The 9 Best Push Cars For Toddlers

For walks around the block with a toddler who won't sit in a stroller, the Step2 Whisper Ride II covers the basics well. A parent steers from a wide handle that folds down for the car trunk, while the child gets a seat belt, a horn, two cup holders and a snack spot under the hood. Its wheels are built to roll quietly on sidewalks. Assembly takes a while, and some kits arrive short a screw or decal.

The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe has been rolling down driveways since 1979, and plenty of families pass one from child to child. Little ones start with the floor in place while a parent pushes from a grip at the back of the roof. Pull the floor out and the child drives with their own feet, cartoon-caveman style. It has a working door, a horn and a clicking ignition. There's no seat belt, and the instructions can be confusing.

The editors at Babylist name the Step2 Whisper Ride Cruiser their push car for toddlers who aren't ready to get around on their own. It looks like a little sports car and comes with a seat belt, a horn, cup holders and storage under the seat. The parent handle folds down flat, so the whole car slides into a trunk. The seat runs snug for tall toddlers, and some parents hear rattling over rough pavement.

Built for the youngest riders, the Little Tikes Push & Ride Racer starts at nine months as a walker: the child stands behind it and pushes the tall seat back. Later they sit low, grab the handlebars and scoot with their feet. Little Tikes makes it in the USA, and it rolls indoors or out. There's no long handle for a parent, and most kids outgrow it around their third birthday.

Twins, or siblings close in age, ride together in the Step2 Side-by-Side Push Around SUV, each with a seat belt and a steering wheel of their own. A canopy shades both seats, and mesh pockets plus space under the bench hold snacks and toys. Step2 rates it for two children at once, and the handle folds. It's bulky to push and to store, and opinions on its durability are split.

The Step2 Push Around Buggy is a budget way into a parent-push car, with a big-eyed cartoon face on the hood. It keeps the seat belt, the horn and the storage under the hood, and its handle folds down. A 2010 recall fixed a loose handle pin on buggies sold before then; new ones aren't affected. The seat suits smaller toddlers, and Step2's age range for it stops at three.

With its boxy Mercedes styling, the Best Ride On Cars G-Wagon changes as a child grows. It starts as a push car with a tufted seat, a tall backrest, a wraparound guard bar and footrests; later the bar and handle come off and the child scoots with their feet. The maker says it's tested to U.S. and European toy safety standards and goes together without tools. Its weight limit is low, so bigger toddlers outgrow it fast.

Not a car at all, the Pewi Walking Ride On suits babies from about nine months who are pulling up and cruising along furniture. They can walk behind it holding the handlebar, then sit on the saddle and paddle with their feet. Swivel wheels on four wide legs keep it steady and let it roll in any direction without marking floors. There's no handle for a parent to push, so it isn't for walks outside.

Families who want one ride-on to last from first steps to kindergarten can look at the Radio Flyer Stroll 'N Trike. At first a parent steers with a tall handle while a canopy, tray, seat belt and footrest keep the rider shaded and settled. Those parts come off in stages until it's a plain pedal trike. Foam tires roll quietly. It's a trike rather than a car, so kids who want doors and a steering wheel may lose interest.