The best Power Wheels for Christmas match the child’s age and weight: 6V with a parent remote for ages 1 to 3, 12V for 3 to 5, a 24V two-seater for 5 to 8, and a go-kart, dirt bike or quad from 8 up. Buy for what they’ll weigh next summer, and build and charge it a few days early, because the first charge can take 18 hours.
Buying for a grandchild, niece or nephew? Ask the parents three things first: how much the child weighs, where they’ll drive (pavement, grass or indoors) and where the ride-on will be stored.
On this page
Quick Picks by Age
| Age | Look for | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 6V | Parent remote, slow speed, seat belt | Kidzone 6V bumper carCheck at Amazon: Kidzone 6V bumper car |
| 3 to 5 12V | Parent remote or high-speed lockout | TOBBI 12V police carCheck at Amazon: TOBBI 12V police car |
| 5 to 8 24V | Two seats, 100+ lb limit, grass traction | First Ride On 24V Bronco RaptorCheck at Amazon: First Ride On 24V Bronco Raptor |
| 8 and up 24V | Weight limit, brakes (and buy a helmet) | Aosom 24V drift go-kartCheck at Amazon: Aosom 24V drift go-kart |
| Two kids 12V or 24V | Both kids’ weight under the limit | First Ride On 24V Jeep WranglerCheck at Amazon: First Ride On 24V Jeep Wrangler |
| No charging Pedals | Adjustable seat | hauck Sirocco pedal go-kartCheck at Amazon: hauck Sirocco pedal go-kart |
One thing to know: only one car on this page, the JoJo Siwa Jeep below, is a genuine Fisher-Price Power Wheels. They’re hard to find on Amazon right now, so the other picks are the same kind of kids’ electric ride-on from other brands.
Want to filter by age, weight, seats and battery? Try the ride-on finder.
3 Things to Plan Before Christmas Morning
Build It a Few Days Early
Most ride-ons arrive in pieces. Plan on about two hours for a 12V or 24V car: the manuals ask for 60 minutes (Peg Perego Gator) to 90 minutes (Power Wheels Jeep), and breaks add up. Some toddler cars, like the Kidzone bumper car below, come mostly assembled.
Have real screwdrivers and Allen wrenches ready, because the tools in the box were plastic when we built ours. Read our guide to assembling a ride-on car before you open the box.
Tobbi sent us a free 12V jeep to review a few years ago. Building it took a few hours, mostly because we kept getting distracted.
The wiring was three plug-together connectors, and the directions covered everything except the roll bar’s wiring, which was easy to figure out. Our Tobbi jeep review shows how it went.
Give the Battery Its Full First Charge
New ride-on batteries aren’t ready to go out of the box, and the first charge is the long one. Here’s what the manuals say:
- Fisher-Price Power Wheels: at least 18 hours before the first ride, at least 14 hours after every ride, and never more than 30 hours.
- Peg Perego: 18 hours before the first ride; the company says skipping it can permanently damage the battery. The Gator XUV manual says never charge longer than 24 hours.
- Most other brands sold on Amazon (Best Choice Products, Costzon, Aosom, TOBBI): about 12 hours for the first charge, then 8 to 12 hours after each ride. Some differ: the Kidzone bumper car’s listing says 18 hours the first time, but its manual says 8 to 12 hours and never more than 20.
Your manual beats any list, including this one, and some set a low ceiling: a TOBBI 12V manual says never to go past 12 hours.
Power Wheels and Peg Perego chargers plug straight into the battery, and Mattel suggests starting the first charge before you build, so it charges while you work. On many other brands’ cars the charger plugs into a port on the car, so build it first, then charge.
Either way, charge it the day you build it. A charged battery loses only a few percent a month, so it will still be full on Christmas morning. Cutting it close with an 18-hour charge? Start by the morning of December 23.
An adult should do the charging. Pick a dry, well-ventilated spot away from heaters and anything flammable (in a garage, keep it clear of gas cans, paint and solvents), keep the battery upright, and don’t pile anything on it.
Set a phone alarm for your manual’s charge time, and unplug it well before the maximum. Our guide to how long the first charge takes has more.
