I totally agree with your take on alt mode. I still prefer TR to SS in that aspect.

 

Minor correction: only the right arm has a repair torch. The left is just a peg for the buzz saw.

 

6/10 makes me scratch my head. I HATE Hotrod. Everything about him from the part he played in the movie to his ugly ass colors and dumbass car mode. I never owned any Hotrod toy before except that time I bought the Walmart G1 reissue and returned it due to how bad it looks with real G1 toys, but hot damn if I did not have to give this voyager a try. The figure is flawless besides the wonky shoulder configuration and too large fin, but the engineering truly matches the majority of my MPs. Mostly have the same feelings about Cyclonus as a character and yet these two voyager toys along with ER Optimus have completely changed expectations for mass retail releases. I just can’t wrap my head around any fan of transforming robot toys thinking this Hotrod is a D.

 

I actually expected to rate it lower. The figure does have its good points, but they don't invalidate the flaws.

Like I said, the compromised vehicle mode is a major negative for me, and the show accuracy is not a major selling point. I'd have preferred the effort put into swapping the hood for a slightly different-shaped chest suggesting the hood and hiding the back tires be used to complete the back end of the car. That said, they are nice transformation tricks.

Apart from the shoulders, what the toy does, it does very well. It's just that what it doesn't do is very important to me. A $30 figure should not have this as the back of the car mode:

 

Yeah, the back of the car is inexcusable. We've seen ROTF and HFTD figures accomplish crazier tricks at the deluxe scale. Still a fun a figure, but it'll be eventually replaced later with something better.

 

Yeah, this. I think Transformers fans need to wrap their head around the idea that nearly every toy in our hobby is two toys in one, with some being three or more! There are always going to be compromises. The question is always what mode gets compromised, and how much?

The car mode on this Hot Rod is amazing from all angles except one. The robot mode is amazing in every aspect. And the bonus is the transformation is pretty darn amazing. He may be the most complicated but satisfying transformation I've experienced since the War for Cybertron generations deluxe Optimus from years back.

I'd concede that Titans Returns has a better car mode, but it compromises the robot mode with a pretty derpy and awkwardly proportioned figure and a plain as dirt transformation. And the QC is pretty awful with loose balljoints being pretty common. Animated may be my favorite Rodimus, and I'd concede it's car mode is less than ideal and his transformation is a bit rough to pull off. There's always a trade off.

 

Umm, that's the whole point of my low rating for this figure. It is two toys in one, and the car mode should be just as important as the robot. It almost seems to me that the ones who praise Hot Rod are purely enamored of the robot mode, and just consider the car a bonus.

Not so much. The visible cuffs on the vehicle mode "runners" are an eyesore which no other Hot Rod figure had. Every other one managed to hide that, usually by placing it on the bottom of the car. It's a minor issue compared to the back, but it still breaks the illusion. The transformation is involved, but not complicated TBH - it's actually very intuitive, one of the positives of the figure. There are things I think are superfluous, like the car hood/chest swap and hiding the rear wheels, but overall it's well done.

I don't see where TR is derpy at all. He's sleek, genuinely looks robotic rather than like a teenager wearing armor. The car kibble is attractively integrated rather than hidden. And the shoulders are much better designed. I do agree about the ball joints, but that's a standard problem for TR deluxes, and ball jointed figures in general. I applied some joint fixer to them, and now he's rock solid.

Yes, there is always a trade-off. But for me, a broken-looking car in service of a "show-accurate" robot is not a reasonable one. I'd be much more satisfied with a good robot and good car, rather than an "excellent" robot and a car that looks like it was rear-ended. Like you said, it's two toys in one. Both modes should be at least decent, especially at the Voyager level.

People have been saying non-stop that the flaws are forgivable because the robot is show accurate. That may be true for them, but for me:

 

for me is the other way around i prefer and accurate robot sculpt to an accurate car, if i want a 100 percent accurate car there is allways the hot wheells or things like that , that is the reason cheetor figures have fail so miserable in the last 20 years they put the cheetah mode before the robot mode, they should put the robot mode before the cheetah

 

You're missing my point. I don't care about one mode over the other. I want both to be good, and prioritize that over "accuracy". I don't care that HR's car mode isn't "accurate". I care that he looks like he was in a car accident! As long as he turns into a sleek reddish car with a big yellow spoiler, that's "accurate" enough in my book. That back end is anything but sleek.

 

The rear knee bumper is an eyesore, but one that is hidden from above by the ridiculously large fin. If you have to compromise 1 area between robot and car modes, then the rear bumper is the right choice. I’d give it an 8 out of 10, but the fact it’s a tiny figure with MP tricks built in for $30 and I can grab it from any store makes it a 8.999999999 for me.

I gave up complaining about the new undersized for price point standard the same day I got Shockwave and he doesn’t even have a functioning hand for $50. ER Prime raised the bar for the overpriced runts significantly and Hotrod continues the trend.

 

Yeah this. I’m ok with the backend of the car being the weak point of the toy. Especially given what we got out of the rest of the toy.

