The recline is really easy to change on the go and there are three positions to choose from – simply pinch together the clip to move the seat to a different angle. The sunshade is included as standard and is UV 50+-protected. Our tester found it very useful and a great size, covering the baby completely in a protective cocoon to safeguard them from the elements. The included apron will help to keep out any wind too. It lays flat, so it can be stored upright and, if you remove the seat, it’s even slimmer to store. Our tester was really impressed with the size of this buggy once folded as it was so small and compact compared to some of its competitors, such as the Mamas & Papas Ocarro, yet it had the feel of a bigger travel system when fully assembled.

In the spacious carrycot, there’s a real mattress integrated into the design to offer extra comfort. When your baby is a little bigger and using the reversible seat unit, you can easily recline the wide, padded seat to a lie-flat position to ensure that your baby is comfortable. While a 5-point safety harness, ensures that your little one is safe a secure. The extendable UPF 50+ sun canopy provides protection from the sun, then for those rainy days the rain cover helps to keep your little one warm and dry. The Zelia handles the everyday bumps (kerbs, uneven pavement etc) really well and is ideal for walking to the shops and around town.

The Maxi-Cosi Zelia arrived in the smallest box of all on test with everything necessary for immediate assembly. She felt it easily fit her two-year-old with plenty of room for growing too. She particularly liked its upright positioning which made it more of a chair than a reclining pushchair seat and allowed her child to engage with the world around him.

Included in the box is a rain cover and a boot cover/apron, which can be used when the seat is upright or laid flat in bassinet mode, as well as care and assembly instructions. Also keep in mind that it can only be folded with the seat facing forward and can't be folded with anything in the storage basket, which isn’t ideal if you need to fold your buggy on the bus or train.Our tester and her seven-month-old put it through rigorous spillage tests, including spilled milk and bits of dried baby food, and all wiped off easily. The Maxi-Cosi Zelia has a flip-style mechanism that makes it easy to fold and unfold, but you do need two hands. The storage basket is possibly the biggest we tested and easily takes three to four shopping bags and a changing bag with extra room for a few impulse buys too.

Her concern was that, with a tantruming toddler, it would be harder to get them in or out of the pushchair. She found it helped to fully loosen a strap, put the baby’s arm in, then tighten before doing the same with the other side.Because the comfort cushion and cover are not removable, they need to be washed with water, soap and a sponge. Regardless of this, the buggy still looked great. Final verdict? While it may have a lower price tag than most of the travel systems we tested, the quality of the Maxi-Cosi Zelia is still hard to beat. While the five-point harness is safe and secure, our tester did struggle with the fact that the shoulder and waist straps shared a clip, so her child’s arms had to be bent through the harness.