Toy cars: the 23 best sets from emergency services to garage
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What child now has none toys car in his or her toy collection? From trucks and racing cars to emergency services cars and remote control electric cars.
Add a racetrack, a play mat, or a garage to your toy collection to be able to play and race every day with all your friends!
I've reviewed several different cars and car sets, and the best toy car is this Maisto Dodge Challenger. Just big enough to play with. All doors can open and it is very sturdy.
In this article I take a look at the 23 best cars and playsets and what you should pay attention to when buying.
The best car sets in a quick overview, then I'll dig deeper into each of these choices:
Overall best toy car with opening doors
This car is 1:24 and therefore very big, about 7-1/2″ long (19 cm). It is a great diecast replica and very detailed.
Best cheap pull back cars
Just a set with 12 very cheap cars. They can all be pulled back and then drive off “pull back.”
Best toy cars set
The Hot Wheels Basic vehicles are 1:64 scale with realistic details. They are available in different versions so there is always something to choose from.
Best big toy truck
It's one of the toughest toy cars I've ever seen. Bruder is expensive, that's for sure. But it is also really quality.
Best Lego car
It is a real Ford Mustang GT from the 60s and the doors of the car really open. The trunk and hood can also be opened.
Overall best toy parking garage
The gas station at the bottom is a nice addition for some pretend play. The hoses can go into the cars.
Best magnetic toy car
The set is also just very well put together. The magnets click well and stay in place, even during heavy driving.
Best toy cars for babies
These cars are already suitable from 1 year. Due to the rounded shapes there is nothing to hurt yourself and they are easy to grip.
Best RC car for toddlers and preschoolers
[Toy Grade] You see this kind of 360 degree rotation cars popping up everywhere, and the best brand for this type of RC car at the moment is Sgile. Super sturdy so bumping or falling from something won't do anything to him.
Best race track for preschoolers aged 5 to 6
Featuring one of the most renowned race track designers in the form of Carrera, along with the endearing characters from the movie, this is the perfect starter kit for younger children.
Best toy car that can change color
There aren't many cars that can take a bath, so that's a welcome addition. Hot Wheels are on the cheaper side of diecast and are really meant to be toys.
Best toy car that can be taken apart
Can be completely taken apart with a real working electric screwdriver that can turn both left and right.
Best toy car with sound
Many functions provide endless fun: from the high crane to a real working fire hose.
Best toy car with big wheels
This starter set gives you the opportunity to build your favorite Monster Jam truck and then race it.
Best toy car with trailer
Wooden trailer with magnetic crane with which he can pick up the supplied cars and place them on the trailer.
Best toy car kit
The quality is very good and just like the regular cars from Jada Toys completely die-cast. With this kit you can only build it yourself.
Best robot car
This Ranger is actually 3 robots in one. That also makes building a bit more replayable than the other sets, always changing parts.
Overall best toy car with light and sound
Playmobil is always perfect for pretend play. You not only get a car that drives well, but also a lot of accessories.
Best activities
Take it apart with the screwdriver. The best activity is the garbage arm that can actually lift the 3 included garbage cans.
Best toy car with elastic
A nice educational set to learn how stored energy works and a good introduction to physics.
Best toy car for toddler
The car wash doesn't really work, but the fabric cleaning curtain is very nice, and what toddler can resist a movable barrier?
Best electric car toys from 3 years old
This is another children's car with a sturdy seat. This makes it great fun for kids who are between 3 and 8 years old.
Best toy car set for toddlers
These are the kind of classic vehicles in soft pastel colors that I want my child to play with. No, I want to play with it myself!
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Toy car buying guide
What should you pay attention to when buying toy cars?
Sustainability
There are quite a few differences in quality between toy car brands. Just look at the difference between Maisto and Hot Wheels, you can clearly feel the quality.
In any case, almost nothing can go wrong with a complete diecast car. That is what I paid extra attention to when assessing the durability of the cars.
Quality of driving
With toy cars you want them to be able to drive well. Some may be for display only, not for play. But you still want them to roll well.
