[toc]For many years now, the Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30Travel System has been loved by consumers and has been a Best Seller in most retailers. It has features that most high end strollers possess like the high grade infant car seat; car seat adapter; adjustable seat, leg support, handle; swivel and well suspended wheels; huge canopy and storage; safe and comfortable harnesses and seats; eye-catching fabric designs, and the ability to be folded using one hand. Also, the Cortina KeyFit 30 comes with more accessories that most expensive strollers do not have like the car seat base for the car, parent console, and child trays.
Let’s take a deeper look at the Chicco Cortina Travel System and see if it suits your baby’s needs and your family.
Easy to Install Car Seat
Chicco has been well known for their top-rated and safe infant car seats in America. Also, most hospitals commend this car seat that they will encourage you to use it right after the baby is discharged from the hospital. So for Chicco to include it with a stroller is a win-win, giving you the ideal travel system on the go and the best of its products.
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 includes an Infant Car Seat than accommodate up to 30 pounds and 30 inches. This is way higher than the usual 22 pounds from other brands. Also, it can accommodate the littlest of babies in case of premature ones that are at least 4 to 11 pounds. The only downside with respect to length of the Infant Car Seat is that taller infants can easily outgrow it. The new-born inserts that are pads that can be fitted on the car seat to support the little babies’ head, neck, back, and bottom. So you do not have to think about their fragile bones. Also, as a precaution, wash the inserts before placing them in the car seat to avoid baby rashes. The materials come straight from the manufacturer and so it is possible that some harmful chemicals are retained.
The insert pads and the actual seats have energy absorbing foam that protects the babies from different kinds of impacts whether on a stroll or in the car. Additional to the pads, the car seat also has harness that can be adjusted easily in a one-pull motion for a better fit on your baby making him snug and safe.
The Infant Car Seat of the Cortina KeyFit 30 is very easy to install. All you need to do is snap it in place which is contrary to other brands where the car seats look as if they are only place on top of them. With Chicco, it is secured in place. Plus it is placed rear facing which will enable you to look after your baby.
Included Infant Car Seat Base
To make more efficient and safer for the infants to travel inside a car, Chicco included an Infant Car Seat Base in the Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System. It also serves as protection for the vehicle’s seat from damage because of its smooth underside. It also serves as a flat support for the baby when the stroller is being folded, that way the baby stays safe and out of possible harm. This base conforms to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
The Chicco KeyFit Base can be placed using a LATCH or vehicle’s child restraint anchorage system (if any) or simply using the vehicle’s belt. Make sure that it is underside is flat. Once placed the two bubble levels that are placed on both sides. These are used for you to check the recline angle. To correct the recline angle, buttons on either side of the base are pushed and the springs will move into place.
The Chicco KeyFit Base features a locking system that snaps the car seat much like when placing it on the stroller frame. Press the orange button of the Infant Car Seat Base and it is released.
The Chicco KeyFit 30’s Base The base has a nifty storage compartment at the rear where the user guide is stored. This is another great feature of the base. It can also be used to put those emergency wipes and diapers.
Memory Reclining Seats
Onto the main stroller, the Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System’s padded seat has a memory recline technology. It remembers the last reclined position it was in before it was folded. Once opened, it springs back into the position. The seats have multiple reclining positions. It can be reclined fully flat which is great for infants or changing diapers. It can also be set fully upright for bigger babies who want to see where you both are going. And it also has the more reclines in between them. All you need to do is pull the lever behind the backseat to recline it.
The seats are well padded are new-born inserts can also be attached. The fabric is made of Italian textile-covered lining. The downside is that the fabric is too warm which are great to keep the baby warm from the cold weather but maybe too much in summer. It is advisable to clothe the baby appropriately to lessen discomfort and prevent too much sweating under hot climate.
Five-Point Safety Harness
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Stroller and Car Seat are equipped with five-point harness that will secure your baby. They can be adjusted on a central strap by pulling it. One hand can do this so you can hold the stroller or the baby on the other to ensure a perfect fit. Also, these harnesses are well padded so the baby is comfortable in it.
Adjustable Leg Support
To support baby’s bone and muscle development, and add comfort, the Chicco Cortina KeyFit’s leg support or footrest can be adjusted. It has three positions. One is making it parallel with the fully reclined seat for snoozing babies. Another position is to support short legs of a growing a baby. And the last is perpendicular to the seat to allow more room for toddler’s long legs in a seating position.
Adjustable Handle
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System’s great feature is the handle’s adjustable height. This makes the strolling more comfortable for both the mom and dad who have huge height difference. The handle itself is covered with foam for extra padding and rubber for better grip.
Removable Canopy
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit Travel System comes with an adjustable and removable canopy. It also has additional sun shade that folds out. It is so flexible that you can angle or move it forward to protect the baby from the afternoon’s harmful UV rays. It can move all the way down to the belly bar. The only downside with this is when the canopy is far from the parent tray, an opening is created above the baby that he will be exposed to other elements such as rain.
It also has a vinyl peek-a-boo window on top, but does not have a flap cover which direct sunlight can pass through it as well. This is another problem for other parents who are living in a sunny area and has to constantly throw a blanket on it which is a bit of a challenge to keep in place. The only thing this feature is good at ii for you to get a look at your baby while strolling.
