Cybex vs Maclaren: Onyx and Quest Umbrella Strollers

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If you like to get out and about around town or make trips in your car, taking your youngster with you on days out and the like, you’ll need a smart, lightweight stroller. But with so many different brands and styles to choose from, picking one out from the crowd can prove challenging.

Why Trust Us?

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

In this article, we’ve compared two popular brands of lightweight strollers like-for-like so that you can see which one would best suit your requirements and your budget.

Table of Contents

Cybex Onyx vs. Maclaren Quest

The Cybex Onyx and the Maclaren Quest are both lightweight umbrella-style strollers that would be perfect for families who like to travel around without the encumbrance of a more substantial, regular stroller. However, there are a few differences between the two that could see you leaning toward one over the other.

At this point, you should be aware that the Cybex Onyx was discontinued a couple of years ago, but you can still pick them up secondhand. That could be the perfect option for you if you’re working to a tight budget as many first-time parents are.

Now, let’s take a closer look at both brands.

Cybex: Urban, sporty, fun!

Cybex is a German company that merged in 2014 with baby product manufacturing giant, Goodbaby.

This brand makes car seats, kids’ furniture, and strollers that are safe and perfectly adapted to the urban lifestyle.

The company develops its products in line with their “Innovation Principle”: a combination of unique design, safety and quality, and intelligent functionality. That approach has won the manufacturer no fewer than nine awards for its products.

Cybex Onyx

The Cybex Onyx is a smart and stylish city stroller that has been designed to meet the demands of families who spend most of their time in an urban environment.

The Onyx’s well thought through functionality makes it fun to use and comfortable for your child.

Weighing in at just over 16 pounds the Onyx is a little heavier than the Maclaren but is surprisingly solid for a lightweight stroller. The rear-wheel suspension system gives a smooth, comfortable ride, even over uneven pavements, and the linked rear brakes make for easy one-touch braking that’s flip-flop friendly.

The plush seat reclines to multiple positions, and there’s a huge canopy too.

Things we like

  • Suitable for a newborn
  • Multi-position seat recline
  • One-pull harness adjust
  • XXL canopy with UV50+ sun protection
  • Rear-wheel suspension system and super-smooth ride
  • Rain cover included

Things we don’t like

  • The stroller can be converted into a travel system, but you need to buy a separate Cybex car seat

Cybex Onyx: Features that matter

Adjustable seat

The Onyx has a multi-position seat recline feature that can be operated with just one pull. The seat can be positioned flat, making it suitable for a newborn, and there are three other positions to choose from for naps or wide awake!

There’s a two-position leg rest, to accommodate your growing youngster, and there’s also a removable bumper bar.

Safety harness

The padded safety harness has shoulder and waist straps that operate via a mechanism that’s similar to those you’ll find in car seats. The system removes the tedious task of pulling each strap through a plastic slide to adjust the harness. That’s a big plus point when you need to quickly settle a struggling child securely and safely into the stroller.

Sun canopy

The canopy is impressively large for a lightweight stroller.

Suspension system

The Onyx has a rear-wheel suspension system that effectively smooths out bumps when you’re traveling over uneven pavements.

However, this stroller’s small, solid wheels are not designed to be taken off-road, although the front wheels do lock to help keep the stroller straight when negotiating uneven ground or gravel.

So, if you want a stroller that you can take along trails or to the beach, you should consider buying a jogging stroller or an all-terrain model instead.

Easy to assemble

The Onyx is supplied flat-packed, but it is very quick and simple to put together. That’s also an advantage for occasions when you need to store the stroller, and you’re tight for space.

The stroller folds easily, although you will need two hands for this operation, and that could be an issue for you if you have a wriggling child in tow.

Longevity

The Onyx is very versatile. You can use it for a newborn baby right up to a child weighing 50 pounds. That gives you years of use as your child grows.

The stroller is very well-made and durable too, so it should see you through several generations if you decide to grow your family.

Convertible

You can use the Onyx with an infant car seat as a lightweight travel system. However, the Onyx is only compatible with the Cybex car seat, so you’d have to replace your existing system, which means incurring additional expense.

Canopy

Cybex Onyx Stroller - Chili

The Onyx has a super, large canopy that comes right down over the front of the stroller, providing your child with superb protection from the sun.

Cybex have included a rain cover with the Onyx for days when the weather’s not so good. The cover is easy to fit and keeps your little one sheltered from the elements on rainy trips to the shops. We like that you don’t need to purchase the rain cover separately as you do with some other makes of strollers.

Storage

The Onyx has a generous underseat storage basket. Although this isn’t quite as big as the basket you’ll find on the Maclaren Quest; there’s still plenty of room for essentials and a small amount of shopping.

Like the Maclaren, there’s a pocket in the back of the canopy that will take your cell phone, keys, etc.

Handlebars

The Onyx has two handlebars that are adjustable to accommodate short and tall parents, saving you the discomfort of a backache. The handles are covered with a padded, slip-resistant covering so that you can push comfortably and safely in the rain without the risk of losing control of the stroller because of slippery handles.

Color choice

The Onyx was manufactured in an impressive array of colors, all with black accents and trim. Popular shades include candy colors such as blue, pink, mauve, red, and green, as well as charcoal gray and black.

Maclaren: Lightweight, versatile, and durable

Maclaren is a major player in the stroller marketplace, producing a wide array of different models and designs. The company was founded in 1965 by an aeronautical engineer, Owen Maclaren.

