We eagerly anticipated the contents – the Petite Star Kurvi Match plus, the four wheeled version of the Kurvi Match 3. Hot on the heels of our last Petite Star review, the Petitie Star Zia plus we had great expectations of their latest model. Find out more in our detailed analysis.
Quick Summary: The Petite Star Kurvi Match + has some fabulous features that are undeniably brilliant but it also has some glitches that need to be highlighted.
Whats good?
- Large wheels
- Great suspension
- Smooth one-handed steering
- Fantastic price
Whats not so good?
- Affords limited protection in carrycot mode
- Poor quality change bag
Introduction
With all the great features of the Petite Star Kurvi Match 3, the Petite Star Kurvi Match + comes with a new chassis, four rubber moulded tyres instead of three air filled tyres and a brand new range of fabrics for 2010.
If you are unfamiliar with the Petite Star Kurvi range, it’s major selling point is that the seat unit converts into a carrycot so that you don’t have extra elements of your pushchair to store around the house when they are not in use. It also makes the system much more affordable at RRP £325 (or £370 including the car seat).
The Petite Star Kurvi Match + comes in four colours; Pearl white, Scarlet Red, Purple Berry and Apple Green.
Chassis
Release the red latch, pull the handle up and your Petitie Star Kurvi Match + chassis will open with ease.
The matt aluminium frame is well balanced; the wide back axle, large rear wheels and a long adjustable handle makes short work of any obstacles, especially with the front wheel suspension to cushion any lifts.
The braking system is a foot pedal located in the centre of the back axle that has a definite on or off, achievable in any sort of footwear, including flip-flops!
At the press of a button, the back or the front wheels can be removed without any struggle, very handy if they’re muddy and you don’t want to cake your car boot in dirt.
I have to say, the net basket slung from the centre apex of the chassis, is completely inconsequential, it has a great flat base and velcro close, but would only carry a raincover or car seat adaptors and nothing else. Thankfully Petite Star have included the matching change bag so all your necessities can be contained in one place but more on that later.
To collapse the pushchair, engage the brake and fold back the hood, press the little red button on the right hand side of the handle and slide the clips on both sides towards you. The handle then drops down to sit on the back axle and is held in place by the red folding latch. It isn’t the most compact fold and will not stand upright when collapsed but removing the wheels will reduce the footprint considerably.
Seat
The chair unit on the Petite Star Kurvi Match+ is where all the exciting stuff happens. The chair pegs slide into the holes on the frame to mount the unit in a seamless manoeuver and by pressing the release buttons it can be removed with the same effort.
Now for the party piece; the chair can be transformed into a carrycot by simply reclining the seat fully, unclipping the straps underneath, and swinging the seat bar out of the way, the pushchair is now a pram. This is ridiculously easy to do and when fitted with the big hood, the soft padded liner and the apron, it really looks the part.
This conversion is undoubtedly a great idea, however the soft body of the carrycot affords little protection around the sides and leaves your baby vulnerable in crowded situations. It also wobbles slightly, having only the pegs to secure this long bed to the frame.
Reversing the above restores your unit to chair mode, a procedure that even the passenger could just about master… it’s that easy! The chair can be dropped onto the frame in either direction, forward or rear facing. Another glitch with its ability to morph into a cot means that the foot step is covered with fabric which would result in muddy feet making this area of the chair very dirty. The fabric has a slight sheen, so would wipe well but the texture could retain some dirt.
In our opinion, the handle to adjust the three-position recline is in the perfect location, at the top of the pushchair, at the back of the hood. Here, it saves you unnecessary bending and is just so easy to smoothly position a child that has nodded off.
The hood has a peephole window in the top and needs one, it’s one of the largest hoods we’ve seen, especially when it’s expanded by unzipping the extra section. It is fantastic when combined with the footmuff as it can be pulled right down to the bumper bar making a cosy cocoon for a child of any age. Talking of bumper bars, the colour coordinated bar can be unclipped on one side or both to act like a gate hinge or can be completely removed to let the child out.
Another lovely design touch is the reflective trim on the edge of the hood and the bumper bar. It is hardly noticeable in daylight, but in twilight it would come into its own, easily visible in car headlights.
Accessories
The head hugger is more of a pillow as it is too wide to be described as a head hugger. The raincover is tailormade for the Petite Star Kurvi Match + but is slightly baggy on the fit, however it does give the passenger plenty of room to breathe and move freely. The window at the front is enough to access your child or even to leave open without them getting wet.
The change bag is colour matched to the pushchair with two exterior pockets for smaller items like a mobile phone or purse. Inside there is a zip pocket and a large Velcro close section. A change mat is included but this doesn’t really make up for the fact that the bag is poor quality. The fabrics and finish, really let it down.
Conclusion
The Petite Star Kurvi Match + has some fabulous features that are undeniably brilliant but it also has some glitches that need to be highlighted.
The best elements on this good looking pushchair are the attractive frame, large wheels, knuckled bumper bar and an enormous hood. It offers a smooth ride with lovely suspension and one handed steering.
The Kurvi Match +’s ultimate magic trick, the conversion from pushchair to carrycot and vice versa is not quite as impressive as you first think, it gives your precious cargo limited protection if bumped or knocked.
If you are hoping to use this pushchair from birth upto the time that you no longer need child transport, you may find the fold a little cumbersome. Most parents no longer need the comforts afforded by the full travel system by the time their child reaches the age of 3 or 4, so something small, like the Petite Star Zia+ would be more useful.
Lastly, we really didn’t like the change bag, but for the price of this 3-in-1 you could afford something more stylish if you really felt it wasn’t for you.
