Electric Bumper Car - Kids & Toddlers' Toy Electric Ride On with Remote Control, LED Lights, 360 Degree Spin, 2 Speed

The ride-on that does not need a driveway

Most ride-on toys are outdoor equipment. They want a long straight run, a smooth surface and an adult walking behind. Which is why so many of them end up in the garage and come out twice a summer.

This one is built the other way round. It is short, it sits low, and it turns a full circle on the spot instead of needing room to swing around. A hallway and a living room floor are enough.

Two levers, not a steering wheel

A small child can push a lever a long time before they can steer a wheel. There are two upright levers, one under each hand. Push both forward and the car goes forward. Pull one back and it turns. Push one while pulling the other and it spins on the spot, which is the trick most children work out in about a minute and then repeat for an hour.

There are no pedals and nothing to hold down. Feet stay flat on a textured footwell plate, and a black webbing lap belt goes across the middle.

You keep a remote

A handheld remote control comes with the car, and it matters more than it sounds on a spec list. It means a child who cannot yet work the levers can still be in the seat and moving on day one, with you driving from the sofa. It also means you can stop the car from across the room rather than jogging after it.

There are two speed settings. The slow one is where you start, and for a lot of families it is where they stay.

A soft bumper, the whole way round

The ring around the base is soft rubber rather than molded plastic. Press it and it gives. That ring is the part that actually meets baseboards, table legs and the other child's car, and it is the reason this thing can be used in a room that still has furniture in it.

It is a bumper, not a guarantee. A ride-on toy still needs an adult in the room.

The lights are the bit they care about

A strip of multicolored LEDs is set into the rim around the base and throws color out onto the floor as the car moves. In a dim room it stops being a toy car and becomes the whole show.

Will it fit your child?

Weight is the limit that decides this, not age. The age range tells you whether a child is likely to enjoy it. The weight limit tells you whether they should be in it.

Worth knowing before you buy

• Hard floors first. Owners consistently report it is at its best on wood, tile, laminate and concrete, and that thick carpet, grass and gravel slow it down noticeably. Plan for indoors and smooth paving.
• It is not a quiet toy. A number of owners describe it as loud in use. The noise and the lights are part of the appeal for the child and worth expecting as an adult.
• Charge it before the day. It runs on a rechargeable battery pack and ships with a wall charger. Give it a full charge before the birthday rather than on it.
• An adult stays in the room. The low speed, the lap belt, the soft bumper and the parent remote all help. None of them is a substitute for supervision.

What you get

• The bumper car
• A handheld parent remote control
• A wall charger
• The manufacturer's instructions

Specifications