For a damper place to live in, parents enjoy the fabric of the canopy’s ability to repel water. It protects the baby from ever getting wet and catching colds.
The Infant Car Seat also comes with its own canopy. So when you pull both canopies, they make a cozy cover to protect your baby from hot or cold elements.
Swivel Wheels, Suspension, Linked Brakes
One of the reasons why the Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System has been a Best Seller is because of its maneuverability. This is all because of the Cortina KeyFit’s plastic wheels. It has front swivel wheels that can be locked for straight driving. And it has the sturdy rear wheels that can be stopped or parked with the push of one foot. This is what they call the linked rear brakes.
But what makes the Cortina Travel system rides very smoothly is the all-wheel suspension. This enables the Cortina KeyFit stroller to glide over (somewhat) all-terrain areas. And because of the built-in shock absorber, it is able to turn easily with very little effort and even held by only one hand.
One-Hand Fold
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30Travel System is supposedly can be folded using only one hand. This is still possible though, but we found that using two hands is way easier and faster. All you have to do to fold the stroller is fold the canopy and handle bar first. Then pull the lever located on the parent tray and pull the child’s tray simultaneously. The Stroller will then fold and automatically lock in place via the storage latch.
The Cortina KeyFit can be folded even with the fully reclined seat. And because of the Memory Recline feature mentioned earlier, the seat will resume its state once the stroller is unfolded. The folded stroller can be stored on a trunk for travelling or just for storage. But many users have observed that the folded Cortina KeyFit 30 is actually quite bulky. So if you think it won’t fit your car or you have no room for it in the house, this is not a stroller for you.
You also have to keep in mind that the stroller can stand on its own when it is folded. This is great because it will reduce the amount of dirt it can accumulate if it is being stored or left in its place when you need to do something else.
To unfold the Cortina KeyFit 30 stroller, pull the lever again on the parent console while pushing the child’s tray or belly bar. Then pull up the handle bar and canopy again and the Stroller is ready to move again.
Large Storage Basket
The Chicco Cortina Travel System has a large storage basket that provides ample amount of space and is accessible within your reach. It can store all of baby’s paraphernalia, your purse, and even the goods from the grocery. It is accessible even when the seat is fully reclined unlike other stroller brands. But you have to tug the basket downward in order to do so.
Parent Tray/Console
For smaller and items that needs to be accessed immediately and all the time, the Chicco Cortina Travel system is equipped with a parent tray or parent console. Where you can find the lever for folding the stroller, there is a cup holder on its left side for the water bottles or even coffee and a covered compartment on the right for your mobile phone, car keys, and more. This is an accessory that is usually sold separately on other brands of strollers.
Child Tray
In place of the usual belly bar on most strollers, the Chicco Cortina Travel System has a child tray. Some strollers also sell this separately. This is free for the Cortina. It has two cup holders for the Sippy cups or milk bottle and a compartment between them for placing snacks or even toys. This is great for eating of course, entertainment, and something for the baby to hold on to when he wants to sit upright.
Fabric Options
One of the best features of the Cortina KeyFit 30 that entices most parents is its design. It is both chic and pleasant for newborn babies’ eyes. It is not boring like solid colors and is usually gender neutral that the following kids in the family can use it.
There are all 15 fabric options for the Cortina. They are Foxy, Endless, Martini, Gemini, Pegaso, Luxor, Graphica, Azura, Chic, Midori, Miro, Romantic, Fuego, Bella, and Adventure (left to right). Miro has been the ultimate favorite among the users.
Technical Specifications of Cortina KeyFit 30
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System’s chassis is made up of aluminum frame and measures 27.5 x 19.8 x 31 inches (Unfolded). Still, it only weighs 45 pounds including the car seat on it. This is said to make it quite bulky and not compact even after being folded. But the size and weight of it enables it to carry infants or toddlers up to 50 pounds on the stroller alone. The only downside with the overall size of the Chicco Cortina is that bigger babies tend to outgrew it with respect to the width.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy to assemble, even a 9-month pregnant mom can do it
- Safe and comfortable Car seat
- Beautiful unisex designs of fabric
- Easy to fold
- Storage basket can be accessed when the seat is fully reclined
- Glides smoothly
- Good quality for the affordable price
Cons
- Little bulky and not compact when folded
- Seats feel very warm
- Uses two hands for folding by some
- Stroller is too narrow that babies can easily outgrow it
- When the canopy is tilted forward to block afternoon sunlight, it will expose the top
Consumer Ratings
The Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel system is rated as 4.3 by consumers where 58% says it is a 5. It is also in the Best Sellers list and ranked as #12 in Travel Systems Category.
Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30’s Price
Regularly, the Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel system is priced at $349.99. But during this post was made it is only $299.95 through Amazon. You can check the real-time price when you click the order button below.
Overall Impression on the Cortina KeyFit 30
All in all the Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 is a great travel system for its price. It has the essential accessories that even expensive brands sell them separately with unpractical prices. Also, Chicco is loved by many because it is user friendly and one of the safest products for babies. The downside for the Cortina KeyFit is that it caters for those who have smaller kids, bigger cars, and colder climate.
