Toy Review: Radio-Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart

For little drivers with the need for speed, up to 13 km/h

Brendan Mcaleer

Jun 02, 2021 • June 4, 2021 • 4 minute read • Join the conversation

As a parent, you are always seeking to provide opportunities for your children that you yourself missed out on. Sometimes that involves higher education, while sometimes it may include travel. Occasionally, you find yourself teaching a highly excited kindergartner how to effectively apply the sliding technique employed by Kunimitsu “Drift Father” Takahashi when he won the 1972 300km of Fuji in a hakosuka Skyline GT-R.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

I really can’t recommend this enough. It’s just the absolute greatest.

This is the Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart, and if I had been given one of these when I was five, it would have spun my head around like Man-E-Faces off of He-Man. Doesn’t it look fun? It is! Someone is going to die! Of fun!

Officially the winner of the Toy Association’s 2021 Outdoor Toy Of The Year, the Ultimate Go-Kart joins storied nameplates such as Fisher-Price and Crayola atop the podium. Winners in other categories include the likes of the Lego Star Wars Razor’s Crest, a model of the ship from the Mandalorian. I mean, Lego is cool and all, but can it do burnouts? No? This is the way.

Unlike most of the cars your humble author reviews, I actually bought this one. After several days of use, I can report zero buyers’ regret. It wasn’t cheap ($299 US; $407.99 in Canada), but even if it breaks tomorrow, the memories are already worth it.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

When I was a kid, Power Wheels were all the rage, and by rage I mean that I was mad that a neighbour had one and I didn’t. I expect the experience taught me character and discipline and oh come on, look who you’re talking to. I grew up to be a childish idiot anyway, and by gum, my kids are going to have a kickass childhood.

The Ultimate Go-Kart is far better than any 1980s Power-Wheels. Removing it from its enormous box, I noted the strong steel frame and simple design. Power comes from a 24V battery back that takes about eight hours to fully charge with the provided 1 Amp charger.

The whole thing weighs a hefty 21 kg and seems relatively rugged. Some light assembly is required, fitting the wheels and steering, and so forth. If you are capable of following simple and clear directions, putting the Go-Kart together shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes or so. If, like me, you’ve ever set out to build an Ikea bed and ended up putting together something that looks like a bookcase, it might take longer.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Fully charged, the Ultimate Go-Kart is capable of a four, eight, or 13 km/h top speed, as well as what appears to be about a four km/h reverse. Top speed can be locked for younger drivers, but of course my young daredevils soon demanded we go full speed ahead. If your child is too young for top speed but asks anyway, be sure to avail yourself of the opportunity to quote The Fast and the Furious with an apt, “too soon, junior.”

Radio Flyer claims a 45-minute operating time on smooth, flat surfaces. The tires are plastic, front and rear, with a rubber ring around the steering wheels. It was really easy to spin the rears on flat gravel, and if 13 km/h doesn’t sound like much, you should experience it while basically sitting on the ground. It’s plenty.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Once we figured out that the Go-Kart could handle short-cut grass and undulating hills, the racetrack boundaries broadened significantly. My dad has spent his life turning his little acreage into basically a golf course, and the kids delighted in just ripping around until the battery went flat. With the small hills and drag of the grass, we got about 30 minutes of drive time out of a charge.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Originally, I began the process of looking for an electric go-kart by trying to price out a homebuilt. Not only would a do-it-yourself cost a bit more than the Radio Flyer’s out of the box performance, but it would also, probably, not have been quite as safe. The Go-Kart has a small but functional lap belt, and no brake pedal. As soon as the driver comes off the accelerator, the electric motor stops it. Your child should wear a helmet, but beyond that, it’s secure.

Recommended ages are between three to eight, not so much for the strength of the chassis as for the size of the seat. Stated weight capacity is about 37kg. In the interests of science, I folded myself aboard and found that the Ultimate Go-Kart could easily accommodate my weight of, um, More Than That.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

This might be the most fun car I have ever driven. How is there not an adult-sized version of this? I demand one immediately. I suppose an Ariel Nomad would do in a pinch.

Naturally, there’s already a modifying community for these things, with battery upgrades, lighting, and all kinds of other hacks. Like a Ford Mustang or Honda Civic, the Radio Flyer has good enough bones to support some additional horsepower.

Not that it really needs it. In fact, criticisms here are pretty limited. The charger could stand to be twice as powerful (a replacement may be in the future), and it would be nice to have a battery life indicator. It would also be cool if you could just swap out the battery with a spare.

Beyond that, however, this simple little machine is just fantastic fun. It also might be among the most important things I’ve ever bought for my children.

As I stood, watching them race around the lawn, I knew this would be a defining memory for them. We’ve been on plenty of road trips together, and will be able to hit the road soon. But there, they’ll only be passengers. Today, they are drivers .