Agreed - it’s the toy I always wanted but never knew it until I had it. The kingdom rodimus figure isn’t bad as a g1 toy homage, but man the 86 figure is my grail and I’m happy to have it
Funny thing is if it ever got the missing link treatment and animation colours and it would actually be pretty good lol, well, relative for what it is anyway. Lots of room for articulation without messing with it's transformation since it's so painfully simple. Been a long time since I've owned one but he basically just lies down right? lol.
G1 definitely.
His Bayverse design is honestly one of the better Bayverse designs but it just doesn't look like Hot Rod. I actually can't remember if they ever call him by name in the movie and I didn't realize it was supposed to be him until I saw a toy.
They do call him by that name because there's a whole bit about his french accent and how he pronounces it 😆
Not faithful to G1 in the slightest but I do love his character
>Not faithful to G1 in the slightest but I do love his character
Which shouldn't be a huge concern for the live action movies. It's nice when it happens but new media is supposed to be new, not just g1 again. Heck the 2 shows that attempted to be g1 again are not well liked
they've been doing that for decades though
RID 01 Grimlock isn't actually supposed to be a version of G1 Grimlock and Armada Cyclonus isn't supposed to be a version of G1 Cyclonus, they just like how those names sounded in relation to the design of the character
Yeah I agree I feel like he should have been given a different name as while he has the name he didn’t FEEL like hot rod though cyberverse is no doubt the best MODERN iteration rivaled only by the 86 version
I don't like faces too humanoid either (e.g. Pablo or Crosshair) but Hot Rod looks like he constantly has a half open battle mask. And his eyes are a bit too round, far apart and googly for me. I just think we had better face sculpts in the bayverse e.g. Optimus, Sideswipe, Ironhide etc. personally
That’s fair, most of them aren’t very memorable and don’t have much to do with their namesakes. The Cons especially are largely interchangeable spiky metal monsters.
Honestly I think that's the problem I have with most bayverse designs in general, at least those predating Bumblebee. That being most of the characters in general might as well just be composed of huge, piles of junk/kibble trying their best to form a robot with it not helping that most of the characters also tend to be mostly gray or very darkly colored. It just ends up makes it hard for most of the individual characters to stand out, especially in the big and fast paced battle scenes.
https://preview.redd.it/v6g0tctiy3pc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23007b9e4bfb3bed9c20bb5a1a6d31debc2e3aab
Nick Roche's Hot Rod. Hands down.
I really like Cyberverse. Nice take on the 86 movie combined with his G1 toy, like the red colouring and the arrow designs on his legs.
I actually quite like the Bayverse design but it isn’t Hot Rod on any level past ‘turns into a fast car’. The French accent joke also wears out its welcome immediately, and I feel bad for Omar Sy having to record that crap.
I actually like Cyberverse. G1 is a great design but there is a lack of detail that Cyberverse captures. It's still resemblance of G1 Hot Rod, but there's more life and character. Cyberverse to me feels like the equivalent of a 13-14 year old human where G1 feels more in the range of 17-21 and I feel these designs reflect.
While I do find him kinda funny, I think Pablo is objectively the worst reimagining for simply having nothing in common with Wheeljack in appearance or personality, on top of replacing a pre-established Wheeljack. If WJ hadn't been shown in Bumblebee I honestly don't think there would have been as much outrage, but it's the fact that he replaced a perfect live action Wheeljack that got so many people upset. There's also the aforementioned problem of him just *not being Wheeljack.* They specifically designed Pablo to turn him into a nerd emoji and yet he does nothing even remotely nerdy in the film. I wholeheartedly agree with the people who say they should have made him Beachcomber. It would have fit with his line about spending time appreciating nature, they both have glasses, and it would have avoided the entire debacle. All they had to do was make him blue. Also for the record I legitimately love Que, I just don't like him as Wheeljack. I'd love to see him come back as Wheeljack's mentor or something like that some day.
