BOB Motion Combo Review

The BOB Motion is a standard stroller that is similar to the Britax B-Agile in design and components. The Motion has a lightweight frame, pneumatic tires, one hand fold and an adjustable handlebar. It doesn't have a native seat, but it is compatible with models from Chicco, Graco Classic Connect, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio models and Britax Click & Go seats (owned by the same parent company). The Motion comes with adapters for using Britax seats, but the remainder require an additional adapter. All of the seat snap in without the need for a strap, but the Britax seats sit lower in the stroller and allow for easier use of the stroller canopy.

Performance Comparison

Ease of Attaching Car Seat

The Motion earned a 6 of 10 for ease of attaching car seats, tying with a few of the other seats in the review for similar reasons. The high for this metric is a 10 earned by the Bugaboo Bee 3 Combo with a car seat adapter loop that allows car seat carriers to be easily placed inside where they click in with no pressure required. The low for the metric is a 1 given to the BOB Revolution Flex Combo thanks primarily to its two steps installation process and the higher placement of the car seat once attached.

There are several car seat adapters available for the Motion, including a set that comes standard for any of the Britax Click & Go seats. Additional adapters can be purchased for the Chicco Keyfit 30, Chicco Keyfit, Graco Snugride Classic Connect 32 and 35 (no Click Connect models), and the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio models, excluding the Viaggio 4-35 (an award-winning seat in our infant car seat review. We tested the Motion with the Britax B-Safe 35, the Chicco Keyfit 30, and the Graco SnugRide 30 Classic Connect.

The photos above so the connection for the car seat adapters for the Britax B-Safe (left) and the Chicco Keyfit 30 (right).

The adapters for the Britax seat come standard and are dual-sided attachments that require you to line up both sides of the seat to the frame prior to pushing it into place. These adapters do not require any kind of assembly and click into place fairly easily. It also does not require to removal of the seat or the canopy to use this carrier with this stroller. You could remove the seat if you really wanted to, but it is going to take some effort and tools to do so, so unless the overall weight is an issue, it is probably best to leave it in place. This seat is the easiest of those we tested for attachment, but you are still going to need significant pressure on the seat to get it clicked into place. It is easier to remove than install, and it feels relatively stable. There were a few occurrences of thinking we had it clicked into place when it really wasn't, so we suggest parents double check and give a good tug on the handle to ensure it is securely attached.

The photos above show how the canopy on the Motion work in conjunction with the canopies on the individual car seats. They are the Britax (left) and the Chicco (left).

The Chicco and Graco adapters are also click in and require no assembly and one works for both car seats. The adapter is easy to use and we didn't have any trouble installing it. The downside to these car seats is you will need to remove the canopy on the motion to install them correctly and this means you won't be able to use the canopy in addition to the carrier canopy like you would if you paired this stroller with the Britax carrier. The adapter adds over 2 pounds to this assembly, so if weight is an issue that is also a downside. Both seats require the use of additional straps after you click them into place, which is not our favorite installation method. Our fear is the added step will go undone either from forgetfulness or a belief that the seat is securely attached without them. Given that so many carriers can attach to different strollers without the added strap, we think it isn't worth the risk that the strap might go undone and we gave favor to the seats that don't have straps.

The photos above show the car seat adapters attached to the Motion. They are the adapters for the Chicco (left) and the Britax (right).

The Chicco seat gave us trouble with only one side predictably installing, while the other side took some effort and repeated double checking. The fear here is there is an audible click that might fool parents into thinking it is properly installed when it isn't. This however is not as big of a problem as the Graco car seat that installed correctly and fully, but with rough shaking came loose from the connection points further illustrating how important the straps are to this attachment process. For these reasons we would not choose to pair the Motion with anything but the Britax out of those we were able to test. With the one step installation, a more secure feeling, and the use of the stroller canopy, it is simply a better combination.

Weight and Folded Size

The Motion is one of the smaller folded strollers in this group, but unfortunately its weight is not as nice. With a size of about 6,600 cubic inches there are only 2 strollers that fold smaller, including the similar Britax B-Agile 3. The Motion is about 23 pounds, which can vary depending on the car seat adapter and whether or not you can retain the canopy, but this is heavier than many new moms will be able or allowed to lift depending on how well childbirth went. For this metric the Motion came in with a 6 of 10, which is average for the group. The heaviest and largest package is the Revolution at 26.5 pounds and over 15,000 cubic inches. The lightest option is a dedicated frame stroller, the Baby Trend Snap-N-Go Ex with a weight of 10.9 pounds, while the lightest standard stroller is the UPPAbaby Cruz Combo with a frame weight of around 14 pounds.

