When you consider which go-karts are the best for your kiddos, there’s a lot to look at including speed, safety ratings, roll bars, materials, age limit, and more! I considered all of these when I compared the following go-karts.
Best Go Kart for Toddlers
Ranked similarly for quality and popularity among customers, the Chillafish Monzi RS drives in both forward and reverse but comes with a higher price tag than the indoor-outdoor Aosom Pedal Go Kart which is lower in price. Both go-carts can hold weight up to 77 lbs.
Chillafish Monzi RS
The Chillafish Monzi RS is made for kiddos from age three-to-seven years old. It looks like a real racecar and comes complete with a useable trunk in the front. Not only does your child “drive” along beside you on your walks to the park, but they can tote the snacks for the picnic in their pedal-powered go-kart!
The Ride
Your kiddo can drive this go-kart in forward or in reverse! Not only that, but they can also coast along while they freewheel pedal. And if they get to going too quickly, well that’s not a problem. They only need to pull their handy dandy hand brake.
The Safety
The wheels on this go-kart are rubber skin. They have great traction, which means very little slippage and skidding. They also don’t go flat since there is no way for them to get punctured.
The back of the seat is shaped in such a way that it holds the driver safely in position. It also adjusts back and forth easily without the use of tools to accommodate growing kiddos!
The Assembly
The Chillafish Monzi is very simple to put together. It takes an average of ten to fifteen minutes to get it assembled and comes with the necessary tools to complete the job. The only steps you must complete to assemble this go-kart is to attach the steering wheel and the wheels.
Once the go-kart is assembled, you can fold the seat down and unscrew the steering column and steering wheel for easy storage. And, as for storage? No problem! This handy go-kart comes complete with a wall mount so that you can hang it up out to get it out of the way!
Aosom Pedal Racing Style Go-Kart
The Aosom Racecar Style Pedal Go-Kart is a child’s ride-on kart for children 3 to 8 years old, but some say it’s better suited for children up to age 6. However, the weight limit is 77 pounds.
It features an adjustable bucket seat, a shift lever, lightweight, plastic wheels, and a handbrake. Being that it’s great for both inside and for the outdoors puts it near the top of my list.
The Ride
The bucket seat has a high back, making for a comfortable ride. The plastic wheels make the ride smooth and quiet… even if the terrain is rough or the floors are uneven.
The Safety
Because this go-kart is pedal-powered, your child can control exactly how quickly he wants it to go. It’s very simple to operate. He merely pedals forward or backward and turns the wheel. Due to this, the go-kart is as safe as any tricycle would be and possibly safer since it sits closer to the ground and has a lower point of balance.
The Assembly
Some assembly is necessary with this product, but the manufacturers claim that assembly is simple. Some parents find that it’s not the easiest thing to put together. However, many also find that it’s well worth the effort.
Huffy Battery-Powered Flat Kart
The Huffy Battery-Powered Flat Kart is for children who are between the ages of two and five years old. They also need to be under 65 pounds. This go-kart is pedal-powered in addition to battery-powered. Therefore, after the battery power runs out, your child can get as much active play as his little heart desires!
The Ride
This go-kart’s battery lasts for 40 minutes between charges. The fact that the battery doesn’t have a light to indicate when the battery is full makes it a little difficult to know when the go-kart is fully charged, however. If you’re not careful, this may shorten ride time. But, remember, after the 40 minutes or so expire, your child can still continue to play by using the pedals.
The Huffy Flat Kart can reach a speed of two and a half miles per hour with the push of a button. This may not seem like much to us; it’s about walking speed, but it’s plenty quick enough for a two-to-five-year-old to enjoy.
One bad thing about this go-kart is that the turning radius seems to be quite wide. This might present a problem if you don’t have wide spaces for your little one to play in.
The Safety
This real-looking go-kart has a high back. This seat, while stylish, is also a great safety feature. It ensures that your child will not be thrown back when the go-kart snaps into “go.”
Another safety feature is the great traction on the tires. This sturdy tread, which provides such great traction, keeps the go-kart steady on the road.
The Assembly
There is a little bit of assembly required, but it’s simple to put together. The go-kart arrives needing only a few things done. These things include:
- You must put on the wheels.
