Baby Jogger City Versa Stroller Review

city_versa1Baby Jogger City Versa is a luxury stroller that combines features from City Mini and City Select models. Its main feature is a reversible seat, meaning your baby can face you or the world. Other convenient features include large canopy, adjustable handle bar, hand parking brake and easy one-hand fold. And like most luxury strollers, Versa has an adjustable foot rest.

This is NOT a jogging stroller. It’s designed for everyday use like running errands, going to the store or doctors appointment. The all-wheel suspension and 8″ rubber tires absorb a lot of the bumps creating a smooth ride for your little one. Weighing 26.2 lbs with a max weigh of 50 lbs, City Versa looks like a smaller and lighter version of the City Select model. But, it is still heavier than City Mini that weighs only 16 lbs. There is NO double version.

This stroller can be used from 6 month and up to 50 lbs. It is not recommended for a newborn, but if you want to use it from birth, you can convert it into a travel system by getting an infant car seat adapter or a bassinet. I like when strollers have a bassinet option because I hate to see those tiny babies all cramped up in a car seat for hours. When my daughter Sophia was born, I bought a bassinet right away. I took my peanut for long walks and she was always so comfy sleeping in her pram. Sigh … too bad she grew out of it in 6 months.

I gave this stroller 5 out of 5 stars because it is full of great luxury features. The only thing I didn’t like is the heavy weight and difficult to access basket. Other than that it’s a great stroller. This stroller is on a higher end retailing for around $385 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax). The price does vary a little depending on the color. I guess some colors are more difficult to make than the other. :)

Buy City Versa Stroller »

Pros

-Large canopy. Baby Jogger is known for large canopies and City Versa doesn’t disappoint. It has a large three panel canopy with TWO peekaboo windows. Another thing I like is that the closure on peekaboo windows is magnetic. No more waking up your child with that noisy velcro.

-Adjustable handle bar.  Just like GT and Elite models, Versa has an adjustable handle bar that goes from 32″ to 42″ from the ground. Great for shorter and taller parents.

-Roomy Seat. It is 12″ wide and 24″ high from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. You can use it from 6 months up to 50 lbs. If you want to use it from birth, you will need to use it with a car seat or a pram/bassinet. This nicely padded seat has one-hand three position recline, that goes from flat to nearly upright with a one-handed lever. Since the seat is one molded piece, when you change the position, it reclines the whole seat keeping its ‘v’ shape. I absolutely love that the seat is REVERSABLE meaning your baby can face you or face the world. How nice is that? To remove the seat, push two buttons on both sides and swing it around. The seat reclines the same way even when facing the other way.

-Mesh pocket. There is a large mesh pocket on the back of the seat that is great for storing small items  since there is no parent console included.

-Adjustable foot rest. It has adjustable foot rest that can be lifted up by pushing two buttons on the sides. Love this feature! It is much more comfortable for younger babies to have their legs up when they are sleeping. The foot drop is 10″ high.

-Large basket. The basket is quite roomy, but not as good as on City Select. It has a curved cross bar and elastic side for easier access. I still find it hard to get things in and out.

-Wheels. Let’s talk wheels. Versa model has four 8″ rubber wheels that are similar to the City Mini model. You will never have a flat! The front wheels are swivel wheels that can be locked straign for tougher terrain.

-All-wheel suspension. That’s what I expect on a luxury stroller like this one. The all-wheel suspension will absorb a lot of bumps providing a smooth ride for your child.

-Hand parking brake. No more scratching your shoes! This stroller has a hand brake that is located on the side of the frame. Very easy to lock and unlock.

-Easy fold. It’s a two-step one-hand fold. First, you need to squeeze two levers located right behind the seat and flap the seat forward. Next, pull on the strap located above the cross bar behind the seat and the stroller will fold. It is an easy fold, but has an extra step unlike City Mini that has one-hand one-step fold. In many strollers with reversible seat you need to reverse the seat back before folding. Not with Versa! It folds the same way. The folded dimensions are 33″L x 23.25″W x 8.5″H. Very compact stroller! To make it even more compact you can easily remove the rear wheels.

-Automatic lock. Unlike Select model, Versa has an automatic lock when folded. The stroller does NOT stand on its own.

Cons

-Basket. It is large, but not as easily accessible as on the Select model.

-Weight. At 26.2 lbs it is not a lightweight stroller. I guess it weighs whooping 10 lbs more than City MIni because of the reversible seat and rubber tires. For some reason Baby Jogger doesn’t think it is important to provide stroller weight information on stroller description page. This should be the first thing on the page. I found this document that has all of the baby jogger strollers specifications. BTW, many web sites have incorrect weight information, so double check.

Video Review

Here is a great video review of Baby Jogger City Versa from Baby Gizmo. Note: Although they say in the video that this stroller is lightweight, it is NOT. It weighs 26.2 lbs with the seat. How is this lightweight?

Specs

Stroller weight: 26.2 lbs
Weight limit: 50 lbs
Seat width: 12″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Handle height: 32″ – 42″
Wheels: 8″ (all four wheels the same)
Overall length: 39.50″
Overall width: 23.25″
Folded dimensions: 33″L x 23.25″W x 8.5″H

City Select vs City Versa

I wanted to give you a small comparison chart so you can see how Versa model compares to Select model. In short, the Select model is an-all terrain stroller that rolls on four forever-air tires and has ability to convert into a double mode with an addition of second seat, while Versa model is designed for urban terrain, rolls on four EVA wheels and has a reversible seat. Both strollers have a large canopy, adjustable foot rest, and adjustable handle bar. While the Versa model has an automatic lock and all-wheel suspension, the Select model has front-wheel suspension and does not have an automatic lock. Price and weight are different as well. The Select weighs 28 lbs and costs $455 while Versa weighs 26.5 lbs and costs $385. If you are going to have two kids, then Select model is a great choice, but for only one child I would get a Versa model.