Buy the Extras Before the Stores Close
- Batteries for the remote and sound box. Many parent remotes take AA or AAA batteries that aren’t in the box, and the Power Wheels Jeep’s sound box needs 3 AA batteries (not included). Check the listing, buy a pack and pair the remote while you build the car.
- A helmet. Anything with a twist throttle or a go-kart seat needs one. Here’s what safety gear kids need.
- Space. A 24V two-seater like the Best Choice Products truck is about 45 inches long, 32 wide and 31 tall once built. You’ll build it days early, so find a hiding spot for the built car, not just the box, and a home for it afterward (see where to store it).
- A plan for the charger. Chargers go missing. Write down the battery’s voltage, amp-hours and plug type and the charger’s model number now. If the charger goes missing, replace it with the car maker’s own: Power Wheels and Aosom warn that the wrong charger can cause a fire or explosion, and Peg Perego says to use only its own. Our spare battery and charger guide has the details.
Ages 1 to 3: Best Power Wheels for Toddlers
Under 3, a parent remote lets you do most of the driving. Look for 6V, a low seat, a seat belt and a slow top speed. Most 12V cars on Amazon are rated for ages 3 and up. Our ride-on age guide has more, and I compare seven toddler picks in my best Power Wheels for 1- and 2-year-olds.
Kidzone 6V Ride-On Bumper Car: the winter pick. It’s slow (Kidzone lists 0.75 mph), spins 360 degrees and works indoors on hard floors like wood or tile (its manual says no carpets or rugs).
Setup is mostly connecting the battery wire. It’s rated for ages 1.5 to 6 and up to 66 lb, and the listing recommends the parent remote for kids under 3. Keep it away from stairs.
Aosom 6V Kids ATV: a small quad for 18 to 36 months and up to 44 lb, with push buttons for forward and reverse. There’s no parent remote, so stay within arm’s reach.
Little Tikes Tractor & Cart: for kids from 12 to 18 months, or anyone not ready for a motor. It’s foot-powered, with no battery to charge, and it’s rated for ages 1 to 5.
Ages 3 to 5: First 12V Ride-Ons
This is where most first ride-ons land. Look for a parent remote, which covers the first few weeks, or a high-speed lockout like the Power Wheels Jeep’s, so you can keep it slow until they’re ready.
Watch the weight limit: many single-seat 12V cars stop at 60 to 66 lb. Buying for siblings? Start with our 12V 2-seaters.
TOBBI 12V Police Car: lights and a siren for the kid, and a parent remote, soft start and seat belt for you. It’s rated for ages 3 to 6 and up to 66 lb, and the Amazon listing gives a 3.1 mph top speed.
Best Choice Products 12V Compact Ride-On: a gentler first car for a cautious driver. It tops out at 2.8 mph and has a parent remote, seat belt and locking doors. It’s rated for ages 3 and up, for riders up to 61 lb.
Power Wheels JoJo Siwa Jeep Wrangler: the only genuine Fisher-Price Power Wheels ride-on we found for sale on Amazon. It seats two, drives on hard surfaces and grass, and has Power-Lock brakes (the car stops when your child lifts off the pedal) and a high-speed lockout for parents.
It’s rated for ages 3 to 7 and 130 lb, with a 5 mph top speed. The JoJo Siwa graphics won’t suit every kid.
Ages 5 to 8: 24V Two-Seaters
By 5, many kids want more power than a small 12V car has, especially on grass, and siblings want to ride together. A 24V ride-on has more power for grass and small hills, and many carry over 100 lb across two seats.
It isn’t always faster: both picks here top out around 4 mph. Listings often say ages 3 to 8, so keep younger riders on low or on the remote.
For more options, see our full list of 24V ride-on cars. For a bumpy or grassy yard, look at 4×4 ride-ons with rubber tires and ride-ons for grass.
First Ride On 24V Ford Bronco Raptor: our top pick for ages 5 to 8, because it’s rated all the way to age 8. It has licensed Bronco styling, a 21-inch two-person seat with a 3-point belt for each rider, a 132 lb limit, a parent remote and soft start. Three speeds run from 2.0 to 4.3 mph.