The Motion folds with one hand and in 2 steps; it self-stands and auto locks as well making it a very easy stroller to manage even with one hand still holding baby in the car seat. The self-stand works best with the handle in the highest position, though it will still work in the lowest 2 positions, and the Britax car seat adapters do not get in the way of the fold or the stand. The entire folded package can be rolled like rolling luggage for a smooth transport. It also offers a carry handle for those who prefer carrying over rolling. The Motion has a two handed unfold with 2 steps and both work fairly smoothly. With time and practice you might be able to manage it one handed, but two works better. Unfolding isn't as easy as folding and the Motion lost some points in our tests thanks to the more difficult unfold.

For commuting the Motion managed only 6 points of 10 losing points for its heavier weight that makes it harder to get into and out of a car, and its lower profile seat that doesn't work well in cafes. This product self-stands when folded, conforms to the 2X4 rule of some public transportation, and folds into a fairly compact package for transport. It has a smaller footprint than many of the standard strollers helping it excel at tighter spaces and narrow doorways. This makes it good for navigating cafes and the like, but the lower seat will prevent baby from seeing over the table top. We would have expected this stroller to rank somewhat higher given its smaller cubic inches, but the heft prevented us from truly loving it for commuting.

Maneuverability

The Motion earned a 6 of 10 for maneuverability tying with 3 other strollers, the Peg Perego Booklet Combo, Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Combo, and the Britax B-Agile 3. The high for testing in maneuverability is the big brother to the Motion the Revolution with a 9. This product has rubber pneumatic tires, adjustable suspension and a locking swivel front wheel with adjustable tracking. The low for the group is a 3 earned by the Chicco Bravo LE Combo with foam filled plastic wheels and a cheaper bushing design with a press on end cap.

This stroller seems to have more rolling resistance than similar strollers making it a bit sluggish to push and requiring more energy that over time will leave parents fatigued. It is only about average for easa of pushing on pavement and harder surface, and while you can push it with one hand the softer frame means you aren't likely to do it often. On the upside it did manage well in the tight corner turns and for pushing up and over smaller bumps or carpet transitions. Parents familiar with the BOB brand should not expect the same kind of ease when pushing this product as they may have experienced in the rest of the BOB lineup. This stroller is similar to the City Mini lineup in our standard stroller review for pushing off of pavement with a similar score and experience to pushing it on hard surfaces. The flex in the adjustable handlebar made it difficult to keep control going up or down stairs, but it wasn't bouncy like some of the competition with springy suspension.

For more details and in depth analysis of the BOB Motion maneuverability, be sure to read our review of the Motion in the best full-size stroller review.

Safety

The Motion really shines in the safety metric where it earned the highest score of 8 of 10 tying with the Bugaboo Cameleon and Britax B-Agile. The low for the group is 4 shared by the Chicco Keyfit Caddy and the Peg Perego Booklet. Safety testing includes assessing possible pinch points, back and side tipping, and the design and performance of the braking system. The lower score of the Caddy is somewhat expected given it is a cheap dedicated frame stroller, while the lower score of the Booklet was somewhat of a surprise to us.

This product has single action brakes that are very easy to set and release. The wide center pedal on between the rear wheels is easy to access and presses down smoothly locking the brakes into place with a click you can feel. The brakes have good sliding resistance once set, but the play is a little more than we'd like to see at 0.5 inches with several managing at or below 0.25. It isn't the worst in the group however, with the Chicco Liteway Plus Combo rolling about 1.25 inches with the brakes set.

The Motion does not come standard with any cup holder or parent console so there is not an inherent safety concern with this product. However, should you purchase the console or cup holder accessories, you will want to use caution when placing taller objects inside. As with the majority of cup holders we suspect that some items may fall out of the holder and onto baby depending on the terrain you are traversing. In addition, you should never place hot liquids anywhere in or on a stroller.

The Motion has a side tip angle of 15.2 degrees from flat, which isn't great in a group where the best is 25.4 degrees. The Motion might suffer from a fairly high center of gravity caused by the car seat carrier sitting relatively high on the stroller frame above the toddler seat. The back tipping weight is a little more impressive, requiring over 42 pounds of weight hanging from the handlebar before it topples over backwards. While you should never hang anything from the handlebar to avoid potential injuries, we recognize parents may forget or accidentally apply more weight than they should, making this an important test in our minds. The highest amount of weight for any stroller is over 56 pounds on the Britax B-Agile a very similar stroller made by the same parent company as the Motion.

To find out more about potential safety concerns and how well the Motion stacks up against other standard strollers check out the complete detailed review in our standard stroller write up. The Motion review there will include more information pertaining to the toddler seat and 5 point harness offered o the motion. This information is not covered here as the seat will not be used with a car seat attached.

Ease of Use

The Motion didn't stand out in the ease of use tests with a score of 5 of 10. This score is slightly above average and ties with the 3 other strollers, including the B-Agile, but it isn't as good as the high of 7 earned by the Chicco Bravo. The low for the group is 3 shared by the Chicco Liteway Plus and the Graco SnugRider Elite.