A few things to watch out for are:
- the distance from the wheels to the chassis: some toy cars run into problems so they don't drive very well
- the rigidity of the shaft: some toy cars are very wobbly so the wheels can move far in and out, and still rub
- the quality of the wheels: is it plastic or are there really rubber wheels on the tires? Rubber rolls a lot better
- the weight of the car: you may not realize this right away, but the weight of the car plays a very large role in how well it rolls. A heavier car made of diecast or wood rolls a lot better and further than a plastic car
Replayability
Much of the car's replayability is in how well it drives, but there are other factors that determine how often they return to it.
Age also plays a part. Is it a car that stays on the left after toddlerhood or can it last longer because it is also suitable for older children?
The number of extra functions also plays a role, such as the extra figures with the Melissa & Doug School Bus or the Lego bricks with the Ford Mustang.
I rated each of the cars on this list on these parts on a 5-point scale.
Best Toy Cars Reviewed
There is plenty of choice! Nobody is too old to play with cars!
Maisto Dodge Challenger SRT8
- 1:24 is nice and big
- All doors and hood can be opened
- Trunk cannot open
This car is 1:24 and therefore very big, about 7-1/2″ long (19 cm). It is a great diecast replica and very detailed.
All doors can open so there is plenty to discover or to display it beautifully. Only the trunk can not open so that is a pity.
Maisto has been making diecast cars for a while now and they aren't always of the best quality. But with this model they have created a very good car that is large and affordable and with which you can open a lot.
Funcorn Toys pull-back
- Very cheap for a complete set
- Pull back system works well
- Strange Chinese translations
- Very cheap plastic
This is just a set with 12 very cheap cars. They can all be pulled back and then drive off “pull back.”
The plastic feels quite thin, but it is made of non-toxic material, so safety has not been spared in any case.
The colors are bright so it's a happy bunch. Each car is about 2 inches (5 cm) so that's really, really small.
Because they are so small, it is recommended to give them from 3 years old. They are a bit more fun for small children unfortunately, but if you stick with them you can also give it to a younger child.
There are 12 cars, each with its own role, such as a police car, taxi, fire truck, bread truck, petrol truck, truck, fruit truck and etc.
This also makes the set extra fun for pretend play.
The images and the translations on the cars are not very good. A bit strange combinations arise with a fire truck, for example, with hot sauce and pizza on it.
Hot Wheels 10 pack
- Complete set in one go
- Sturdy cars that last a long time
- Not a lot of detail
The Hot Wheels Basic vehicles are 1:64 scale with realistic details. They are available in different versions so there is always something to choose from.
If it's your first set of cars then a pack of 10 is great to start with and not expensive at all.
Hot Wheels have nice die-cast bodies, but are not as detailed as, for example, Maisto. That is not bad at all for your child to play with.
They always drive well and last a very long time. Only the wheels are sometimes a weak spot, but they always last for years past several siblings.
brother Dodge Ram 2500 With Horse Trailer 02501
- Super sturdy construction
- All doors can be opened, including the tailgate of the truck
- Very expensive
- Little big to play with and difficult to combine with other toys
The Dodge pick-up has a cab with four doors that can be opened and closed. The tailgate can also be opened.
Toy horse trailers are also available for older children who can handle small parts responsibly and may be more interested in a more truthful design.
Great fun for children who still have a lot of interest in horses and horse trailers as they grow up.
It's one of the toughest toy cars I've ever seen. Bruder is expensive, that's for sure. But it is also really quality.
Due to the size and especially small parts (the doors can be detached and there is a loose tekhook), the set is particularly suitable for children from 3 years old.
The horse trailer is equipped with a rear door that can be easily folded open and can serve as a platform for the horse to be guided inside.
The Dodge Ram is also available separately without the horse trailer.
LEGO Creator Expert Ford Mustang 10265
- Very very large building set
- Huge amount of detail in the interior and engine
- Very pricey
- Harder to play with
Although these Lego Creator sets are aimed at adults, teenagers can of course also play with them. With 1471 pieces, it is quite a construction kit that will keep you busy for a while.
