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12 Best Ride On Toys for Toddlers: Your Buyer’s Guide

best riding toys for toddlers

Looking for the best riding toys for toddlers in 2021? We’ve got you covered.

One of my fondest memories as a kid was going over to my grandparents’ house for two reasons: they had a big selection of ride-on toys, and grandma always had freshly cut fruit on the table. And while I can’t very well write a list of the best freshly cut fruit that would provide any value, I can write one on the best kids ride-on toys for toddlers (being that I have kids of my own and have tried more than a few).

It’s likely that you have similar memories from your childhood, which is why you’re looking for cool riding toys in the first place. Little Tikes, Fisher-Price, and even John Deere all have some great ride on toddler toys to choose from, and there are a lot of other cool kids vehicles out there including bikes, trucks, jeeps, and cars.

These are the top 12 best ride on toys for toddlers:

These Are the Best Ride on Toys for Toddlers

little tikes cozy truck Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Upgrade on the Classic Coup
  • Durable
  • Smooth Ride
Price: $85.19 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
peg perego john deere Amazon Customer Reviews
  • John Deere Branding
  • Extra Large Trailer Included
  • Working FM Radio
Price: $279.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
rollplay denali gmc Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Realistic Design
  • Powerful Battery
  • MP3/Aux Connector for Tunes
Price: $700.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
step2 mclaren Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Sports Car-inspired
  • Interactive Sounds
  • Cup Holders for Both Kids and Parent
Price: $107.34 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
power wheels lil harley Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Harley Branded
  • Cool-Looking
  • Easy Push Button Operation
Price: $76.51 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler Amazon Customer Reviews
  • 5MPH
  • Cool Jurassic Park Look
  • Power Lock Brakes
Price: $349.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
john deere ride on Amazon Customer Reviews
  • John Deere Branded
  • Low Price
  • Easy to use
Price: $44.45 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
vtech ride on Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Educational
  • Fun Lights & Sounds
  • Colorful
Price: $83.35 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
step2 whisper Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Sleek-Looking
  • Smooth Ride
  • Cup holders
Price: $81.75 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
ford f150 purple camo Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Working Tailgate
  • Real FM Radio
  • Cute Design
Price: $696.26 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
power wheels lil quad Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Easy for young kids to use
  • Can be repaired at 300 service centers nationwide
  • Toddlers can get on and off without assistance
Price: $84.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
moderno kids mercedes Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Great Price
  • 3 Colors Available
  • Luxury Style
Price: $279.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. BEST SELLER: Little Tikes Cozy Truck

    Pros:
    • Upgrade on the Classic Coup
    • Durable
    • Smooth Ride
    Cons:
    • Foot-powered
    • One size fits all
    • Stickers wear eventually

    The Little Tikes Cozy Truck is perfect for the toddler in your life. Its cartoonish design appeals to the younger crowd, and it’s easy to ride.

    It has rugged wheels so it’s great on most surfaces. It includes a drop-down tailgate with rugged wheels. It has fun graphics and even a realistic front grill. Assembly is incredibly easy, and it’s made entirely in the USA. There’s also a “Princess” pink version available.

  2. 2. Best Seller: Peg Perego John Deere Ground Force Tractor w/ Trailer

    Pros:
    • John Deere Branding
    • Extra Large Trailer Included
    • Working FM Radio
    Cons:
    • Heavy
    • Price
    • Assembly

    Also on our list of the best John Deere toys of 2018 is this brand spankin’ new John Deere ride-on from Peg Perego: the Ground Force Tractor that comes with a trailer.

    It’s the #1 best seller in Kids’ electronic vehicles right now on Amazon, with a super-impressive review score of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars from over 1300 reviews.

    It comes with a max speed of 4.5mph (which you can also lockout for beginners), and it comes with giant tractor wheels that provide traction on grass, dirt, pavement, or gravel.

    Of course, it has that classic John Deere green and yellow colorway on both the tractor, itself, and the small trailer that’s being towed behind it.

