Joovy Scooter is an umbrella stroller that is designed for on-the-go parents who live in an urban environment. It is great for running errands, going to the mall or walking in the park as long as you stay on the flat surface. You will love going grocery shopping with this one because it has a huge basket and is only 21.5″ wide which makes it perfect for navigating narrow aisles of the store. Four hard rubber wheels with sealed bearings and all-wheel suspension make it very easy to maneuver while providing your child with a smooth ride.
Weighing 18.5 lbs, it is a little on a heavy side for an umbrella stroller, but has many features of a full size stroller like large canopy, roomy seat, one-hand recline, and adjustable leg rest. It can accommodate a child from 6 months and up to 55 lbs.
The Scooter is full of storage with two mesh pockets inside of the seat, HUGE basket, and a zipper pocket in the back of the canopy. One feature that puts it apart form the umbrella strollers is the ability to transform into a travel system. There is also a double option available in case you have twins :).
I gave this stroller 4 out of 5 stars because of the non-adjustable handle bars, small recline, heavy weight, and bulkiness. Now, it’s not really heavy nor bulky for a regular size, but since it’s advertised as an umbrella stroller, I am taking points away. If you are on a tight budget and want to buy ONLY one stroller instead of getting a full size and a light umbrella one, this would be a good one, because it has a lot of great features and costs only around $149 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no tax). Also, it comes with a swing-away bumper bar and a cup holder. I think the price is VERY reasonable for all the features you are getting.
Pros
-Large canopy. The canopy is a good size, but it does NOT go all the way to the bumper bar (that’s how low I like my canopy). It’s attached to the frame and does not have a ‘floating canopy’ option. There is a large peekaboo window with a noisy Velcro closure.
-Unique handle bars. The handle bars have a unique design that many parents find more comfortable than on the regular umbrella stroller. Unlike regular umbrella handles, both handle bars meet in the center at the top of the frame. These ergonomic handle bars are non-adjustable and have plastic grips with the steel inside. The main complaint from parents was that this plastic covering is so rough that it can cause blisters if you use the stroller a lot. I didn’t test it for that long, but I agree that it would be better to have a durable foam material instead of plastic. If you are tall like me (5.9′), you might want to test it first because it is located only 39″ from the ground which is a little too short for me. On the bright side, it was an easy to push with one hand and the shape of the handle bars allowed me to hang things on it.
-Adult storage pocket. There is a small zipper pocket on the back of the canopy that can fit small items like keys, wallet or sunglasses.
-Roomy seat. The seat is 14″ wide with 18″ seat back and a measurement of 24″ from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. The seat has an one-hand recline operated by a strap system. You will need BOTH hands to bring the seat back. While it doesn’t have a deep recline, it’s a pretty upright seat (very important for kids like my daughter Sophia who loves to seat straight up and look all important. LOL) Once you fully reclined the seat, you will see an opening between the canopy and the seat. It does NOT have a mesh window like City Mini or Britax B-Agile. It provides air circulation on a hot summer day, but can be covered once the weather gets cold with a piece of material that zips to the back of the canopy.
-5 point harness. It has a padded adjustable 5 point harness with a hard to unlock buckle.
-Swing-away bumper bar. INCLUDED! The swing away removable bumper bar allows for easy ins and outs of the stroller.
-Adjustable leg rest. The leg rest is the part of the seat and is adjustable. It has two positions: horizontal and on an angle. Lov it!
-Pockets. There are two mesh pockets inside of the seat where you can store snacks, sippy cups or some toys for your child.
-Huge basket! I love going grocery shopping with the stroller and it’s especially convenient if you live in a city. Well, with this basket you can get a lot of goodies! Just to give you an idea, it will fit two large diaper bags and you can also hang some of the bags of the handle bars. Awesome! The basket is also very accessible even with the seat fully reclined (the recline is not deep at all).
-Wheels. It rolls on four hard rubber wheels with 5.5″ wheels in the front and 7.5″ wheels in the back. The front wheels are double and swivel, but can be locked straight. All six wheels (front are double) have sealed ball bearings that make pushing and handling very easy. In case you are wondering what I am taking about, the ball bearings are steel balls held together by a metal ring and sealed from the outside elements inside of the wheel. They support the wheel and allow for the wheels to spin more freely.
-All-wheel suspension. Together with ball bearings, all-wheel suspension helps to absorb the bumps and make the ride smoother. Since this is not an all-terrain stroller, it performs best on flat surfaces and is best for taking to the mall, shopping center or where there is an even pavement.
-Parking brake. There is a large single brake bar located between rear wheels. You just need to step on it once to lock both rear wheels in place. It’s not flip-flop friendly.
-Easy fold. Although Scooter is considered to be an umbrella stroller, it folds more like a regular one. You will need both hands for that. First make sure the seat is reclined all the way. Next, push two security buttons on the side of the frame and fold the stroller. Unfortunately, the seat ends up on the outer side of the fold and can easily get dirty. Also, there is NO automatic lock so you will need to lock it manually. Once folded, it DOES have standing fold that is supported by the canopy which will get dirty pretty quickly if you fold it in the wrong place. LOL. The dimensions of the Scooter when folded are 15″H x 21.5″W x 33.5″L.
-Cup holder. INCLUDED! The cup holder is uniquely located right in the middle of the handle bar. It’s made out of dark mesh and can fit a regular size cup or a water bottle.
Cons
-Non-adjustable handle bars. The unique design of the handle bars is great, but I wish they were adjustable. I am 5.9″ and for me the bars are a little too low (at 39″ from the ground).
-Weight. At 18.5 lbs it’s too heavy for an umbrella stroller, but has small wheels to be a full size.
-Bulky. Again, it’s too bulky for an umbrella stroller, but is pretty standard for a full size.
-Small recline. The recline is not deep enough for my taste. Some umbrella models don’t have recline at all, but since this stroller is somewhere in between the umbrella and full size model, I would like to see a deep recline.
Video Review
Baby Gizmo has a great video review.
Here is a video by Joovy on how to fold Scooter model.
Specs
Stroller weight: 18.5 lbs
Weight limit: 55 lbs
Folded dimensions: 15″H x 21.5″W x 33.5″L
Handle bar height: 39″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Front wheels: 5.5″
Rear wheels: 7.5″
Overall length: 29.5″
Overall width: 21.5″
Warranty
Joovy provides 1-year warranty from the original date of purchase and you have to be the original owner.
Available colors
For 2013 this stroller is available in two colors: orangie, and greenie.
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 Joovy Scooter in one of the two beautiful colors for $149.99 on Amazon + free shipping/free return and no sales tax. BabiesRus is selling it right now for $159.99.
~Susan Brian
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