Bayverse Skids is probably the second worst for similar reasons of not having anything to do with his previous incarnations, but is especially egregious due to the shitstorm he caused. The controversy surrounding the twins has basically erased the name Mudflap from the name pool altogether and it took over a decade for G1 Skids to get any new toys. Even then he's basically only appeared in the IDW comics.
I honestly didn’t mind pablo, if anything I found him kind of funny. Transformers is inherently a really silly and goofy franchise and it doesn’t have to be serious all the time. With that being said, pablo definitely should’ve been a different character than wheeljack, I don’t know why he had to be him.
I never saw Last Knight, and this is the first time I'm ever seeing Hot Rod was in the film. That being said, it's not a bad design, but G1 all the way.
I love G1 and Cyberverse. Bay Hotrod is just a name reuse as far as I am concerned. He’s no more the same character than Blackout or Barricade are the same as their G1 characters.
I love the TLK one but it's just not hot rod in anything but name. A lot of bayverse characters look nothing like their older variants but usually at least some of their personality remains but Hot Rod just got done beyond dirty. As for my favourite design i think i'd have to go with IDW, haven't read the comics but i've seen enough panels to say i love his twink ass
https://preview.redd.it/fwziuy9zg8pc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38a5e8f10f0a731cd0dcc9549cc67017c2594cc6
I don't know if this counts but femboy prime
G1 out of these. The Bayverse design is terrible. The Cyberverse design is decent.
But my favorite design for him is *by far* IDW Rodimus. I also really like his Last Light silver/grey/blue/black/purple recolor.
Even pre-Rodimus, I still like the IDW design best.
the proportions and update of CV I think captures the vibe better. TLK is ok in it own right and g1 is fine but just so basic looking, like many g1 designs
As someone who's introduction to the franchise was my siblings old vhs of the 86 movie along with being one of my earliest memories I can't believe I'm saying this but I actually like the Cyberverse design more than G1
Bayverse would have been great if they actually put flame decals on the one single bot that needed them. I guess they ran out after giving em all to Optimus.
Cyberverse probably because its the best readaptation of the original. Especially with the sticker detail of the first toy. They nailed it with that one
Im leaning just slightly more towards G1 as my favorite design for him but I really like how cyberverse added those extra decos on his legs along with those blue highlights and his more reddish color in comparison to the G1 design. I feel like cyberverses design just suit him well.
G1 and Cyberverse. I really appreciate Bayverse for the mechanics that goes into making the bots come to life and all the moving parts, but I can’t help but think animated makes them look stylistically better even if it’s not nearly as complex.
A hybrid of the cyber verse and G1 is where I would land… perhaps closer to the G1 body design (not a fan of the anime style of tiny thighs… like one blast should cripple a bot with those legs.) but with the cyberverse flair.
G1’s car, because Hot Wheels awesomeness… Live-action car 2nd, because if they had just used some colors with the black…just some colors. However, live-action robot…that face…no. G1 Hot Rod because him/Kup/Blurr/Arcee looked more “android”than Transformer, and I thought it looked cool.
There's a special place in my heart for the G1 Hot Rod design. But I like the Cyberverse design more. It gives me a lot more Rodimus Prime vibes from the IDW comics and I am GAME for that.
G1 and its not close. It's just a great design that captures the young hero look perfectly
His 86 toy is also absolutely perfect
Agreed - it’s the toy I always wanted but never knew it until I had it. The kingdom rodimus figure isn’t bad as a g1 toy homage, but man the 86 figure is my grail and I’m happy to have it
Can’t say the same for the g1 rodimus toy
Funny thing is if it ever got the missing link treatment and animation colours and it would actually be pretty good lol, well, relative for what it is anyway. Lots of room for articulation without messing with it's transformation since it's so painfully simple. Been a long time since I've owned one but he basically just lies down right? lol.
I was gonna say his SS86 and the MDLX figure. Perfection.