Best Choice Products 24V 2-Seater Truck: two seats, a 132 lb limit, a parent remote, an adjustable seat harness and two speeds (2 and 4 mph). It’s rated for ages 3 to 7, so it suits a 5- or 6-year-old better than a child who’ll turn 8 by next summer.
Ages 8 and Up: Go-Karts, Dirt Bikes and Quads
Big kids want speed, but check the weight limit first, because many car-style ride-ons top out under 100 lb. Everything here is faster than a toy car, so plan on a helmet, a closed area away from streets and a talk about brakes.
Heavier or older riders have more choices in ride-ons for big kids (100+ lb), 36V ride-ons and the fastest Power Wheels.
Aosom 24V Electric Drift Go-Kart: for a big kid with a large, smooth patio or paved area away from cars. It’s made for pavement, not grass. Aosom rates it for ages 8 to 12, riders about 35½ to 59 inches tall and up to 154 lb, and it has a high/low speed switch (up to 8.1 mph), soft start and a seat belt.
Razor Dirt Rocket MX350: Razor rates it for ages 8 and up on low speed (up to 10 mph) and 13 and up on high speed (up to 14 mph). High speed is the default, so switch it to low before a younger rider gets on. It carries up to 140 lb and has knobby air-filled tires, a twist throttle and a hand brake.
Start in an open, empty space with a helmet, knee and elbow pads, and closed-toe shoes. For teens, the bigger Razor MX500 is rated 14 and up.
Razor Dirt Quad: a four-wheeler rated for ages 8 and up and 120 lb. It goes up to 8 mph (5 mph on low), with forward, reverse and a hand-operated rear disc brake. Razor says it isn’t an ATV: ride it on flat, smooth ground only, never on rocky trails, sand, or wet or icy surfaces.
Picks by Type
Shopping for a feature rather than an age? Start here.
Two-Seaters for Siblings
Add both kids’ weights and stay under the limit. Two-seaters are wide, too: the ones here with listed sizes run about 32 to 34 inches, so measure your gate and shed door. The Bronco Raptor, Best Choice Products 24V truck and Power Wheels Jeep above, and the Gator below, all seat two.
Licensed looks, like the Jeep, Bronco and Land Rover, don’t change the motor or battery, so compare specs as usual. Our 2-seater ride-on Jeeps list has more.
First Ride On 24V Jeep Wrangler Rubicon: the two-seater for a bumpy yard. First Ride On gives it 14.5-inch tires and rear suspension to smooth out bumps, and a 20-inch-wide seat for two kids up to 132 lb combined. It’s rated for ages 3 to 8, with a parent remote, soft start and three speeds up to about 5.3 mph.
Best Choice Products 12V Land Rover 2-Seater: a slower two-seater for younger siblings. It starts at 1.8 mph (3.7 mph on high), has a parent remote and holds up to 128 lb. Best Choice Products rates it for ages 3 to 8.
It’s 34 inches wide, so measure your gate before you buy. Our Land Rover review covers it in more detail.
Ride-Ons With a Parent Remote
A parent remote lets you steer and stop the car yourself, so it’s the feature to look for with toddlers and brand-new drivers. On this page, the Kidzone bumper car, TOBBI police car, Best Choice Products compact car and 24V truck, Bronco Raptor, Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover all have one. Here’s how parent remotes work.
Trucks, UTVs and Tractors
Peg Perego John Deere Gator XUV: for the kid who wants to haul things. It’s 12V, with a working dump bed, a seat for two and two speeds (2¼ and 4½ mph). It’s rated for ages 3 to 8 and 130 lb, so a child can use it longer than most single-seat 12V cars.
It ships set to low speed only, so you decide when to unlock high, and the listing says it carries a 2-year warranty. For a 24V side-by-side with 4WD and a parent remote, see my kids UTV picks.
For tractor fans, the Peg Perego John Deere Ground Force tractor with trailer is rated 3 to 7 and 85 lb. Our Peg Perego vs Power Wheels comparison explains how the brands differ.
No Charging Needed: Pedal Go-Karts
hauck Sirocco Pedal Go-Kart: no battery means nothing to charge on Christmas Eve. It’s rated for ages 4 to 12, with an adjustable bucket seat, rubber tires and a steel frame.
