March 31, 2015 Ali Furneaux

UPPAbaby Vista Stroller vs. UPPAbaby Cruz Stroller (Ratings/Reviews/Prices)

Update 4/24/2017: The UPPAbaby Vista vs. UPPAbaby Cruz

UPPAbaby will be at our upcoming Drool Baby Expo, New England’s ultimate baby shopping event, on May 15! Don’t miss it – learn more and buy tickets at www.droolbabyexpo.com.

If you’re in the market for the perfect day-to-day stroller, you’ve probably heard of UPPAbaby. UPPAbaby is an American brand out of Hingham, MA that is known for its innovative designs and terrific customer service. I thought I’d introduce you to two of it’s best sellers, the Vista and the Cruz.

While both strollers changed a bit with the release of the 2015 line, they still retain critical differences that will help you decide which best fits your lifestyle. The more informed you are, the better, and we hope this info will help you choose a stroller you’ll love!

The UPPAbaby Cruz

Ali demonstrates the peekaboo window in the canopy.

The Cruz is a compact stroller that is great for walking downtown along sidewalks or shopping in malls. Its foam-filled back wheels give it the comfort of air-filled tires without the hassle of keeping air in them, and with the 2015 line, the tires are a big larger so they can resist more bumpy terrains like cobblestone or badly paved sidewalks more effectively.

The stroller has a reversible seat and multiple points of recline, so you can adjust it perfectly for your child’s comfort. There is a five point harness and three height positions on the toddler seat as well. You can put your infant in the seat at its full recline, and UPPAbaby even makes a SnugSeat body pillow for added comfort if you choose to use this capability. Big kids can ride too, since the Cruz can hold up to 50 pounds.

The Cruz is fairly lightweight, which makes it all the more attractive, weighing in at only 21.5 pounds. The frame alone is only 15 pounds, creating a nice lightweight travel system if you use the Cruz with an infant car seat while your baby is tiny, and if you choose the UPPAbaby MESA Infant Car Seat, it will fit on the Cruz frame with no need for additional adapters!

The Cruz has an elegant and compact standing fold.

The Cruz comes with a belly bar, a canopy with an extendable sunshade of SPF 50+, and an adjustable handlebar. It can fold with the seat facing forward, but the seat must be taken off to fold if it’s facing backward. However, once folded, the Cruz can stand up on its own. UPPAbaby is known for their big baskets, and so you’ll get this meaningful addition with the Cruz as well. If you tend to do a lot of shopping within walking distance from your home, you’re going to LOVE that big basket. Details matter!

You have a good amount of options with the Cruz in terms of accessories. Along with the UPPAbaby Cup Holder and Parent Console, you can use the UPPAbaby universal bassinet with the Cruz stroller. Simply pop out the seat and snap in the bassinet to the stroller frame. Lying flat is the most healthy position for infants because it allows for uninterrupted spinal development and is better for their breathing, so if you plan on doing a lot of walking with a newborn, I would definitely look into adding this accessory to your list. You can even get a Bassinet Stand so that you can use this bassinet at home – it’s approved for sleep and many people use it as their bedside bassinet!

The UPPAbaby Vista

The Vista goes double with the Rumble Seat!

The Vista is a multi-terrain stroller with large tires that allow you to take your whole family on walks around the pond, trips downtown, and treks through icy winters and beautiful summers. The wheels have a foam core that is very durable, and the suspension in the front and rear of this stroller offer superior shock absorption – all in all, the Vista can handle much tougher terrain than the Cruz.

The seat and frame work the same way as the Cruz, giving you the ability to face to seat towards or away from you during your stroll, with a five point harness and three point height adjustment. The seat is also suitable for infants when it’s reclined fully.

The Vista weighs in at 27.5 pounds making it heavier than the Cruz, and the frame alone is 20 pounds. The Vista’s weight limit is 50 pounds just like the Cruz, and it similarly includes a belly bar on the seat and a sunshade that extends with the SPF 50+ lining, as well as the capability to stand up when folded. You will get a massive under-seat basket with this stroller (bigger than the Cruz’s) and a bug shield, too, which are big bonuses, but there are bigger bonuses to come!

First of all, the Vista comes with the same universal bassinet – no additional charge – with a perforated mattress pad and vented base and canopy, making it safe for overnight sleep. You can easily click your bassinet from the stroller frame right to a bassinet frame, making it easy to avoid waking your kiddo if she’s napping.

Best of all, the Vista can take on a SECOND SEAT! When you add the Rumble Seat (sold separately), the Vista turns into an absolutely perfect double stroller, allowing your older child to sit in the front while your new baby stays close to you, in his bassinet, toddler seat, or infant car seat.

The weight capacity for the Rumble Seat is 35 pounds and it has a recline and sun shield that mimic the original stroller seat, making it comfortable and safe. There are multiple positioning options as well: the seats can face towards each other, away from each other, or in the same direction.

This addition is probably the main difference between the Vista and the Cruz: if you’re on baby #1 and plan on expanding your family, the Vista is definitely the better buy!

UPPAbaby has done an amazing job with both the Vista and the Cruz in their brand new 2015 line. Both strollers have so much to offer, and I would personally vouch for UPPAbaby because of their great customer service and attention to detail. In my experience, the best way new parents hone in on their top stroller choices is by test-driving them. I encourage you to come into one of our stores and take the Vista and Cruz outside for a side-by-side comparison – that will be the ultimate way to choose!