Go-karting for kids is an exciting way to take on the outdoors. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes that lend themselves to all different kinds of young drivers. Kids can ride their go-karts on sand, rocks, pavement, and a multitude of other surfaces. We’ve researched the best go-karts for kids and included everything from dune buggies to go-karts for young kids in our final list. Our overall top pick is a classic favorite, Radio Flyer’s Ultimate Go-Kart. Keep reading to find all of our favorites.
Our Top Picks:
  | Best Overall: Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart Our overall top pick is the 2020 Parents’ Choice Recommended Award for it’s safety features and fun style. Kids especially love drifting this go-kart. |
  | Runner-up Best: Hauck Nerf Battle Racer Pedal Go-Kart Fans of the Nerf brand will also love this go-kart. It’s one of the best go-karts with pedals and it’s durable for kids who want to ride regularly. |
  | Best Budget: Lil’ Rider Go-Kart Pedal Car For those on a budget, here is a great go-kart for you. It’s perfect for outdoor racing and riding. Kids will love pedaling around in this. |
  | Best for Beginners: Costzon Go-Kart Outdoor Racer This go-kart is ideal for young kids who are just getting the hang of using a go-kart. It’s small, easy to drive, and doesn’t go too fast. |
  | Best Splurge: Hyper GoGo Go-Kart Our splurge pick goes hand-in-hand with a hoverboard. It’s designed to tackle all kinds of terrain and create a smooth ride. |
  | Best Multisurface: Berg Pedal Car Buzzy Nitro Take this go-kart on any variety of surfaces for a great ride outdoors. Grass, pavement, sand, and more are all accessible. |
  | Best Electric: Razor Dune Buggy This is our favorite electric dune buggy. It’s reliable motor and ability to drive through sand make it an excellent option for kids who want to drive on the dunes. |
A Closer Look: Best Go-Karts for Kids
Gear up for some intense kart racing with these 7 options. Each one has been thoroughly tested to make the list, read on below to see how the lineup.
1. Radio Flyer Ultimate Go-Kart
The best go-kart for kids overall
Brand: Radio Flyer | Ages: 3-8 | Battery Life: 45 Minutes | Weight Limit: 81 Pounds | Price: 💰💰
Radio Flyer is a favorite go-kart among parents and kids. Everything from the number at the front of the go-kart to the flag sticking up from the back make it feel fun and authentic. Parents love the speed lock that can prevent kid drivers from going over a certain speed. In 2020, this go-kart was named the Parents’ Choice Recommended Award. It has three forward driving speeds at 2.5, 5, and 8 miles per hour and one reverse speed at 2.5 miles per hour. Slick rear tires make this the ultimate go-kart for drifting. Kids love this one.
Reviewers Like
- Excellent battery life
- Very easy to assemble upon arrival
Reviewers Dislike
- Some users had to frequently replace the battery
- Plastic wheels are less durable than other materials
2. Hauck Nerf Battle Racer Pedal Go-Kart
The runner-up best go-kart for kids
Brand: Hauck | Ages: 4-10 | Battery Life: No Battery, Pedals | Weight Limit: 120 Pounds | Price: 💰💰💰
From the favorite brand Nerf comes this go-kart. If kids already have Nerf guns, this is the perfect go-kart for them. The battle racer has several places where Nerf guns can be stored for the ultimate ride during an epic Nerf gun battle. It’s designed to be low to the ground to increase responsive steering and the speed can be maintained with the handbrake. It’s one of our favorite pedal buggies for it’s child-focused ergonomics and sporty design. Parents love that this go-kart is very sturdy and durable. Kids will ride safely.
Reviewers Like
- Easy to assemble
- Sturdy design that holds older kids
Reviewers Dislike
- Very uncomfortable seat to ride in for long
- Some reviewers had front fender fall off repeatedly
3. Lil’ Rider Go-Kart Pedal Car
The best budget go-kart for kids
Brand: Lil’ Rider | Ages: 3-7 | Battery Life: No Battery, Pedals | Weight Limit: 55 Pounds | Price: 💰
If you’re looking for an affordable go-kart that is still a high-quality product that kids will love, look no further. This go-kart from Lil’ Rider is perfect for riding and racing outdoors. It comes with sticker decals that make it look and feel like an authentic racing go-kart. It’s made from rugged high-quality plastic that allows it to be used on several different kinds of surfaces without the risk of damaging the tires. The pedals are easy for young kids to reach and use, they’ll love speeding around in this go-kart.