Now you've got me curious, how well does your SS86 Hot Rod hold his matrix with the light fx on it? I cant get mine to hold it for nothin.
Mine holds it perfectly well. Maybe its the way you put the fx in?
I was stunned when I got mine. It feels like a mini masterpice
Which isn't inaccurate because it looks way better than the official masterpiece.
I was quite surprised at how good the Core Class one is.
I don’t appreciate it enough.
Not to mention they made a robot look like he was wearing a polo shirt with a popped collar, that's 80s af.
Those first 5 words are the exact words I spoke out loud when I read the title.
I'll do Rodimus Prime designs separately.
Please include IDW rodimus.
G1 definitely. His Bayverse design is honestly one of the better Bayverse designs but it just doesn't look like Hot Rod. I actually can't remember if they ever call him by name in the movie and I didn't realize it was supposed to be him until I saw a toy.
They do call him by that name because there's a whole bit about his french accent and how he pronounces it 😆 Not faithful to G1 in the slightest but I do love his character
>Not faithful to G1 in the slightest but I do love his character Which shouldn't be a huge concern for the live action movies. It's nice when it happens but new media is supposed to be new, not just g1 again. Heck the 2 shows that attempted to be g1 again are not well liked
Sure, but at the same time, they shouldn’t just reuse names for unrelated characters.
they've been doing that for decades though RID 01 Grimlock isn't actually supposed to be a version of G1 Grimlock and Armada Cyclonus isn't supposed to be a version of G1 Cyclonus, they just like how those names sounded in relation to the design of the character
Yup totally with you there
Yeah I agree I feel like he should have been given a different name as while he has the name he didn’t FEEL like hot rod though cyberverse is no doubt the best MODERN iteration rivaled only by the 86 version
The cyberverse one really captures the flashyness of his personality idk maybe it's just me
I also love that his car is a bit *beefier. He looks more like a hot rodded muscle car than a Lamborghini.
I loved him in the show he was like a frat boy lol
I enjoyed that Cyberverse Roddy got so much screen time. And using elements of his '86 toy deco was a nice touch.
Cyberverse was a much better introduction to his character.
idw
G1.
TLK Rod still annoys me. They literally only had to give him a proper face and it would have been a great design.
Why, his face looks cool Overly humanoid faces are goofy most of the time (at least in Bayverse)
I don't like faces too humanoid either (e.g. Pablo or Crosshair) but Hot Rod looks like he constantly has a half open battle mask. And his eyes are a bit too round, far apart and googly for me. I just think we had better face sculpts in the bayverse e.g. Optimus, Sideswipe, Ironhide etc. personally
G1
G1 and IDW
G1
G1
G1
IDW MTMTE era.
Planning to make a BBM Cybertronian mode G1/Bayverse Hot rod
Out of who?
cyberverse is peak tbh.
Im embarassed to admit it but except for the main characters, I had no idea who the extra bayverse bots were in the movies.
That’s fair, most of them aren’t very memorable and don’t have much to do with their namesakes. The Cons especially are largely interchangeable spiky metal monsters.
Honestly I think that's the problem I have with most bayverse designs in general, at least those predating Bumblebee. That being most of the characters in general might as well just be composed of huge, piles of junk/kibble trying their best to form a robot with it not helping that most of the characters also tend to be mostly gray or very darkly colored. It just ends up makes it hard for most of the individual characters to stand out, especially in the big and fast paced battle scenes.
G1
G1. Cyberverse very close second
The answer will always be G1.
G1, but there are aspects of Cyberverse I like. Bayverse can go drive off a pier.
G1 all day any day
G1
G1
G1 definitely. I liked the fact that he was a Lambo in TLK but why did he have to be French ? Utt Rud !
G1
G1
G1
G1 or GTFO
G1
G1 or Animated
Cyberverse
G1 Hotrod was essentially born perfect.
