Stroller Review: The New Generation 2022 Cybex PRIAM

Buying a pushchair is a TOUGH purchase – seems simple…but once you delve into the minefield of the many (many) potential options (and somehow work out a way of comparing them all) what are the main things you need to consider? Pushing it around heavily pregnant on a smooth, carpeted shop floor doesn’t always give the best representation of how it will work for you day to day. 

Some key initial points to consider would be:

• Where you live – do you live in a city or rural location? Will you mostly be walking on pavements or lots of off road, undulated areas of ground where you’ll need some more control? 
• Do you mostly take public transportation and therefore, not as much need to fold away your pushchair? Or will you be in and out of the car and lifting it regularly?
• Travel system – are you looking for a car seat that integrates with your stroller?
• Shopping – will you need lots of space in the buggy for shopping or do you tend to do this in the car?

When I had my first daughter we were gifted a hand-me-down buggy from a family member, which was brilliant at the time because first time around, you have so many things to buy and it’s quite the investment. Most people invest first time around (In a way I wish I’d done this!) but in reverse, the benefit was I knew exactly what I didn’t want second time. The old one, although perfectly functional did not suit our lifestyle. It was very much an old fashioned city pushchair, it was cumbersome to manoeuvre and fold, get through doorways and was a real trial to get it in and out of the car.

I knew I needed something more manoeuvrable but style was also important (you use it everyday so why not make life that little bit more luxurious!) so having both gone on recommendation and having the subsequent opportunity to road test one – I was excited to try out the newest 2022 Cybex PRIAM model. 

We’d always been Cybex fans – mainly due to the reputation of their car seats. It is the one thing I have never wanted to risk cheap or second hand – we are in the car constantly and taking long trips on country roads so having studiously reviewed many models of carseat we’d always come back to Cybex. Their safety levels are second to none and in my opinion there isn’t really anything on the market that comes close. 

Style and comfort

The PRIAM 2022 has four different chassis options so there is something for everyone. I have the chrome chassis with the brown leather finish – you can also opt for rose gold and there is a black leather finish too. There are 21 (!) designs, fabrics and colours you can mix and match for the interchangeable elements so you can really change it up to suit your taste, there are some limited edition styles too which make it all the more special. 

The PRIAM has four wheel suspension and is honestly such a pleasure to drive. It feels light and easy to navigate – we have many uneven pavements and country paths in our village which it glides over with ease. The wheels are also all removable for either washing or easy folding away. 

We are fortunate enough to live in Suffolk very close to the beach and one of the main things that appealed about the Cybex PRIAM was the ‘One handed fold’ feature and its versatility over the sand and beach in two wheel mode. (NB: This is suitable for the seat not the carrycot attachment so it will be for later on for us) but it means versatility – you can easily pull it up stairs if there is no lift available or across the beach, ether sand or shingle. There are also extra feet attachments you can purchase (which look a bit like mini skis!) for moving over snow or sand if you’re heading off on holidays) which sit in place of the front wheels. 

Overall the PRIAM has exquisite attention to detail and I’ve been really impressed by the high quality finish and luxe stitching. It feels like it has so much longevity. Little bonuses include the cup holder which clips to one side and is a great height for those (MUCH needed) morning coffees!

If you tend to walk to the shops, there is a shopping basket underneath the stroller which holds up to 5kg and has an extension area, so you can tuck this away (and also remove the whole thing if you don’t think you’ll use that often). You do need to remove the shopping basket before folding it away into the car. 

Lux Carrycot, Cot Lite and Seat Attachments

The Lux Carrycot is suitable from birth up to 9kg (around 6months old) and is sold as an additional accessory and is optional. The main seat can be either front or rear facing and is also usable from birth – so you can utilise this alongside the Cot Lite attachment if you prefer. The latter means baby has to be in the harness so they are secure. 

As Eira is still so little I like that she can lye in the main carrycot without the harness on as the harness does feel a little big for her at the moment. Once she grows – it’s going to be brilliant for her to transition into without me needing to take the whole carrycot out in the car each time we travel. 

The Lux Carrycot doubles up as a safe sleep Moses basket, so we wanted this for when we went away later in the summer for Eira to sleep in both overnight and for naps. One less thing we have to sort out for when we are abroad.

