Toy Review - Hot Rod (Studio Series 1986)

[doublespy]

I want to get this out of the way right off the bat: this is the best G1-inspired Hot Rod we've ever gotten imho, including the two previous MP attempts. The 'bot mode wins hands down and the vehicle mode is quite respectable all things considered.

VEHICLE MODE:
Beautiful looking car mode. Much better than I'd anticipated given how cartoon accurate the 'bot mode is within a retail budget. The back of the car is the only thing that isn't toon accurate. I don't mind the yellow and grey hinges here as they are the PVC/nylon type of plastic and had to be cast in the same mold as other parts; yellow to go with the the spoiler piece, grey with the fists and neck.

The effect parts fit on two of the three exhaust pipes and they look awesome here.

On my copy, there's small fitment issues on one of the exhaust pipes (which seems to be a common issue), and on one of the head pieces, but overall a very respectable vehicle mode.













TRANSFORMATION:
Designer Yuya Onishi also designed MP-28 Hot Rod. I assume MP-28 having the MP status had many more "marks to tick off" - such as no fake chest, back of car mode also needs to be toon accurate, and accurate backpack in 'bot mode etc. - than this SS86 figure which is ultimately still a retail figure; I can look at the compromises made on MP-28 more objectively, such as the less-than ideal proportions, and the backpack.
You can tell the designer really went to town here on SS86 Hot Rod, without having to tick certain marks off,
and the result shows. It's not that he got much better at designing, it's just that he's working with less limiting parameters this time around.

I do love how he managed to incorporate the arm and lower body twists in the transformation, just like the Look out mountain scene.



'BOT MODE:
I have zero complaints here. There are a few inaccuracies of course, but what's important to me is the designer nailed the proportions here which neither of the MP figures quite got right.

The articulation is fantastic. Butterfly joints, double-jointed knees, front to back toe hinge (that's not fail like Siege Springer's), the works. This thing is an ab crunch away from a modern-era MP level articulation.

The accessories are all real nice too. The flip down visor blew my mind. This being executed on a Deluxe-sized figure alone already made me feel Hot Rod is worth the Voyager price point.





















OVERALL:
A great start to the SS86 line. I'd be eagerly waiting for that rumored Rodimus Prime to drop

[Silverbolt]

Oh boy, where to start. I absolutely love this figure. This is basically a deluxe sized figure with a voyager level transformation and a variety of accessories. You've got to be careful around the shoulder of the figure as i found them to be a bit still and hard to move making me afraid it may break. When i compaired it to my CHUG Hotrod the SS86 hotrod is just slightly taller. But when i transformed them i was surprised at how small the SS86 version is compared to its earlier CHUG counterpart. There is a lot of bot packed into that alt mode. It a bit like comparing first edition Prime bulkhead and Animated Bulkhead.

[yoshi594]

Love this figure. Best of the bunch by far. Scourge is larger but hot rod is the better figure.
Only gripe is the weird way the arms work (hard to pose naturally without a lot of fiddling) and the yellow part of the hood in car mode.

I reckon there will be the eventual target master double dip. If they go that route, hope they go the masterpiece route with a different deco (more magenta).

[Kyle]

This really is a mini-Masterpiece.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

WAITASEC, he has a little eye visor as well?
RARGH! want has bypassed acceptable levels!
Still got a couple of months to wait Japan, cyamon!

[sideswipes brother]

Just got this guy today..... i very much approve....yes i do.

[Skyfire]

I had a lot of trouble with the lower leg red ensemble staying clipped into the front part of the lower leg. Then I made a discovery. If the foot is tilted out too much (to the little toe side), the grey plastic piece that connects the foot rubs against the curved red panel that tucks inside the leg cavity. As the foot tilts and the grey piece rotates upwards, that piece pushes more against the curving out surface. This springs the red ensemble out and stops it from clipping.




Tilting the foot inwards (towards the big toe) solved my problem.