If I had my way, I would have a little village in my garden, made up of the Little Tikesplayhouses; the country cottage, log cabin and patio playhouse (to name but a few). There would be half a dozen cozy coupes, plus the police car variant and the monster truck, as well as a dinky little petrol station. It would look great with all those bright primary colours and would last for ages and ages. Kids would come to play in my garden from miles around, there’d be milk and cookies and the sun would always shine………......Hmmmm.
Got a little carried away there, wot. Hey, you kids, SCAT!
As I was saying……I am a great fan of Little Tikes toys. You know, the ubiquitous red and yellow bubble shaped car that you push along with your feet
and the tough but imaginative playhouses which are a feature of any nurseryschool worth it’s salt (or it’s fees). So, we made a family decision that Alex, our youngest, could have a Little Tikes Cozy Push & Ride Car for his first birthday.
The Cozy Push & Ride Car is a variation on a well-loved theme, the Cozy Coupe. It is aimed at the 1 - 5 age group as opposed to 1 ½ - 5 yrs. Not much different in age groups, you might think, but it differs from the latter in several very important respects.
First, the appearance is different. The chassis is a little longer and slightly wider, which probably helps stability wise. Instead of having a full roof, which might be a little claustrophobic for very young ones, there is a canopy that is just large enough to give a little shelter from sun or rain. This does make it a lot easier to get your infant in or out. There is a detachable handle that fits onto the rear of the vehicle. This handle is plastic but quite robust and it is very easy to push or steer the vehicle, or even manoeuvre it up and down kerbs. Best of all, it has a removable floor panel.
For Alex, the original Cozy Coupe was just too advanced……..we had a rather horror-comic moment in Toys R Us when he was sat in the seat one moment and had disappeared the next. Next thing we knew, his little feet were emerging from underneath the front of the car, followed by some horrified wailing and then his head! The kindly assistant gently pointed us towards the Push & Ride section of the store.
Anyway, the floor panel is excellent, no more slipping out of the seat and no trapped feet or legs. It can be removed for when Megan wants a turn, or when Alex is co-ordinated enough to be able to steer for himself. I didn’t realise that the steering wheel is just for show, and that you have to use leg power to navigate. The floor panel is a little fiddly to replace as it hooks over two little ‘buttons’ at the front.
There is also no seat belt in this vehicle! Other manufacturers may include a harness in their products, but not Little Tikes I’m afraid. There is a lockable door; when I say lockable I mean there is a little catch that keeps the door securely fastened. The seating area is quite deep and we haven’t had any falling out so far.
Other style features include an opening/closing petrol cap, beepable horn, clicking ignition switch and removable key. I think some newer models may also include a bleeping ‘remote control’ type device, but ours didn’t. There is a handy cup holder in the side of the body, for those long thirsty rides to the park and a small space at the rear for storing favourite stones, shells and other small but precious items. The car has plenty of stickers – lights, dashboard, number plate and wheel rims, as well as the Little Tikes logo proudly emblazoned on the side.
There is a safety advice sticker on the inside of the door. Should you consider taking your Cozy Push & Ride near to steps, swimming pools, inclines or major roads then think again! It also states that shoes should always be worn and that the vehicle is only suitable for one passenger at a time.
We bought the car for about £50; it is available in the USA for $50 RRP!
Be warned: The car needs to be assembled after purchase, make sure you put it together before the recipient sees it! Alex, Megan and Rhianna were very enthusiastic but unwanted helpers, ensuring that Daddy put the wheels on back to front and lost several screws as well as his temper! Having banished the tribe to the back garden, he managed to rearrange the wheels and complete his task, it took about an hour to put together and several more to recover from the ordeal. Comprehensive instructions are enclosed with all the relevant bits and bobs and only a screwdriver is needed.
THE VERDICT
He loves it! Right from the outset, Alex seemed to know that this was HIS car. He laid claim to it right away by climbing in and refusing to get out! For a baby that has just learnt to walk, this is some statement. He absolutely loves being trundled around in it and the further the better. We’ve been to the park, taken it to feed (or scare) the ducks and whizzed for about 100 miles round the garden. Alex can beep the horn, wave at passers-by and he loves to reach out and touch things from the safety of his car seat. Unfortunately he can’t quite get in and out himself, because he can’t undo the latch on the door, but he’s quite able to cope with entry and exit if the door is open. He happily sat in the garden, in his car, for about an hour last Monday, I think that he did pop in and out for a while but mostly sat there admiring the view!
Megan, at 2 ½ yrs old and 85cm tall is able to use the car without the floor panel. She can trundle about the garden with ease, although it is much easier to do this on the pavement as opposed to grass. She can also get herself in and out fairly easily.
Rhianna, at 4 yrs old and just over 1m tall has some difficulty getting going. She’s fine going backwards but has a bit of trouble getting the co-ordination right for forward motion. I think her legs are getting a bit long for this type of toy and it’s a bit difficult to explain how to do it really! If your child is 4/5 years old, then I think that it’s probably a bit late to buy a Cozy Push & Ride, it’s also at the top of Little Tikes recommended age range.
We’re confident that the Cozy Push & Ride will provide at least several years of entertainment in our family; it is a well-designed and constructed toy, which should be able to cope with the level of use it’s likely to receive.
It’s really fascinating to watch Alex’s enthusiasm and listen to his attempts to communicate! If he sees his Cozy Push & Ride through the patio window, then he gestures and moans and mutters until someone lets him out and he can toddle over and moon over it.
I wonder, is this a sign of things to come?
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
great, funny review, made me laugh - I've all this to come as our baby is only 9 months!
Shufflebum 03.08.2002 11:29
Your kids sound cute. Littlet tikes things are great. Good op. Rach x
junkboxjules 02.08.2002 00:46
The Cozy Coupe cars are great - my son had loads of fun with his. I know what you mean about the log cabin - I would love one of those in our garden. Julie
Jul 15th, 2002
very helpful by (100%):
