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UPPAbaby Cruz V3 review: smooth, spacious and newborn-ready – but the fold could be better

Find out how the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 performed when tested with a newborn across park walks, local errands and London public transport.

Published: August 20, 2026 at 1:47 PM

Our Rating

4.4

A star rating of 4.4 out of 5.

GBP £749 RRP

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In a nutshell

A compact, city-ready pushchair that feels reassuringly robust, with smooth suspension, generous storage and a newborn-ready seat.

What we tested

Overall Rating

4.4

A star rating of 4.4 out of 5.

Pros

Cons

UPPAbaby is known for pushchairs that combine style and practicality, and the Cruz V3 is the latest update to its popular single pushchair range.

The new model builds on its predecessor with a more compact frame, improved suspension, a magnetic harness buckle and a fully reclining seat with infant insert, so it can now be used from birth without buying the carrycot. A carrycot is also available separately for £249.99.

With an RRP of £749.99, the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 sits firmly in the premium newborn pushchair market. But where some compact, city-friendly pushchairs can feel limited on storage, comfort or sturdiness, the Cruz V3 is designed to feel more substantial for everyday use. It has a relatively compact frame, but still offers a large underseat basket, improved suspension for bumpier pavements and a sturdy feel that our tester found reassuring on errands, park walks and London public transport.

To see how it performs in real family life, we tested the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 with a newborn across local errands, park walks and London public transport.

The UPPAbaby Cruz V3 is available from John Lewis, Kiddies Kingdom, Natural Baby Shower

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About our parent tester

Natalie Bass tested the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 with her newborn baby, using both the carrycot and newborn pod for errands, daily walks in her local park and journeys on London buses and Tubes.  Natalie is a senior reviews writer at GoodFood.com and has tested hundreds of products to help consumers with their buying decisions. She’s also worked as a features writer for several parenting magazines and websites.

2 pictures of baby in UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair and reviewer Nat with buggy

How easy is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 to assemble?

Assembling the Cruz V3 is an easy process that takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes, from unboxing to completion. I followed the manual for the most part, though as the manual relied mainly on diagrams rather than written instructions, I had to rely on a few YouTube videos to check how certain components slotted together.

How does the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 compare to the Cruz V2?

The V3 isn’t a total reinvention of the previous model, more of an upgrade with several refined features. Where the V3 differs most is that you can use it from birth, as it has a fully reclinable seat and infant insert.

The five-point harness has evolved into a magnetic harness buckle, which slots together with ease. The V3 also comes with improved suspension compared with the V2 (referred to as FlexRide) and larger wheels, resulting in smoother, more controlled steering.

There’s an extended canopy with a hidden sun drape, too, which was great for keeping my baby cooler on those rare warm spring days.

What is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 carrycot like?

While the newborn seat offered my baby comfort, I thought the carrycot was well worth the extra cost as it provided that extra bit of cosiness and security. The brand say it’s approved for overnight sleep, too, making it useful for occasional nights away.

The mattress was soft but reassuringly firm, offering plenty of space for my baby to stretch. The protective cover also unzipped easily for cleaning.

Maintaining the ventilation and temperature inside the carrycot was straightforward: the mattress has a ventilated base and the UPF 50+ sun canopy has air vents on each side. I was equally impressed by how easily the sun canopy folds down, particularly when on the move.

To remove the carrycot, simply push the switch at the top of the hood to the left and press it down, then lift.

How does the infant insert perform?

Slotting the infant insert into the pram’s seat was quick and simple, and while not quite as cosy as the carrycot mattress, it felt secure and supportive. It also gave me better visibility of my baby, as the seat can be reversed to be parent-facing.

UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair seat unit reclined

How easy is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 to fold and unfold?

Folding the Cruz V3 is simple enough, though it has a two-trigger mechanism so needs both hands. The pushchair can also only be folded down fully when the seat is forward-facing, not when parent-facing or when the carrycot is attached.

To fold:

To unfold:

How compact is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 when folded?

The V3 folds compactly, though doesn’t have a dedicated handle to lift it, which makes transporting it more awkward than other models. The frame is self-standing, and it slotted into a car boot without any trouble.

How good is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 to push and steer?

We first took the Cruz V3 for a stroll around our local neighbourhood, which is afflicted by uneven paths and steep kerbs. However, these were no match for the pushchair’s four wheels, which rolled over every bump with ease.