- You will need to install the seat.
- You must attach the steering wheel.
Once assembled, the Huffy Flat Kart can fit into the back of a midsize SUV for easy transport.
Best Go Kart for 5 to 7-Year-Olds
While the Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart runs on a 24-volt battery that gives your child an hour of driving time per charge with 4 driving levels – 2.5 mph, 5 mph, 8 mph, or reverse, the Hauck Lightning Pedal Go Kart operates without batteries but gives your child a great physical workout being pedal powered.
Razor Crazy Cart Shift
The Razor Crazy Cart Shift is for kids from six years old and up. It measures 30.35 x 20.66 x 12.8 inches and includes a cute flag too.
When he reaches 120 pounds, only then will he be too big. Do not use this for younger kids without adult supervision as it can go up to 8 miles per hour but it is parent-controlled by a switch.
Next, the Razor can run for up to 40 minutes or around five miles per hour. Keep in mind it does not have brakes but it does have 6-inch rubber front and rear casters.
The Ride
The Razor Crazy Cart Shift is not a pedal-operated go-kart, like the others we have discussed. It moves at up to 8 miles per hour. It does tight turns and can spin around corners
The handheld controls are used to move the Razor Crazy Cart Shift in each of the four different directions. It also has progressive acceleration.
The battery is long-lasting, lasting about 50 minutes at a time. The go-kart has an LED light that comes on when the battery starts to get low. This feature is quite convenient.
The Safety
The Razor Crazy Cart Shift is wide and sits low to the ground. These features give it an anti-rollover design. Regardless, your child should always wear a helmet when riding any go-kart and should never ride without adult supervision.
The Assembly
It comes ready to go out of the box meaning you don’t have to assemble the cart at all!
Hauck Nerf Striker Go-Kart
The Hauck Nerf Striker Go-Kart is another pedal-powered ride-on toy. However, this one takes the cake, sporting places for your child to store his favorite Nerf blasters, darts, and brackets! It is for children ranging from 4 to 8 years old.
The Ride
This go-kart also has a comfortable, adjustable bucket seat and race-style pedals, but it one-ups the Aosom Racer with its sturdy tubular steel frame. It also sports a three-point steering wheel and a handbrake, which many find simple to use. Many find that the go-kart handles well.
The tires are rubber. Though they are low profile, they tend to grip well. “Low profile” means that they are hard plastic wheels with rubber coverings.
This go-kart can be used indoors or outdoors. However, you may find, when used indoors, that the tires sometimes leave black skid marks on the floor when your child skids to a stop or reverses quickly. These come up easily, however.
The Safety
This go-kart is safer than a bicycle, sitting closer to the ground. Kiddos pedal it the same as they would pedal a bicycle. The rubber wheels help it not to skid easily on surfaces. Lastly, with the use of the handbrake, your child can stop the go-kart quickly and efficiently.
The Assembly
Being thirteen pounds when it is completely assembled, the Hauk Nerf Striker Go-Kart is lightweight and easy to assemble. On average, most people can assemble this product in as little as 30 to 35 minutes. The assembly kit even comes with its own wrenches to help with the assembly!
Costzon Go-Kart
The Costzon Go-Kart is another pedal-powered go-kart. This one is for kids, ages three-to-eight years old. The racing style of this pink go-kart has girls wanting to ride it more often than not. And the great thing is that they can ride this go-kart inside or outdoors!
The Ride
This go-kart goes in forward or reverse. Between that, the gear shift, and the three-point steering wheel, your little driver’s go-kart is very realistic. Although it has a “gear shift,” there are no gears to strip or confuse your child and no batteries to charge. The Costzon is completely pedal-powered.
The Safety
The go-kart’s frame is made of polypropylene plastic and metal. This is a safe and durable material that is non-toxic and safe for your children.
The chain has a chain cover. This is vital to your child’s safety.
The wheels are plastic, but they have a rubber antislip strip of rubber on them. This helps to lower the risk of sliding and skidding.
The Assembly
Assembly is quite simple. This go-kart arrives mostly assembled already. It takes an average of fifteen-to-twenty minutes to finish the assembly upon arrival.
