When you’re looking for a new stroller, you’ll be amazed at the number of brands, models, and styles of kids’ ride there are to choose from, and picking the best for your family’s needs can be a somewhat daunting minefield!
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Because my full-time job is being mom to 2 precious daughters, and I know a thing or two about strollers. Besides personal experience, I get feedback from other moms who use these strollers every day and put all that research into our unbiased stroller buying guides
- Kyli
Two of the leading stroller manufacturers are Baby Jogger and Babyzen. Babyzen is perhaps best known for creating the world’s very first stroller that can be folded into a compact package that can fit into most airplane overhead lockers; now that’s compact, and then some! Baby Jogger produced the first lightweight, agile stroller that was specifically designed for parents who like to run or jog with their child and could cope easily with off-terrain activities.
In this article, we compare Babyzen’s super-compact Yoyo umbrella stroller with three of Baby Jogger’s most popular, lightweight models. All these strollers are of excellent quality and are built to last you a lifetime. But what are the differences, and which would be the best option for you?
Let’s find out!
Table of Contents
Babyzen Yoyo vs. Baby Jogger City Mini, Baby Jogger City Mini GT, and Baby Jogger City Tour
Yoyo by Babyzen
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The Babyzen Yoyo is built to give you unrivalled convenience when you travel with your child.
With a featherweight and a quick, easy fold that leaves you carrying a package the size of a large purse, the Yoyo is all about hassle-free travel. If you’re traveling by train or air, the Yoyo will fit comfortably into an overhead locker and can be taken onto most airlines as hand luggage, saving you that tedious wait at the baggage carousel when you reach your destination.
The Yoyo is incredibly well-engineered, giving you an easy push and superb maneuverability, even one-handed. Unlike most umbrella strollers, the Yoyo can be used for a newborn baby, provided you use the infant next that you get with the stroller. You’ll also receive a foot cover, headrest, two-position canopy, and five-point safety harness.
To see the manufacturer’s video of the Babyzen Yoyo in action, click this link.
City Mini by Baby Jogger
- Baby Jogger City Mini 2 Jet
- Lift a strap with one hand and the City Mini 2 folds itself simply and compactly; The auto lock will lock the fold for transportation or storage
- The adjustable calf support provides on the go comfort for baby
The Baby Jogger City Mini an award-winning lightweight stroller that also comes as a double stroller, which is great news for you if you are expecting a second child or twins! The City Mini receives excellent scores for safety, ease of use, and handling in numerous consumer reports and has long been a favorite with families.
Favorite features of the City Mini include the quick and easy fold, large sun canopy, and excellent maneuverability.
To see a video of the Baby Jogger City Mini, click this link.
City Mini GT by Baby Jogger
- Patented quick fold technology fold your lightweight stroller with one hand; Care The seat can be washed in cold water on the delicate cycle of your washing machine and attached back onto...
- 3 Wheel Stroller: 8.5 inches all terrain non flat tires with front wheel suspension provide a smooth comfortable ride
- Plush padded seat reclines to a near flat position with vented seat top
At first glance, the City Mini GT looks identical to the original City Mini, but this upgraded version of the Mini has undergone several improvements.
For example, the seat on the GT is now more generous and has more padding, the handlebar is adjustable, and the stroller’s solid tires have been swopped for air-filled ones that give your passenger a smoother ride off-road. The GT’s canopy has been moved slightly higher up the stroller’s frame to allow more headroom for a tall child.
And, very unusually for a lightweight umbrella stroller, the weight limit on the GT has been boosted to 65 pounds. Also, the higher seatback and longer distance from the seat to the footrest means that this stroller can carry a HUGE child!
Another upgrade is the brake. The Mini has a traditional footbrake, but the GT version has an easy-to-use handbrake. The GT’s canopy, safety harness, and seat recline remain unchanged, as does the storage.
Like the City Mini, the GT comes in a double version.
The one downside to all these improvements is that the stroller has gone up in weight by four pounds.
To see a video of the Baby Jogger City Mini GT, click this link.
City Tour by Baby Jogger
- Easy and compact portable stroller features a one hand quick fold; auto lock locks the fold for transportation or storage
- Multi position near flat recline; the canopy stroller includes a UV 50 plus sun canopy with canopy extension and peek a boo window; stroller seat features 5 point harness
- Folding stroller fits neatly into the backpack style carry bag, included with stroller; convenient under seat storage basket provides space for baby's extras
The City Tour is a serious competitor for Babyzen’s Yoyo with its light weight of only 14 pounds, easy fold, and compact folded package. There’s even a transport bag for the folded stroller that you can keep in a special compartment in the City Tour’s underseat basket.
