In a nutshell

Offering lots of extras and features for its price, this system gives a comfy ride and is easy to fold and steer.

What we tested

  • Fold/unfolding
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Manoeuvrability
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Comfort for child
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Style
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.

Pros

  • Price includes accessories, plush footmuff, extending canopy with additional sunshade and mesh layer for comfort, pneumatic tyres give smooth ride, good sized shopping basket, well padded and comfy handle, viewing window in canopy, well-padded seat, extendable leg rest

Cons

  • Carrycot a bit awkward to get on and off the buggy, rear facing only with car seat/carrycot attached, no choice of car seat brands (included in the package)

The Petite Star Kurvi has been discontinued, but if you're after an affordable travel system, check out our list of best travel systems.

However, if you still want to get your hands on this buggy there are a few secondhand models still circulating on websites like Amazon.

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Petite Star were designing and manufacturing nursery products for over 50 years. The brand was one of the most well-establihsed parenting companies in the world, but sadly it stopped making products and closed for good in 2014, we don't know why.

However, as we mentioned earlier, you can still get your hands on some Petite Star products and buggies and even spares that are floating around on the internet.

With all secondhand products there's guidelines you should check before buying.

The Petite Star Extreme Charisma Travel System includes a carrycot, car seat and 3-wheeler pushchair, and combines a value price tag with a good performance.

The Petite Star Extreme Charisma Travel System is comprised of a 3-wheeler buggy with pneumatic tyres (that means air-filled), comfortable carrycot, and a Group 0+ car seat. The pushchair itself has a very well-padded seat, plush and snuggly footmuff and large canopy with a viewing window.

This sturdy buggy is a robust, comfortable 3-wheeler that's forward facing and suitable from 6 months. The carrycot and car seat puts your baby in a parent facing position and makes it suitable from birth.

What we love

As with many of the Petite Star pushchairs, the Extreme Charisma Travel System has a great price tag - £264 gets you the stroller, carrycot, car seat, cosy footmuff, sunshade, raincover and tyre pump.

The Charisma Extreme’s canopy has a secret sunshade, which provides extra sun and weather protection while out and about.

Easily folded with a one-handed flick of the wrist, the Petite Star Extreme Charisma folds relatively flat and can be secured with a simple clip, ensuring that it won’t pop open during transport. The carrycot can be collapsed simply to take up as little space as possible as well.

My 6-month-old son Sam was snug as a bug in the footmuff in the pushchair. He appeared to be really comfortable and content and fairly quickly settled down for a nice nap. The pneumatic tyres allowed for a very smooth ride, keeping disruption for my sleeping baby at a minimum.

Using the car seat was really simple and convenient. It was handy when doing the school run (popping the car seat onto the pushchair) and then transferring Sam (in the car seat) into the car to do our morning errands.

The carrycot is useable up to 9kg (approximately 6 months) and would be a convenient option for newborns. The carrycot is very well padded and protected with a cover and canopy. My son Sam, 6 months, could fit in the carrycot but only just.

The pushchair handle of the Petite Star Extreme Charisma is very well padded and quite high, which means it may accommodate taller parents.

The seat of the Extreme Charisma can be fully lowered or raised to approximately a 45-degree angle with a simple clip of a strap at the back of the seat.

You can also keep your child comfortable in different types of weather - keep the weather flap down on the back of the pushchair in inclement weather or lift it up to reveal a mesh flap, which allows for air to circulate more freely.

What to watch out for

The carrycot of the Petite Star Extreme Charisma is a bit fiddly to install and release from the chassis of the pushchair. I did struggle for some time to ensure that it was properly secured and then to release it.

Pneumatic tyres, while excellent for comfort and smooth rides, may puncture on varied terrain. A pump is included but if you have a serious puncture while out and about, you could be inconvenienced. However, this is a consideration with any buggy with air-filled tyres.

While the Petite Star Extreme Charisma does fold fairly compactly, if you have a small boot you may struggle to get the pushchair and carrycot in place. Also, it does also take up a fair bit of space when unfolded so might be awkward on various forms of public transport.

Who is the Petite Star Extreme Charisma Travel System is best for?

Families looking for an affordable travel system that could tackle a variety of surroundings.

MadeForMums verdict:

The Petite Star Extreme Charisma Travel System boasts easy folding, a smooth ride and has a lot of features and accessories included in its price tag. While the carrycot may be a bit fiddly to fit and release, the car seat and pushchair is a handy combo and this 3-wheeler could take you well into toddlerhood.

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Product Specifications

Product
BrandPetite Star
ModelExtreme Charisma
Price£264.00
Suitable for
Child age (approx)Birth to 3 years
Dimensions & Weight
Weight12.6kg
DimensionsH:105cm W:60cm L:116cm
Dimensions (folded)H:90cm W:60cm L:40cm
Features
Travel system compatibleYes
Compatible car seatsIncluded in the package
Seat facing directionForward facing and parent facing (with carrycot/car seat)
Front wheelsLockable swivel
Recline positionsMulti-position
Features
  • Air-filled tyres
  • Tyre pump included
  • Canopy with sunshade and viewing window
  • Plush and comfortable footmuff that is weather-proof
  • Large shopping basket
  • Group 0+ car seat with handle
  • Well padded carrycot with canopy
Accessories
Accessories includedRaincover, tyre pump, footmuff, car seat, carrycot, shopping basket
Optional extrasParasol
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