    Recommended Ages: 24 months and up

  3. 3. Rollplay GMC Sierra Denali

    Pros:
    • Realistic Design
    • Powerful Battery
    • MP3/Aux Connector for Tunes
    Cons:
    • Pricey
    • Only Red or Black Available
    • Long Charging Time (8HRS+)

    Rollplay has quite a few great new riding toys available in 2018, but our favorite has to be this beautifully-designed GMC Sierra Denali Truck Ride-on for toddlers.

    It can hit up to 5MPH (and yes, there’s a high-speed lockout so you can limit them to 2.5MPH if you’d like), and it has working LED headlights and a horn. It also has realistic engine sounds for the ultimate realistic feel.

    Both side doors open-up, and it comes with a clear (plastic) windshield, working tailgate, side-view mirrors that are adjustable, and even an MP3 connector for the speakers so that they can cruise to some tunes.

    It has a 130-pound weight capacity and can carry up to two riders at a time.

    Recommended Ages: 36 months and up

  4. 4. Step2 McLaren 570s Push Sports Car

    Pros:
    • Sports Car-inspired
    • Interactive Sounds
    • Cup Holders for Both Kids and Parent
    Cons:
    • Only One Color Available
    • No Pull Option, Only Push
    • Parent-Powered

    The Step2 McLaren is the coolest-looking riding toy on the market, sporting an incredible look inspired by the McLaren 570S sports car.

    It has an interactive steering wheel with engine sounds. Its wheels are ultra-quiet, so you won’t have to worry about your kids disturbing others.

    It also comes with two driver cup holders, and the handle has an extra swivel cup holder for whoever is pushing the McLaren.

    If you’re looking for the coolest riding toy, the Step2 McLaren is your best choice.

  5. 5. Fisher-Price Power Wheels Lil Harley

    Pros:
    • Harley Branded
    • Cool-Looking
    • Easy Push Button Operation
    Cons:
    • Frequently Out of Stock
    • 2 mph max speed
    • Sunglasses not included

    For the cool kid on the block look, pick up the Fisher-Price Power Wheels Lil Harley. This little screamin’ demon takes from classic Harley Davidson styling, and it’s fast enough for fun, but most importantly, slow enough for safety. It goes up to 2 mph. This ride on has built-in footrests for a safe, comfortable ride, with shiny chrome-colored wheels and engine. Kids can easily climb on and off of it by themselves because of how low it is to the ground. This is one of the coolest toys for boys available.

  6. 6. Power Wheels Jurassic World  Jeep Wrangler

    Pros:
    • 5MPH
    • Cool Jurassic Park Look
    • Power Lock Brakes
    • Real Working Light Bar
    Cons:
    • Price
    • Long Charging Times
    • No MP3 Hookup

    Power Wheels’ latest new ride-on is one of their best ride-on toys yet, in my expert opinion: the Power Wheels Jurassic World Jeep Wrangler.

    It’s modeled after the Jeeps in the Jurassic Park franchise, and if that’s not the coolest thing you’ve ever heard, we can simply never be friends.

    Best of all? That light bar in the back ACTUALLY works! It has a max speed of 5mph forward, so your kids will be cruisin’ in no-time.

  7. 7. John Deere Sit-N-Scoot Tractor

    Pros:
    • John Deere Branded
    • Low Price
    • Easy to use
    Cons:
    • Foot-powered
    • Doesn't Grow With Your Child
    • Stickers Wear Eventually

    If you’re more closely aligned with the country side of things, you might want to consider picking up one of the many John Deere ride-on toys, like this John Deere Sit-N-Scoot Tractor. Like the country life, it’s about the simplicity. Kids can simulate the work they see being done around the farm or in the yard. It’s easy to assemble and looks great.

    We also included the Sit-n-Scott on our list of the best John Deere toys.

