Ultimate Lightning McQueen makes a great first impression. He’s immaculately presented in a shiny foil-covered box, and looks more like a collector’s item than a children’s toy. Once you open it up, though, you’ll find there’s not much actually inside there, apart from the car, a manual and a charger. First of all, you need to press a small button to orient the car when it’s facing away from you, just so when you press "up", it goes forward. There are no instructions in the box or on the app to do this though – it’s only because we met with Sphero that we were aware of this. On top of that, you also need an Android or iOS device to control the car – there’s no remote included in the box. Lightning doesn’t feel particularly fast, even when he gets up to 6mph in boost mode. We found Sphero’s stated range of 30m to be optimistic – racing him around our office, we got a disconnection warning on our iPhone 7 Plus at around 15m. He uses Bluetooth, so it could have been interference from other devices, but it still felt fairly limited. Only logged in Which? members can view the best RC cars for kids below. If you're not a member, you'll only see an alphabetised list of the cars we tested.

This remote control car does a phenomenal job of matching the physicality, mannerisms and movement style of the animated character. But based on our testing we'd recommend avoiding the main toy retailers such as Argos, Smyths Toys and Hamleys.Aside from looking like the animated character, Ultimate Lightning McQueen moves like him too. He leans into corners and performs drifts with ease, particularly if you’re racing on a hardwood floor. He’s slower on carpet though, and if you hadn’t guessed already for such an expensive and technologically advanced car, he’s unsuitable for use outdoors. He’s well built though, and didn’t take any cosmetic damage from the numberous bumps and crashes we put him through. The rubber fuel cap did break within the first 24 hours though, and it was generally fiddly to take in and out. We recruited a mixed aged and mixed gender testing panel to assess each remote control car on how much fun it is to drive and determine which age group the car is suitable for. The panel included two mums, three dads and children aged four, six, 10 and 11. In this category, the five cars we tested were much faster and heavier than the cars that are suitable for kids.

We tested some cars we think are too fast for very young children, and in the wrong hands could potentially cause injury or damage. All these on-screen buttons mean you have to constantly look down at the display to see what you’re pressing, so you’re constantly flitting your attention between two things at the same time. If you had a physical controller, you’d be able to just feel these buttons in your hand instead, and not need to look down at the screen. Whether you're a parent, that uncle or aunt, or you just want to relive your youth, a remote control car is a brilliant gift for a birthday or Christmas. For this test each of our panel members drove the cars on gravel, long grass, short grass and tarmac. Each was then rated for how much fun it was to drive on each surface.

It’s clear, though, that this is a premium item as soon as you open it. The wheels are protected by small plastic clamps, and the accessories slide neatly out of a drawer underneath.

It helps that the car has been voiced by Owen Wilson himself, but there’s also some incredibly smart technology under the hood. Sphero calls it the most advanced remote control car ever made, and it’s difficult to argue with that statement. It’s not just any old LCD screen, either. Sphero has used a trapezium-shaped screen to perfectly match the shape of McQueen’s windshield from the films.

Only logged in Which? members can view the best RC cars for adults below. If you're not a member, you'll only see an alphabetised list of the cars we tested. Fully functioning with innovative technology. Users get a premium decorated RC measuring approximately 12" Once he’s charged, he’ll also say his favourite catchphrases like “ka-chow!”. He does this through a speaker within the car, and his mouth moves as he’s talking.

The recommended age for the toy is 8+, so there’s a good chance those kids will have access to such a device, but it’s something parents need to bear in mind before buying. Your first interaction with Lightning McQueen is a frustrating one. Sphero tells you to plug in the car and wait 30 minutes for him to charge up. Yes, the Christmas Day tradition of unwrapping your favourite present and then not being able to play with it right away is alive and well. In fact, there’s advanced tech all over this R/C car. There are four touch-sensitive panels along the side, bonnet and roof, and when you touch them, McQueen moves up, down, and side-to-side. You don't have permission to access "http://www.argos.co.uk/browse/toys/toy-vehicles-and-sets/remote-control-vehicles/c:30426/character:lightning-mcqueen/" on this server.Find out how each car compares in terms of top speed, run time, durability, ease of use, and how our testers - aged from three years old to 60 - rated each car after driving it on a variety of surfaces. Sphero’s BB-8 also used an app for controls, but it was less of an issue there because you didn’t need to be as accurate with a rolling ball. The thrill of racing a remote control car comes from making a tight turn, or weaving around objects in your house. It’s difficult to do this using a phone screen, which makes it less fun as a toy.