When the guys at Nursery Value asked me to do a blog on the Zia4+, two things crossed my mind - firstly, why did I need to bother, it looked essentially the same as the Zia+ but with the wheels spaced differently, then secondly thinking that would actually make my life easy; copy/paste Zia+ blog with a few minor adjustments - hurrah! Not quite. It's not the same, its better. And I'll tell you why.
I actually set up both pushchairs and put them next to each other, so that I could closely inspect the two. There was the obvious difference of the polka dots, which is automatically more attractive, and Shyloh was instantly transfixed (see below picture if you don't believe me). She loves the polka dots, and I mean loves them- I don't exactly know what it is about them, but if she's happy and not giving me a headache, then I too am a fan. I also noticed that the material on the 4+ is better quality - the untrained eye probably wouldn't notice, but when you're a pushchair expert such as myself (haha!), you come to demand better for your bundle of joy. Next, the wheel spacing. Now, you wouldn't have thought this would make a blind bit of difference, but it really does; for starters it instantly looks like a more expensive pushchair. And it feels better, more sturdy, and generally better maneuverability.
Its pretty much the same weight, size and dimensions as the Zia+, but cheaper, which is craziness - seriously, grab one before they realise! Also, something that meant nothing to me was the inclusion of a bumper bar. I still to this day don't understand its purpose. But to Shyloh this is officially the best thing in the world. She now has the ability to embarrass the hell out of me when we're out but grabbing onto it, screaming with glee, and rocking back and forth like a mental patient. I've never seen anything like it, I mean, what's the big deal, its a bumper bar! But no, to her it's amazing (small things, Shyloh...). And when she's done reenacting a scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, she leans back and sticks her feet up on it - like she owns the place... the sheer audacity! We passed a lady the other day who remarked, 'she's going to be a gymnast with her legs up like that'. I'm quite glad she didn't see her when she was shaking the bar like a loony, as I'm sure she would have said something far less complimentary.
Another thing, which is a stroke of genius, is the fact that this tiny little stroller is also a travel system; you can actually use a car seat with it, either Petite Star, or amazingly Maxi Coxi (with the adapters). This is one of the things that puts the Zia4+ leaps and bounds ahead of the Zia+ as I no longer have to drag out the Charisma (a.k.a the Tank) when I need to do a car journey. Amazing. The 4+ also comes with a raincover at the moment, which is great for this unpredictable weather (cue torrential rain in the middle of June). Oh, and did I mention the Zia 4+ is currently down to £89.99? Nursery Value asked me to return it when I've finished my test drive... and to that, kind sirs, I say... not bloody likely! Get one before they sell out. No you're not having mine, it's mine.
