Bugaboo Fox 5 review: A stylish go-anywhere travel system

Bugaboo’s latest travel system is the Bugaboo Fox 5, and it promises to be the brand’s most comfortable and manoeuvrable all-terrain pushchair yet. Having tested Bugaboo’s previous generations of travel systems, including the Fox 2 and the almost-perfect Fox 3, I was interested to see how the company could improve the model further.

I tested out the pram for a few weeks with my one-year-old son as passenger. We went on the school run, for walks around the park, and shopping around town to get a good idea of its performance on pavements, grass and pathways. I also wanted to see how it performed in day-to-day operation, from packing the basket full of groceries, to parking it up at playgroup, and pushing it on and off the bus.

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Bugaboo Fox 5 Review: What you need to know

The first thing I noticed when taking the Fox 5 out on the road was how effortlessly it glides over pavements, paths and grass (even when pushing with one hand). This is thanks to the new chassis design, which has moved the pram’s central point of gravity to the rear. (This is one of the main points of difference between the Fox 3 and Fox 5). The footrest and canopy have also been extended to make the pram work with your child as they grow, and give you a few more months (or years) of use. 

The Fox 5 also comes with a carrycot fitted with an aerated mattress, which feels soft, comfortable and supportive, along with an ergonomic seat that features a five-point harness and extra padding. Bugaboo diehards might also notice that the white buttons have been removed for a more premium finish.

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Bugaboo Fox 5 Review: Price and competition

As a standalone pram, the Bugaboo Fox 5 is priced at £1,115, or £1,395 as a complete bundle. The bundle contains a carrycot, footmuff, baby bag, seat liner, parasol and cup holder. By contrast, the Bugaboo Fox 3 costs around £800 for the standalone pushchair and just over £1,200 for the footmuff bundle.The Fox 5 is very similar in price and quality to the iCandy Peach 7, at £1,199 for the full bundle or around £1,500 with the car seat included. Note that the Peach 7 also has a brilliant built-in buggy board for older children to ride on. Comparatively, the Ocarro 5 Piece Travel System comprises a pushchair, carrycot and car seat adapters for £1,000, or £899 just for the pushchair. I’m also a big fan of the Nuna-Triv Pipa Next 5, which has a lightweight frame and one-hand fold. It costs just over £1,000 with the carrycot, adjustable seat and car seat included.

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Bugaboo Fox 5 Review: Performance

I’ve always found Bugaboo travel systems to be a favourite performance-wise, but not the easiest when it comes to assembly. Thankfully, the Fox 5 proved simple to put together, offering a step-by-step video guide on scanning of the included QR code.Once assembled, it was quick to get the pushchair out and about on the school run, to the shops and for play dates in the park. I tested it using the ergonomic seat that comes with a brilliant five-point harness that’s extremely easy to secure. It received a lot of compliments from fellow mums who mentioned how smart it looked – some even asked to give it a push to see what it felt like.

I can’t fault this pram for its general performance; it’s so lightweight and pleasurable to use. My son is now nearly two years old, so in some pushchairs he can feel a little heavy, but this wasn’t the case with the Fox 5. The one-hand fold works really well, although note that the large all-terrain wheels mean that it takes up quite a bit of space in the boot or when storing away.

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Bugaboo Fox 5 Review: Design and key features

The Bugaboo Fox 5 comes with a carrycot and aerated mattress, along with an enlarged under-basket that feels roomier than its predecessor. As your baby gets older, you can switch to the high ergonomic seat, which has an easy-to-use five-point harness and extra padding at the back. There are also large puncture-proof wheels with advanced suspension, a one-handed folding mechanism and an extendable footrest and sun canopy for the high seat. You also have the option to personalise the pram, choosing one of 12 different colourways. In addition, there’s a range of luxury Bugaboo accessories from which you can take your pick, such as a baby bag and cup holder.

Sustainability has also been at the forefront of the design process, with the travel system crafted using premium-quality materials and a PFAS-free, water-repellent fabric coating. Meanwhile, the handlebar grips are finished in 100% vegan leather; the main pram is also manufactured using bio-based materials, which help to reduce CO2 emissions by 20%.

Bugaboo Fox 5 Review: Verdict

If comfort and style are your main priorities, and you have the space for the Bugaboo Fox 5 in your car and your home, then the Fox 5 is one of the best travel systems we’ve tested. Bugaboo is incredibly detail driven, and even when its prams don’t appear to need any further improvements, the brand manages to find new ways to make them even better.

On the downside, it’s worth noting the size of the pram’s wheels – while they make this pushchair ideal for use on all terrains, they do add bulk to the frame. This means the Fox 5 takes up more space in the boot of a car or when parked in your hallway than more travel-friendly buggies. Lugging it up flights of stairs if you live in a flat may also become quite annoying and tiring over time.

This is a pram that prioritises comfort over space, and when it comes to the glide and feel of it on the pavement it’s head and shoulders above the competition. One feature I think it’s lacking, however, is a built-in buggy board like that included with the iCandy Peach 7.

Nevertheless, this is a brilliant travel system for a new parent that will make life easier, taking your offspring from their newborn days right up to toddlerhood.

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