Safety and Sizing
- Weight first. Buy for the child’s weight next summer, not today. For two-seaters, add both riders. Our guide to ride-on weight limits has more.
- Respect the age rating. Don’t size up a dirt bike or go-kart because a child is tall for their age.
- Start on low. Use the high-speed lockout or the remote’s slow setting for every new driver.
- Buckle up. Most cars here have a belt or harness, so use it every ride, even when you’re driving with the remote. Read about ride-on seat belts.
- Helmets for bikes, quads and go-karts, every ride.
- Pick the spot. Drive in a flat, fenced yard or a big paved area away from cars, streets, pools and stairs, and supervise every ride. Our ride-on safety guide covers the rest.
- Watch the doors. The doors on our Tobbi review jeep closed tight enough that a kid could pinch a finger. Show kids how to close them.
Black Friday and Delivery Timing
Ride-ons run out of stock a lot before Christmas, especially the popular models and colors. Some also ship from third-party sellers with longer delivery windows. Check the delivery estimate on the Amazon page, and aim to have it home by mid-December so there’s time to check the parts, build it and charge it.
- Judge the car, then the deal. Pick the model first by weight limit, volts and seats; a sale doesn’t change any of them. Save it to an Amazon list, check it during Black Friday week, and if it hasn’t dropped by early December, buy it anyway.
- Check the sale itself. One listing can hold several colors and versions, so make sure the one on sale is the one you picked. Check who sells and ships it, and compare the sale price with the List Price or Typical Price on that listing.
- Open the box when it arrives. Check for missing or broken parts while you can still exchange it. Your order page shows the return window.
- Save the order email. Warranties usually start on the purchase date, not on Christmas, and a warranty claim needs proof of purchase.
- Shipping to the grandkids? Send it to their address, and add a gift receipt at checkout if the listing offers one, so the parents can exchange it without seeing the price. Make sure someone there can build it and start the long first charge before Christmas. Here’s what shipping a ride-on costs.
- Keep it a surprise. A ride-on box is big and may show the car on the side. If the kids might see the delivery, ship it to work or to a relative’s house.
For the full checklist, see our ride-on buyer’s guide and things I wish I knew before buying a ride-on car.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is right for a Power Wheels?
Most 12V ride-ons are rated from age 3, with upper limits of 6 to 8. 6V cars with a parent remote start at about 18 months, and 24V cars make the most sense from about 5 to 8. See what age ride-on cars are for.
Can a 2-year-old drive a Power Wheels?
Yes, with the right car and you close by. Pick a 6V ride-on rated for their age and weight, with a seat belt, a slow top speed and a parent remote, so you do most of the steering and stopping. Most 12V cars are rated for ages 3 and up. Here’s how to tell if your 2-year-old is ready.
Should a 5-year-old get 12V or 24V?
12V is fine on pavement and flat grass for a smaller child. Go 24V for hills, bumpy yards or a child close to a 12V car’s weight limit. For two riders, check the combined limit: some 12V two-seaters, like the Power Wheels Jeep (130 lb), carry as much as 24V ones. More in 12V vs 24V.
Do Power Wheels come charged?
Usually not. Plan for a long first charge: 18 hours for Power Wheels and Peg Perego, and about 12 hours for most other brands, but go by your manual. More in do Power Wheels batteries come charged.
Can kids drive them in snow?
Not really. Ride-ons aren’t waterproof, and snow and slush can get into the wiring and battery. For a winter gift, an indoor bumper car is the safer bet. If a bigger car has to wait for spring, charge the battery at least once a month while it’s stored; Power Wheels and Peg Perego both say so. See driving in snow.
Are these real Power Wheels?
Only one is: the JoJo Siwa Jeep. Power Wheels is Fisher-Price’s brand, but most people use the name for any kids’ electric ride-on. The other picks come from brands like Best Choice Products, First Ride On, TOBBI and Peg Perego (see who makes ride-on cars).
Still stuck between two cars? Compare their weight limits first. If your child is a toddler or a brand-new driver, pick the one with a parent remote.