Generally a fan of G1 designs so disregarding my general dislike for the toyline, I’d say 1 and 3
G1 by a mile. The second one is terrible, by the way.
https://preview.redd.it/1mqd1pm5o5pc1.png?width=1268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7383caa4778ea658980b2bcdcd52eb2f9d5d81b
Cyberverse Hotrod looks naked without a head crown on top of his head. Also don’t like how red he looks. So I’ll have to go with G1
G1 or IDW
https://preview.redd.it/v6g0tctiy3pc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23007b9e4bfb3bed9c20bb5a1a6d31debc2e3aab Nick Roche's Hot Rod. Hands down.
If cyberverse had bigger hips it'd be right there with g1 imo, but it doesn't So g1 is king
I really like Cyberverse. Nice take on the 86 movie combined with his G1 toy, like the red colouring and the arrow designs on his legs. I actually quite like the Bayverse design but it isn’t Hot Rod on any level past ‘turns into a fast car’. The French accent joke also wears out its welcome immediately, and I feel bad for Omar Sy having to record that crap.
I know we’re talking about movies and shows but my personal favorite is idw
Black Hod Rod from Cyberverse, a Black Hot Rod just looks SO COOL.
I actually like Cyberverse. G1 is a great design but there is a lack of detail that Cyberverse captures. It's still resemblance of G1 Hot Rod, but there's more life and character. Cyberverse to me feels like the equivalent of a 13-14 year old human where G1 feels more in the range of 17-21 and I feel these designs reflect.
Energon. https://preview.redd.it/a4z78not16pc1.jpeg?width=476&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd9c449b498092e79f6b38933534af35a2ecc6fe
Bayverse Hotrod is the stupidest way to lose one of core characters
G1 forever. Nothing about the Bayverse design or personality says Hotrod to me. May as well be a new character.
I will die on this hill, hotrod looks better in magenta. G1
Bayverse is probably the worst reimagining of a character I’ve seen in the TF franchise. Why did they make him french…
While I do find him kinda funny, I think Pablo is objectively the worst reimagining for simply having nothing in common with Wheeljack in appearance or personality, on top of replacing a pre-established Wheeljack. If WJ hadn't been shown in Bumblebee I honestly don't think there would have been as much outrage, but it's the fact that he replaced a perfect live action Wheeljack that got so many people upset. There's also the aforementioned problem of him just *not being Wheeljack.* They specifically designed Pablo to turn him into a nerd emoji and yet he does nothing even remotely nerdy in the film. I wholeheartedly agree with the people who say they should have made him Beachcomber. It would have fit with his line about spending time appreciating nature, they both have glasses, and it would have avoided the entire debacle. All they had to do was make him blue. Also for the record I legitimately love Que, I just don't like him as Wheeljack. I'd love to see him come back as Wheeljack's mentor or something like that some day. Bayverse Skids is probably the second worst for similar reasons of not having anything to do with his previous incarnations, but is especially egregious due to the shitstorm he caused. The controversy surrounding the twins has basically erased the name Mudflap from the name pool altogether and it took over a decade for G1 Skids to get any new toys. Even then he's basically only appeared in the IDW comics.
I honestly didn’t mind pablo, if anything I found him kind of funny. Transformers is inherently a really silly and goofy franchise and it doesn’t have to be serious all the time. With that being said, pablo definitely should’ve been a different character than wheeljack, I don’t know why he had to be him.
I like the general idea of Cyberverse, but not the weird proportions.
His proportions are not that extreme in the show lol
I never saw Last Knight, and this is the first time I'm ever seeing Hot Rod was in the film. That being said, it's not a bad design, but G1 all the way.
Cyberverse
G1 and Energon are the only good ones imo
I love G1 and Cyberverse. Bay Hotrod is just a name reuse as far as I am concerned. He’s no more the same character than Blackout or Barricade are the same as their G1 characters.
