12V Ride On Bumper Car for Toddlers, 360 Degree Spin, Colour Lights, Wireless Music and Parent Remote, 55 lb Limit, Purple

Most ride-ons are too big and too loud for indoors, so they get packed away in November and the toddler spends four months on the rug.

This one is 26 by 27 in, turns inside its own length and carries a soft bumper right around the base. It was built for a hallway or a basement as much as a driveway.

What it looks like in use

Low, round and wide, with the child sitting in the middle rather than behind a wheel. Two of them together is the whole point of a bumper car, though the padded ring means one on its own still works.

How much floor it needs

26 by 27 in and 16 in tall. That is about the footprint of a laundry basket, which is why it works indoors. The same panel gives the 55 lb capacity and the 18 month starting age.

Sound and lights

A wireless connection, a USB port, an AUX socket, volume control, a horn and a battery indicator. The light ring around the base changes colour while it plays, which is most of the appeal to a two year old.

The panel up close

A USB socket, an AUX jack and a row of small buttons with indicator lights above them. It sits on the body beside the seat, out of the way of little feet.

Two driving wheels and two castors, so it spins in place instead of needing a turning circle.

Padding right around the base, which is what saves the skirting boards and the toes.

A belt across the seat, listed by the maker alongside the bumper as a safety feature.

Forward, back, left, right, three speed levels and a stop button on the handset.

Two 25 W motors, 0.75 to 1.25 mph, and a charge time of 8 to 12 hours through the port on the body.

Wireless connection, USB, AUX, volume, horn and a light ring that changes colour.

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 small footprint, a padded edge and a slow top speed make indoor use realistic rather than theoretical.

The maker photographs two of them meeting. The soft ring is what makes that survivable for the cars and the walls.

Weight rather than age is the limit here. The published start is 18 months and the ceiling is 55 lb.

What we stand behind

• The age, the 55 lb capacity, the speed, the battery, the motors and the charge time are all the manufacturer's published figures.
• The manufacturer states this car is ASTM compliant and CPSIA certified. That is their claim, and no certificate number is published.
• No run time per charge and no remote range is published, so neither is quoted.
• Indoor use still needs supervision, especially near stairs and glass doors.
• A toy for supervised play. Never on a road, a sidewalk or a bike path.

Will it mark a wooden floor?

The wheels are PP and PVC and the maker lists them for indoor and outdoor use. The soft bumper takes most of the contact with walls and furniture. Grit picked up outdoors is what actually scratches floors, so wipe the wheels before it comes in.

How does a toddler steer it?

There is no steering wheel. Two driving wheels and two castors let it turn on the spot, and a parent can take over entirely with the remote, which has forward, back, left, right, three speeds and a stop.

What age and size is it for?

18 months and up, with a 55 lb weight capacity, both published by the manufacturer. Neither number should be stretched.

Can it play music from a phone?

The maker lists a wireless connection alongside the USB and AUX ports. No pairing range or audio standard is published, so treat it as described rather than as a specification.

How long does the battery take to charge?

8 to 12 hours through the port on the body. No run time per charge is published for this model.