Toys

The Kid Trax Ford Bronco Is *So* Detailed

No seriously, this thing is basically just a mini version of the iconic ride.

Childhood is made up of so many specific smells, sounds, and feelings. A sprinkler soaking the driveway as kids run through it on a hot summer day, sticky hands from s’mores by a fall bonfire, and above all, the iconic sound of a power ride-on toy nearly clipping the ankle of every adult within a 10-foot radius.

Sure, you have your tricycles and your training wheels and all of your scooters, but there’s something about your kid’s very own power ride-on. It’s freedom. Freedom to haul butt down the driveway without even daring to touch the steering wheel, freedom to play pretend as a USPS employee delivering packages, and freedom to drive yourself the five feet from the porch stairs to the swing set.

Kid Trax is one of the few companies who really gets it right with these power ride-ons and this year, they’re really going all out with their newest toy: a child-sized version of the legendary Ford Bronco.

You guys. I can not explain how legit this thing is. It’s enormous — if you’re looking for a ride-on toy that will last and fit more than one kid, this is the toy for you. The sport bucket seats are roomy and look just like a real Bronco’s, and the details are so good, thanks to Kid Trax and their partnership with Ford. From running lights and a spare fifth tire on the rear, to removable doors and a bed cover (you can make this thing look different in three ways), it’s seriously impressive. Like many Kid Trax ride-on toys, this one also has an MP3 player input to add your own music, as well as foot pedal acceleration, horn sound effects, and an FM radio.

Bonus: It goes up to 5 miles per hour. And of course I mean that more as a bonus for your kids and not your ankles.

I have two little girls and we have a couple of Kid Trax products — this one might be one of our favorites. Assembly wasn’t terrible, and the charger is easy to use and quick to get the battery back up and running. (It also looks like you’re pumping gas into the Bronco, which is just a sweet, fun detail.) Kid Trax always has traction strip tires, so I feel safe letting my kids go wild down our quiet neighborhood street, even if it looks like I’m a giant chasing a tiny car as it flies past the mailbox. And an extra nice touch: so many power ride-ons have never fared well in our grassy backyard, but this Bronco is straight up like a real Bronco. It just goes over any dip in the hard or hunk of clover it needs to without me having to push it from behind.

My girls have already rode the Bronco pretending to be astronauts on their way to the launchpad, mommies taking their kids to school, and my 7-year-old’s favorite game of pretend: teenagers driving themselves to Target to pick up “some blue sweaters.” So if you’re on the fence about a power ride-on, let this be the nudge you need. This Kid Trax Ford Bronco is so fun, so perfectly detailed, and just so well-made that you’ll definitely get a worthy investment with it. It’ll last a long time, hopefully until your kids are actually old enough to drive themselves to Target.

The toy will be available exclusively at — where else? — Target soon, and you can sign up on the Kid Trax Ford Bronco page to receive emails on when it will be available to purchase.