The short answer
On the published specifications, UPPAbaby wins this, and it wins on price rather than on engineering. The Vista V3 with bassinet takes the highest Bench Score in our full pram assessment at 9.0 and costs $1,499. The nearest Bugaboo, the Donkey 6 Single Bassinet and Seat Pram, scores 8.7 and costs $1,999. That is $500 for three tenths of a point, and the Bugaboo gives some of it back on fold footprint. Bugaboo’s answer is configuration. If you have two children of any ages, or a strong suspicion that a second is coming, the Donkey platform converts between single and side-by-side in a way UPPAbaby’s Vista does not, and the Donkey 5 Twin at $1,889 has no UPPAbaby equivalent in this field at all. Buy on the number of children first, then on price. All prices are as at 30 July 2026, lowest listed Australian retail.
Price
At the top of each range the gap is wide. The Vista V3 with bassinet is $1,499. The Donkey 6 Single with bassinet and seat is $1,999. Bugaboo’s closer match on money is the Donkey 5 Pram Complete at $1,399, which includes bassinet and seat fabrics for one child and scores 8.3.
Lower down, the two brands almost meet. The UPPAbaby Cruz V3 is $999 and scores 8.0. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is $979 and scores 7.9. Twenty dollars and one tenth of a point separate them, so the decision there comes down to what you want the pram to do rather than what it costs.
Travel systems land closer together. The Vista V3 with the UPPAbaby Mesa capsule is $1,998, and UPPAbaby’s spec sheet says the two connect directly with no adapters. The Donkey 5 Mono with the Turtle by Nuna capsule is $1,979, base and adaptor included. The Donkey 6 version of that bundle is $2,347.95.
The fold, and how much floor it takes
This is Bugaboo’s weakest column in the assessment, and it is a function of the Donkey being a side-by-side. The Donkey 6 Single scores 7.5 for fold and footprint, the Donkey 5 Complete 7.5, and the Donkey 5 Twin 7.0. Both Donkey 5s fold self-standing in one piece on the maker’s figures, and Bugaboo quotes 60 cm across in single mode for the Donkey 6, which is narrow for a convertible. Narrow through a doorway is not the same as small in a boot, though, and the fold scores put every Donkey at least a point and a half behind the Vista.
UPPAbaby’s Vista V3 scores 9.0 there on a one-step fold that stands when folded. The Cruz V3 scores 8.0 on an ultra-compact one-piece fold.
Where Bugaboo takes this column back is the Dragonfly, which scores 9.0 for fold and footprint and matches the Vista. Bugaboo publishes folded dimensions of 36 x 52 x 90 cm and a one-hand fold that leaves the seat attached, which is the part you will notice on a wet footpath with a toddler on your hip. One note on weight: Bugaboo’s standalone Dragonfly page quotes 9.9 kg fully assembled with the seat, while the bundle listings quote 7.9 kg. UPPAbaby publishes no frame weight in the data we hold, so we will not guess at one.
Seats, bassinets and how far each pram converts
Both brands score 9.5 for conversion and versatility at the top, and they earn it differently.
The Vista V3 comes with the bassinet at $1,499 and takes up to three children with the RumbleSeat and PiggyBack accessories bought separately. The seat is full-size and reversible, with a seasonal liner that converts to a mesh ventilation backing, which matters more in Brisbane in February than any brochure line about design.
The Donkey 6 converts from single to double in three clicks and Bugaboo lists more than 20 configurations with a capsule and wheeled board added. It carries bassinet and seat in the box at $1,999. The Donkey 5 Complete does the same trick for $1,399, though the conversion to a double needs extra components you buy later.
For two children at once, Bugaboo has the clearer answer. The Donkey 5 Twin at $1,889 includes two bassinets and two reversible seats from birth, supports 22 kg per seat, and Bugaboo says it still fits through most standard doorways. It scores 8.2 and takes our Best for twins award. UPPAbaby’s compact double, the Minu Duo at $1,149, scores 7.8 and goes through a 73 cm doorway on the published dimensions, but it is a side-by-side stroller rather than a from-birth twin pram package on the same terms.
At the entry end the split is cleaner than it looks. The Cruz V3 is suitable from birth with the included infant insert, at $999. The standard Dragonfly is listed from birth at $979 but the bassinet is a separate purchase, and the Dragonfly Plus at $1,079 has a six-months-plus seat, which means a capsule for the newborn stretch. That is why the Dragonfly Plus scores 6.5 for conversion against the Cruz V3’s 8.0.