Versa Select
Turns to double No Yes
Terrain Urban terrain All-terrain
Weight 26.2 lbs 28 lbs
Weight limit 50 lbs 45 lbs per seat
Adjustable handle bar Yes Yes
Wheels 8″ EVA 12″ and 8″ Forever
Seat to canopy 24″ 27.5″
Folded dimensions 33″L x 23.25″W x 8.5″H 42″L x 26″W x 12.5″H
Automatic lock Yes No
Suspension All-wheel Front-wheel
Price $385 $455

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

City Versa comes in 4 colors and has a black frame (which I like more than silver): black, red, silver, green. That silver color is very light and, if you have a kid like mine, it will not going to stay that nice silver for long.

city_versa

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 Versa in one of the four beautiful colors for around $339 – $399 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax).

Buy City Versa Stroller »

~Susan Brian

P.S. If you like my review, please click “Like” button below.

8 thoughts on “Baby Jogger City Versa Stroller Review”

  1. I hope I’m not making you answer a question you’ve previously answered but here’s my story & my question:

    I’ve got a 4yo (non-rider) and a 7mo and currently use a bulky 2010 Phil & Ted’s Explorer (I think they now call it the Classic). I LOVE it love it love it…we can hop curbs, hit amusement parks and summertime outdoor festivals, cobblestone streets, and roll over every other kid in the park if we so desired lol. My problem, however, is that I want a 1-hand folding lightweight stroller for the on-the-go summer days but I DON’T like umbrella strollers and I want something attractive but not bulky. I don’t NEED a 2nd stroller, so the cheaper the better, but since I like all the bells and whistles I’m guessing I won’t get exactly what I want without paying for it. So far, I’ve evaluated the Mountain Buggy Nano, the Mamas & Papas Armadillo and the Baby Jogger Versa because, primarily because it’s a steal right now on pishposhbaby (wonder if this has anything to do with the recall…??). I do realize that it’s not truly a lightweight stroller and it may, in fact, be as heavy as my phil & teds, but…
    Is the weight of this stroller masked by the convenience and lack of bulkiness? I’ve heard that most strollers don’t feel as heavy when they aren’t so bulky.
    And is it possible to find an attractive lightweight stroller for under $100 without sacrificing convenience fold/setup, lay flat recline, sufficient canopy, storage space, minimal storage capacity or am I asking for a miracle?

    Thanks in advance!

  2. Hi Lauren. I am always happy to help! I don’t think you can get anything decent for $100. The Versa is as heavy and as bulky so you are not going to win anything there. I would go with something compact, lightweight, full of great features and inexpensive. Nano is a good one. Armadillo is one of my favorites but it’s a little pricy. I can also suggest Baby Jogger City Lite ($170) or Britax B-Agile ($170) – both are very lightweight, have decent size basket, one-hand recline, very compact and have roomy seat. What do you think? Susan

  3. Thanks so much for the suggestions! I’m so stuck in my ways….my heart reeled at the Versa and it seems that’s just what I want. All the reviews I read of the B-agile and the city mini point out things that I don’t want in a stroller. The Mountain Buggy almost had me, but the two-hand fold may break that off the list. The Armadillo is great, but it’s as expensive as my Phil & Ted’s. The Versa has all the features I like – we do a lot of outdoor festivals and walking about throughout the non-Winter months so I’ve got to be able to get over cobblestones, grass, and curbs galore. I’ll either stick w my old faithful or keep watching for a great deal on the Versa. Hopefully Richmond, VA will get more shops with those strollers in stock so I can try them out!

    Thanks so much!

  4. Very helpful review! I have a question for you….I was out looking at Baby Joggers and came across a City Versa GT. What is the difference and/or pros/cons between this one and the GT model? We are only having one child so I feel the City Select is a little more than we need; however, I love the smooth ride and the construction of these strollers. I am very interested in something with a Pram and hoping to buy only one stroller for our child.

  5. Hi Susan,
    We are looking for a single stroller for our 4th child. We had done the research and settled on a Versa with the GT wheels. I actually ordered the wheel kit from the baby jogger website before ordering the Versa on amazon. After quite a few days of waiting, I finally called BJ and found out that it was glitch in the system that even allowed me to order the wheels. Now we have the stroller but no all-terrain wheels. I really need a stroller than can easily go through grass and gravel to soccer games as well as trips to the zoo and outdoor museums. We travel a good bit so it needs to fold easily and quickly. Also I am tall! We were first looking at the city mini gt since it has the adjustable handle but with a total of 4 kids, I have a lot of stuff and I was worried about being able to carry it all on a 3 wheel stroller. Especially since I like hanging my diaper bag on the handle bars. Do you have any suggestions for me? Do you think the Versa will still work ok without the GT wheels? I can’t seem to tell if the newly announced City Metro will have a more all terrain wheel and that it might be worth waiting until March 2016 for that one. Thank you!

  6. Hi Jay. Versa has a good size wheels that should handle terrain very well. I am not sure what City Metro will have but probably the same wheels that City Select has. I can also recommend BOB Motion – it has all-terrain wheels, large basket and one-hand fold or Peg Perego Book Cross – it has all-terrain wheels, huge basket, and compact fold. What do you think? Susan

  7. Hi! I was wondering, is the fabric on the seat of the versa removable and machine washable?
    Thanks!

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