The nice thing about Lego is that you can combine it endlessly. This way you can pimp your Ford Mustang with different types of Lego pieces. The possibilities are endless.
Lego has also responded to this by making some adjustments such as the supercharger, ducktail rear spoiler, sturdy exhaust pipes, and nitrous oxide tank.
Make it a post-apocalyptic car with a laser turret, or just give it a wider bumper.
It is a real Ford Mustang GT from the 60s and the doors of the car really open. The trunk and hood can also be opened.
It is also quite large at 10 cm (3″) high, 34 cm (13″) long and 14 cm (5″) wide. He is very expensive though. Part of it is in the amount of Lego pieces, but also partly in the fact that it is an official Ford Mustang.
Playing with it is a bit more difficult than with other cars because you don't want pieces falling off, although it is very solidly built. The pieces on the outside keep the whole thing together very well.
Hape E3002 Park And Go With Lift
- Sturdy wooden garage
- Good price
- Lift included
- Colors are not very attractive
Age: 3 years +
The first on the list is Hape's toy garage with elevator. I think this is a nice garage and the nicest elevator because it is a pulley elevator.
Furthermore, it is nice and high and both floors are equipped with a spiral slope, making it fun to drive down with one of the 2 included cars. A helicopter is also included.
The gas station at the bottom is a nice addition for some pretend play. The hoses can go into the cars.
What it is: a medium (42 x 93 x 43 centimeters), solid wood, 3-tier garage with road markings, a pulley lift, two spiral ramps, 3 cars and a ramp with a lever. Requires assembly with screwdriver (including instructions).
Why I like him: this is a good price for a sturdy wooden garage that is fairly easy to assemble (the instructions are good and clear).
Some reviews do state that the lift is a bit stiff and the ramp is a bit steep, but they all thought it was fun to play with.
Tegu Daredevil
- Sustainable wooden toys
- Car drives really well too
- Very expensive
Tegu is a toy brand that makes everything from wood. Beautiful and sturdy wood.
It's durable and made in Honduras in a responsible manner, that's playing good.
It also makes the set a bit more expensive, but playing with wood gives your child much more in return than plastic toys.
The set is also just very well put together. The magnets click well and stay in place, even during heavy driving.
And that's what you ultimately want from a toy car.
This set offers less building options than the Magformers police set. But you can also supplement this with other sets from Tegu.
They all fit together. Here you get at least 12 building pieces.
B Toys Free Wheee-Read
- Well rounded and easy to grab
- Cheerful colors and fun design
- Don't drive very well
- Not sturdy enough for rough toddler play
These cars are made for the smallest children and are suitable from 1 year old. The rounded shapes mean there is nothing for them to hurt themselves on and they are easy to grip.
There are 6 wooden cars with a few different shapes. The kind of handle in the passenger cars is also funny. So they can grab it easily.
Actually, these are the cheapest cars on the list and not Melissa & Doug's.
But they are not really toy cars for your toddler. Then you better buy another one. They don't roll very well and the design is therefore a bit crazy.
But a very nice first set for your baby. The overall score of 6.7 is a bit low because I rated it on the same points as "real" gaming cars.
sgile 360 Rotation
- Collide safely so your child can tear with it
- Made to do fun stunts
- Controls can take some getting used to for a small child
- Not suitable for racing
Type: Toy Grade
This is a car for when you want to drive around without worrying about bumping into something.
That could be because you really like it yourself, but it's also perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who don't know what they are doing yet.
You see these kind of 360 degree rotation cars popping up everywhere, and the best brand for this type of RC car at the moment is Sgile.
Super sturdy so bumping or falling from something won't hurt it and it charges nice and fast (in 1,5 hours) so your child will never run out of battery (because they will often forget to charge it before they want to ride) ).
Oh, and charging is done via USB so you can do that anytime, anywhere.
That fast charging is also necessary because it can only last 25 minutes on a single charge. That is one of the major drawbacks.
But they also paid attention to safety with high-quality ABS materials that are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The battery has short circuit protection and overcharge protection.
