Bugaboo Donkey 5 review

For 10 years the Bugaboo Donkey has been a popular pushchair choice for growing families thanks to its side-by-side design, making it perfect for twins or siblings. The Donkey 5 pushchair is the latest version and the update includes 30 new colour combinations, a 3cm higher carrycot, seat unit and side luggage storage.

Bugaboo Donkey 5 overview

Key features

A bit like driving a big car you really feel in control when using the Donkey5. The frame is light but strong and the big wheels provide a smooth comfortable ride for both the driver and its passengers. Everything attaches together nicely so you will know straight away if something isn’t connected correctly.

The design allows a carrycot to be swapped out onto the frame of the standard seat, this means it can be stored flat in the car ready for use.

Duo mode

The double mode is ingenious. Once you’ve done it a few times you can do it pretty quickly. If you’re fortunate to have a car with a big boot it is possible to load it folded down with both seats attached, although the seats are one-piece so when folded they do stick up in the air so not suitable for smaller cars. That being said it doesn’t take long to take both seats off and fold it down, so whilst you will get a little wet if it’s chucking it down, this enables it to fit into smaller vehicles.

Side luggage basket

If in mono-mode there is a surprisingly handy basket which fits alongside the seat saving rummaging around below for dummies or bottles. In this mode, the pram is wider than a standard pram but it still maintains the same manoeuvrability due to the large wheels.

Extendable handlebar

The handle extends - a lot, from 33.8 to 41.7 inches. I prefer to extend fully as I take large paces when I walk, sometimes kicking the basket of other prams, I did not have an issue with this.

Here's how our tester dad-of-two Joe got on with the Bugaboo Donkey 5.

Testing the Bugaboo Donkey 5

We had our two children happily riding around in the Donkey 5 in duo mode. We tried our daughter, eight months, in both the carrycot and the standard bucket-style seat. We preferred the bucket seat which we faced forward along with our son, almost three, and they were quite content and comfortable in them.

My son is very strong and has damaged previous prams by kicking and fighting against the harness so we felt it very important to have a pram we can trust for strength and simplicity in design, so when a tantrum starts we can get him in quickly and with confidence. I consider it important to have large wheels and high ground clearance. We are frequently walking with the dog on various routes which, with a smaller pram/pushchair just wouldn’t cope with the terrain at all. The design allows you to opportunistically take the scenic route because the sturdy single-style wheels will twist and turn over the bumps and uneven ground.

Primarily we used the pushchair in mono mode for playgroup drop-offs and duo mode for everything else. Anyone who frequently uses a double-pram will know the struggles you can have even getting into shops or looking around anything but a supermarket.

Manoeuvring the Donkey 5 around the vast majority of shops was interesting, and could be managed by adopting a strategy based mostly on thinking it will fit through. This isn’t what I would consider a negative as I’m yet to find a double pushchair that isn’t large. The silver lining is that it’s incredibly comfortable to use, and considering its size, it is easy enough to spin on the spot to choose a more suitable route.

When our children fell asleep we reclined them and unzipped the hood to extend the cover all the way giving them shade and protection from the wind. When it rained we used the individual rain covers, a nice touch we thought. They have their own bags and are of a great material too - not the commonly used stiff plastic feeling kind but a much softer kind, still very much waterproof.

How does the Bugaboo Donkey 5 compare to previous versions?

Compared to the previous version, the Bugaboo Donkey 5's higher seat, carrycot and side luggage basket brings your child 3 cm/1 in closer to you for an easier reach at mealtime or playtime.

There's also a new advanced breezy carrycot with a better ventilation system, regulating your baby's temperature and keeping them cosy whether you're inside or outside.

Other new features include integrated attachment points for the Bugaboo wheeled board and cupholder and an improved folding and unfolding mechanism, among others.

Final thoughts

We really like this system, I consider the Donkey 5 the equivalent of owning the road in a range rover. It’s big but necessarily big. There are a lot of well thought out parts that all make the difference as a parent.

At no stage did I doubt the strength of any part; harness, wheels, frame, everything feels great quality. It’s not clunky when dropping down a curb, it feels cushioned and must be a pleasure to ride in. Considering its size it is easily manoeuvred, even on the spot, likely helped by the large single wheels.