REASONS TO BUY
High-quality fabric
Large Canopy
Bigger tires w/suspension
REASONS TO AVOID
Odd folder
Off-pavement handling is subpar
Cybex Balios S Lux Review
Overall, this high quality has impressive features, including nice fabric, larger tires, and suspension on each wheel
Credit: Matt Lighthart
By Wendy Schmitz ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ March 31, 2024
Contributions From: Juliet Spurrier, MD
RELATED: The Best Full-Size Strollers
Our Verdict
The Cybex Balios S Lux is a top-ranked full-size stroller. It is a high-quality choice with a nice overall look and skin-friendly fabric. We like the large storage bin with a 22 lb capacity, and the seat is cozy, with three recline angles and a padded leg rest. There is much to love about this stroller. However, the maneuverability really hurt it because it doesn't perform well off-road. If you are a city dweller who plans to stay on sidewalks and in stores, we think it rolls well. However, if you want to go off-road, even at a playground, we think there are better choices that are much easier to push over uneven terrain. The Cybex can be priced more reasonably, depending on sales, and could be a good fit for those who want to save a little money while still getting a quality city-dwelling stroller.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Cybex Balios S Lux | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Luxury on a Budget Stroller |  Best Full-Size Stroller For Most | Best Crossover Stroller | Best Budget-friendly Stroller | Best Bang for the All-terrain Buck |
| Price | $700 List Check Price at Amazon | $900 List Check Price at Amazon | $750 List | $400 List Check Price at Amazon | $160 List Check Amazon (on sale!) |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Overall, this high quality has impressive features, including nice fabric, larger tires, and suspension on each wheel | A high quality stroller with great storage, a huge canopy, and a variety of customizable options for comfort, but its pricey | Excellent all-terrain stroller that folds small to take on your adventures anywhere | A well built, adaptable full-size stroller that has some quirks but is great for everyday use at an affordable price | Simple, utilitarian stroller that lets you transition from in-town to off-road terrain with ease, at a budget conscious price |
| Rating Categories | Cybex Balios S Lux | UPPAbaby Cruz v3 | Guava Roam | Joie Ginger dlx | Baby Trend Expedition |
| Ease of Use (40%) | |||||
| Maneuverability (25%) | |||||
| Transport & Storing (15%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Kid's Comfort (10%) | |||||
| Specifications | Cybex Balios S Lux | UPPAbaby Cruz v3 | Guava Roam | Joie Ginger dlx | Baby Trend Expedition |
| Capacity Limits | Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lb |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 50 lb/ 40 in |
Minimum: Birth (with adapter), 6 months Maximum: 60 lb |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 50 lb/ 45 in |
Minimum: 6 months Maximum: 50 lb/ 42 in |
| Measured Weight | 25.3 lb | 26.5 lb | 28.4 lb | 24.9 lb | 23.0 lb |
| Measured Folded Dimensions | 24"W x 16"H x 31"L | 22.5"W x 17.5"H x 33"L | 17.7"W x 17.3"H x 29"L | 25.3"W x 35"H x 20.5"L | 24.1"W x 15.4"H x 33.6"L |
| Folded Volume | 11,904 cu in | 12,994 cu in | 8,880 cu in | 18,153 cu in | 12,470 cu in |
| Handlebar Height Min/Max | 39.5"/43" | 39.5" / 42" | 33.5" / 44.5" | 40.4" / 41.8" | 39.8" |
| Mfr. Max Allowable Total Storage Weight | 24 lb | 30 lb | 13.2 lb | 11 lb | 11 lb |
| Wheel Type | Foam Filled Plastic | Foam Filled Plastic | Foam Filled Rubber | Foam Filled Rubber | Pneumatic |
| Brake Type | Single | Single | Single | Single | Double |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Cybex Balios has a lot going for it, even if it doesn't love moving in the grass. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Use
The Balios is easy to use, and while not a top-ranker, it performed well enough for parents to avoid frustration.
There is a lot going on in the Balios fold and several steps are easy to forget. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Fold and Unfold
The Balios folds with one hand and stands when folded. If you lock the front wheels, you can roll it like luggage, which can be handy. The main gripe is the preparation required before folding. To get the most compact fold, you need to lock the wheels and recline the seat, and the seat will not lock in place when folded. If the leg rest on the seat isn't in the lowest position before the fold, it will cause a hiccup you must resolve before finishing. It all ends up being a lot of steps that feel convoluted but doable.
The storage bin on Balios is a large basket with good access, but the best part is it holds over 20 lbs. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Storage
The Balios storage bin is large and has good access. It has a respectable 22 lb. weight limit, better than most of the competition.
The bin on the Cybex isn't as big as some competitors, but it holds up to 22 lbs, which is a better max weight than many competitors. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Our large diaper bag fits inside with no problem, and 22 lbs is plenty for baby supplies and some shopping. There is also a seatback pocket for quick-access items like keys and a phone. The pocket can hold 2 lbs.
The harness webbing on the Balios is soft, and we love the padding behind the buckle to help avoid skin pinching and increase comfort. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Harness
The Balios harness is one of the better ones in the group, but it has some quirks. The shoulder height adjustment is infinite and slides on an exposed strap. However, smaller kids will have a longer strap hanging down in front when it's tightened to fit, and the release button is a little tricky with larger hands.
The Cybex harness and buckle are easy to use. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Adjustments to the webbing are also easy, with a single pull to tighten or release. The straps feel smooth and are wider. It looks and feels comfortable.
The Balios brake pedal is a rocking pedal that makes it easy to set and release without hurting your foot or marring your shoes. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Brakes
The Balios has single-action brakes with a rocking pedal that pushes forward to set and pushes back to release.