Small but important things I’ve also found useful are the pocket in the foot of the carrycot which has been great for stashing my phone and keys for easy access. There is also a pocket at the back of the seat attachment for when we come to use that later on. The foam mattress within the lux carrycot and the Cot Lite is incredibly soft, thick and supportive (most importantly washable) and has bumpers which many other brands don’t offer, it feels so cosy and I know she will be cushioned if her head rests to one side.

There are also two optional mesh panels at the back of the Lux Carrycot which are fab for ventilation and also to check in on her when she’s asleep. They have been a GIFT in this hot weather!

The hoods on both the carrycot and seat options are UPF50+ and have ample coverage for all weathers – when it’s super sunny it almost comes all the way down for when Eira is asleep and this is also great if you get caught out in a rain shower (not happened to us yet!) – a rain cover comes with the PRIAM too so I have that tucked away in the shopping basket. It’s a lot less bulky to fold up than other rain covers I’ve used in the past.

Cloud ZI Carseat Integration

The newest PRIAM from Cybex is a 4 in 1 travel system, so combines the car seat element. This was another point on my wish list – last time around we opted for the Cybex Sirona which was perfect at the time – it turned 360 degrees which was helpful when getting my daughter in and our of the (then low) car easily.

The downside of course was when my first daughter was fast asleep and the car seat being fixed, meant I had a few sessions sitting on the drive waiting for her to wake up! The Cloud ZI carseat is fully compatible with the chassis and has its own Isofix base (which stays in the car) so on those days when you’re nipping in and out of the car, this car seat can be easily and simply clipped onto the buggy or back into your car safely. This has been a total game changer – Eira can stay fast asleep during the quick transition and with minimum fuss. 

I also LOVE the fact that you can ‘extend’ the car seat so it lyes flatter with a quick button lift at the back. This means baby can extend their body when in the seat on the buggy attachment and stretch a little bit, feels reassuring that she’s not always at the same angle or crunched up from a digestive and comfort point of view!

Folding, set up, weight and dimensions

The PRIAM took around 1 hour to set up when it first arrived. I’m the first to admit I’m not the best at construction (luckily my partner is) but we found the online videos incredibly informative and easy to follow (although it does come with written manuals too.) The stroller parts come in a few different boxes so my tip would be – take some time together to lay it all out, be organised and you’ll be flying (doubles up as pre-baby couple bonding and communication skills!!) Once set up, it’s super simple to fold, change elements around and make adjustments. 

Weight wise and dimensions are as follows:

LENGTH: 920 mm
WIDTH: 600 mm
HEIGHT: 1090 mm

FOLDED LENGTH: 850 mm
FOLDED WIDTH: 515 mm
FOLDED HEIGHT: 315 mm

WEIGHT: 12.9 kg – for some this is on the heavier side but its not something I mind. It certainly doesn’t feel heavy to push and manoeuvre around due to great suspension. It fits in the boot of the car easily (we have a Honda CRV). If you have a much smaller boot space it might be more of a squeeze. 

I love the fact the main handle is adjustable up to 108cm as my partner is very tall – so it’s much more comfortable for him to push. 

The fabric covers are all machine washable at 30°, so no need to worry if the usual accidents and spillages occur. The material does lend itself to being wiped down too though so I can’t see the need for washing too regularly (hopefully!)

Travel

We are off on summer holidays soon and plan to take the PRIAM – it will be in the hold in a buggy bag due to size (I’d recommend this to protect it too) however we’ll be taking the Cloud ZI on the flight so intend to have her in this right up until boarding. All airlines are different so do check what the individual protocols are before you go. 

We don’t have a cot when we arrive so I am also planning to use the Lux Carrycot unit to double up as a Moses basket overnight while she’s still tiny and for napping during the day.

Price

The PRIAM currently (July 2022) retails around £800-£1700 depending on which of the elements you include so it’s certainly on the premium side. For me this price IS reflective of the quality and style and the brand is so hard wearing, you could absolutely use this for more children in years to come so I’d consider it an investment. A carseat alone is often an additional cost and investment so factor in how much you’d spend on this too whilst in decision making stages!

In Summary…

I am absolutely delighted with the 2022 Cybex PRIAM – it has worked so well for us so far and has made the day to day that little easier and more stylish whilst we are in the newborn bubble! I’d give it a solid 10/10 – if you’re able to invest then it is most certainly worth it. 

Written by: Maddie Donnelly
Road Tested by: Baby Eira Blaire – July 2022