The Bottom Line
Pros
- Easy-to-hold controller
- Moves quickly
- Colorful detailing molded into car (not decals)
Cons
- Spins too easily
- Some sharp edges found on spoiler of police car
- Noisy operation
- Sound effects on controller only, not car
- Non-working center "button" on controller may confuse children
Description
- Little Tikes brand Radio Control Cars
- Made by Planet Toys
- 49MHz Frequency Radio Control
- Requires 6 "AAA" batteries total
- Age 2+
- Plastic body with flexible antenna on car and controller. Approximately 6 inches long, 3 inches tall, 3 inches wide.
- Details include molded plastic colored light bar and headlights, side mirrors, and dual tail pipe. Plastic spoiler.
- Requires small Phillips head screwdriver to access battery compartments on car and controller.
- On/Off switch on bottom of car.
Guide Review - Little Tikes Radio Control Police Car by Planet Toys
How It Sounds: You only get the advertised "Real Car Sounds" by pressing a 3rd button on the controller -- speaker is on controller not car. There are no racing sounds with the forward/reverse buttons but the car is noisy enough when driving without extra sound effects.
How It Moves: Only one of the four main wheels is powered. There is also a pivoting fifth wheel on the bottom of the car. The reverse button changes the direction the powered wheel spins and the fifth wheel allows the car to turn to the left. However, unless you let up on the reverse button very quickly the car tends to start spinning in circles. For the determined child, the car could provide good lessons in developing manual dexterity.
Stay off carpet. Instructions state: "Mini radio control car was designed to operate on hard flat surfaces only!" This might not affect everyone, but we found that the car was just small enough to drive up under the toe kick on our kitchen cabinets -- not a problem except that the antenna would bend and cause the car to get stuck there.
Video: See it and hear it in action in my video of my grandson's first encounter with the Little Tikes Radio Control Police Car.
Age Recommendation: The box says ages 2+. The Planet Toys Web site says 2 to 6 years. Children much over 4 would probably become quickly bored and find it less entertaining than younger kids. However, I am concerned that the spoiler on the back of the police car has thin edges. On our car one spoiler had a very sharp point (the other side was more rounded) that could cut a child.