Career GO Pixar Cars Speed Challenge
- Good traditional slot cars
- Expandable track system
- Nice theme suitable for younger children
- small set
- Not much happens without extensions
The Carrera GO - Pixar Cars Edition racetrack is a fun spin-off of the popular Disney / Pixar movie 'Cars'.
Nice starter set with the characters of Cars.
It's a more traditional racetrack than some of the others on our list so it will bring back memories of your childhood as well.
While Disney certainly valued the odds for gold from this movie, there's no underestimating the appeal this trusted character can have in the world of racetracks.
This set is a more traditional racetrack, the kind of kit you'd know from your childhood.
- Two metal car tracks
- two speed controllers
- two cars (McQueen and Bernoulli)
- and a few exciting extras (high curves, narrow section, intersection, flyover, loop).
Featuring one of the most renowned race track designers in the form of Carrera, along with the endearing characters from the movie, this is the perfect starter kit for younger children.
Hot Wheels Color Shifters
- Can change color
- Hot Wheels are cheap cars, fun to play with
- Water must be really hot and cold
Hotwheels cars are known for being easy to drive on the floor and for being fast, but… you also have many different options.
That is why I am also looking at these Color Shifters from Hotwheels.
The downside is that you don't know in advance which one you're getting so if you're really looking for a specific type of car these aren't for you, and I got this race car when I ordered one.
Someone indicated that it doesn't work no matter what he tried, but most people can still get some fun out of it:
Exactly as advertised. I ordered three cars and luckily they were all different (thank you !!!) The kids take them to the bath with a cup of ice and enjoy the color changes.
It is indeed difficult to get the color changing effect.
Warm must be really very warm and cold very cold, otherwise it won't work. But for example in a warm bath is fine and then with a glass of ice water next to it.
There are not many cars that can take a bath, so that is a welcome addition.
Theo Klein Bosch Car Tuning Kit
- Really working screwdriver can even turn left and right
- Very nice kit
- Car doesn't drive very well
- Sturdy parts, but the car is not firmly put together
Using
- the demountable car,
- 4 interchangeable straps,
- 3 interchangeable label sets,
- the screwdriver
- and of course the working Bosch electric screwdriver
you can assemble the car and then take it apart again, and do it as often as you want!
It can be completely disassembled, and it comes with a real working electric screwdriver that can turn both left and right to loosen and re-tighten everything.
The car is made up of all separate parts, so you also have loose wheels that you can use as spare tires and put on them.
All the plates can be detached, so you can actually see exactly how a car is put together.
There is also a sticker sheet with which you can give those blue parts nice speed stripes, just like a real race car.
A very nice set from Bosch so that they can learn a little about how to work with screwdrivers and also with power tools, with the wheels and everything there is to a car to get to know them a bit.
The car is not very sturdy. It's hard to play well with it.
That's why it was mainly used with us to take apart and rebuild, but never made it in our son's pretend play.
brother MAN fire truck 02771
- Great sturdy construction
- Good crane and real working fire hose
- Very large and difficult to combine with other toys
Come to the rescue with this Bruder Fire Truck! With the fire brigade you can save people! Turn on the siren (which makes a real sound) and let everyone know that the heroes are on their way!
Of course it has a high crane so that is great fun and you can do up and down then and it can also stretch very far with the tray that can tilt.
Furthermore, the front can be detached and then you can actually see what is in it under the hood in such a car.
There is a cover that can be opened and underneath is a reservoir that you can fill with water. That is especially nice in the summer of course to take outside to spray, and he can spray quite far.
With the pump you can first pump it up a few times and you actually have to pump the water pressure on it. It's a bit of a classic fire engine as they might have done in the old days.
The car is also quite big. Very big actually. That's very cool of course, but it makes it difficult to combine with other toys.
Fortunately, we have quite a few other Bruder toys that fit it exactly, but many other toys are in 1:24 scale or smaller.
Still, he's a lot of fun to play with.
Spin master Monster Jam Dirt Starter
- Sturdy monster truck
- Nice and small, fits well in toddler hands
- Wheels are very wobbly
- Relatively little kinetic sand, and does not combine with other brands of sand
Wow! This Hot wheels monster jam monster truck is very impressive!