The City Tour can be used for a child up to 45 pounds. However, although the seat folds almost flat thanks to the strap recline, you can’t use a car seat with it. That means you can only use the stroller for babies over six months old.
Popular features include the generous, extendable canopy with its peek-a-boo window on the top. The handlebar is not adjustable but will comfortably accommodate someone over six feet tall.
The City Tour is ideal for you if you want a compact stroller for everyday use that’s light and easy to store and that won’t break the bank.
You can see a video of the Baby Jogger City Tour at this link.
Features that Matter, Compared
Car seat compatibility
You can use the Yoyo with an infant car seat to create a travel system. Babyzen offers one type of car seat adapter that’s compatible with the following car seat brands:
- Cybex (excluding Cybex Cloud Q)
- Nuna
- Maxi-Cosi
The City Mini and the City Mini GT can be converted into a travel system with the car seat adapter that you buy separately. The City Mini is compatible with most popular car seats, including the Maxi-Cosi, Graco, Chicco, Peg Perego, and Evenflo.
Disappointingly, the City Tour is not compatible with a car seat.
Storage
The underseat storage basket on the Yoyo is quite small but it will carry all your baby essentials and a few extras too. The maximum weight capacity of the basket is 4.5 pounds.
The City Mini has an underseat storage basket that will take a large diaper bag and a few small items. However, the basket is not easy to access from the back.
The City Mini GT has a similar, small basket to that on the City Mini, although there’s also an extra mesh pocket on the seat back that’s handy for essentials like your phone, keys, and wallet.
The City Tour has an underseat storage basket that will hold up to 15.5 pounds. There’s also an extra zipped pocket that will take a few items such as snacks and valuables. If you want more space for your groceries, the stroller is sturdy enough to carry a couple of shopping bags on the handlebar with a buggy clip.
Maneuverability and push
The Yoyo has four, small wheels that are made from PU foam, so you don’t need to worry about punctures. And because the wheels are smooth, you won’t pick up any annoying bits of gravel as you stroll. The front wheels swivel, and there’s no locking feature. That means pushing across uneven terrain can be a challenge. That said, the chassis has a suspension system, as do the front wheels, so your passenger will enjoy a smooth ride over most surfaces.
The City Mini is a three-wheeler that has small hard, rubber wheels. The front swivel wheel can be locked into place, making the City Mini a much more maneuverable stroller than the Yoyo, especially over rough terrain. Like the Yoyo, the City Mini has front wheel suspension for a comfy ride.
The City Mini GT is a three-wheeler and has all-terrain, never-go-flat tires. The stroller also has front wheel suspension for a cushioned ride. That means you can confidently use the stroller over gravel, cobbled streets, grass, and cracked sidewalks.
Like the City Mini strollers, Baby Jogger’s City Tour is a one-handed push that copes well with all the usual types of terrain you’ll encounter in an urban environment, including trips to the park.
The City Tour has a lockable front wheel that allows for better stability across rough ground, and the solid, rubber wheels mean that you’ll never get stuck with a puncture.
Parking brake
Both the Yoyo, the City Mini, and the City Tour have a one-step parking brake on the rear wheels. Unfortunately, the brake is not flip-flop-friendly.
The City Mini GT has a conveniently located hand-operated brake that you operate via a toggle below the handlebar. This hand brake arrangement is much more user-friendly for parents who like to wear open-toed sandals or flip-flops.
Handlebar
The Yoyo has a fixed handlebar that is fine for parents of average height, although someone very tall might have to stoop a little. The single handlebar allows for an easy one-handed push.
The City Mini and the City Tour also have a fixed handlebar that’s set at 41 inches from the ground, which might be too high for shorter parents. The City Mini GT has an adjustable handlebar with a rubberized grip.
The fold
If you want a stroller that makes travel easy and hassle-free, you’ll need one with a smooth, easy folding mechanism. The Yoyo delivers on that, and once folded, it will pass as a carry-on on airlines, and it will fit into an overhead storage locker too. Once folded, the Yoyo measures 20.5 inches x 17 inches x 7 inches. The Yoyo also comes with a shoulder strap and a travel bag for the ultimate in convenience.
No products found.Although the Yoyo’s folding mechanism is simple to use, you will need to use two hands to accomplish collapsing the stroller, despite the manufacturer’s marketing blurb that insists the fold only requires one hand to fold it. Once folded, the stroller clips together to form a flat, compact package, rather like a large purse.
