Toy Review - Legacy Hot Rod

[Lint]

HOT ROD
Series - Legacy
Size/class - Core
New/remould/redeco - Re-packaged release of Kingdom Hot Rod
Wave - 1
Released here - May 2021
Approximate Retail Price - $19
Approximate Size - 9 cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Cybertronian Roadster
Main Features/Gimmicks - mini sword (part of combined weapons system)
Main Colours - Red, Yellow, Silver
Main Accessories - Detachable spoiler/blaster, mini sword (blade of combined weapon)

SUMMARY

• Yet another little Hot Rod.
• He has a sword and a boomerang!
• Transformation is nifty. But suffers from tabbing madness from last decade.

Check out my sword!


My hood is always popped


What the hell is this thing?


Hey look I finally got a Speed Stars toy!

THICK

Core class Hot Rod is yet another Hot Rod/Rodimus toy. It appears Hot Rod is fast becoming the third most produced character in the Autobot lineup. While this offering is quite articulated, has a nifty transformation and some cute accessories it's still somewhat disappointing and ultimately feels like a waste of a production slot. While this is quite a harsh assessment for what is objectively a pretty good action figure there are a few crimes to mention. First being a lack of a faction symbol on the car hood, the second being that the hood/cabin doesn't tab in properly and third being that the hood/cabin doesn't tab in properly. What is this, 2008 again?

The detachable yellow spoiler is a surprising accessory as detachment is completely unnecessary for Hot Rod's transformation. No real complaints here, it has both 5mm and 3mm pegs and a 3mm port for combination with other 3mm weapons. You can make a cool bow and arrow looking thingy by combining with the mini sword. The mini Sword of Primus (making some assumptions here) is exactly what it looks like. A little sword for a little Hot Rod or even a big Hot Rod as it comes with a 5mm peg segment as well. The combined weapon mode is one of those things I cannot believe got approved for production. While the concept of a combined weapon is sound, this particular 'Star Saber' is so poorly and unpleasantly designed that I hate it bitterly. The three components are unable to come together in a way that looks or feels pleasant and not for any practical reason. They could have lengthened a peg here, or cut short some protrusions there and everything would have been perfect. It really appears like Hasbro went out of their way to make something awful for their customers. Hopefully they combine well with other Core class accessories down the track.


PROS

• Decently articulated and novel transformation
• Awash with accessories!

CONS

• Kind of an ugly car mode.
• Panels don't tab in perfectly.
• The combined weapon is so unfunny it doesn't feel right calling it a joke.
• Perennial complaint, but core class RRP is damn high in this country.

[griffin]

Just noting that Hot Rod isn't "new", as it is a re-release of the Kingdom toy.

[GoktimusPrime]

Needlessly fiddly and panelrrific, and yeah, what's with the lack of an Autobot logo on the bonnet? Especially when the rest of the bot is sparsely painted. Arms: unpainted. Fists: unpainted. Lower legs: unpainted. Feet: unpainted. For the price of this toy, you'd think that they could've stuck one lousy tampograph or sticker on the bloody bonnet.

IMO this is an easily skippable toy; stick with Studio Series 86 Hot Rod instead. I personally got this toy as my CHUG "Micromaster" Hot Rod. Or at least that's what I tell myself to stave off buyer's remorse.

[Lint]

Just noting that Hot Rod isn't "new", as it is a re-release of the Kingdom toy.

Thanks, fixed it up. We need a new term, that means "production bled over from the previous toyline"

I personally got this toy as my CHUG "Micromaster" Hot Rod

I haven't busted out the vernier callipers but the car shape/proportions are vaguely reminiscent of Micromaster Hot Rod