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If you’re looking for a stroller that will last you from birth right through the toddler years, our Nuna Tavo review might be of use to you. Nuna has a good selection of strollers and travel systems. What makes the Tavo so special? Does it matter that it doesn’t come with a bassinet? And will it work for you as a family?
We’ll be looking at the main features of the Tavo, before going into each feature in detail – including safety, design, ease of use, and any extra nifty features it has. We’ll look at what real families have to say about how the Tavo works for them, as well as considering the pros and cons.
Hopefully, if you’re considering the Tavo for your baby or toddler, this review will help. Let’s start with an overview of what you can expect from this stroller.
The Main Features of Nuna Tavo
The Nuna Tavo is a travel system, designed to be as easy to use as possible. With a one-click, no-adapter car seat attachment function, and one-handed folding, it is really simple to transfer your baby from your car to the stroller (and back again).
Nuna is a brand known for smart designs when it comes to strollers, high chairs, baby seats, and more. Founded in 2007, their focus is to keep their products simple and functional – their strollers are designed with real families in mind.
The Tavo can be used from birth right through to around 5 years (50lbs). Although it doesn’t use a bassinet, it can be put into a completely flat position – meaning you can create a safe, flat area for your smaller baby to sleep in. It’s a travel system designed to be quick to fold and unfold, and it is particularly comfortable for toddlers and older children.
Here’s an overview of what you get with the Tavo:
- Stroller with a soft, comfortable forward-facing seat that can be adjusted for different seasons
- Four different reclining positions, including a truly flat position
- Adaptable sunshade with UPF 50+
- Large storage basket with a zippered pocket for valuables
- Four medium-sized wheels with good suspension
Design
Nuna strollers tend to be pretty stylish, and the Tavo is no exception. It has three main seating positions (with four reclining positions):
- Forward-facing using all-season seat
- Parent facing using a car seat
- Forward-facing fully reclined in the all-season seat
As you can see, the Tavo doesn’t come with a bassinet, and you can’t buy one that fits it separately. It also lacks a parent-facing option using just the seat, which means you won’t be able to face your toddler as you walk – this could be an issue for some parents.
However, it does have a clever lie-flat option, which creates a safe, cozy bassinet-like area for your newborn. This is smart and works very well with the sunshade, which we’ll mention in a minute – using that, you can create a very secure area for your smaller baby to nap in. It’s unusual to find a stroller that truly lies flat, but the Tavo does.
The downside is it isn’t parent facing – but it does have a peekaboo mesh window so you can check on them. If you lack the space in your car or home for a separate bassinet, this could work out very well for your family. With no need for adapters, it’s a good choice if you want to save space (and time).
It looks great. The design of the frame is clean and sleek, like most Nuna strollers, with some parts that are glossy in appearance, which is a nice extra touch. It has a leatherette push bar and comes in three color choices: Aspen (light gray), Caviar (black), and Granite (dark gray).
Comfort and Safety
The Tavo is very comfortable for babies and toddlers. The all-season seat is padded and can be adjusted depending on the season – there is a warm, cozy liner for the colder months, which can be removed in the summer.
The seat has a three or five-point anti-loop harness. It’s roomy, too – perfect for toddlers, and as it lasts up to around five years of age, it suits older children just as much as it suits smaller babies.
There is a UPF 50+ canopy with a retractable flip-out eyeshade – meaning you can still see your baby even while they’re protected from the sun. The sunshade can be attached in lots of different positions and can be unzipped, allowing air to flow through the mesh on very hot days.
This is a real plus point, and it gives you lots of options to keep your baby or toddler safe in the shade – it’s known for being one of the best sunshades on the market. The Tavo can be adjusted as your baby grows into toddlerhood and beyond. The calf rest is adjustable, and there’s a removable liner in the seat to keep smaller babies comfortable.
There is an infant armbar for extra security, but this can be removed if you like. The stroller works nicely with the Nuna toddler tray, which is sold separately. Nuna says that the Tavo uses ‘progressive suspension technology’ – users praise the Tavo for the smooth ride it gives, but the smaller wheels aren’t the best for going over particularly bumpy terrain.
It’s not suitable for jogging, unfortunately – if you want to run with a stroller, you need to find something with better suspension and bigger wheels (check out our round-up of jogging strollers here).
The push bar is designed to be comfortable to grip, and it’s telescopic, with four positions. All you have to do is pull the buttons on either side of the handle up, and then pull or push the whole thing into position – easy to do on the go if you want to swap pushing duties with someone taller or shorter than you.
The brake on the rear wheel is easy to use – step on the red area to engage the brake, and the green area to enable it to work again. It’s easy to do even in sandals or flip-flops.
The front wheels have a swivel lock, too, so if you’d prefer to lock the front wheels in place, you can easily do that by pulling on the small levers above the front wheels. This is recommended for uneven terrain. Having the option to swivel the front wheels is perfect for navigating through tight spaces, so it’s good to have the choice.
Ease of Use
This is where the Tavo really comes into its own. Firstly, the car seat very simply clicks into place. No adapters required – just click and go. This is really great when you’re out and about with a sleeping newborn.
Secondly, it has a one-handed folding mechanism. To fold it, you simply press the button on the handle and fold it in half – it’s as easy as that. If you need to fold it whilst holding a toddler, you can just about manage it. Once it’s folded, it has a trolley function – so you can wheel it around rather than having to carry it.
If you need to get on and off public transport, whilst holding a child, this could work for you. The wheels come off easily for storage purposes, too, so if you’re stashing it away for a future child, you can store it neatly. However, it’s slightly heavy compared to other strollers. This may not be a problem for you, but it’s something to be aware of if repeated heavy lifting is going to be an issue.
