The Mima Xari is a striking buggy with smart features, but big toddlers may find space restricted.
The Xari pushchair is a stunning, futuristic looking buggy from one of the most fashionable new baby brands to launch in the UK this year, Mima. It has a wealth of innovative features, the most clever of which has to be the collapsible carrycot that’s amazingly contained within the pod of the buggy seat unit itself.
The hard pod buggy seat unit has a 3-position seat recline, two height positions, can face both rear and forward and comes with luxurious liner and matching chest pads on the 5-point harness. It has height adjustable handlebars, two shopping baskets with magnetic shutting lids, a raincover, and a sun canopy and bumper bar that act as the hood and carry handle when in carrycot mode.
The Xari is travel system compatible compatible with the Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix or Cybex Aton car seats too (you’ll need to spend £28 on adaptors).
It also has an easy-to-use footbrake in the centre of the rear bar and it's foldable with the seat unit still attached when it’s in forward facing mode.
The final point to note is the price – at £850, it is certainly top of the range.
What we love
The state-of-the-art design and engineering of the Mima Xari is something to behold. It has a really striking space age appearance, which draws glances from discerning yummy mummies on every outing. I almost feel I have to dress up a bit to match such a smart high-end buggy.
The adjustable handlebar, large rear wheels and suspension make the Xari feel really solid, durable and very pleasant to push and manoeuvre - even with my chunky 21-month-old onboard. Joseph enjoys the view from being sat higher up than usual and seems very comfy in the plush padded seat. As he often snacks on breadsticks and gingerbread men on the move, I love the fact the hard plastic buggy unit is super easy to wipe clean.
I couldn’t believe the carrycot could be zipped so compactly and neatly into the buggy itself.
I love the look of the Mima in pram mode - almost enough to tempt me to have another baby. The carrycot feels like a really safe and protective way of transporting a newborn - the hard canopy feels bulletproof and its stiff design means it stays nicely in place.
I also find the break very effective – it’s quick and easy to use. Also, the shopping baskets are easy to access.
The buggy is really quick and easy to assemble (even without the help of my husband!) and attaching the wheels is very straightforward.
The ability for the Xari to fold up without the need to remove the seat (when in forward facing mode) is a useful time-saver. I also like the fact it can be lugged around with the carry handle once folded.
What to watch out for
Joseph is really comfy in the Xari buggy but I feel that in a few months time, he’d be starting to outgrow it - his head is already nearly brushing the canopy and he’s not even 2 yet and small for his age. With this in mind, some mums could feel the need to invest in a bigger buggy further down the line, which is off putting when you’re spending so much.
Although Mima boasts that the Xari can fit in the boot of a Mini once folded it wasn’t quite as compact as I was hoping - it may well fit in a Mini boot but I don’t think there’d be much room leftover for your shopping.
I also find the buggy pretty heavy at 13.4kg with the seat pod, or slightly less at 11.7kg with the carrycot. Although the fact that the carrycot fits in to the buggy seat is a clever bit of design, it means you’re carrying around a useless bit of kit once your baby has outgrown it, adding to the weight of the buggy. Also, before your baby is ready for the buggy seat, you’re left with the issue of storing it.
I find the shopping bags underneath are on the small side – you’d have to invest in buggy hooks if you wanted to take to the supermarket. As is often the case with designer buggies, the extra accessories have to be purchased separately. If you feel the need for extras, the footmuff will set you back £79.99, the super luxe changing bag £95.00, the parasol £49.99 and the mosquito net £17.
Who is the Mima Xari buggy best for?
Style-hunters after a highly engineered top-of-the-range buggy that could be turned into a travel system.
MadeForMums verdict
A state-of-the-art buggy, the Mima Xari delivers on style and durability in the early years but may not go the distance for toddlers.