Wheels and push
Neither brand tops this column across the field. The best running gear in our pram assessment belongs to Thule, whose Urban Glide 3 scores 9.5 on 16 inch air-filled tyres.
Between these two it is level at the top. The Vista V3 scores 9.0 on all-wheel suspension. The Donkey 6 matches it at 9.0. The Donkey 5 pair, which run on large puncture-proof wheels, score 8.5. Below that, UPPAbaby’s Cruz V3 scores 8.0 on FlexRide suspension and never-flat tyres, ahead of the Dragonfly’s 7.5 on urban wheels and full suspension.
Build and materials come out even at the top, 9.5 for both the Vista V3 and the Donkey 6. Bugaboo publishes a 60% recycled aluminium frame with organic cotton lining. UPPAbaby answers with full-grain leather accents and reflective trim. Neither is a compromise.
Basket and everyday storage
Bugaboo wins the numbers here. The Donkey 6 lists a 15 kg underseat basket, described as 50% larger than the previous generation, plus a side bag rated to 10 kg. UPPAbaby lists 13.6 kg for the Vista V3 and the Cruz V3. The Donkey 5 and the Dragonfly both list 10 kg.
If you shop with the pram rather than beside a boot, that side bag is one of the few places Bugaboo justifies the extra $500 with a figure rather than a finish.
Parts and service in Australia
This is the column where both brands sit mid-table. Every UPPAbaby and every Bugaboo in our assessment scores 7.5 for Australian parts and service. Both are imported, and a replacement wheel or a cracked adaptor goes through a distributor.
For contrast, the Babyhood Doppio Plus Single Seat at $1,499 scores 9.0 in that column, the highest of any pram we assessed, on Australian design and local parts support. It scores 8.1 overall, still behind the Vista V3, and it does not beat either brand here on build or running gear. It is worth knowing about if a three-week wait for a part is the thing that would ruin your year.
The scores
| Pram | Price | Bench Score | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPPAbaby Vista V3 Pram + Bassinet | $1,499 | 9.0 | Best overall |
| Bugaboo Donkey 6 Single Bassinet and Seat Pram | $1,999 | 8.7 | Best convertible |
| Bugaboo Donkey 5 Pram Complete | $1,399 | 8.3 | |
| Bugaboo Donkey 5 Twin Pram | $1,889 | 8.2 | Best for twins |
| UPPAbaby Cruz V3 Pram | $999 | 8.0 | Best under $1,000 |
| Bugaboo Dragonfly Pram | $979 | 7.9 | Best city fold |
| UPPAbaby Minu Duo Stroller | $1,149 | 7.8 | |
| Bugaboo Dragonfly Plus Pram | $1,079 | 7.7 |
Buy the UPPAbaby if
You have one child, or one child and a plan for a second that involves an accessory rather than a new pram. The Vista V3 is the highest-scoring pram in our assessment at 9.0, it includes the bassinet at $1,499, and on fold and footprint it outscores every Bugaboo here that includes a bassinet. Buy it also if the boot of your car is the real constraint, because 9.0 for fold and footprint against the Donkey 6’s 7.5 is the clearest gap between the two headline prams. If your ceiling is four figures, the Cruz V3 at $999 is from birth with the insert included and takes our Best under $1,000 award.
Buy the Bugaboo if
You are carrying two children, or you expect to be. The Donkey 5 Twin at $1,889 is the only pram in this comparison built for twins from birth with two bassinets included, and the Donkey 6 at $1,999 turns from single to double in three clicks with a 15 kg basket and a 10 kg side bag that no UPPAbaby here matches. Buy the Dragonfly at $979 instead if you live in a flat and want the 36 x 52 x 90 cm fold with the seat left on. Accept that on the Donkey you are paying a premium over the equivalent UPPAbaby and getting configuration for it, not a better score.
Assessed on specification, 30 July 2026. No pram in this comparison has been physically tested. Prices are as at 30 July 2026, lowest listed Australian retail, and change often.
Disclosure: The Baby Bench is owned by Xpand Digital, which provides marketing services to Babyhood. Babyhood products are scored on the same published criteria as every other pram in this assessment and are never placed above a product that outscores them.
Evidence record
Sources checked
Product specifications, claims and Australian pricing were checked against the following sources for this assessment. Prices and availability can change after publication.