After you assemble the Costzon Go-Kart, you’ll need to find the position that the seat needs to be in for your child’s height. This should be simple enough since there are only two positions to choose from. Once you’ve set the position, your kiddo’s go-kart will be ready to ride!
Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart
The Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart is for children, ages 3 to 8. It has an adjustable seat so that it can comfortably fit your child at each of these ages. However, the go-cart can only carry children up to 81 pounds. Most eight-year-olds would easily fall under this limit, but some children are well-built and can easily exceed the 81-pound limit. If your child is close to this weight, this may not be the best go-kart for him.
This go-kart’s 24-volt battery is long-lasting for about an hour of outdoor fun between charges when used on the highest setting. If you use the go-kart on the lower settings, it lasts much longer.
The Ride
The Radio Flyer has four settings: two-and-a-half miles per hour, five miles per hour, and eight miles per hour, and reverse.
There is a nice safety feature that allows you to limit the speed at which your child can travel. If you feel that he cannot handle the go-kart at eight miles per hour, set the speed to five miles per hour or two-and-a-half. You are in control!
This feature does present one problem. Many people find it complicated to adjust the speed “limiter.” To work this safety feature, you must screw a plastic nub into the gear shift. As such, you must use a screwdriver to unscrew it. You’ll also need a place to keep the nub when you’re not using it.
There is only one pedal for your child to manage. He pushes the pedal to make it go and takes his foot off to make it stop. It stops quite quickly when the driver releases the pedal.
The tires on this go-kart are a little different than you might expect. They are made of hard plastic. The front tires have rubber traction and the rear wheels are extra-wide and slick. They are made especially for drifting.
The bad thing about the fact that these wheels are made to slide is that they tend to slide around on asphalt at high speeds. They also tend to spin on wet grass.
This go-kart does great on dry grass as long as the ground is level. It also works on slight inclines. However, it does not work well on steeper slopes.
The Safety
I already mentioned one of the safety features of this amazing little go-cart. That is the fact that you can lock in which speed you want your child to top out at. If you don’t want your child to go over five miles per hour, no problem! Mommy can fix that!
Another safety feature is the seat belt that secures little riders in place. You don’t have to worry about where your child will end up when she takes her go-cart into a nice drift and lands a 280! She’ll still be buckled in her seat.
Lastly, this go-kart features a tall racing flag. It’s attached near the rear and rises high in the air for increased visibility. This is yet another reason that The Ultimate Go-Kart has received the honor of being named a 2022 Parents’ Choice Recommended Award.
The Assembly
There is not a lot of assembly required, and it is quite simple once you locate the correct wrench. The go-kart does not come with a wrench of its own, so if you don’t own your own wrench, you will have to purchase one… or two. It takes two wrenches to secure the rear wheels… and possibly a second adult.
Most people find that the process only takes about 30-45 minutes from start to finish. However, there are some areas that you must pay close attention to in order for the assembly to go smoothly. For instance, there are several pieces that have the potential for being installed backward or upside down. The instructions do show that the error is possible, but they do not show the possibility until you reach the next step. This can be frustrating and a waste of time. Be aware of this when you assemble this product.
Lastly, when your child grows, or before your bigger child can ride on his or her new go-kart, the seat will need to be adjusted. In order to adjust the seat, you’ll have to flip the go-kart over onto its side. There are two screws that you must remove, then you must reattach the seat. Many buyers find that their four-year-old is tall enough to reach the pedal in the same setting they use for their eight-year-old. Therefore, many people set it in the furthest setting and just leave it there.
Hauck Lightning – Pedal Go Kart
The Hauck Lightning – Pedal Go Kart is for kids, ages four-to-seven. It’s completely pedal-powered, so not only does your child’s fun only run out of energy when they do, but they get loads of physical activity while they have fun!
The Ride
This go-kart can be used indoor or out for the perfect play regardless of the weather.
The three-point steering wheel adds to the sporty look of the car. It makes the already authentic-feeling go-kart even more fun for your child as they ride “their car” over the finish line.
The ergonomic seat is made for comfort. The backrest is high for comfort and safety. However, the seat, being hard plastic, can sometimes leave red imprints on your child’s back if they are sensitive to pressure and wear a thin shirt.