Since I don’t have a car, it was important to me that my pushchair could be manoeuvred easily onto public transport, but with the Cruz V3 this wasn’t a problem – especially as it’s light enough to manoeuvre onto trains, buses and the Tube. I found it slotted well into designated buggy areas, too.

UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair on train

How comfortable is it for your baby?

It’s a testament to the Cruz V3 that my newborn fell asleep every time I placed her inside it. The main reason behind this is the dual spring ‘FlexRide’ suspension, which absorbs the impact of every bump in the pavement. Each ride was ultra-smooth, reassuring me that my baby was comfortable and well supported. We found the same when walking on grass, too.

On sunnier days, the fold-down canopy on the carrycot provided reliable protection from bright light, too, as did the sun drape on the toddler seat.

2 pictures of UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair hood

What is the handlebar like?

The pushchair’s handle is adjustable, which makes it suitable for different parent heights – my partner and I both found it most comfortable when it was fully extended, despite being 6ft 1in and 5ft 4in respectively.

It’s ergonomically designed, so using it to push the buggy on longer walks was a breeze. The fact the handle is height-adjustable also made it simpler to squeeze the pushchair into tight spaces.

2 pictures of UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair seat unit

What is the hood like?

I loved the quality of the hood on the Cruz V3, and it felt durable enough to withstand inevitable everyday wear and tear. For extra coverage, there’s a zip across the back that extends the hood, and when extended there are also ventilation panels on each side. The carrycot hood is similar, with air vents on each side and a sun canopy built into the top.

2 pictures of UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair hood fully extended and fully reclinedc

How are the wheels and brakes?

The Cruz V3 comes with four ‘never flat’ wheels – two larger ones at the rear and two slightly smaller at the front – as well as a front wheel lock. It’s easy to apply the brakes, too: simply press the green pedal with your foot at the base to unlock, then lock it by pressing down the red pedal.

I found the front wheels had a habit of spinning horizontally when I levered the pushchair upwards, which made boarding trains, buses and the Tube a bit less seamless than I’d like.

The brakes took a moment to engage, and the wheels rolled back slightly after I applied them. Once locked in, though, they felt very secure.

How practical is the basket?

Not getting around by car means I require ample storage space in a pushchair to bring home shopping. Here, the Cruz V3 really delivers: the storage basket is enormous without compromising on the compactness of the buggy.
It has a 13.6kg weight limit and dedicated pockets to store items like a water bottle. It’s also deep and wide, so you can easily throw items in while on the move.

2 pictures of UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair basket

What’s in the box?

Optional extras also tested:

How sustainable is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3?

UPPAbaby has an explanation of its sustainability pledges on its website, covering everything from manufacturing to packaging. UPPAbaby states that its pushchairs are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, meaning they have been tested for low chemical emissions.

When it comes to the Cruz V3 specifically, it’s made from premium, REACH-certified leather, polyester and a lightweight aluminium alloy frame. It feels like it has an excellent lifespan, too – all the parts are built to last and able to withstand a bit of a bashing. The pushchair also comes with a three-year warranty.

Packaging-wise, UPPAbaby uses FSC-certified cardboard paper and recyclable plastic. That said, you can’t dispose of the plastic in your kerbside recycling bin – it’ll need to be taken to your local recycling centre.

Is it worth the money?

With an RRP of £749.99, the Cruz V3 is undoubtedly expensive, but its from-birth suitability makes it feel like a more worthwhile long-term investment.

Even without the extra cost of the carrycot, its versatility should support years of use, and the quality of the frame and materials reflect the more premium price tag, too.

Close up of UPPAbaby Cruz V3 pushchair seat unit

Where can I buy the UPPAbaby Cruz V3?

It is available from John Lewis, Kiddies Kingdom, Natural Baby Shower

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MadeForMums verdict:

I was really impressed by the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 and found it brilliant for everyday use.

It’s compact enough for me to take it on public transport, but still feels sturdy and easy to push, even on uneven pavements. The extra-large basket is ideal for trips to the shops, and I loved that the infant insert allowed me to use it from birth.

The fold isn’t as seamless as other models out there, and if you want a one-handed mechanism that folds flatter and is easy to carry, this perhaps isn’t the pushchair for you. That aside, it offers a strong middle ground for single-child parents looking for a lightweight-feeling model that’s reliable, practical and stylish.

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Authors

Natalie BassSenior Digital Reviews Writer

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