 

Yeah as far as complaints go for a mainline voyager I can't say that 'the car when viewed from behind doesn't look great' isn't going to cause me to dock major points. Likewise I'm not scoring it based on the undercarriage.

TR Hot Rod had a nice alt mode (although not as sleek as the POTP version or this version) but his transformation was so phoned in they couldn't even figure out where the head should go during transformation (shots fired at intrusive gimmicks). He also had lousy weapons (credit again to the intrusive gimmick), massive shoulders and a back fin you couldn't even see past said massive shoulders.

SS86 definitely makes some sacrifices to make the robot mode as accurate to the source material as possible but if you're not looking for that you're probably looking at the wrong line to begin with.

 

Yeah, when looking at these toys you have to account for the line and the limitations. I absolutely hate headmasters, but I’ll acknowledge Titans Returns Blurr is pretty special. And some toys are just bad regardless of the line (I’m looking at you Doubleclutch from PCC).

SS86 is about absolute fidelity to the movie appearance, and as such there’s some compromises on altmodes in favor of screen accurate Robot modes (which is how many characters spent a majority of their time).

Cool thing is if you don’t like the SS86 line no one is forcing you to buy them. All five characters have solid options that are fairly readily available. Titan’s Returns gives you an alternate Hot Rod, Blurr, and Kup. RTS Jazz is still out there if you look hard enough and is still really good, as is PotP Jazz. And Scourge has a classics toy that is fairly highly thought of (and a titan’s returns figure!).

 

Just got my second copy of this guy, after having to replace the first due to a big ol' scratch in the eye. Not happy with Hasbro's QC, but I'm happy with this figure.
My review:

Studio Series Hot Rod​

Vehicle mode:


Ramblings:
A decent alt mode, though very flawed. First off, the yellow part on the top of the car (it connects the windshield to the back of the car) should've been painted to match the rest of the car. The entire back of the alt mode is just exposed legs. It's not terrible, it's just not on the same level as his wonderful bot mode.

Grade: 70/100

Transformation

Ramblings: Relatively easy and intuitive while not being boring. More complicated than what you would expect out of a deluxe, but not quite up there with some of the more complicated voyagers. The one part I don't like is where the backpack pegs into the back, I worry about that clear tab.

Grade: 85/100

Bot Mode:


Ramblings: Just to get it out of the way, Hot Rod is pretty much perfect in bot mode. Other than the slightly limited shoulders and a lack of ab-crunch, I have no complaints. He's loaded up with features: a flip out visor, a flip out thingy to repair Kup, and a peg for his buzzsaw. This figure is loaded with play value. Oh, and that head sculpt is just on the money. I love it. If it were just the stock figure here included, I'd feel a bit ripped off, but this guy luckily comes with a ton of accessories.

Grade: 95/100

Accessories:


Ramblings: Here's where Hot Rod earns the rest of his $30 price point. Pictures speak louder than words, how many deluxe figures come with this much goodness? How many voyager figures come with this much? Hot Rod has pretty much everything you'd want out of his accessories, short of a fishing pole.

Grade: 95/100

Final Thoughts:
This figure has the best bot mode of any main line Generations figure I've gotten in a while. Yeah, the alt mode isn't much to write home about, but it's still pretty good considering everything else this figure accomplishes. His shoulders could've been a little better. He could've had an ab-crunch. My complaints are drowned out by the goodness this figure oozes. Many have complained about selling what is essentially a $30 deluxe, but I can assure you that the budget has been put to good use. This is a "deluxe" deluxe. I'd even say that I wish every deluxe figure were upgraded to this price point, I'm tired of seeing good designs hampered by budgetary restrictions. Get this figure.

Final Score: 86/100

 

It is extremely meh....compared to what we have had before....it is NOT a Voyager....but you pay for it as if it were. I find his transformation annoying and it tabs in crappily... the alt mode is super weak....not sure what u guys are seeing in this one. Im returning him tomorrow and getting my THIRTY dollars back????? Sheesh...

 

Well....it IS a "review" thread...that is kinda what its for... not a "only positive reviews" thread...

 

Yeah but they way u said it implied that my input was not welcomed really....

 

U say it out loud and tell me it doesnt sound negative at all....

 

Indeed

 

I think the idea of using size classes to release smaller characters with more extras and engineering has certainly been controversial and in some cases not felt entirely justified. Hot Rod is not one of them. Just having him next to SS86 Jazz is like night and day. Jazz is good, but so obviously a modern deluxe. Hot Rod feels like an old deluxe from the glory days, with a transformation and engineering that feels well outside the current scope of deluxes. The fact that he comes with a generous amount of accessories that he needs is even better.

I will say, though, I do find the tabbing inconsistent. Three out of five times I have gotten the vehicle mode all flush and snug, but I'm not fully aware what I'm doing to get it there Sometimes it all goes smoothly, sometimes it feels like there's something getting in the way of everything compressing nicely in the middle.

Also, I can't believe we actually have a Hot Rod toy that replicates the transformation where his arms and legs both spin around from after they landed on Quintessa and also a bit of the "accordion' transformation from Lookout mountain.