The seat is also adjustable, which means this go-kart can grow with your kid! You can adjust the seat easily by simply flipping the go-kart over, unscrewing the seat, putting it where you want it, and replacing the screws.
Though some could complain that this is a lot to go through to adjust a seat. It would be simpler if there were a lever to pull to adjust the seat, but most adjustable seats for this size go-kart adjust this same way.
The Safety
The Hauk Lightning is of solid metal construction. You don’t have to worry about plastic pieces that break off and cut, scratch, or otherwise damage your kiddo.
The rubber treads on the tires grip well, which means the go-kart will stop quickly when called for. This also means that the tires don’t spin or slide on the pavement. So, not only is it a safety bonus, but it’s a frustration-saver too!
The only thing about this go-kart that I could find that was not particularly safe has to do with the pedals. Sometimes, the pedals can be a little bit slippery, causing little feet to slide right off. This is easily remedied by adding skateboard tape to the pedals.
The Assembly
This go-kart is simple to assemble. In fact, most people can get from “go” to “done” in an average of twenty minutes. One great thing that I like is that the manufacturer even includes a few of the tools to get the job done!
Best Go Kart for 8 to 9-Year-Olds
TrailMaster MINI XRX Kart
The TrailMaster MINI XRX Kart is one of the best go-karts for kids and has plenty of power for the age group it’s made for. It’s for kids, ages 5 to 9 years old.
This go-kart has both an electric start and a backup pull-start. It also has a functioning horn and lights that really work!
The Ride
This go-kart has a smooth ride on semi-smooth terrain, but it can be bumpy on rougher terrain. You should expect this with any go-kart.
One great thing about the TrailMaster MINI is that both the seat and the pedals adjust. This means that it fits growing children for longer! This is a great feature.
The Safety
There are a few safety features that I like about this go-kart. One is that it includes a speed governor that you can choose to set all the way down to four miles per hour for the youngest drivers.
The second thing I like is that it comes with a kill switch on a separate fob. If you feel that your child is going too quickly or getting too close to the road, all you must do is push the button, and, voila! Tragedy averted.
To make sure that your child is fully safe, be sure to air the tires up to the recommended pressure before letting them drive it. Also, check the tension on the clutch chain and the drive chain frequently, as you may need to adjust these periodically. They can wear or break, as with all go-carts, if not cared for properly.
The Assembly
The TrailMaster requires some assembly, as do all of the go-karts we will look at. However, they deliver it mostly assembled. Therefore, you should not have to do very much.
Berg Pedal Car Buddy B-Orange
The Berg Pedal Car Buddy B-Orange is a pedal-powered go-kart for ages three through eight. However, the max weight is 110 pounds, so even larger children may be able to ride this go-kart if they can fit.
The Ride
This go-kart seems to ride smoothly regardless of the terrain. Children can ride it on gravel, grass, concrete, and dirt without much problem at all. Even slight inclines don’t present much difficulty. A great asset of the BERG is that, unlike many of the go-karts I covered in this article, it can coast with the pedals in a static position. The brake is also on the pedals, similar to those on a bicycle.
The Safety
The BERG is a safe model, going only as quickly as your child can pedal it, which means it also offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun and exercise at the same time. Its rubber wheels provide durability and great traction, which keeps the go-kart from drifting and sliding when it shouldn’t. One other safety feature is the sealed bearings, which keep the wheels from seizing up and causing spills.
The Assembly
This go-kart is simple enough to assemble that you can have your kiddo help you! Together, you and your child can have it assembled in as little as 20-30 minutes.
Best Go Kart for 10-Year-Olds and Up
Coleman Powersports Off Road Go Kart
The Coleman Powersports Off-Road Go Kart is great for kids, ages 13 and up. Younger children have a blast with it as a passenger, but they cannot handle the speed and power on their own. And since it can handle up to 400 pounds and passengers up to 5’9″, it doesn’t matter who drives them! However, if your kids are taller than this, it may not be the right go-kart for you.
This go-kart is fully automatic, so there are no gears to shift, making it simple for kids to drive. Though it houses a five-horsepower, four-stroke OHV one-cylinder engine, it is still fuel-efficient.
