Power Base
The Quantum Kozmo Powerchair uses the same base as Pride's Go Chair, a highly compact rear-wheel drive chair that can easily manoeuvre around confined spaces indoors with a turning circle of just 64.5 cm. This small footprint also makes the Kozmo easy to store when not in use, taking up only a small amount of space. As with the Go Chair, the Kozmo is simple to dismantle into four pieces, with no tools required, allowing it to be transported in the back of a car. The 18 Ah battery box can be removed should you wish to charge it separate from the wheelchair, and provides enough power for everyday use.
We would not recommend the Kozmo for significant outdoor use, as it has small wheels, no suspension and lacks the power and ground clearance to cope with steep slopes. However, it can handle some limited use outdoors on flat paved surfaces - for example around a school campus, or if taken to a shopping centre.
Please note that the Kozmo is not crash tested, so should not be used for occupied transport in a vehicle - the wheelchair user should use one of the regular car seats instead.
Seating
The highlight of the Kozmo is its adjustable seating, which will be custom build to your size and needs. Seat widths and depths of 12 - 18 inches are available, and the seat height is adjustable too. This allows the seating to fit to you, rather than having a basic "one size fits all" seat that most indoor powerchairs have. While the Kozmo has just one backrest and seat cushion available as standard (both deeply padded and comfortable), the seat pan and backrest poles allow third-party backrests and cushions to be attached should you require more clinical seating or have an existing cushion of your own to use. A range of armrests, legrests (including both centre-mount footplates, separate swing-away legrests, and elevating leg rests), headrests and lateral supports can be supplied with the Kozmo to provide the support you require.
The Kozmo is an ideal paediatric powered wheelchair, with small seat sizes of just 12 x 12 inches possible, and the seating can be adjusted to fit your child as they grow. Shorter paediatric legrests and armrests are available too. The weight capacity of just under 18 stone allows the Kozmo to cater to adults too, with the maximum seat size of 18 x 18 inches suitable for the average adult - however, taller people or those above about 15 stone may find the seat too restrictive for them.
Other Features
Simple GC3 controls are present on the Kozmo, which are intuitive to use - the joystick can be mounted on the standard fixed bracket, or upgraded to a swing-away one if required. A choice of shroud colours are available as standard - red, white, pink, yellow, orange and blue. A good-looking modern chair, the Kozmo is able to provide a good level of support without appearing too "clinical", an appearance that some people find off-putting.
Our Verdict
We think Quantum's Kozmo is a nifty little chair that's different to anything else on the market. For adults after an indoor powered wheelchair - such as for use in a care home environment - it offers much improved comfort over the more basic Go Chair's seat, and is also an ideal second powerchair for those that have a dedicated outdoor one that is too big (or too dirty!) for use inside. While it doesn't have the powered positioning options such as lift, tilt and recline that can be found on much more advanced models, it costs significantly less.
It is also well suited to paediatric use, particularly if you are only wanting your child to drive in limited situations, such as around the house or school, and have an alternative (such as a manual chair) for outdoor use. The adjustable seating means you can rely on the Kozmo to be suitable for years to come, rather than having to worry about replacing your child's powerchair whenever they outgrow it.
