like Peg Perego, Maxi Cosi, Graco, Chicco, and Evenflo.

Cons

-Hard to access basket. The basket has been updated in 2012, but is still hard to access. The crossbar is located very high and always gets in the way when you try to get things in and out of the basket. I hope they keep improving it.

-Non adjustable handle bar. I would like to see an adjustable handle bar for taller and shorter parents. This could really put City Mini ahead of B-Agile.

Video Review

Baby Gizmo has a short video review. Take a look.

Specs

Stroller weight: 19.9 lbs
Weight limit: 65 lbs
Folded dimensions: 24″W x 30.5″L x 9″H
Handle bar height: 41″
Seat to canopy height: 22.5″
Wheels: 8″
Overall length: 40.75″
Overall width: 24″

City Mini vs City Mini 4-Wheel

	City Mini	City Mini 4-Wheel
Weight	16.8 lbs	19.9 lbs
Weight Limit	50 lbs	65 lbs
Wheels	3	4
Colors	6 colors	2 colors
Price	$220-$250	$280

Warranty

Baby Jogger has a lifetime warranty on the frame of the stroller and 1 year on small parts and fabric. Here is more information on the warranty.

Available colors

For 2013 this stroller is available in two color combinations: black/gray and sand/stone.

Where to buy it

My favorite place to buy strollers and a lot of other baby items is Amazon. It usually has the lowest prices, free shipping, free returns and no sales tax. How great is that? You can get City Mini 4-Wheel in black or sand for about $259 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax).