And needs a stroller pronto.

If It Were a Car: It used to be an Audi, too, but at these prices, it's a Mercedes G-Class.

Urban/All-Terrain Verdict: For innovation and function, the e3 and Cameleon are close, but for refinement and status symbolism, the Cameleon pulls ahead. That said, in some ZIP codes, Bugaboos are now as common as, well, Mercedes G-Classes. Even though its design is less distinctive, if you're looking for exclusivity and uniqueness, Phil & Ted's is the way to go, at least for the moment.

What did this road test teach me? Expensive strollers are often much better than cheaper ones, but they're not necessarily worth it. Expectant parents would do well to first ask themselves who's going to use the stroller (mom/dad/caregiver), where (on streets, sidewalks, malls; with or without a car), and how (daily, on weekends, for vacation). And only then should you decide how much of the kid's college fund you want to blow on his new wheels.

Correction, Oct.25, 2005: An earlier version of this article mistakenly stated that Phil & Ted's e3 Buggy cannot hold a car seat. With an optional adapter, it can hold a car seat. Return to the corrected sentence.