Cybex is known for its practical, luxurious and stylish pushchair. Cybex’s best-selling coya travel pram has plenty of fans, but it’s expensive. The brand’s ‘gold’ range brings more affordable, travel-ready, compact buggies: the libelle (which is suitable from six months) and the orfeo, which you can use from birth.
The orfeo is billed as a mid-range, yet high-end pram that is lightweight and aeroplane-cabin-compatible, while being robust enough to use day-to-day. With an easy fold and a comfortable, padded seat, it could be the ideal pram for families who enjoy travelling but also need a practical, compact stroller for everyday use.
That’s great, but these are qualities that a lot of travel prams on the market share. So with bountiful buggies on the market, how does the orfeo stand out? Is it worth its £320 price tag? Or are you better sticking with a market-leader such as the Joolz aer2?
To answer these questions, I took the Cybex orfeo for a spin, to find out how it held up under real-world conditions, at home and while travelling. Keep scrolling to find out how I got on.
How I tested
I tested the orfeo during a holiday with my two children (aged one and three), who mostly spent the time fighting over who got to sit in the buggy, which was a good sign. It was tested through several airports, around an expansive resort and during day trips. Since returning home, I have also used this pram regularly as an everyday buggy. While putting the Cybex orfeo through its paces, I considered the following criteria:
- Assembly: As the pram is marketed as a travel essential, I assessed how easy it was to put together.
- Safety: I wanted to see how secure the one-pull harness feature felt, as well as the brake system.
- Practicality: I tested it on different surfaces to see how the handling fared and how easy it was to manoeuvre.
- Design: Alongside its one-hand fold and unfold system, I checked out the shopping basket and sun hood.
- Comfort: Keeping kids happy is vital. For this review, I noticed whether the adjustable leg rest and padding provided a relaxing position. Secondly, I tested to see if the front-wheel suspension made for steady handling and a comfortable ride.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
At IndyBest, reviewers put products to the test in real-world conditions, so they can give you their honest opinions about performance and value for money.
Journalist and mother-of-two Lizzie Edmonds has reviewed various parenting products (with a particular focus on prams) since becoming a parent three years ago. There’s hardly a travel pram she hasn’t used, so she’s well placed to put the Cybex orfeo through its paces.
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Cybex orfeo
Suitable from: Birth to 22kg (approx 4 years)
Assembly required: Yes, but only clicking on the rear wheels
Dimensions: 52cm x 102cm x 77cm
Folded dimensions: 52.5cm x 47.5cm x 15.5cm
Includes: Pram and raincover
Weight: 6.3kg
Why we love it
- Lightweight
- Easy to use harness
- Stylish new colourways released in 2025
- Sturdy
Take note
- The hood isn’t that large and doesn’t pull down far enough for children who are easily distracted during naps
- Fold is effective but messy
Assembly
The orfeo is very straightforward to set up – all you need to do is get it out of the box and put the wheels on. It also comes with a rain cover, which is a big bonus. The seat can lie totally flat, too (unlike various competitor prams), and it is quick and easy to adjust at the back.
Safety
The one-pull safety harness (it adjusts using one strap only) is easy to use and very sturdy – both my children felt secure when sitting in this buggy. The buckle is also strong and complex enough to withstand my toddler’s attempts to undo it.
The brake pedal at the back is firm and secure, and – crucial for a holiday – I found it was easy to use when wearing flip flops. If you use the wider Cybex range of car seats, this buggy is compatible with the travel system.
Practicality
The pram weighs 6.8kg and feels lightweight and easy to push. Despite the weight, it doesn’t feel flimsy. The handling is super easy, and it glides with ease on smooth surfaces, changing direction seamlessly, even when you’re pushing the buggy with one hand. Obviously, as this is a compact travel pram, taking it up mountains isn’t going to be where it shines, but the wheels are large enough to deal with the types of terrain you’d expect on holiday or around your average hometown.
Does the orfeo have a huge storage compartment? No, but show me a travel pram that does. There's enough space for a couple of water bottles, a small picnic blanket and a couple of hats. But you don’t really buy a compact pram with the idea that you’ll be storing the weekly shop in it. The storage is about in line with other travel prams on the market. It can store everything you need for a day out and no more.
Design
The orfeo has a very easy fold, which is perfect when you quickly need to collapse the pram in an airport queue, or when getting into a taxi. I didn’t love that the hood didn’t seem to fold up very neatly, though – it sort of flops out the back and relies on a Velcro strap to hold it in place. The Joolz aer2, for example, folds up much more cleanly. However, this is 100 per cent a cosmetic issue and has no impact on functionality.
My main gripe with this pram is the sun hood. It is nowhere near big enough. It doesn’t come down far enough to block out the sun when your baby is in the lie flat position. If you have a baby or toddler who has FOMO, you need a sunshade or a breathable blanket to put over the top, so they don’t get distracted at nap time. The hood’s functionality is fine when the seat is upright, however.
Comfort
The seat is nicely padded for a compact pram, meaning naps on the go are comfortable and supportive for smaller children. The orfeo also has an integrated footrest, so little legs can stretch out. The harness comes with thick, padded strap protectors, so there’s no chance of the straps cutting into your child’s neck, either.
As with most travel prams, you cannot adjust the handlebars, but while my husband (6ft 2in) and I (5ft 9in) are tall, the handlebars didn’t feel too low, meaning the pram was comfortable to push around.
Buy now £299.95, Johnlewis.com
The verdict: Cybex orfeo
The travel pram sector is oversaturated. Every major brand has at least one on the market, so it can be tricky to know which to choose. However, after putting it to the test, I can confirm the Cybex orfeo is a great holiday pram.
Lightweight, great handling, good looking, easy fold – tick, tick, tick. You could (and I did) very easily use this as a compact pram for everyday use as well. The main thing that lets it down is that sunhood. But if that isn’t a major issue for you, and you’re in the market for a great travel pram, this could be the one for you.
Still not sure which pram works best for you? Read our review of Joolz aer2 for more inspiration