This starter set gives you the opportunity to build your favorite Monster Jam truck and then race it.
There is even a ready-made ramp that you can use as a ramp or to perform crazy stunts. You also get 227 grams of kinetic sand with the set that you can drive over and build the ramp.
The Monster Jam truck is detailed and has dirt-stained tires. This makes the look of the truck even more real!
It's the perfect starter kit for a speed champion who likes huge, tough trucks!
I only found the downsides that there was not so much kinetic sand, we were lucky ourselves so we could experience the second disaster, but otherwise there was not even enough to fill both ramps.
And maybe you want to buy a second truck to be able to race too, because what is Monster Trucks (top rated here) without monster racing.
The downside is that the wheels are very wobbly. This makes the monster truck a bit difficult to drive at times.
Not so much when you hold it in your hand, but more when you want to push it forward. He just wants to go in circles.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Truck Loading Crane
- Nice set with cars and trailer
- Good size to play with other cars
- Magnet is very weak and hard to keep the cars on it
- Wooden stop block of the trailer broke off (after angry throwing)
The Melissa & Doug Magnetic Wood Truck Crane with Vehicles consists of six parts and includes a red loader with magnetic army arm, a car transport trailer and four magnetic wooden cars.
The four cars all have a different color, namely red, blue, yellow and white and each has its own number. In this way, a child learns to count, sort and group and playfully stimulate fantasy.
I had already written about it here with the nicest wooden toys as wooden toy car, that the magnet (like this magnetic toy) could have been a little stronger.
That is really the case because it becomes very challenging to drive the car while holding something.
You can pick up cars with the magnetic crane on the truck and they are very loose. You have to be extremely dexterous with that magnet.
In the end, he liked picking up other magnet toys, such as magnetic blocks and magnetic animals.
But it's such a fun and cute set and my son is absolutely full of it.
Jada Toys Fast & Furious Brian Toyota Supra, Build n' Collect
- Simple kit with enough parts
- Fun for older schoolchildren to teenagers
- Very small screws require some patience
This car is just the right size with 1:24 scale and not too difficult. This way, 8-year-olds can get started with it and maybe even a little earlier with your help.
It's the Toyota Supra from Fast & Furious and although it's quite detailed, it comes across more as a toy than a model car.
The quality is very good and just like the regular cars from Jada Toys completely die-cast. With this kit you can only build it yourself.
Everything you need is included. No glue is needed, just the small screwdriver that comes in the kit.
The screws are very small so screwing them together should definitely help if your child is not yet a teenager.
Makeblock mBot Ranger
- Very replayable with different sets
- Fully expandable with other kits
- Batteries are difficult to charge
- Interface is sometimes difficult to follow
This one falls between the Jada Toys and Wood Trick in terms of age, a great building kit to set up together.
But in the end, this toy is more about the robot you built. This Ranger is actually 3 robots in one.
That also makes building a bit more replayable than the other sets. You can always swap parts and make it back to another version.
- Land Raider is a tracked robot that can run over just about anything
- Nervous Bird is a balance robot that can balance itself
- Dashing Raptor is a three-wheeled racing car
It is remotely controllable through the app and it is also suitable for outdoor use.
It also teaches coding basics in that you can use Scratch to program it, the Makeblock app can help with some suggestions.
This is of course STEM toys par excellence with robotics, engineering and coding in one toy and they can get started with it from the age of 8.
In addition, mBot is expandable with different kits so that you can build and experiment even more.
We've also written about mBot before in our article on the best robot toys.
The batteries are a bit of an issue. They are difficult to charge and you cannot reach them when building the cars. To charge them you first have to take the robot apart again.
Playmobil Police bus 70899
- Lots of accessories for pretend play
- Realistic sound
- Doesn't drive as well as real toy cars
Playmobil is always perfect for pretend play. You not only get a car that drives well, but also a lot of accessories.
The same goes for this police bus. The button on the roof turns on the lights and sounds for a realistic police sound.
There are two dolls included but there is enough room in the bus for seven and the rear seat folds down for more storage space.
