If you love the robust and spacious industrial-style design of the Hubb but need something a bit nippier for one child, we've been taking a look at the finer details of the Quinny VNC...
Quick Summary: If you are looking for a small fold then the VNC is not your match. Its robust and roomy design does not lend itself to a compact fold, but the operation is nonetheless easy to do.
Whats good?
- Huge basket
- Chunky puncture-proof wheels
- Deep seat with large extendable hood
- Unique looks
- Travel system compatible
Whats not so good?
- Large fold package
- Carrycot purchased separately to enable use from birth
Popular pushchair brand Quinny has recently added the brand-new VNC to its range. If you love the robust and spacious industrial-style design of the Hubb but need something a bit nippier for one child, we’ve been taking a look at the finer details…
Our verdict
Funky and functional are the two words we would use to describe this exciting, new-to-market pushchair. Perfect for those parents who need their pushchair to work hard for them, the Quinny VNC stands out from the crowd and will serve your family well like a personal butler! Every clip, component and part is of the best quality and the size of the seat unit means larger toddlers can sit comfortably without feeling the squeeze. The fold is chunky at best and it would have been nice to have a slightly more padded seat or an included seat liner but we can’t help but love the Quinny VNC for its huge basket, practical hardwearing wheels and excellent everyday performance.
If you are looking for a hardworking pushchair that will stroll many miles without the need to fold and store it in tight spaces, we would highly recommend a test drive of the Quinny VNC.
Chassis
Quinny is renowned for pushing the boundaries with its designs. The Buzz, Moodd and Zapp models have all had that funky flare in their appearance and the VNC is no exception to this.
The chassis is chunky and, thanks to its low centre of gravity, it is sturdy too. Your eyes are drawn to the four substantial foam-filled wheels, which we loved to push over all terrains. There wasn’t anywhere we wanted to go that the Quinny VNC couldn’t take us!
The frame houses a large rectangular shopping basket above the four wheels, in which we were able to fit everything we possibly needed for a trip out with baby plus the kitchen sink! We loved the handy magnetic pocket at the back of the basket – we used this to keep precious belongings in, such as our mini-tester’s ‘blanky’ and our purse.
The brake operation needed just the touch of our toes to flick on and another touch to release. The brake pedal is always red so occasionally we forgot whether or not the brake was engaged but this was no major issue!
The telescopic handlebar has a brilliant range of heights for different pushchair drivers and all we had to do to alter the height was squeeze the palm clasp in the centre of the handlebar. The geometric detailing on the handlebar grips is hard wearing but we love how it adds a funky edge to the overall design of the pushchair too.
Seat
As standard the VNC comes with a really roomy seat that housed our nearly 3 year old with plenty of shuffle room widthways. Our toddler loved strolling in this seat because it is deep and wide and passengers really feel nestled and protected. It is worth noting that the seat is suitable from 6 months of age, so if you plan to use the VNC from birth you will need to buy the carrycot separately.
Simple and effective, reclining the seat unit can be done with one hand. The lever is on the back of the seat and there are six recline positions to choose from so baby can rest and play whilst on the move.
Most parents prefer to have younger babies facing them and this is also possible. To change the direction of the seat you remove it from the frame using the black buttons. You only need to press one button at a time, which means you can remove the seat with one hand whilst holding baby on your hip.
The bumper bar is covered in the same funky geometric leather as the handlebar. It feels great for baby to hold on to and opens from either side.
Different to other pushchairs of its kind, the hood is thick and malleable and almost stretchy. It has a zip-open extendable panel that covers baby all the way down to the bumper bar. The back panel of the hood cleverly and discreetly lifts up to reveal a mesh window. We used it for peeking in on baby but it can also be used in the summer months to allow cool air to flow into baby’s seating space. Don’t let the thin fabrics fool you – they still offer the same UPF 50+ protection of other thicker fabrics.
The Quinny VNC comes complete with carrycot adaptors and car seat adaptors for Maxi-Cosi infant carriers.
Fold
If you are looking for a small fold then the VNC is not your match. Its robust and roomy design does not lend itself to a compact fold, but the operation is nonetheless easy to do.
The first step is to remove the seat unit from the frame (you don’t have to do this at all but it made putting the pushchair in our car boot easier). The second step is to squeeze the palm button at the same time as the outer handlebar button and the handlebar will retract and the whole chassis fold down.
You can make the fold package a bit more manageable by removing the wheels and storing them separately.
The fold size is chunky but it works so smoothly and can be done with one hand so, unless you plan to store your pushchair in tight spaces or have a small car boot, you shouldn’t be put off.
