Storming the stroller scene with their usual impact, the Cosatto Yo! has landed. With colour and style that only Cosatto can combine, this eye-catching quirky compact is under scrutiny and in for review at Pushchair Expert HQ. Is the Yo! a Go or a No?
Quick Summary: It's a funky transportable pushchair with bags of style. We love the way Cosatto use colour and these particular colours kick winter into touch and bring on summer with a bang. You won't fail be to be noticed pushing a Yo! it's minor flaws shouldn't deter you from considering it as a serious contender.
Whats good?
- Fabulous aesthetic design
- All accessories included
Whats not so good?
- Too exposed for a newborn
- Poor recline
Pushchair Review
Cosatto have cornered the market in funky, quirky, colourful pushchairs. Their unique brand of eye-catching colour clashes and cheeky characters make them instantly recognisable. We love their bright and happy twist on every day necessities.
Today we have the Cosatto Yo! stroller in for review, an old favourite that has been given a new twist with three new colourways, Fruit Salad: candy pink and orange, Black Jack: black and liquorice grey and Mint Humbug: cool mint and charcoal. Our test victim is the vibrant, refreshing and unmissable Mint Humbug.
Top
Starting at the top; the handles. Although being comfortable to the touch, foam handles are not the best. I have found they deteriorate over time due to general wear and tear. They are angled at a comfortable degree for optimum maneuverability and as with most strollers/buggies, the handle height is static.
The charcoal grey canopy features the Cosatto Dude on the back and sides and it is lined with white cotton with an all over Dude print. A Velcro, opening peephole in the top of the canopy gives you the ability to look in on your passenger.
The concertina of the canopy is really smooth, and does what it’s told like a well trained dog. Open, it stays rigid to provide effective shade and closed, it stays flat and out of the way. Both operations work well without the aid of clips or brackets.
Middle
In the middle we have the seat itself. Great durable, wipeable fabrics and a five point harness are only enhanced by the attractive footmuff (more later). The recline is achieved using a bracket and straps, which is not the most sophisticated solution to reclining your sleeping child. However it does work surprisingly well, predominantly due to their use of super silky, seat-belt like straps that allow the drop or the rise to be performed with little hassle.
The Yo! is supposed to be a ‘from birth’ stroller but it does not lie completely flat and that needs to be taken into consideration if you are buying it with a newborn in mind.
Like many contemporary pushchairs, the seat frame is an oval shape. To keep the oval looking aesthetically attractive, the designers are extending the seat fabric all the way to the bottom, i.e the foot rest. This looks good but it’s not so practical when your 2 year old toddler jumps in and out with dirty shoes!
Beneath the seat is the relatively large basket. By their very nature, strollers don’t tend to have much space built-in due to their need to compact to the smallest shape possible. However the Yo! has ample room for a sizeable bag of groceries.
Bottom
All four plastic moulded wheels are 16cms. The front wheels have the ability to be locked off from their 360 degree swivel for use on uneven terrain.
You have an option of, not one, but two brake pedals over the back wheels. A firm push on either pedal will apply the brake and a pull up with your toes will release it, simple enough to perform barefoot but I would prefer to be wearing shoes.
Fold
Anyone who has owned an umbrella fold pushchair will grasp the Yo! folding mechanism in an instant. Pressing on a red pedal on the right of the chair at the same time as pulling up on the lever located at the top of the basket will start the procedure. With a gentle push forward on the handles, the chair contracts horizontally and vertically, collapsing forward and automatically clips shut. You are left with a lightweight, compact, maneuverable package that can be carried using the sturdy rubber handle. At 112cms x 35cms x 35cms it will fit into any car with plenty of room to spare.
Unfolding is simply a matter of releasing the clip and pulling up on the handles. Voila! Ready to go!
Accessories
The Yo! footmuff is gorgeous. Again, using the Cosatto Dude on the outside, it ties in perfectly with the rest of the stroller. The outside is made up of the mint green, 300 denier, wipeable fabric, and the inside is a soft charcoal fleece. I love the ‘kangaroo pouch’ hidden in the reverse flap at the top. Children’s hands can be kept toasty without the use of gloves (which we all know never stay on!) by tucking their hands into the top of the muff.
In the summer the top half of the footmuff can be zipped off and the base reversed to make a soft dry liner for sticky hot days. The reverse is the same white/green cotton print that features on the inside of the canopy,.
The head hugger, for the younger child/baby, is equally as plush. The back features the cotton print repeated from the canopy lining and the padded rim is the same charcoal fleece that features in the footmuff…cosy!
With their passion for fashion, Cosatto have come up with a great little solution for stowing the rain cover. It comes in its own purpose built drawstring back that hangs off a custom built hook on the left of the handle. The raincover itself is edged in mint green to co-ordinate with the stroller – of course! If you’re feeling brave, leave the cover at home and use the bag for a drinks bottle when you are sure rain is not imminent. (Not a clever assumption in our country!!)
Conclusion
Most people end up buying a buggy or a stroller at some point, to either make life easier when you grow tired of transporting your huge 3-in-1, or to leave at Grandma’s/childminder’s house. They are fast becoming more and more sophisticated as people want compact convenience from birth. The Cosatto Yo! doesn’t go all the way, but it’s very close.
It’s not the cheapest stroller on the market at £165 but you have to remember that you are getting all your co-ordinating accessories thrown in for that price; footmuff, head hugger and raincover all of which are attractive, comfortable and durable.
The Yo! has three flaws, they are; the recline could be resolved in a better way, I wouldn’t use it for a newborn and the handles need to move away from old fashioned foam. However overall the Yo! is great value for such a stylish, practical bundle.
It’s a funky transportable pushchair with bags of style. We love the way Cosatto use colour and these particular colours kick winter into touch and bring on summer with a bang. You won’t fail be to be noticed pushing a Yo! it’s minor flaws shouldn’t deter you from considering it as a serious contender.
