Face Off: UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz

When it comes to choosing the perfect stroller for you, most people end up narrowing it down to two. We’ve seen countless couples noodling over UppaBaby’s two stroller MVPs: the Vista 2 and the Cruz 2. 

As such, we thought we’d break down the big differences between them, so that if you find yourself at this particular crossroads, you have a good UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz comparison to help you pick the winner for your family!

In this article

• UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz: Overview
• UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz: Differences

UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz: Overview

 

We’re sorry we can’t tell you which one will be best for you — that’s up to your lifestyle, priorities and plans. But from a big picture sense, when you’re deciding upon UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz, the differences will fall into these categories:

• Weight and size of stroller 
• Family planning considerations
• Bassinet inclusion
• Budget

There’s no doubt the UppaBaby Vista is “more stroller” but for some families it can seem overwhelming. The Cruz is the more compact choice, with a narrower frame and smaller wheels — which means, overall it’s lighter. 

For NYC families who do a great deal of walking, though, the Vista may be a better choice thanks to its sturdy frame, large wheels and comfy ride. When you’re offroading at a park or navigating the streets in the winter, you’ll love this SUV style stroller.

But, then again, if you have a walk up or just don’t want such a large buggy, you might still want to cruise with the Cruz. 

Decisions, decisions! But it’s not just size that matters here. There are other key differences in features of the UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz that you’ll need to know to make the right decision for your family.

UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz: Differences

We’ve set out some of the key differences that matter when it comes to making the choice between UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz strollers.

UppaBaby Vista 

Family Planning

OK, family planners. If you’re the type that wants a “one and done” solution for your growing family, the UppaBaby Vista is for you. Yes it’s bigger and heavier, but it also is able to be used for one child, or with the addition of a Rumble Seat, for two. 

When used as a double there are lots of configurations possible, any combo of the car seat, bassinet and seat, so that whatever the age difference, there’s a good set up for you. 

Also, choosing this stroller for your first child, in anticipation of a second,  means all this hard work that you’ve spent making this decision can be leveraged over many years to come (and you don’t have to go through it all again). 

Of course, it’s all a no brainer if you’re expecting twins, as the Cruz does not accommodate two children, so if that’s your situation, congratulations, and you’ll want to pick the Vista. 

Bassinet Inclusion

 

When you purchase the UppaBaby Vista, it comes with a bassinet and seat. This way you’re set up from birth until they grow out of a stroller. Some people feel as if the bassinet is so short lived, they don’t want to spend the extra dollars on it, however, it can be a money saver if you get the extra Bassinet Stand and can leverage it for your at-home bassinet. 

For NYC families who are short on space (that’s all of us), having our stroller bassinet serve double duty as our at-home bassinet is a great option. Keep in mind that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that baby sleeps in your room for the first year if possible. This small footprint solution (your stroller bassinet + the bassinet stand) may be a great solution for overnights!

Budget

At $999, the UppaBaby Vista is the more expensive stroller of the two, but you get a lot more. You get the bassinet ($200 value) and the option for extended use, as it can be your “double” solution if baby two comes while baby one is still stroller-ready. 

On top of that, the resale value of the UppaBaby Vista is excellent, as there is always a market for this ever-popular ride. It’s probably the best resale you’ll get out of any stroller, so if you plan to sell it after you use it you can think of it as a fee for a short term rental :) 

At Babesta, we work with a partner (RebelStork) for resale, so you can come back to us when you’re done with your stroller and we’ll have it assessed and sold. You can find out more about our resale program here – but the bottom line is, the Vista is a low risk, high value stroller solution!

UppaBaby Cruz

Alright, so we know that the Cruz is the smaller of the two, but it is still quite mighty in our estimation. 

Family Planning

The UppaBaby Cruz can only be used for one child, so if you’re planning to have more than one, you’ll have to reassess your stroller needs when baby two comes along. That’s not always a bad thing. We know in the stroller market, every year everyone ups their game. 

That means when you are ready for a double stroller, there might be something even better on the market. 

We talked about our stroller resale program with regard to the Vista, but that goes for the Cruz too. Although generally speaking the resale value is slightly less, if you find yourself in need of a double you can still trade it in, get money back for your Cruz and put it toward the best double solution that’s out then!

Bassinet Inclusion

The other big difference with the UppaBaby Vista vs. the UppaBaby Cruz is that the Cruz does not come with a bassinet. It only comes with a seat. This means that out of the box, you cannot use it for babies under 3 months unless you purchase a car seat, an additional bassinet, or the UppaBaby Infant Snugseat.  

Now you are going to have a car seat anyway, so that’s always in play for these first months, however, you don’t want every time the baby is strolling around that they are sitting upright in their car seat. 

The car seats are for short term use, so if you’re a NYC family, you’ll probably need an additional infant solution given the fact that we stroll so much!

You can purchase the additional bassinet ($200) and basically price-wise you’re nearly in Vista territory ($699+$200=$899 vs $999 Vista). If your resistance to the Vista was more size over price, this is a perfect solution for you. If you’re balancing both, consider the Infant Snugseat instead ($49.99). 

With the Infant Snugseat, you’ll tip the seat all the way back and put the head positioner and wedge in place, giving baby a safe and comfy solution until they can sit unassisted in the seat. 

Budget

At $699, the Cruz punches over its weight. It’s a great stroller while being on the compact side and quite manageable. As we said, you will almost definitely need to add something for the first months to make it appropriate for a newborn — be that the Bassinet or the Infant Snugseat. 

All in all, if you want the smaller size and don’t care about leveraging it for two kids, this is a smart stroller to get. 

The Verdict

 

Now that we have compared the UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz, it’s up to you to decide and prioritize what you need from a stroller. We promise that either choice will be a good one, as the folks at UppaBaby are pros when it comes to making awesome strollers for city families. 

Both strollers are well made and engineered, and Uppa’s customer service can’t be beat. 

When you’re ready to make your purchase, Babesta’s here to help. If you want to check it off your list but don’t want to pick it up right away, we have a “hold it til you need it” service, where we’ll hold it until you’re ready. (NY apartments are small, so who needs something in your house before you absolutely have to right?)

We also offer free stroller assembly and training, making it stress-free for parents who have to quickly onboard to the whole world of baby. And we’re only a phone call (or a couple blocks) away if you have questions before or after your purchase. 

Don’t forget, Babesta also has a registry (and we work with BabyList), so if you’re adding the stroller to your baby registry and want to get these great services, purchase through us. 

But the best way to decide between UppaBaby Vista vs. UppaBaby Cruz is not by reading about it. Come down to the shop if you can and give them both a spin on the streets of Tribeca!