The City Mini has a simple, easy one-handed folded mechanism that leaves you with a neat 24 inches x 31 inches x 10 inches package that weighs just 16 pounds.
In contrast, the City Mini GT is heavier at 22 pounds in weight. Also, the GT’s dimensions when folded are slightly bigger than the Mini at 29.3 inches x 24.21 inches x 10.24 inches.
The Baby Jogger City Tour weighs in at just over 16 pounds and has folded dimensions of a compact 9.84 inches x 24.4 inches x 31.5 inches. That makes the stroller easy to carry in your car trunk and it will also fit into airplane and train overhead storage lockers.
Weight capacity
As you might expect from such a lightweight stroller, the Yoyo has a modest weight limit of 33 pounds, which could be an issue for you if you have a large child or older toddler. In comparison, the City Mini will take a hefty toddler or up to 50 pounds, and the City Mini GT will carry a large child up to 65 pounds. The City Tour carries a child up to 45 pounds in weight.
Seat
The Yoyo has a well-padded, plush seat that can be removed and washed in your washing machine. Also, the stroller has a five-point safety harness and an extendable leg rest. The Yoyo comes complete with a nest for a newborn. There’s a sturdy, adjustable five-point harness to keep your child safely in their seat. The buckle is easy for moms and dads to handle, but would present a challenge for a child.
The City Mini has a roomy seat that will carry a child of up to 50 pounds. There’s an infinite seat recline that goes down to an almost flat position. Like the Yoyo, the seat recline is strap operated and can be tricky with a kid in the seat.
Once the City Mini’s seat is reclined, you’ll find a large mesh panel that gives good ventilation on warm days. In cooler weather, there’s a retractable weather cover that you can use. There’s an adjustable five-point harness with comfy padding and a toddler-proof buckle.
The City Mini GT is made for older infants over six months of age who can sit up unaided and has a useful mesh panel like that of the City Mini. The stroller carries a whopping 65 pounds and has 26-inches of head room, making it ideal for a super-size kid or one who is tall for his age. There’s a five-point safety harness with a toddler-proof buckle to keep the child securely in the well-padded, comfy seat.
The City Tour has a child-proof five-point harness. The seat is well-padded and comfy and reclines to an almost flat position. That’s great for a toddler who wants to nap, but isn’t suitable for infants.
Color choice
For parents who like to turn heads, the Yoyo comes in a range of stylish colors, including gray, red, pink, blue, black, peppermint, taupe, and ginger.
The City Mini and GT are available in six colors, including green, black, red, blue, purple, gray. The City Tour comes in four nice colors.
Accessories
For more flexibility and to accommodate your growing family, the Yoyo now comes with a Buddy Board that allows a toddler to travel while standing on the back of the stroller. You also get a cup holder, a newborn pack bassinet, travel bag, and parasol.
The City Mini has a range of useful accessories that you can buy separately to customize the stroller just how you want it. There’s a parasol, snack tray, parent console, glider board, belly bar, and a durable carry bag.
A very useful accessory that you can buy for the City Mini GT is a bassinet. The bassinet allows you to transform the stroller into a pram for a newborn baby.
The City Tour comes with a storage bag that’s great for when you’re traveling, as it means you can keep the stroller clean and tidy while you’re on the road. The bag has carry straps on the back too, so you can tote it around like a rucksack.
Canopy
The Yoyo has a decent size canopy that has two settings; open or folded. There’s a plastic peek-a-boo window on top. For extra shade, you need to buy a parasol that’s sold separately.
Both the City Mini and the City Mini GT have a huge canopy! The canopy has two peek-a-boo windows and its three section expansion means that it covers almost the whole child. The downside is that the peek-a-boo windows have Velcro closures that are very noisy and would wake up a napping child.
The City Tour has a large canopy that has silent closures. The canopy is made from UV 50+ fabric and is extendable to give full coverage of your passenger. There’s a peek-a-boo window so that you can keep an eye on your napping youngster.
Wrapping it up
If you’re looking for a lightweight, super-compact stroller that will easily fit into your car trunk and that you can take on public transport for a hassle-free day out, any of the Baby Jogger and Babyzen strollers that we’ve featured here will fit the bill.
Both these manufacturers produce exceptionally well-designed, robust strollers that will conveniently take you and your child wherever you want to go. Before you make your decision, remember that the City Tour is not compatible with any car seat and is only suitable for a child over six months old. The other strollers we’ve mentioned can be used for a newborn baby, provided you use either a car seat, bassinet, or infant nest insert.
