When the Nuna TAVO stroller arrived on our doorstep, my husband was eager to put it together and take baby’s first set of wheels for a test drive. If I’m being honest, he did the majority of the assembly. (It’s more his wheelhouse, pun intended.) But I was there to lend a hand or pass a screwdriver as needed. Though, it turns out no tools are necessary–score!

Once we had all the pieces laid out on our living room floor, he set to work. There is thorough manual that covers everything you need to know, but the instructions also come with a fold out of simple visual directions that walk you through putting the stroller together and explaining the main features. As seasoned IKEA furniture builders, we mostly relied on the pictures. They were quick and incredibly easy to follow. (Later on, we did read through the more detailed explanations to make sure we had a firm grasp of how it all worked. It was all very simple to understand.)

The TAVO comes assembled for the most part; all we had to add was the arm bar, brake bar and four wheels. That’s it. My husband was incredibly impressed at how easy the process was. It was completely built in less than 15 minutes. Full disclosure: We are first-time parents, and this was the very first piece of gear we unboxed and put together. In hindsight, I’m so glad it was! I think we both breathed a big sigh of relief and thought, Hey, we really can do this!

Once it was a fully functioning stroller, the first thing we stopped to admire was the design—from a purely aesthetic standpoint. My husband and I both whole-heartedly agreed that the Nuna TAVO is a good-looking piece of baby gear. It’s very clean and has a nice streamlined style and we love the leatherette handlebar. The materials all seem very nice, and the stroller on the whole looks like it costs much more than the $400 price tag.

We have the aluminum color, which is mostly black with a brushed silver frame and taupe/gray accents. But it is also available with blue or red accents, as well as an all black style.

When it’s ready to roll, the stroller doesn’t take up a ton of space, and we live in pretty close quarters. It’s not the most compact fold I’ve seen, but I love that you can both fold and unfold it with one hand—and with minimal effort. It’s so smooth! It’s basically a one-step process to collapse it. Then all you have to do is fasten the side lock on one side to keep it closed. The folded stroller will easily fit in the trunk of our car or in our hall closet. Product weight is about 25 pounds without your little one, so it’s a manageable lift.

A Smooth Ride for Your Little One

When it comes to baby’s comfort, there’s an all season seat with a plush pad that cushions the back. I wish it extended to the bottom of the seat, too, for baby’s bum. But it seems to be a comfortable, smooth ride, especially with the four-position recline, which goes all the way back. (A major bonus for naps on the run!) To recline the seat, you have to unzip the back and pull a lever up and down. It takes a minute to fit the zipper pieces back together when you’re putting the seat upright again, but for that flat recline it’s worth any extra time. The adjustable calf support with footrest is an added bonus.

The five-point harness seems very secure and the shoulder straps are padded for comfort. We love the one-click release button that makes getting baby in and out a bit speedier.

There is a removable arm bar (it requires two hands to take it off), but we haven’t had any issues getting our little one in and out with it in place. You can purchase a child tray (sold separately) that clicks in to one side in place of the arm bar, which includes a small cup holder and snack compartment.

Another standout feature: The Nuna TAVO has a well-sized UPF 50+ Sky smart canopy that also includes a flip out eyeshade and an additional black zip-out dream drape to extend coverage. There are two large mesh ventilation panels, for added airflow and so you can check on your kiddo en route. My husband and I were happy to see that the peekabo window flap uses magnets (not velcro), which allows us to quietly sneak a peek without waking our snoozy babe. A rain cover and wheeled travel bag are available as additional accessories.

The TAVO boasts a smooth ride thanks to the progressive front and rear wheel suspension, and it’s super easy to turn even if you find yourself in tight quarters. I don’t foresee any problems navigating this set of wheels around town. My husband was equally happy with how well it maneuvered and the quality of the tires—they handle curbs and sidewalks with ease. As city-dwellers, we don’t venture off road with this stroller very much, but it is easy to steer on paved paths or grass at the park. The front two wheels can swivel or lock in place if you need a bit more control. The one-touch foot brake is sandal-friendly, too! Another feature I was particularly excited about with a summer baby. The leatherette height adjustable pushbar is comfortable to the touch, an important feature during a long day of stroller pushing!

The storage basket underneath is generously sized and holds up to 10 pounds. It’s easy to access from the back and sides. Getting anything out of the storage basket from the front is a bit awkward, so we don’t do that very much.

You can clean the frame and fabric with a damp cloth; both are easy to wipe and durable. The seat pad is removable and can be thrown in the wash, but keep in mind that it needs to air dry—so make sure you have plenty of time before you need to use it again.

The Nuna TAVO is a single stroller, so it’s built for one passenger without the option to add an extra seat. You can, however, use it with the Nuna PIPA series car seats for a complete travel system, no need for any adapters. The TAVO accommodates children from birth to 50 pounds with a removable infant insert and arm bar.

Overall, we are loving our Nuna TAVO stroller! It looks and feels like a much higher-end stroller at a much more reasonable cost. In fact, we have already recommended it to friends!

Price: $399.95