  8. 8. VTech Sit-To-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train

    Pros:
    • Educational
    • Fun Lights & Sounds
    • Colorful
    Cons:
    • Foot-Powered
    • Only for Toddlers
    • You'll Likely Lose Pieces

    VTech’s Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train is used as a ride on, but also serves as a great learning toy. With the hole in the top, kids place letter blocks, with the train shouting out the letter as it’s thrown into the hole. It has tons of great sounds, counting, and makes animal noises. It will keep them entertained for quite some time, especially with the included walkie talkie. There’s also a pink one available.

  9. 9. Step2 Whisper Ride II

    Pros:
    • Sleek-Looking
    • Smooth Ride
    • Cup Holders
    Cons:
    • Only Two Colors Available
    • Not Kid-Powered
    • Maximum Weight only 50 LBs

    The Step2 Whisper Ride II is one of the highest-rated ride on toys on Amazon, and for good reasons. It’s roomier than its predecessor and includes “whisper ride” wheels for a smooth, quiet ride (keyword parents: QUIET). Its trunk (in the front) opens up to reveal storage space, with large storage capacity. It’s highly durable and will likely last your kids for years. There are also holders for snacks and drinks!

  10. 10. Fisher-Price Power Wheels Ford F-150

    Pros:
    • Cute Design
    • Working Tailgate
    • Real FM Radio
    • Drives on Hard Surfaces, Wet Grass, and Rough Terrain
    Cons:
    • Seat Belts Are Pretend Only
    • No Good for Kids Over Age 6
    • Doesn't Ship Outside of 48 Contiguous States
    • Check out a tug of war battle between a Power Wheels Ford F-150 and a Power Wheels Dodge Ram in the video above.

      Available in purple camo for the girls and black or gray for the boys, this Power Wheels is great for kids who look up to their truck-driving parents. The functioning tailgate is really fun for kids who like to haul around their toys, snacks, or even their siblings. This is a beefy Power Wheels toy that kids and parents will both enjoy seeing in action. A blue version is also available.

     

  11. 11. Power Wheels Lil’ Quad

    Pros:
    • Toddlers can get on and off without assistance
    • Can be repaired at 300 service centers nationwide
    • Easy for young kids to use
    Cons:
    • Has a smaller battery than Power Wheels for bigger kids
    • No reverse
    • Not ideal for unsupervised play

    The Power Wheels Lil’ Quad is currently the #1 best-selling electric vehicle for kids on Amazon. Thousands of happy parents love this toddler-friendly Power Wheels ride on toy because it is easy for kids to use, and placed low to the ground so toddlers can get on and off by themselves. This product is backed by a Power Wheels one-year limited bumper-to-bumper warranty. The Lil’ Quad comes in a couple of different style options. In the video above, you can see one kid trying out his Batman Lil’ Quad.

    The Power Wheels Lil’ Quad is currently the #1 best-selling electric vehicle for kids on Amazon. Thousands of happy parents love this toddler-friendly Power Wheels ride on toy because it is easy for kids to use, and placed low to the ground so toddlers can get on and off by themselves. This product is backed by a Power Wheels one-year limited bumper-to-bumper warranty. The Lil’ Quad comes in a couple of different style options. In the video above, you can see one kid trying out his Batman Lil’ Quad.
  12. 12. Moderno Kids Mercedes C63S

    Pros:
    • Luxury Style
    • 3 Colors Available
    • Great Price
    Cons:
    • Parent remote is super basic
    • One seater only
    • Small trunk

    Want to get fancy with your toddler’s ride-on? Check out this ridiculously elaborate Mercedes Benz Single Rider. Aside from just looking super cool, it also has some really great features that you don’t see on other riding toys.

    For example, it has a Soft Start and Electric Braking System that allows for slow acceleration without the typical jolt of most other riding toys. It also has a great parent remote control with a remote STOP function that will allow you to take control of your child’s vehicle for safety reasons.

    It also has zero maintenance EVA foam rubber tires that provide a quieter ride than the typical plastic tires (which, I don’t know about you, but I certainly appreciate tremendously). On top of that, it has an aux input as well as micro SD and USB flash drive support. That means, no matter what device you use for music, this car can play it.

    It’s available in three colors: Barbie pink, apple red, and white.

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