Furthermore, there are handcuffs, a walkie-talkie and 2 pistols. You can easily transport the crooks in the bus because the roof is removable and the sliding side doors and rear doors can really open.
A real toy car like the Interceptor from Dickie Toys drives a little better than Playmobil. This is more of a playset.
Joyin Garbage truck
- Many activities in one
- Garbage truck theme is very appealing
- Cheap build quality
- Not all activities are fully developed
Joyin is not my favorite brand because it's a bit cheap plastic, but the amount of fun they manage to put into their toys every time is huge.
And my son never finds the build quality much of a problem.
This garbage truck can be taken apart with the screwdriver with 3 types of replaceable heads. It is 12,5 inches long and 4,5 inches wide (31 x 11,4 cm).
The best activity is the garbage arm that can actually lift the 3 included garbage cans.
It is also a friction powered system (push-n-go without batteries) and has lights and sounds.
It is not suitable for children under 3 years old because all screws and such are very small. But if you stay with it, a 2-year-old could also play with it.
You will probably have to put it back together yourself often because they can unscrew it with 3, but they can no longer put it together.
They have tried to cram a whole lot into one car, so everything has not been worked out properly.
But it gives a lot of fun and it is mainly me who has a problem with it, not my child.
Thames & Kosmos Elastic Racers
- Educational set
- Car and boats work well
- Can only build one thing at a time
- Airplanes don't work very well
A nice educational set to learn how stored energy works and a good introduction to physics.
You can build a number of different vehicles with the sets, but each must be taken apart to build the next.
They are all elastic powered and the car and boats work very well.
The flying constructions work a little less. In itself you can see exactly how it works so that's nice, but they don't really stay in the air very well.
LEGO 10948 DUPLO Town Parking Garage and Car Wash
- Construction set and car wash in one
- Car wash has a cleaning cloth and barrier
- Lots of accessories and cars
- Not so much fun after toddler
- No working car wash
Duplo is always super fun to play with for toddlers and they can even build something with it. So is this Town Car Wash.
There are 4 DUPLO figures that can perform the work or drive through the car wash in the car.
The car wash doesn't really work, but I really liked the fabric cleaning curtain, and what toddler can resist a movable barrier?
It is quite a complete set because there are 3 cars, one of which is even a Push&Go car.
There are 112 pieces in total and it says suitable from 2 years old, but my son could already play with it at 1 year old. Then you might hold back the very smallest parts for a while.
Costzon Mercedes Benz ML350 6V
- Nice sound system
- Parental supervision
- 6 km / h top speed
- Some are disappointed with the battery life
This is another children's car with a sturdy seat. This makes it great fun for kids who are between 3 and 8 years old.
They can drive around with their friends or siblings!
We liked that they gave the parents some extra safety assurance by giving them a remote control.
This gives parents total control over the car in the event that their child is inexperienced with driving or has a collision.
Even if your child is driving the vehicle, the remote can take control at any time.
The top speed that this trip on the car can each be 6 km / h. Children can move backwards and forwards and steer the car in any direction.
There is also a sound system built into this car toy. You can connect devices via an Aux plug-in or listen to the radio.
We liked that they have also implemented a screen that provides you with information.
These include details about battery life and whether the lights for the car are on or off.
What age are these toys recommended for?
3 years
What makes these toys stand out?
Parents are also happy to find that they can be in control of the vehicle at any time.
Le Toy Van Retro Subway
- Sturdy wooden construction
- Wheels run fine
- Paint scratches quite quickly
This is the kind of car I want my child to play with. No, I want to play with it myself! Beautiful classic vehicles in soft pastel colours.
Especially with such an outspoken model it is good to have a set to be able to play with it together.
Sure, other cars often join the game, but they often end up together in one way or another.
They are an Independent Toy Award winner, painted with non-toxic paint and made from renewable rubber trees.
Just the right size for small children's hands. Great quality for an affordable price.
Conclusion
Playing with car sets is much more than just fun!
It also helps children during the healthy development of motor skills, problem-solving skills and stimulates imagination and creativity.
As you may have read, there are a lot of toy car sets out there.
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.