Reviewers Like
- Very easy to assemble
- Great introductory go-kart for kids just learning to ride
Reviewers Dislike
- Pedals fell off easily for some reviewers
- Small size makes it ideal only for younger or smaller kids
4. Costzon Go-Kart Outdoor Racer
The best go-kart for young kids
Brand: Costzon | Ages: 3-5 | Battery Life: No Battery, Pedals | Weight Limit: 110 Pounds | Price: 💰💰💰
Kids who are just learning how to use pedals and drive a go-kart will want one that is effortless. This go-kart from Costzon is that ride. There are no gears to adjust or batteries to charge. It’s a small size that perfectly accommodates young kids learning to ride. The seat is adjustable to fit each unique child’s body comfortably. On the wheels is an antislip strip that helps prevent kids from losing control of the go-kart while driving. This also allows them to ride on anything from pavement to grass with ease.
Reviewers Like
- Tires are very durable on all different kinds of surfaces
- Easy to assemble despite directions being hard to read
Reviewers Dislike
- Very wide turn radius
- Go-kart is very slow to move
5. Hyper GoGo Go-Kart
The best splurge go-kart for kids
Brand: Hyper GOGO | Ages: 8+ | Battery Life: 1 Hour | Weight Limit: 198 Pounds | Price: 💰💰💰💰💰
This go-kart acts as a hoverboard attachment. The hoverboard connects to the rear of the go-kart to be the back tires of the machine. It’s sleek and savvy design will be a favortite of anyone looking to splurge on their go-kart purchase. It comes with disc brakes, shock absorbers, and much more, making this one of the most well-equipped go-karts. It’s adjustable so kids of all sizes can comfortably ride. A sturdy metal frame holds up against all kinds of terrain and guarantees a long product lifespan. Kids and adults alike can enjoy this go-kart.
Reviewers Like
- Comes with protective helmet and goggles
- Incredibly smooth ride because of the shock absorber
Reviewers Dislike
- Very heavy product to carry around
- Doesn’t move as fast as some reviewers would like
6. Berg Pedal Car Buzzy Nitro
The best multi-surface go-kart for kids
Brand: BERG | Ages: 3-5 | Battery Life: No Battery, Pedals | Weight Limit: 50 Pounds | Price: 💰💰💰
Grooves in the tires of this go-kart make it one of the best dune buggies for kids. Take it to the park or ride it on the beach. No matter where kids tread on this go-kart, it will be able to handle the terrain. Thanks to specially-designed off-road wheels and the swing axle, this go-kart will remain firmly on the ground no matter what surface they’re riding on. It’s also great for young kids who are still getting used to using pedals and steering.The seat is adjustable so kids of different sizes can ride comfortably.
Reviewers Like
- Very responsive customer service
- Extremely sturdy while remaining lightweight
Reviewers Dislike
- Wheels are very loud on pavement because of grooves
- Plastic started stripping for some reviewers after a lot of use on pavement
7. Razor Dune Buggy
The best electric dune buggy for kids
Brand: Razor | Ages: 8+ | Battery Life: 40 Minutes | Weight Limit: 120 Pounds | Price: 💰💰💰💰
This go-kart is built to take on the dunes. Let kids get comfortable driving in the sand with this go-kart. It has a powerful 350-watt motor that will carry kids up to 9 miles per hour. Knobby wheels help keep the go-kart treading across uneven surfaces. The seat is padded to protect young riders against bumpy terrain and the tubular steel frame prevents wear from regular use. The classic design has thumb trigger acceleration and brake controls. Kids have a blast taking this go-kart out on the sand.
Reviewers Like
- Comes with safety belt to keep riders safely inside
- Sturdily built, doesn’t move too fast or slow for young kids
Reviewers Dislike
- Somewhat expensive compared to the product features and size
- Battery life is relatively short and requires several hours to charge
Go-karts are a fan favorite. Kids can take on a variety of surfaces for a thrilling ride. This list has several different models, each with their own unique features. Choosing one from here ensures a great product that kids will love.
Our Process
For this guide on the best go-karts for kids, our team spent 2 hours researching the most popular options from over 20 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred and thirty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each go-kart for kids. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 7 go-karts for kids on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
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Further Reading
