Fisher-Price® Power Wheels Barbie Ford Mustang Review
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Before I start: If you decide to purchase this toy, buy it from another vendor. At the time of this writing Amazon is selling it for nearly twice what virtually every other vendor is selling it for. A little shopping around will greatly increase your savings! With that in mind...
The Power Wheels toys are all largely the same in dimensions and capabilities, differing largely on simple aesthetics. Whether it's a Mustang or a Jeep or an Escalade or whatever, they all largely do the same thing in the same manner so really this review could apply to just about all Power Wheels toys.
In a nutshell, this one arrives in BRIGHT Barbie Pink (naturally) and features two forward speeds, one reverse speed, a horn, a radio, and a battery life indicator. Two bucket seats will easily accomodate two toddler-sized children without cramping or elbow fighting. My two year old daughter is BARELY able to reach the pedal; although I know it's not sanctioned by Fisher-Price, I velcro'ed a 2" thick wooden block to the top of the pedal which allows my daughter to reach it more easily.
Assembly isn't terribly difficult but does require a bit of direction-following. As so many things are, "some assembly is required." Armed with a Philips-head screwdriver, a comfortable workspace and a little help from your fellow parent it shouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes to fully assemble the vehicle. IMPORTANT TIP FOR PARENTS: Even if you're planning to assemble the car after you present it to your child, remove the battery and charger from the box and charge it up overnight so that, when the car is fully assembled, your child can immediately drive it.
The car has two forward speeds and one reverse, selected by a console-mounted shift lever. Out of the box the "high" forward speed is locked out. Mommy or daddy needs to do a little 'under the hood' tinkering to remove the lock-out, a process which takes less than a minute to complete. This is done as a safety measure, particularly for younger children who may get scared over the faster speed or simply are still learning how to control the car. In "low" speed the car moves at a casual walking pace, while in "high" speed it's more like a brisk walking pace. Reverse is in "low" speed but, of course, backwards.
I found that, even at "low" speed, the car has a tendency to burn rubber (plastic) when only my daughter is in it. On simple asphalt the rear tires easily spin three or four times before gaining traction. On grass it gains traction a lot sooner but there's still at least one wheel spin. With a second child in the car this traction issue goes away; since my daughter is a year under Fisher-Price's recommended minimum age I'm sure this issue will resolve itself once my daughter grows and gains weight.
It's important to note that, like all Power Wheels, the motor is either fully-on or fully-off. It's not like a real car where you can feather the throttle for variable speed. Either the car is in full motion (traction and gravity notwithstanding), or it's not.
Steering is limited with a very wide turning radius - about 18 feet, which is almost as wide as a two-car driveway. It is therefore fairly certain that your child will, at some point, run into a situation where he/she will need to either learn to drive in reverse or get out of the car and push it until it faces the right direction.
The body is reasonably stable so far as these toys go. The hood opens to reveal the battery; the doors and trunk lid do NOT open. My daughter had a little bit of difficulty climbing into and out of the car; a three year old will likely not have such difficulty. I expected the doors to remain closed to provide some safety to the child but I was surprised to find that the trunk didn't provide even a little bit of storage space for, say, a box of chalk or a small snack.
The hard plastic seats are a surprisingly attractive tan color with chrome Mustang accents. Also surprising was the discovery that the seats can be moved fore/aft relatively easily by removing and relocating a couple of screws. Seatbelts are on both seats, consisting of pink Velcro strips that accomodate virtually all child sizes. The windshield is opaque but that doesn't matter since your child will be looking over the top of it rather than through it.
A dashboard-mounted battery gauge shows battery life via four LEDs, activated by pushing a button next to the gauge. Simple and effective for what it does.
The 'radio' has two buttons positioned where knobs would be on a real car stereo, and is powered by three AA batteries (not included, naturally). The left button inexplicably beeps the car's horn. (Has anyone discovered a car horn that beeps when you push the left knob of your stereo?) The right button cycles through about a half dozen instrumental song clips, each about 30 seconds and each more annoying (to adult ears) than the last. In this day and age when you can buy a half-gig MP3 player for under I would have liked the ability to upload my daughter's favorite songs to the radio.
One thing which I've noticed about all Power Wheels toys: None of them have a simple on/off switch. My concern - so far unwarranted, but still a concern nonetheless - is that my daughter will be climbing into the car and accidentally tap the accelerator pedal before she's securely in her seat, and thus cause her to fall backwards (or forwards) and injure herself. It continues to surprise me that Fisher-Price doesn't include a simple cut-off switch on the dashboard to control power.
Power Wheels vehicles have long had a good reputation and rank very high on the "I WANT" meter for kids toys. (I remember DESPERATELY wanting one when I was a kid, 35 years ago...) Even though my daughter is still too small to fully command her Power Wheels (the sudden acceleration startles her, and she doesn't understand how to steer) you can see the joy in her face even when she's just sitting in the car at a stand-still.
Fisher-Price® Power Wheels Barbie Ford Mustang Feature
- Realistically detailed inside and out-from its pony grille with fog lamps, to its racy rear spoiler, and everything in between
- Sporty Barbie styling, chrome wheels and accents, beeping horn sound, and interior cup holders add to real driving fun
- Includes 12-volt battery and charger. Requires 3 AA (LR6 Alkaline) 1,5V for sound & lights
- The Fisher-Price Power-Wheels Barbie Ford Mustang GT is a two seat,
- The dashboard includes a sound box with pre-recorded music and engine sounds that react when buttons are activated
- 12-volt BPRO with sophisticated Barbie colors and graphics that could be visualized on a real Mustang
- LEDs will flash and illuminate to simulate a working speedometer and tachometer when the key is pressed.
Fisher-Price® Power Wheels Barbie Ford Mustang Overview
The Barbie Ford Mustang is realistically detailed inside and out - from its pony grille with fog lamps, to its racy rear spoiler, and everything in between! A pretend key activates engine sounds and light-up, revving dashboard gauges; and equalizer bars light up when tunes from the pretend radio play. Car features sporty Barbie styling, chrome wheels and accents, beeping horn, and interior cup holders. It's also equipped with a battery charge indicator that lets drivers know when it's time to "refuel."
Additional features like an adjustable seat for growing kids, high-speed lock out for beginners, and Power Lock brakes add to the fun. Drives two speeds forward (2.5 and 5 mph, max.), plus reverse, on hard surfaces and grass. Includes 12-volt battery and charger. Also requires 3 "AA" (LR6 Alkaline) 1.5V batteries, not included, for lights and sounds. Measures 22" H x 30" W x 59" L.
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