Originally written July 2019.
As I’ve said many times previously, Hot Rod’s one of my favourite Transformers, so I had to own a piece of history in the form of the original Generation One toy, or at least a re-release of it. Collecting G1 figures is a whole different experience. It’s less for the quality of the figures, because, no matter what fans may say when they’re grousing about modern figures, the engineering and design on the vintage ones absolutely does not hold up. Instead, it’s more about history. That being said, the original Hot Rod toy’s not bad, as far as G1 figures go. It was 1986, and was one of the first Transformers toys to not be a re-release of an older Diaclone or Microman toy, and as such, was designed a bit differently. Those early toys were fragile and fiddly, prone to breakage and looseness, but all of the 86-and-onward designs were blocky and solid, instead. Hot Rod’s been reissued many times over the years, with the most recent release being found at Wal-Marts across the nation. My copy’s actually an older reissue from the 2000s, but there’s no significant differences in them, so this applies to almost any reissue you might find.
A note on stickers
Most G1 toys relied on foil stickers for detailing, and also left it to the owner to apply them. While Hot Rod comes with a few pre-applied, a lot of their details are provided by those stickers, and you’ll be expected to finish them off. It can be harrowing if you’re a stickler for detail that needs to get them on perfectly straight, and since they’re foil labels, they don’t easily come back off after application. It’s not too hard to do, but still, be ready. Also, there’s a pair of stickers meant to go on Hot Rod’s thighs, which on some releases, get gradually scraped off as you transform the toy. Some other releases fix this, but to be safe, I left mine off, and I recommend you do, too.
Vehicle Mode
As one of the first non-repaint Transformers figures, Hot Rod was at the forefront of a new aesthetic. Instead of realistic vehicles, these new figures changed into what we thought the futuristic cars of 2005 would look like in 1986. So, Hot Rod’s vehicle mode is a swoopy, curvy concept car, with a big, exaggerated spoiler in the back, giant chromed exhaust pipes down the sides, and a big engine block up front. It’s a wonderfully retro-looking thing. As a blocky 80s toy, it’s not as much of a sleek wedge as the animation model, but that’s part of the charm.
It’s roughly the same size as a Siege deluxe, but a lot heftier thanks to being made of more solid chunks of plastic, and a bit of diecast metal (though it’s not visible in this mode). In fact, the whole thing feels really solid and durable, and unlike a lot of G1 toys from the first two years, I don’t feel like I need to wear kid gloves to handle it.
The main colorscheme is a deep, burgundy red, at odds with the somewhere-between-magenta-and-pink coloration in Transformers: The Movie. It’s mixed with small bits of fiery orange, a yellow spoiler, chrome silver pipes and engine blocks, and a clear blue cockpit, with a sculpted interior (which doesn’t open, sadly). This is augmented by sticker detail, which includes a trademark of Hot Rod’s design: Orange and yellow flames on the hood, with an Autobot symbol right in the middle.
Hot Rod’s accessories are a pair of “photon lasers,” two grey plastic guns, that, interestingly, are actually slightly different sculpts. That being said, Hot Rod can’t really store them in this form, but instead, can mount one on a port on their chrome engine. The other little gimmick is the Rubsign on the roof, a black and white sticker that you can rub to reveal Hot Rod’s hidden, true allegiance (spoiler: It’s Autobot). Oh, also, the car does roll extremely well, on wheels that are actual rubber.
Transformation
No lie, this is my favorite part of the toy. It just feels really satisfying. I guess this is what reviewers mean by “handfeel.” It takes only a few moments to complete, but is involved enough to feel satisfying. Basically, you pull the legs down, pull the arms out, flip the hood down to reveal the head (with a bit of flipping and finessing), and spin the roof and spoiler around. It’s all about moving big chunks around, and snapping things into place. I particularly sliding the legs down, and flipping the feet out. It’s hard to explain, but this is where a lot of the tactile fun is for me.
Robot Mode
Here’s the obvious rub: There’s virtually no articulation in this form, and Hot Rod’s almost a statue. This is all of the poseability you get: Hot Rod’s elbows can move forwards and backwards, and side to side. The shoulders can also move side to side, but not forwards or outwards. And oddly, there’s wrist articulation, too. Basically, Hot Rod can hold those two guns, point them in a few different directions (but just forwards and down, not up), and that’s it.
You’re not here for that, though. You’re here for the aesthetic, and it’s got that in spades. I mean, check out the photos. If you like how it looks, that’s what you’re getting.
This is another iconic design that’s stood the test of time. Of course, the flames end up on the chest, the yellow spoiler flares up from the back, and the chromed pipes end up on the arms. I also really like the headsculpt. It’s not quite animation-accurate, but looks like Hot Rod crossed with an old Japanese super-robot, like a Megazord. For deco, there’s a bit more orange here, between the thighs and hands. There’s also a lot of patterns and details provided by the stickers all over the figure’s robot body, most of which weren’t replicated in animation, giving the figure a unique, colorful look.
Once again, Hot Rod really feels like a solid mound of chunk in-hand. The only bit of hollowness, unfortunately, is in the midsection, which has a big hole in it when viewed from the side. Despite that, Hot Rod still feels really sturdy and durable, and stands well, thanks to the fact that the toes are made of diecast metal.
Overall
Over the last few years, I sold most of my G1 stuff, but I intend to keep this figure. It’s solid, it’s got a really fun transformation, and it looks nice. Even if you don’t collect any G1, I still recommend it as a curiosity piece, or as a small vertical slice of “what mid-to-late G1 was like.” Of course, the real question is “how much is it worth?” To put it bluntly, with the exception of the smaller minibots, I feel like the current run of Wal-Mart exclusive G1 reissues is overpriced for what you’re getting, and you should wait for a sale, like the current run of Hot Rod reissues eventually found themselves on. I bought mine years ago, and don’t recall what I paid, but it’s something I’m never letting go of, and am happy with it. So, it’s worth getting, but keep an eye on how much you pay.
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