Didn't see a thread posted for this figure yet, so I decided to take a few quick photos this morning and share my thoughts after having him in hand for a few weeks

It's worth prefacing this review by saying that this is my first ever experience with this toy in any form. I got into Transformers when the first live-action movie came out, so G1 toys completely passed me by and generally continue to do so

With that out of the way, let's see what this reissue has to offer!



This 2022 reissue of G1 Hot Rod features brand new packaging and a paint job more inspired by his cartoon animation model than previous releases. The fabelled "Pink Hot Rod" for those that listen to the Triple Takeover Toycast (which you should all be doing). My understanding is that previous releases of this toy were always red with orange accents and stickers, whereas this release is a more magenta colour with orange, charcoal navy on the lower legs and no stickers. All the details you see are painted or tampographed

The package design for this release is super nice, and is actually a small part of the reason I picked it up. The colours, the artwork and all the details on the top and back really make it pop. I'd love to see more Transformers boxed up like this, even modern releases. Hot Rod comes packaged inside in a plain cardboard tray with paper twisty-ties



Hot Rod himself is also really nice. As mentioned above, the purpose of this deco is to replicate his on-screen appearance, so it's a little more plain than some might like. I've heard the plain grey paint and plastic has been a bit of sore point for some people, but I think it works quite nicely with the other colours on show

The only diecast (that I'm aware of) on this release are his feet. It does seem like a bit of an odd choice, given it leaves him with these inaccurate silver feet, the only bits of silver on the toy that isn't a pinhead. But I get that it's meant to help maintain his balance or whatever



Quick close up of the head - the face, eyes, and helmet accents are all really nicely painted. It's a pretty solid head-sculpt too for one of Hasbro's earliest efforts



Hot Rod's only accessories are a pair of blasters, cast in the same grey plastic as the exhaust pipes on his arms and legs. They're nicely detailed, but definitely a little bland on their own. They fit nicely into each of his hands, which are 5mm compatible



Articulation is limited but not non-existant. It's all in his arms. He's got a butterfly joint at the shoulders which is pretty cool, an upper arm swivel, elbows which bend over a 90° angle, and wrist swivels. So you can get his arms into some slightly varied positions, but nothing crazy and certainly not dynamic looking



A few quick comparisons - with the only other G1 figure I own, the Walmart Reissue Optimus Prime from a few years ago. And a few with some of his more modern contemporaries. He's so proud to see his kids all grown up!





Transformation into vehicle mode is super simple. Fold up the chest piece and fold in the arms, rotate the waist piece 90°, rotate the back canopy and collapse the legs. Bob's your uncle! The result is a very nice futuristic car mode. I think the more cartoon inspirsed deco shines just as well here as it does in robot mode, with the bright yellow spoiler and dark blue transparent canopy now on full display. He's got rubber tires too, which is great

In terms of weapon storage, there's a single 5mm port in the engine block. I dunno if that technically makes this guy a repaint of the '87 Targetmaster version of Hot Rod? Either way, it does mean you can only attach one of the guns to car mode, leaving the other to float in the abyss





Overall, this is a very solid release. I paid €43 (roughly $47US) for this guy here in Ireland. I don't think he's quite worth that much, but I think I would have been happy to pay around the €30-35 mark. Though these G1 reissues are rarely cheap anyway...

So yeah, if you like Hot Rod, this toy, the colours, or any combo of these three, it's definitely worth picking up!

 

They've been doing a hybrid of the original toy and the Targetmaster for awhile now.

Only the 1986 version had metal feet.

But the Targetmaster version had the 5mm peg holes.

If the Targetmaster itself was later gang molded with Hot Rod, in theory, there's a lot of Targetmasters getting tossed into the smelter at the factory. Not that you could produce one off the line as I'm pretty certain the Targetmaster used pins.

 

another case of all I want is the box. The art looks so good.

 

I got mine and Starscream today from Hasbro Pulse. This is the Hot Rod 8 year old me wanted back in 86.

 

Pinku janai, mazenta da!


Really nice to finally have a Hot Rod figure in these colors! I bought the previous Walmart reissue, but ended up selling it a couple years ago. With this deco though, I absolutely needed it. Side note, I noticed a lot of people, including OP, mistransform his head. Pretty sure it's supposed to click from the back, not the front. Looks a lot better this way

 

It’s one of the eternal debates, up there with RIBFIR. The G1 instructions and product images on the box tell you to click from the front.


This best matches the G1 cartoon design.


The artwork on the front of the G1 box has it clicked from the back.


The artwork on the front of the latest reissue’s box has it clicked from the front.


However in their CGI promotional images they decided to go with the back click.


In the promotional images for the previous Walmart exclusive reissue they even used both styles!


I’d say there is no wrong way to do it and it really is just up to personal preference. Personally, I’m a front-clicker all the way.

 

The "clicking" from the back has Hot Rod looking down.

 

I don't think the Targetmasters are gang-molded.

Pretty sure the reason for the continued use of the Targetmaster toolings is that those versions of the toys were created through true remolding (and not the pre-tools and alternate castings employed for modern figures), so the non-TM tools don't exist anymore.

IIRC, they never got the TM Movie figures in Japan, but then the Targetmasters themselves were used to create Artfire and Stepper.

 

It's interesting because it implies that the feet may exist on its own sprue where it can either be made using plastic or metal.

 

Huh, interesting. I've only ever associated the mold with the back-click transformation. Thought it looked more intentional. Ah well, I agree, transform it however you prefer!

 

Reminds me a little bit of what I did with the seekers. Reissues aren't much of a problem but when the toy was used and abused since 1984, the cockpit wouldn't stay set in robot mode due to the hinge joint just wearing out a bit. My solution (and other kids', most likely) was to swing the cockpit around from the back instead. The result was that the Seeker would be looking down but at least it wouldn't randomly lift itself from the torso.

 

Those elbows... what is that? It looks horrible. And I see this on every picture taken of this release.

I was really looking forward to this, but that is just terrible QC.

 

I cannot wait to find this

 

Has this been spotted in the US yet. I have one preordered but worried about that since it's Walmart

 

The light grey parts don't look too good...

 

Wonderful to look at. Like this a lot more than retro Hot Rod. I'll probably sell my 2000 reissue since I have the TFC one.

The TM and previous reissue's gun are very loose in the retro's hands.

 

Does anyone know what colour of orange paint is used on the legs? Mine is applied quite thinly on one leg and I’m hoping to fix it myself

 

Someone said Hot Rod is fragile and breaks easily.

 

I have the Walmart exclusive one and I love him.

I had the original targetmaster one with firebolt and he was just so cool alongside g1 optimus.

So I had to get the g1 reissue.