This Coleman go-kart starts easily with the pull of a cord.
The Ride
The Coleman Powersports has low-pressure tires and front shocks. These provide a smooth ride, regardless of the terrain.
The go-kart gets up to fifteen miles per hour when toating around 250 pounds. Some people have reported it going over 20 miles per hour with less weight behind the wheel.
The Safety
You don’t have to worry about the safety of your child! Not only does this go-cart have a padded roll cage, but it has a four-point safety harness. It also has a killswitch in case you need to turn the go-cart off quickly. The foot brakes are hydraulic disc brakes, which help the go-kart stop quickly and easily.
The Assembly
This go-kart requires some assembly. It comes in a box as a steel frame with the other pieces and the tools for assembly included. The only thing you must purchase separately is the oil. They do not ship that with the product.
You must install the shocks, the seat, the roll cage and the padding on the roll cage, two of the tires, the back rack, and the mesh netting. It does seem like a good bit, but many buyers will tell you that it sounds like it would be harder to assemble than it really is that the time spent assembling it is worth it.
Also, consider a four-wheeler for kids for your big kid.
Go Karts for Kids Compared
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed.
The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with
the product compared to others in the table.Berg Pedal Car Buddy B-Orange 9.5 9.6 385.00 Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart 9.8 9.0 329.00 Chillafish Monzi RS 5.9 8.0 310.99 Razor Crazy Cart Shift 9.9 - 222.81 Hauck Nerf Striker Go-Kart 9.1 9.2 168.99 Hauck Lightning - Pedal Go Kart 9.9 9.4 159.99 Costzon Go-Kart 9.2 8.4 139.98 Aosom Pedal Racing Style Go-Kart 8.6 7.8 104.99 TrailMaster MINI XRX Kart - 7.4 - Huffy Battery-Powered Flat Kart - 6.0 - Coleman Powersports Off Road Go Kart 3.9 8.0 -
Buying Criteria for Go Karts For Kids
When you’re searching for the best go-karts for kids, there are some specific things you want to look for. We looked for these things when we researched and presented the above go-karts.
The Ride
The first thing to consider is the go-kart itself. Is it stylish? Will your child like it? Will he be the envy of the other kids in town?
Secondly, what is the age range or weight limit? Will your child outgrow the go-kart soon? How long will it last him? Does it have adjustable seats or pedals so it will last him longer?
Next, how smooth will the ride be? Does the go-kart have shocks? Does it really need them? Does it go well on the ground type (gravel, grass, concrete) that your child will be riding on the most?
These are all important.
The Safety
There is so much to think about today. Safety is one more thing to add to your list with a go-kart in the home. Some of these go-karts are safer than others. The safety information is well-written out and carefully documented for each of the above go-karts. We suggest researching the safety information on the go-kart you are considering before making a purchase.
The Assembly
The last thing we took into consideration was how quickly or slowly the go-kart will take to assemble. Some of these take longer than others, but it seems like the speed would be worth the wait.
FAQs – Go-Karts For Kids
How fast do kids go-karts go?
The speed on a go-kart that’s designed for kids depends on the style and type of the go-kart. Many of the go-karts we covered were either battery-powered or pedal-powered for safety’s sake. These can get up to a maximum of 5 to 8 miles per hour.
Pedal-powered go-karts go as quickly as your child can pedal. These are completely dependent upon your kiddo and their abilities on the terrain they’re riding on.
The gas-powered go-kart we covered travels at a speed of up to fifteen miles per hour. You can change this by removing the governor. If your child is going to be driving the go-kart, I don’t recommend removing the governor.
When can kids start racing go-karts?
Kids can start racing go-karts when they reach five years old!
What kind of go-karts do kids race?
Kids race what’s known as “Kid Karts.” Kid Karts have 50cc, two-stroke engines in them. These engines are basically the same size you find in a weed eater and travel at about 35 miles per hour.
Can you drive an off-road go-kart on the street?
The short answer is “no.” Go-karts are made for trails and race tracks on private property. However, go-kart laws are different in each state. With some modifications, some states do allow some go-karts on the road.