Out of the box, it’s very simple to put it together. Just unfold it, and then click the wheels into place. Plus, the covers can be taken off and washed, which is great.
Extra Features
The Tavo has a very large basket underneath. You can fit a great amount of shopping in there – it’s spacious and has spring-loaded edges.
This means if you need to squash the edges a little to fit large items in, the basket won’t lose its shape. It also has a zip-fastened smaller section to keep your valuables safe. If you want to go grocery shopping on foot, the Tavo could work really well for you.
It does lack any extras, like a parent console or a toddler tray – these can be purchased separately. It also lacks a rain cover – this needs to be bought separately. That bumps up the cost slightly, as it costs around $40 to buy the rain cover designed specifically for it.
If you do have the money to spring on extras, the rain cover is a must if you live in an area prone to rain, but the toddler tray is a good investment too – it’s good to have a snack tray that is designed to clip on and off easily, to keep your child occupied on longer journeys. A universal stroller organizer can be bought online for a fairly low cost, but you might find the large basket with the zippered section is enough for you.
Specifications
Here are the details you need to know about the Tavo:
- Color Choices: Aspen, Caviar, Granite
- Included in Box: Tavo stroller, Dream Drape sunshade
- Compatible Carseat: Nuna PIPA car seat series
- Weight: 24.3lbs (minus canopy and armbar)
- Size (folded): 18.5” (H) x 22” (W) x 36.8” (L)
- Size (unfolded): 42.5” (H) x 22” (W) x 35.6” (L)
- Recommended weight limit: Up to 50lbs
Reviews and Awards
The Tavo hasn’t won any awards at the time of writing. Reviews are very positive, however. The main thing that parents love is how easy it is to use – the one-handed folding mechanism is really useful, as well as the one-click car seat function – as well as the flexibility when it comes to the sunshade.
The suspension is good, and the wheels are decent enough for most sidewalks. The only downside seems to be the fact that it isn’t parent facing for toddlers, and it is on the heavier side.
Pros and Cons
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons:
Pros
- Very easy to fold up
- One-click car seat attachment is great
- The sunshade is well designed
- The seat is comfortable and lies truly flat
- Great suspension
Cons
- On the heavier side
- Doesn’t include any accessories like a rain cover
- No parent-facing option for toddlers
Has This Product Been Recalled?
No, this model has never been recalled. Of course, this is possible in a lot of places and not only in the online poki games, as it can become popular in movies, music, etc.
Similar Strollers
If you like the look of the Tavo, you might want to consider checking these out:
UPPABaby Cruz
The UPPABaby Cruz is a great travel system that can be used with a bassinet – you can find out more about it in our comparison article here.
Has This Product Been Recalled?
Yes. This Stroller has been recalled back in 2015 along with the Vista model due to a foam crossbar that can be bitten by babies.
Chicco Cortina CX
The Chicco Cortina CX is an excellent travel system if you’re on a tighter budget – you can read our review here.
Has This Product Been Recalled?
The Chicco Cortina CX hasn’t been recalled yet, however, the car seat of this model has been recalled in 2018 because they have a defect that prevents the base to be securely attached in the car.
Evenflo Pivot Modular Travel System
The Evenflo Pivot Modular Travel System offers lots of options in terms of seating positions as your baby grows – you can check out our review here.
Has This Product Been Recalled?
No. This Travel System has not been recalled so far.
FAQs
Answer: It’s designed to fit the Nuna PIPA series – there are no adapters at present that will enable you to use it with other car seats.
Answer: No – they’re foam tires, so you won’t need to pump them up.
Answer: It’s a telescoping push bar, so it can be adjusted to different heights.
Answer: Yes, the Demi Grow is a great, flexible option if you need a double stroller. (If you need more options for double strollers, check out our article about them here).
Answer: Yes, in our opinion, Nuna is a good brand. Their strollers are well-designed, and they’ve won awards for some of their products. They have a good reputation amongst parents, with plenty of good reviews for the Tavo.
Answer: No, at the time of writing there haven’t been any recalls for the Tavo.
We’ve reviewed a few Nuna strollers:
The Nuna MIXX is a great stroller (see how it compares to the UPPABaby Vista here)
The MIXX2 is a slightly improved version of the MIXX (see how the two compare here)
The Nuna Pepp is a good option with similar features to the Tavo (see how they both compare here)
Answer: At the time of writing, the Tavo isn’t sold on Amazon – here’s a link to it on the Nuna website.
Conclusion – is the Tavo Worth It?
We would recommend the Nuna Tavo for:
- Families expecting a new baby
- Families wanting a stroller that will last them a long time for use by subsequent children
- Families with limited storage space/car space
- Those wanting a simple-to-use stroller that works with a compatible car seat
The great thing about the Tavo is that the quality of the materials means it will last for a long time. It also doesn’t require a bassinet – these can take up a lot of room, so if you’re tight for space, you might be tempted by this. Plus, you don’t have to mess around with adapters – just click the car seat in and go.
We wouldn’t recommend it for those wanting to go jogging or walking on uneven terrain – the suspension and tires simply aren’t designed for that.
We’d also suggest that, if you already have a toddler and you’re not planning on using it for another child in the future, you might be better off choosing another model that is aimed just for toddlers – you can find a much cheaper option out there than the Tavo in that situation (like the Pepp Next, also by Nuna, which folds up very small and is around a hundred dollars cheaper than the Tavo).
It’s also worth remembering that there is no parent-facing option for older babies and toddlers. It’s a shame because many parents love the eye contact and time to talk to their children as they walk – with many strollers having this option now, it might well be a sticking point for you.
All in all, the Nuna Tavo is a solid travel system and is designed to be easy to use – if that’s what you’re after, you might find that it’s the perfect fit for your family.
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