I grew up enjoying the Transformers but I outgrew them. Even the live action movies seemed alien to me. The main reason I bought this Road Bot is that it can transform to a 1:18 scale vehicle, something I could use with my 4-inch action dolls.
The packaging, with photos of the doors that can be opened, really intrigued me. I wondered if a 4-inch doll could fit inside. Although it would still work as a prop, it would be a lot better if someone can drive it. I tried to look for more info online before I decided to buy it.
Ere-Bot has a nice review on YouTube, although I didn't understand the language. It did show that there is space inside the vehicle. If the space is enough to fit a 4-inch doll was not shown in the video. The video did show the packaging which I noticed to be different from the one I got. The video was posted 7 years ago and the package may have been redesigned since then.
This toy is from Chinese manufacturer Happy Well International Enterprise Limited. The company was permitted to use the Toyota name, logo and likeness of the Land Cruiser according to the package. This toy was bought from SM Toy Kingdom with official receipts and all, not from tax-evading online sellers.
The toy is nicely secured in the box with a blister pack. The buyer may test the light and sound feature via a hole in the blister pack. It came with a mildly helpful instruction manual for transforming the toy. Let's see if this robot can strike a pose like my other dolls.
Ka-vouge! The robot has ample articulation. It can raise its arms forward but it cannot hold that position as there is not enough friction in the shoulder joint. The robot seemed to have wings. These "wings" restrict the arms to be raised sideways. The "wings" can be removed, though. The robot looks better without the wings.
At this stage, I was already enjoying the robot. I still want to know if my 4-inch dolls can ride the Land Cruiser so I have to transform it. It was frustrating to transform the robot to a vehicle for the first time. The instruction manual was not clear enough. It didn't show the peg and holes that should align and connect. I had to figure that out. Some parts can be joined intuitively but some instructions should be given on which parts to align for assembling the vehicle mode. Some parts are hard to snap together while others have loose connections. The round sword guard that doubles as the covered spare tire attaches very loosely at the back. After a few frustrating minutes, the robot has transformed.
The toy looks good in vehicle form, although I doubt that it is a scale model of the original. The wheels rolls smoothly. Except for the loosely attached spare tire and the wobbly doors, the vehicle seems stable. The gap that runs from the bumper to the sunroof is weird but forgivable.
The vehicle is good enough with 4-inch dolls. There is no leg room nor car seats inside the vehicle. I was able to force Deadpool inside sitting in a crossed-leg position, scabbard and all. I look forward to playing with this along with my other action dolls.
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