12V Licensed Mercedes-Benz SL Kids Ride On Car with Parent Remote, Soft Start, Radio and Wireless, 1.9 mph, Pink

The common worry with a 12V car is speed. A three year old who has only just learned to steer does not need a toy that outruns the adult walking beside it, and most of the category tops out near 3 mph.

This one is published at 1.2 to 1.9 mph, which is a slow walk rather than a jog. Add the soft start and stop, and the lowest of the three remote levels, and a first session is something an adult can stay alongside without hurrying.

Roadster shape

A long bonnet, a short tail and a single seat with a roll hoop behind it, in one pink with silver wheels and chrome look trim. The mirrors rotate and the headlamps light properly rather than being moulded shapes.

Age and seat rating

The maker states 3 to 8 years and a 66 lb load capacity of the seat on its own dimensions panel. Sixty six pounds is above the 55 lb rating most cars this size carry, which is what stretches the band to eight.

The licence and the badges

The maker puts the real SL R231 above its own version and prints CPC CPSIA and ASTM badges beside them. Those are its claims, printed on its own artwork, with no certificate number alongside.

Wheels, surfaces and soft start

Wear resistant wheels rated for asphalt, cement, rubber and hardwood, with a curve showing the soft start and stop behaviour. Hardwood on the list is what makes a hallway an option in February.

An SL R231 shape with the three pointed star on the grille and the wheels.

A published range slower than an adult walks, from dual 25W motors.

Speed, direction and brake. Two AAA cells, not included.

Power builds and falls away rather than switching on and off.

Radio stations, a wireless connection, music, a horn and volume.

A charge readout on the dashboard beside the one button start.

Ships from a Canadian warehouse. Free shipping on orders over $150. Some remote areas, PO boxes and surcharge regions may be excluded or cost extra.

Return within 14 days of purchase, unused, in original condition and packaging.

Covered directly by the manufacturer under their warranty terms for material and manufacturing defects.

A published ceiling of 1.9 mph with a soft start and stop is about as gentle as a 12V car gets, and there are three remote levels below that.

The maker's band, with a 66 lb seat load capacity that keeps an older child inside the rating.

Hardwood is one of the four surfaces named, alongside asphalt, cement and rubber, so the car is not confined to the driveway.

What we stand behind

• Speed, age band, seat load capacity, motor and battery ratings are the manufacturer's published figures.
• The manufacturer states this is a licensed Mercedes-Benz SL R231 design.
• CPC CPSIA and ASTM badges appear on the maker's own panel. No certificate number is published, and we do not assert the certification ourselves.
• No run time, charge time, overall dimensions or remote control range is published.
• A toy for supervised play on private property. Never on a road, a sidewalk or a bike path.

How fast is it?

1.2 to 1.9 mph on the manufacturer's own panel, which is slower than most 12V cars. The remote offers three levels below that.

What age and weight is it for?

3 to 8 years, with a stated seat load capacity of 66 lb.

What can it play?

Built in music, radio stations, a horn, and a wireless connection for a child's own songs, with volume on the dashboard.

Is it certified?

The manufacturer prints CPC CPSIA and ASTM badges on its own panel. No certificate number is published, so we repeat the claim rather than make it.

Does the remote come with batteries?

No. It takes two AAA batteries, which the manufacturer states are not included.