Maclaren built his first stroller from tubular aluminum, making it incredibly light, especially in comparison to the traditional, bulky prams that were widely in use at the time. As well as being super-lightweight, the stroller was extremely easy to fold too. And so the “umbrella stroller,” as we know it today, was born!

Maclaren Quest

The Maclaren Quest is very well-made, stylish, and lightweight.

Like the Onyx, the Quest can be used for a newborn, and the adjustable seat recline can be positioned for napping or wide-awake toddlers.

If you like to take your child for walks in the park, to the mall, or along country trails, the Quest will perform well in all these environments, even though it isn’t advertised as an all-terrain stroller.

The Maclaren’s weight-carrying capacity is slightly more generous than the Onyx, being able to take a child up to 55 pounds.

For your peace of mind, Maclaren offers a full, lifetime warranty effective from the date you buy the stroller.

Things we like:

  • Huge, extendable rain/shade canopy
  • Super-light and easy to steer, even one-handed
  • Takes a large toddler up to 55 pounds
  • Suitable for a newborn
  • Copes with most surfaces
  • Free rain cover
  • Newborn safety features
  • Lifetime warranty

Things we don’t like:

  • A cup holder is not included
  • Expensive compared with similar strollers, including the Onyx
  • The stroller is difficult to fold with one hand

Maclaren Quest: Features that Matter

Large seat

Despite the Quest’s light weight, it has a very generous seat that’s much wider and deeper than that of the Onyx. That means your toddler will have plenty of room to sit upright, even when the canopy is fully extended.

Like the Onyx, the Quest has a seat recline system that operates via a one-touch lever, and it has four positions. The plush seat cover is removable and machine washable.

The Quest has several important newborn safety features that aren’t offered by the Onyx. First, there’s a pop-up head barrier fixed to the top of the seat. Then, there’s a mesh foot barrier that you attach to the stroller’s frame to prevent your baby from slipping out of the seat.

Maclaren Quest Stroller- Full-featured, lightweight and compact. Newborn Safety System™ and compatible with Maclaren Carrycot, extendable UPF50+/waterproof hood, accessories in the box

Massive canopy

Although the Onyx has a generous UPF 50+ canopy, the Quest’s is much bigger and can be extended too via a zipped-in panel and a pop-out sun visor. That can be a deal-breaker for you if you live in a climate where your summers are very hot and sunny.

There’s a peekaboo window fitted to the back of the Quest’s seat, allowing you to keep an eye on your child, which you don’t get with the Onyx.

Maclaren Quest Stroller- Full-featured, lightweight and compact. Newborn Safety System™ and compatible with Maclaren Carrycot, extendable UPF50+/waterproof hood, accessories in the box

The Quest includes a free rain cover.

Storage

Both the Quest and the Onyx have plenty of storage space, although the Quest’s seat-back storage pocket is the larger of the two with plenty of space to fit a bottle, as well as your keys, phone, and wipes.

The underseat basket on the Quest is a decent size. Just be careful you don’t overfill it if you have an uphill walk home from the shops or you could defeat the object of buying a lightweight stroller!

Maclaren Quest Stroller- Full-featured, lightweight and compact. Newborn Safety System™ and compatible with Maclaren Carrycot, extendable UPF50+/waterproof hood, accessories in the box

Ride quality

Of the two strollers we’ve compared for you in this article, the Maclaren Quest gives the better ride if you have to venture away from smooth sidewalks onto rougher, more uneven ground. The Quest has six-inch double-hard rubber wheels that are puncture-proof, so they last forever. Like the Onyx, you can lock the Quest’s swivel front wheels to help keep the stroller straight when pushing on uneven ground or gravel.

The Quest has all-wheel suspension versus the Onyx rear-wheel system. However, both strollers give your child a smooth, comfy ride.

The Quest has a pair of link brakes to lock the stroller’s wheels. You can easily operate the system with your foot, although the braking mechanism isn’t flip-flop-friendly as it is on the Onyx.

Folding and storage

Although it’s advertised as a one-handed folding stroller, in reality, you need two hands to manage the task. And if you have a wriggling toddler to contend with, you won’t be able to bend down to the ground to engage the auto-lock.

The Quest weighs-in at 12.3 pounds, so it’s much lighter than the Onyx. This stroller also has a carry handle and a shoulder strap, both of which you don’t get with the Onyx.

Travel conversion kit

The Quest doesn’t have a travel system conversion option. However, you can use it with a carrycot for a newborn baby, which you must buy separately. In comparison, the Onyx is compatible with a car seat, but again you’ll need to buy that too.

Color range

One thing about the Maclaren Quest that we really love is the wide range of chic, stylish color combinations. Choose from plain black, black and silver, cardinal red or blue and silver, plum and marmalade, and charcoal grey and blue.

You can watch a video of the Maclaren Quest in action at this link.

Wrapping it up

If you’re looking for a stylish, lightweight urban-style stroller that has all the features of a regular stroller without the weight, the Cybex Onyx could be what you’re looking for. If you’re buying for your first baby and you don’t have lots of money to splash out, the Onyx would be a tremendous secondhand buy.

For those with the luxury of a larger budget, the Maclaren Quest ticks plenty of boxes as far as lightweight, umbrella strollers go. This stroller offers some super features such as the extra-large, extendable canopy, generously proportioned seat, big storage pocket, and a large basket.

Both these good-quality strollers can be used for newborns, but the superior build quality of the Quest will see it last you for longer than the Onyx, which is an important consideration if you plan on having more than one child.

 

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Alison Page