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First published: October 2026 · Last reviewed: October 2026 · Next scheduled review: April 2027 · Specs verified against uppababy.co.uk and UK retailer listings October 2026
Our verdict in one sentence
It’s OK but not exceptional — easy to push and steer on the flat, sturdy and with a high seat, but it lets itself down with the fold and the handling, and for my money the Bugaboo Dragonfly ticks more boxes.
Quick answer: If you’re a city dweller — shops and pavements — and you want a full-size single with a high seat, the Cruz V3 will do the job. But it has a full-size footprint without being all-terrain, the fold needs two hands, and it’s not cheap. Compare it with the Bugaboo Dragonfly before you buy — that’s where my money would go.
At a glance
UPPAbaby Cruz V3 — how it compares
I shop-tested the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 locally in September 2026, on the same day as the Vista V3, with Janette and a lovely assistant named Jill. I thoroughly put it through its paces, as I try to do with all tests, especially in store — pushing, steering, folding, lifting, the recline and the handlebar.
The Cruz V3 is UPPAbaby’s full-size single — the more urban-focused sibling to the Vista. It’s OK but not exceptional. It has a full-size footprint, which gives added weight, yet it isn’t all-terrain. It’s a single only, although you can add a PiggyBack ride-on board, and the fold is awkward relative to others. It’s not cheap either.
Why trust this review?
Tested by: Mark and Janette, in a local shop test in September 2026, with help from a lovely assistant named Jill. We pushed and steered it, folded and unfolded it, lifted it, and tried the recline and the handlebar adjustment. The views here are our combined view, having chatted and tested it together.
Evidence basis: Hands-on shop test. We haven’t lived with one day to day. Specifications verified against uppababy.co.uk and UK retailer listings, October 2026.
Conflict of interest: This review contains affiliate links. This does not affect the verdict — and we recommend a pushchair from a different brand ahead of it.
✅ What I liked
- Easy to push, easy to steer, and fairly nimble — on the flat
- Fairly sturdy — Janette’s view as well as mine
- High seat — 58cm when I tested it, 6cm higher than the Cruz V2
- When folded, it stands on its rear wheels and frame bumper, keeping the fabrics off the ground
- Suitable from birth with the infant insert included
- 3-year limited warranty
⚠️ What to watch
- The fold needs two hands — so no baby in arms while you do it
- The seat has to be forward-facing and the handlebar lowered before it folds
- No carry handle once folded
- Quite hard tyres — bobbly on rougher ground
- Full-size footprint and 12.3kg, yet not all-terrain
- Single only — a PiggyBack ride-on board can be added, but no second seat
- Not cheap
MyPushchair scorecard
← Swipe to view on mobile
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Build quality | 8/10 (fairly sturdy when pushed and lifted in the shop) |
| Seat & comfort | 8/10 (58cm seat height, suitable from birth with the infant insert) |
| Push & handling | 6/10 (easy and nimble on the flat, but quite hard tyres — pretty average overall) |
| Fold | 5/10 (two hands, seat forward-facing, handlebar lowered, no carry handle — though it stands on its own) |
| Weight & size | 6/10 (12.3kg and 56.9cm wide — a full-size footprint) |
| Value | 6/10 (not cheap for what it does) |
| Overall | 7/10 |
Overall score: 7/10. The Cruz V3 is well made, has a high seat and is easy to push around town. It loses its marks on the fold and the handling — the two things you notice every day — and on value for a pushchair that has a full-size footprint without being all-terrain. It sits just behind the Bugaboo Dragonfly (7.5/10), which ticks more boxes.
The shop test — push, steer and the fold
It handles well, it’s easy to push, it’s easy to steer and it feels fairly nimble… on the flat. The tyres are quite hard, which will make it bobbly on rougher ground. As always, it’s horses for courses: if you’re a city dweller — shops and pavements — you need not worry. I’d say overall handling is pretty average. You might expect for the size that it would handle rougher ground a little better, but it doesn’t.
The fold needs two hands, so you’ll not be able to keep baby in arms while you do it — something which will matter a lot to some people. The seat has to be forward-facing too, and you have to lower the handlebar. Once folded, there’s no carry handle either, which adds to the awkwardness. Some retailers describe it as a one-handed fold; in our test, it needed two.
⚠️ Janette’s note
Janette felt it to be fairly sturdy, and she liked that when it’s folded it stands on its rear wheels and frame bumper, which stops the fabrics from getting dirty on the ground.
A high seat — and you notice it
When I tested the Cruz V3, its seat height was 58cm — noticeably higher than the 52cm of the Cruz V2. That’s 6cm, so enough to notice, and you very much notice this height. It makes a real difference to both comfort and interaction with your child. The Vista V3 is higher still at 59cm.
Cruz V3 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly — and vs the Vista V3
For a full-size single around town, the pushchair I’d compare it with is the Bugaboo Dragonfly. The Dragonfly costs more if you need its carrycot — £945 with it, or £695 without, against the Cruz V3’s £749.99 at UPPAbaby — but it ticks more boxes. The Cruz V3 lets itself down with the fold and the handling. See the full Dragonfly vs Cruz V3 comparison →
Against its sibling, the Vista V3, the Cruz is narrower at 56.9cm against 65.3cm — but at 12.3kg it’s only a little lighter than the Vista’s 12.5kg, and it can’t take a second seat. If there’s any chance of a second child, the Vista is the UPPAbaby to look at. See the full Vista V3 vs Cruz V3 comparison →
💬 If this were my money…
My money would buy the Bugaboo Dragonfly instead. The Dragonfly ticks more boxes — the Cruz V3 lets itself down with the fold and the handling.