The Balios rocking pedal is well-placed and easy to use. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Not lifting the pedal from the bottom to release makes this design more foot and shoe-friendly.
Car Seat Compatibility
This Cybex is compatible only with Cybex infant car seats.
The Balios has a lot of protective packaging to remove before assembly can begin. Credit: Graham Faulknor
Ease of Setup
There is a lot going on here, and it took us longer to put it together (10-15
minutes) than most, earning it an average rating for setup. There is a lot of packaging to protect the stroller, which feels a bit like overkill. The sunshade has 8-10 small, tricky-to-snap button snaps. We think anyone with finger dexterity troubles might end up cursing this design. The instructions are multilingual and include many illustrations.
The Balios rolls well over flat surfaces and smaller thresholds. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Maneuverability
The Cybex scored a little below average for maneuverability, but it isn't frustrating if you choose surfaces carefully.
Transitioning from sidewalks to rougher terrain like grass is not the strong suit of the Balios. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Cybex feels almost nimble on hard or flat surfaces and rolls well over smooth ones, including thresholds and cords. Carpet slows the wheels down a little, and it can get sluggish.
Even crossing an occasional greenbelt to a play structure will be frustrating in the Balios, in our opinion. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Those who stroll primarily on sidewalks and flat surfaces will likely have no problem with the maneuverability of the Balios. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Off-road is where it falls apart and feels like a slog. In fairness, we don't think it was designed for adventure, but it would be nice to cross a park greenbelt to reach the play structures. It rolls fairly well on grass, but it took significant effort to make turns. Transitioning from one surface to the other was also disappointing. This Cybex might be a better choice for city dwellers who are unlikely to move far from the sidewalk.
The Cybex folds relatively small for the group and the style type. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Transporting and Storing
The Cybex is about average for transporting and storing.
It is 25.31 lbs, neither heavy nor light for this group. Loading it into a car is a two-handed job, but getting it onto a bus is a bit more of a chore because it's wider and heavier than some competitors.
The seat on the Balios folds in, unlike other similarly styled seats that stick out awkwardly. Credit: Matt Lighthart
It folds reasonably compactly for a stroller of this type, measuring 11,904 cubic inches.
The Balios has a nice attention to detail like the wrapped belly bar. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Quality
The Cybex performed well in our quality tests, with an average result compared to competitors.
The wheels on the Cybex are smaller and foam-filled plastic, which aren't our favorite and probably impacted its performance during maneuverability testing. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Balios front wheels can be locked and have spring shocks. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The material feels durable but still skin-friendly. Cleaning might be challenging with the mesh sides, but it can be washed and easily removed. The storage bin feels sturdy.
The wheels are foam-filled plastic, which isn't our favorite, but they are above average in diameter, and the rear wheels are wider than other plastic options. The frame is minimalistic and slightly flexed from right to left, but it isn't excessive or impedes functionality. The final product has a clean look, and all parts fit together well and have tight connections.
The leg rest on the Cybez is adjustable for comfort or preference. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Kid's Comfort
The Balios offers more than the average stroller for kid comfort, with a higher score than most, but not everything is spectacular.
The Cybex seat sits on rear shocks that can help prevent the transfer of feeling every bump in the road. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Balios has an easy-to-use recline button on the back of the seat, and the entire thing tilts, including the leg rest.
The back of the seat lever for recline adjustment on the Balios is easy to use. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The entire Balios seat tilts as one with the recline adjustment but the leg rest can also rotate to find a comfortable position. Credit: Matt Lighthart
It tilts into three possible positions that encourage napping, with a lightly padded leg rest. The real problem here is that the leg rest is oddly short, and our toddler tester had legs dangling off the end. There is no frame or footrest. It feels like a design mistake not to give children a place to put their feet, and the end of the leg rest is only canvas, which likely isn't durable enough to withstand multiple kids and many years.
The Balios canopy has a zip-open panel and visor to increase the coverage. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Balios has a small, mesh, peek-a-boo window for spying on passengers. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The canopy is large and offers UPF 50+ protection. It has a mesh peek-a-boo window. It is large enough to create a nice privacy cocoon with ample sun protection and includes a pop-out visor.
Continuous Sleeping Comfort
Sleep comfort is the name of the game when it comes to parent satisfaction; a sleeping kiddo is always a win-win. We put this to the test, looking for wake-up events going over standard asphalt and bumpier terrain. The Balios vibrates a little more than most, but at walking speeds it handles the bumps and cracks like a champ, resulting in only two potential low-intensity wake-up events for an above-average performance.
The Cybex Balios is a sometimes less expensive quality stroller for one. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Should You Buy the Cybex Balios S Lux?
The Balios is a strong contender, bringing a high-quality look and feel. It performed well in our kid comfort tests and is easier to use than much of the competition. This full-size stroller is a sleek-looking option that can save you some money over similarly styled, higher-ranking choices. Our testers felt that most families won't realize they are missing out by choosing the Cybex over spendier options, which makes it a good choice for those who want this style but can't afford more expensive strollers.
What Other Full-Size Strollers Should You Consider?
The UPPAbaby Cruz v3 offers impressive features, ease of use, and is easier to push and turn. If you can afford the price difference and want the absolute best, it is hard to ignore the Cruz. However, if your budget is limited and even the Cybex is a stretch, the Joie Ginger dlx is an impressive contender that is easy to love and can save you hundreds. It cosplays as a spendier stroller with styling and features that split the difference between the Cybex and Cruz, but it has a price that won't break the bank.
Manufacturer Video
—Wendy Schmitz and Juliet Spurrier, MD
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