REASONS TO BUY
Backwards seating
Good for napping
REASONS TO AVOID
Useless storage
Hard to push
Handle vibration
Harness adjustment issues
Discontinued
The Vue has been discontinued by Baby Jogger.
The Vue has been discontinued by Baby Jogger.
Baby Jogger Vue Lite Review
Reversible seat is cool, but it is hard to maneuver and difficult to use
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Our Verdict
The Baby Jogger Vue Lite earned the lowest score in the review with generally disappointing test results. This stroller earned next to the lowest scores for maneuverability, ease of use, and quality; arguably some of the most important considerations. With a list price of $180 it has some stiff competition, including award winners with similar price points. The Inglesina Net is $10 cheaper than the Vue Lite, earned 19 more points overall and a Best Value award, making it hard to consider the Vue a true competitor no matter what you are looking for in a lightweight stroller.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Baby Jogger company was started in 1984 by parents looking to jog with their toddlers. To solve this problem, they invented the first real jogging stroller. Since then, they have designed strollers for almost every terrain or activity. Baby Jogger was acquired by Newell Rubbermaid, a global marketer, in 2015 and together they continue to create popular strollers.
Performance Comparison
The Vue Lite earned the lowest overall score in this review with disappointing performance in almost every test and metric.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Weight and Folded Size
The Vue earned a 5 of 10 for weight and folded size, with an overall weight of 14.7 lbs, only 4 of the 18 strollers weigh more. The Vue is 6,741.63 cubic inches when folded, which is 2000 cubic inches larger than the Inglesina Net. This design means it is harder to carry long distance compared to the Inglesina Net that is only 11.88 lbs. The Vue does have a carry handle, but a shoulder strap would be more comfortable.
The Vue is over 14 lbs, and would be easier to carry if it had a shoulder strap as opposed to a handle.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Vue earned a 4 of 10 for ease of use, which is below average. The similar Zoe XL1 Best v2 received a noteworthy score of 8 for this metric.
While not advertised as a self-standing stroller, the Vue can balance on its handles if you need it to temporarily stand.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Fold and Unfold
The Vue has a one-handed fold that requires some maneuvering as the seat doesn't cooperate by fully collapsing. It does have an auto-lock, so it won't spring back open, but getting it folded enough to engage the lock is difficult. While not advertised as self-standing, it can be balanced on its handles if necessary (photo above), but this could damage the foam over time.
The Vue's brakes are some of the most difficult to use with a rocker pedal that is stiff and hard to tell which way you have pressed it.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Brakes
The brakes are the most difficult to use. These double action brakes are very stiff to set and release. They are so stiff that if you try to release them with no weight in the seat, the whole stroller will move away from you and the brakes will stubbornly remain engaged.
Thanks to reversible seating on the Vue the storage bin has no rear access and the front access is too narrow to fit a diaper bag through.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Storage
Thanks to the Vue's double-sided seat with a seat bottom both in front and behind the seat back, the storage bin is virtually inaccessible. It has an access flap in the front, but the opening is too small for a diaper bag and is better suited to a few diapers and a sippy cup. It isn't the smallest bin in the group, and it can carry 10 lbs, but the 4-inch high access hole is seriously limiting.
Sunshade
The canopy is large with a UP rating of 50+. It offers great coverage as long as the seat is upright, but there is no peek-a-boo window, so you won't be able to see baby while pushing (above left). The shade rotates depending on which direction baby is sitting, facing the pusher (above right) or facing the world.
The crotch strap on the Vue's harness is not adjustable and is so long it ends under the chin of most babies under 6 months old.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Harness
The 5-point harness has shoulder straps that are easy to adjust and waist straps with two adjustment points that are hard to use. Changing the height is also tricky because you will have to unthread the entire strap through two plastic pieces to rethread it through the back of the seat.
The crotch strap on this stroller is really long and can't be adjusted. This design results in the buckle coming up to the baby's chin and creating wide leg holes. It could be a potential safety concern, and we recommend caution when using this stroller with smaller/younger children. Parents should monitor baby in the harness to ensure they can't wiggle from harness straps.
Seat
The Vue seat allows baby to sit facing forward (above left) or back toward the pusher (above right). This concept is gaining popularity with parents, but the execution here causes more problems than it solves with storage access, folding trouble, and no peek-a-boo window. However, the seat is nicely padded, has an adjustable leg rest (rear facing), and reclines enough for napping. It only has three recline positions and the release lever is hard to find.
We do not recommend using lightweight/umbrella strollers for babies under six months old, because babies lack the head and neck control to avoid potential injury over uneven surfaces and the strollers do not offer enough features for true suitability for those under six months. If you need to use your intended stroller with a child under six months, we suggest you purchase a product that works with an approved attached infant car seat carrier (see comparison chart). Always ensure baby is properly secured in any seat with a snug fitting harness. Be sure to keep a close watch on baby, and peek in on them consistently while out and about.
Ease of Setup
The Vue took us 7:18 minutes to assemble with no tools required. The documentation is average, but the convoluted design eats up the extra time.
Maneuverability
The Vue earned a 3 of 10 for maneuverability, a disappointing score for such an important metric. This stroller is hard to push and turn no matter what the terrain with a dual wheel design that causes random veering. It feels like the wheels are rubbing against something when rolling, and there is significant resistance and wobble with a scuffing sound. The friction is so strong it vibrates in your hands even on smooth flat surfaces.
The Vue is very difficult to push and turn with substantial friction you can feel and hear, which translates into using more energy than you want just to keep strolling.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Vue has rear shocks and a padded seat with plastic wheels, so it is probably cozy enough for passengers.
Quality
The Vue earned a 3 of 10 for quality, which is almost the lowest score in the review. The Vue has an overall frumpy and unfinished look with loose fabric and exposed rivets and screws. While the seat portion of the frame looks and feels like cheaper material than the rest of the frame, it is the construction of the canopy and fabric portions that fail to impress.
Manufacturer Video
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team
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