Is the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 right for you?
A good choice if:
- You’re a city dweller — shops and pavements
- You want a full-size single with a high seat
- You’ll usually fold it with both hands free
Think carefully if:
- You’ll often fold it with baby in arms — the fold needs two hands
- You walk on rougher ground — the hard tyres make it bobbly
- A second child is likely — it doesn’t take a second seat
- Weight or boot space matters — it’s a full-size pushchair at 12.3kg
Key specifications
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| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Weight | 12.3kg with seat (frame 7.8kg, seat 4.5kg) |
| Width | 56.9cm |
| Folded dimensions | 43.5 × 56.9 × 81.6cm with seat (forward-facing); 28.6 × 56.9 × 76.7cm without |
| Age and weight range | From birth (infant insert included) to 22kg, or 101cm tall |
| Seat height | 58cm, as measured in our shop test |
| Carrycot | Sold separately on the pushchair-only version; some retailers bundle it |
| Double option | None — single only. A PiggyBack ride-on board can be added |
| Tyres | Never-flat tyres — quite hard, in our experience |
| Fold | Two hands in our test; seat forward-facing and handlebar lowered; stands when folded; no carry handle |
| Warranty | 3-year limited warranty |
| Price | £749.99 at UPPAbaby, £749.95 at Natural Baby Shower at our October 2026 check — prices change often, so check before buying |
Which alternative should you consider?
← Swipe to view on mobile
| If you need… | Consider… |
|---|---|
| An everyday city pushchair that ticks more boxes | Bugaboo Dragonfly — my pick, 7.5/10 — see comparison → |
| A premium single that handles better | iCandy Core 2 — 8.5/10, our first 10/10 for suspension — see comparison → |
| Proper all-terrain capability | Bugaboo Fox 5 — 8.5/10 |
| An UPPAbaby that grows with your family | UPPAbaby Vista V3 — 8/10 — see comparison → |
Also worth reading
- Bugaboo Dragonfly Review — where my money would go instead
- UPPAbaby Vista V3 Review — the UPPAbaby that grows from one child to three
- Bugaboo Dragonfly vs UPPAbaby Cruz V3 — head to head
- UPPAbaby Vista V3 vs Cruz V3 — if a second child is part of the plan
- iCandy Core 2 vs UPPAbaby Cruz V3 — premium single vs premium single
- UPPAbaby hub — all our UPPAbaby coverage
- Black Friday pushchair deals — the deals we’re tracking, and which are worth having
Verdict
The UPPAbaby Cruz V3 is OK but not exceptional. It’s fairly sturdy, the seat is high, and on the flat it’s easy to push, easy to steer and fairly nimble. But it has a full-size footprint without being all-terrain, the hard tyres make it bobbly on rougher ground, and the fold needs two hands, a forward-facing seat and a lowered handlebar — with no carry handle at the end of it. It’s not cheap either.
Bottom line: if you’re a city dweller, shops and pavements, you need not worry — it will do the job. But the Dragonfly ticks more boxes, and that’s where my money would go.
Where to buy the UPPAbaby Cruz V3
At our October 2026 check, the Cruz V3 was £749.99 at UPPAbaby and £749.95 at Natural Baby Shower. Prices change often, so check the current price before buying.
Also available on Amazon →
Frequently asked questions
Does the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 fold one-handed?
Not in our test. The fold needed two hands, the seat had to be forward-facing and the handlebar lowered first. It stands on its rear wheels and frame bumper once folded, but there’s no carry handle.
Is the Cruz V3 suitable from birth?
Yes. It comes with an infant insert, so it’s suitable from birth to 22kg. A carrycot is sold separately on the pushchair-only version.
Can the Cruz V3 be used as a double?
No. It’s a single only, although you can add a PiggyBack ride-on board for an older child. If you want a second seat, look at the Vista V3.
Is the Cruz V3 good on rough ground?
Not especially. It’s easy to push and steer on the flat, but the tyres are quite hard, which will make it bobbly on rougher ground. For shops and pavements, you need not worry.
Cruz V3 or Bugaboo Dragonfly?
My money would buy the Bugaboo Dragonfly. It can cost more, but it ticks more boxes — the Cruz V3 lets itself down with the fold and the handling. See our Dragonfly vs Cruz V3 comparison.
📋 See all our UPPAbaby coverage: UPPAbaby Pushchairs — Hub & Reviews →
About this review
Mark founded MyPushchair.co.uk in 2006 after struggling to find honest, straightforward pushchair advice as a new dad. With more than 30 years in the family travel and leisure industry — and after returning to relaunch the UK’s original independent pushchair review site — he continues to test products with one aim: helping parents buy the right pushchair the first time. For this review, Janette joined Mark for the shop test. Read the full story →
Mark Hartshorne · Founder, MyPushchair.co.uk · How we test pushchairs →
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Considering the UPPAbaby Cruz V3 and want a second opinion? Get in touch — happy to help.