The Motion has a medium sized storage bin under the seat with a 10 pound maximum weight limit. This limit is about average for the group and neither impresses or greatly disappoints. The UPPAbaby products are the best with capacities of 25-30 pounds, while the Bugaboo Bee can only hold 4 pounds, making its larger bin seems sort of useless. We were able to fit out medium sized diaper bag in the bottom of the Motion with only average ease of access from the sides and back. The access in the back is inhibited both by a fully reclined toddler seat that puts the bin at a far distance from the user and a back bar that curves across the back and makes it difficult for larger items to be squeezed past. The design of the bin and placement are similar to that found on the Britax B-Agile.

The canopy on the Motion is large and offers added ventilation and a mesh peek-a-boo window. The benefit is you can use the canopy with Britax/BOB car seats, but you will need to remove it for use with the majority of other seats because it gets in the way of attaching the carrier and prevents them from clicking into place. We like that the peek-a-boo window will let you keep an eye on baby and the larger canopy will cover the carrier with the help of the car seat canopy. More reasons why the combination of Britax seat and Motion stroller works best.

This product does not offer any other items for convenience by way of parent console or additional storage. There are some added features like a padded leg rest and an infinite position recline on the toddler seat that you can read more about in the detailed BOB Motion review in the standard stroller review.

Quality

For quality the Motion is about middle of the road with a very average score of 6 of 10 in these tests. This score ties with the similar City Mini and B-Agile strollers, and come sin ahead of 6 other products. The high for the group is 8 earned by the ultra-nice UPPAbaby Vista Combo.

The frame on the Motion is simple and sturdy, but we don't care for it as much as we do the City Mini or the B-Agile; it has a lot of flex in the frame that gives in a soft feel with a lot of play when pushed. The fabric covering the frame is sort of sloppy looking compared to the sleek look of the competition and the overall fit and finish looks a bit disheveled. The wheels are pneumatic and rubber but are not up to the same quality and standards as those found on the more traditional BOB lineup of jogging and adventure strollers. Arguably, the Motion is not designed for similar activities, but we think parents might be expecting the same level of quality only to be disappointed by the somewhat downgraded materials and components of this standard BOB offering.

The handlebar is adjustable between 32.5-43.3 inches from the ground and all testers were able to find a height that worked well for them without kicking the rear axle or storage bin on the stroller. The handlebar is foam covered and feels comfortable in hand, but isn't really that ergonomic unless it is at the highest possible setting.

The Motion offers all around shocks on each wheel that add some comfort for the passenger, but not as much as the adjustable suspension found on the BOB Revolution. However, given that some of the competition offers no shocks or only 2 wheel shocks it is a nice touch that sets it apart from several similar options.

The Motion is hand wash only and has a 5 year warranty on the frame with a 1 year warranty on components.

Ease of Setup

The Motion earned an 8 of 10 for ease of setup, which is just above average and tied with Baby Jogger City Mini Combo and the Mountain Buggy Swift Combo. The high for the group is the UPPAbaby Cruz with a 10 and a simple 7 step quick setup guide. The low is the Bugaboo Bee with a 2 and a set up that includes putting almost every component together while most strollers came somewhat assembled, the Bee did not.

The instruction manual for the Motion is good compared to the competition. It has each language in its own section, and each step has a corresponding picture so you know what you are doing. It took us 6 minutes and 45 seconds to get this product out of the box and ready to use.

Best Applications

Parents who are drawn to the BOB name but aren't ready to commit to a big jogging style stroller might be interested in this product. It offers similar styling in looks to the more traditional BOB products, but it has 4 wheels and a smaller footprint more in line with a standard style stroller. Given that this product is made by the same company as the Britax B-Agile 3 and is very similar in style and components it is hard to say it really has a best application given that the B-Agile scored higher overall and is about $70 cheaper. We think most parents will be happier with the B-Agile over the Motion, even if they love other BOB products. The Motion has more in common with the Britax B-Agile than any other BOB stroller on the market.

Value

The Motion has a list price of $305 which makes it one of the cheaper standard style strollers in this review. However, the B-Agile earned a few more points overall and has a higher total score than the Motion and it costs on average about $70 less. We think this makes the Britax product a better value overall than the Motion. Given the popularity of Britax and the Best Value award it won both in this review and the standard stroller review, we think it is a good value for a good product.

Conclusion

The BOB Motion is a standard style stroller with a one handed fold that self-stands and auto locks. This stroller accepts the Britax B-Safe seats using the included adapters, but will accept many other brands with the purchase of additional adapters. We found the Britax native seat to work the best with this stroller because it has a simpler connection attachment and the canopy on the stroller can remain intact and is useable for partial carrier coverage. Alternatively, the other car seat adapters require the canopy to be removed and has a two-step installation attachment that includes the use of straps as well as the click in attachment. Both the Chicco and Graco seats we used were not as stable as we like and both often felt attached when they really weren't. IN the end, this style of attachment is one we aren't really fond of and it makes the Motion a stroller we think isn't the best bet for a car seat/stroller combination.