Tested: The Ford Lightning Ride On Toy Truck Is Every Child’s Dream Come True

Ah, yes. This is the question parents will be asking themselves before committing to the purchase: Is it difficult to put together? My answer: Not especially. 

According to the instruction manual, assembly time should take “up to 45 minutes” — but that’s when two people are working on it together. I rather masochistically decided to tackle this project on my own while the kids were at school, which was brave of me considering I’m notorious for taking longer than the estimated time to complete a task. (You know those home meal kits? If the prep and bake time says 30 minutes, I know it’ll take me an hour.)

Read: Meet the Future of Hauling: The All-Electric Ford F-150 Lightning

Sure enough, it took me closer to (ahem) 90 minutes-ish to build the Lightning F-150 ride on toy on my own, but if I’d had help, I think it could’ve easily been done in 45 minutes. Oh, and one other minor detail: I am currently eight months pregnant. Honestly, by the time the last screw was in place, I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment akin to giving birth.

(Pro tip: I strongly suggest using a cordless power drill to help you out with the 60-some-odd screws you’ll need. My wrists were sore after about 10 of them and the drill was a lifesaver that likely spared me from carpal tunnel syndrome.) 

Read: Ride-On Cars for Toddlers – A (Little) Girls Guide to Cars

I was so excited for my daughter to get home from school so she could take this beautiful pink truck her pregnant mommy had constructed for a spin… but I naively failed to factor in the charge time. The instruction manual recommends charging the battery for at least 12 hours before initial use (be careful not to charge it for longer than 20 hours), so our little Lightning would have to wait until the next day before we could test it out. (Sorry, folks, no DC fast charging capabilities here — you have to settle for a standard wall outlet.)

Luckily, charging was super simple. All you have to do is open a compartment right under the passenger seat, find the part T charger and connect it to your power supply before plugging it into the wall. If your AC adapter shows a red light, it means it’s charging. Green indicates that charging is complete. Bam! Easy.

Read: Downey’s Dream Cars Takes Classic Cars into the Modern – And Electric – Age

After hours of anticipation and both of my kids drooling over the Lightning ride on toy truck in our basement, it was finally time to take the ride on toy out for a test drive. Fortunately, Mother Nature gifted us a snow-free week with relatively tepid temperatures!

My almost 6-year-old daughter — who loves cars just about as much as her parents do — was absolutely giddy with excitement. She eagerly took her spot behind the wheel, snapped the seat belt on, and after some brief instruction from Mom, she stepped on the pedal. It instantly delighted her that she could steer and accelerate as she pleased all around the local church parking lot.

My husband and I watched in admiration as her confidence slowly started to build and her movements became smoother and sharper in those big figure eights. She even got to practice her reversing and parking skills. (Have we cracked the code on raising better drivers? There might be something to this…)

Our 9-year-old son wasn’t about to be left out of the fun. Since he met the weight requirement and could still fit in the driver’s seat, we let him take the Lightning ride on toy for a little drive, too, and his big grin was proof of his approval. 

Not surprisingly, we were met with groans and moans when the sun started to set and we had to pack up the Lightning. To tell the truth, I was a little sad to bring the fun to a close for the day, too. But I’m sure we’ll get plenty of quality riding time in during the two-week winter break. (This tired, pregnant mama thanks you, Ford!)

Yes, it’s fun to drive, but that’s not the only appealing quality of the Ford Lightning ride on toy. Here’s what else we liked:

• Thoughtful design details. You’ll find lots of Ford badging around the little truck and many elements that mimic the real Ford Lightning, which is available in 6 colors, including pink. Our favorites were the headlights, light bar and grille, which look identical to the real thing — and the headlights and light bar really light up!
• Storage galore. Just like adults, kids love to store their stuff in their cars. A spacious frunk and a very small bed in the back allow your little ones to bring along all their favorite trinkets. (You can crush some Goldfish crackers into the floor if you really want them to feel like they’re driving an adult car.)
• Connectivity. This was definitely a highlight for our kids. The Lightning ride on toy not only streams your local FM radio stations, but you can connect it to a Bluetooth device and play music from your phone. (We let our daughter cruise around to “Fun, Fun, Fun” by the Beach Boys. Perfect.)
• The Parent Remote Control. This was my personal favorite feature. The Lightning comes with a parent remote control, which can override kid controls when necessary. This came in handy when my overconfident daughter came very close to colliding with the curb. Phew! 

If you’ve read the reviews on A Girls Guide to Cars, you know we always include a section about the things we found quirky, interesting or important to note before someone commits to a purchase. Since this toy is a significant investment for most parents, I feel it’s only fair to follow suit and point out a few things I’d want to know before buying one. So here goes:

• The noise level. It’s not going to break the sound barrier anytime soon, but the Lightning ride on toy truck emits a fair amount of noise. I doubt neighbors will mind as long as you’re operating it during reasonable hours, but it’s something to consider if you live in a quiet neighborhood. 
• No brakes. You’ll want to keep the Lightning ride on toy on a relatively flat surface and avoid steep hills because it doesn’t come with brakes. The parent remote control can help prevent a crash if needed, but it’s not designed for steep inclines. Train your kids to drive safely!
• Charge time. The manual strongly recommends keeping the battery charged since letting it deplete completely can wear it out faster. Expect charge times between eight to 12 hours. 
• Run time. Once you’ve got a full battery, it should last between one to two hours. That’s probably more than enough time for your 3- to 8-year-olds to enjoy plenty of good runs, but make sure to plug it in when you’re done!

Listen — you’re not a regular mom, you’re a cool mom. And if you’re looking for a last-minute gift that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your little car lover’s face Christmas morning, I can’t recommend the Ford Lightning electric ride on toy truck enough.

And if you find yourself feeling a little jealous of all the fun, don’t worry. It comes in your size, too.