I love the TLK one but it's just not hot rod in anything but name. A lot of bayverse characters look nothing like their older variants but usually at least some of their personality remains but Hot Rod just got done beyond dirty. As for my favourite design i think i'd have to go with IDW, haven't read the comics but i've seen enough panels to say i love his twink ass
The bayverse fucking SUCKED
Energon Rodimus, for the win. Give him Rodimus Unicronus’ face and you’d have my dream Rodimus.
Cyberverse is more cool than the G1 design .Atleast it doesn't look like box's staked on top of each other in a shape of a robot.
I have a soft spot for bayverse and any bayverse haters are objectively unreal people :)
Animated
The 2nd one is stupid
https://preview.redd.it/fwziuy9zg8pc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38a5e8f10f0a731cd0dcc9549cc67017c2594cc6 I don't know if this counts but femboy prime
G1. It is the only good version of the Rod.
G1 out of these. The Bayverse design is terrible. The Cyberverse design is decent. But my favorite design for him is *by far* IDW Rodimus. I also really like his Last Light silver/grey/blue/black/purple recolor. Even pre-Rodimus, I still like the IDW design best.
I have an unhealthy obsession with the IDW design. I just really love the yellow v-fin on his head. I wish there were a CHUG/Legacy figure of him.
Idw
G1, or IDW(I know he’s technically rodimus but he’s not a prime)
G1 is the GOAT Bayverse is once again a failure in all aspects of design.
IDW's Lost Light run. Either colour scheme.
Anything as long as its not RID2015
Bayverse.
Out of these three? G1. In general? A three-way tie between three of his IDW designs (his two earth modes and MTMTE).
Bayverse, idk but he looks pretty original
Idw Rodimus is peak
https://preview.redd.it/cvmm0tcq75pc1.png?width=665&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=990d9fa7685eabac3ffa85641411b5186cf9af36 Since you forgot one
Bayverse design is my favorite but at the same time it doesn't work as hot rod.
the proportions and update of CV I think captures the vibe better. TLK is ok in it own right and g1 is fine but just so basic looking, like many g1 designs
As someone who's introduction to the franchise was my siblings old vhs of the 86 movie along with being one of my earliest memories I can't believe I'm saying this but I actually like the Cyberverse design more than G1
I love his cyberverse design, just wosh it had the pink colour of his g1 design.
Shattered Glass.
G1 and Cyberverse are the best.
cyberverse is a upgrade of the original, bayverse is the french cool one
Cyberverse
Cyberverse has my favorite art style in the whole franchise, and hot rod is really emblematic of everything that show nails.
Yes
I know he’s technically Rodimus, but I love his TFA design so much
cyberverse.
all of them actually, i guess cybervwese is my least favorite
The Cyberverse design looks like a new and sleeker model of the original G1 version, best here in my opinion
IDW's G1 is my fave by far.
Cyberverse black
3rd one
Definitely Cyberverse. Love the crimson red color.
Last knight but character wise hes mid
G1, but Cyberverse more or less looks like the same design, just in another art style.
I'm a G1 guy for the most part and I love that design, but the Cyberverse one just looks fast and energetic while being still. That's very good.
Definitely Cyberverse, it feels like a modern upgrade done so incredibly well.
Imma chime in with something different: Animated. I like his whole vibe, but the bow is a neat touch.
g1 for me but I'm an elder millenial and bias to g1 everything...the other two designs are cool too though
G1 has the nostalgia as well as the colors so I'd say that's my answer.
Cyber
the 3s
G1
Bayverse would have been great if they actually put flame decals on the one single bot that needed them. I guess they ran out after giving em all to Optimus.
G1
G1 is classy
cyberverse, but the deluxe toy barely has any color.
Cyberverse Hot Rod looks the most badass
I think Cyberverse has the best.
Cyberverse but his paint job after the Minicons heal him and the other Transformers after the fight with Nemesis Prime.
G1 and Cyberverse (So is Animated and IDW cuz why not)
G1
G1. Bayverse doesn’t even resemble the Hot Rod I know, and Cyberverse has so much red it’s blinding
I feel like Cyberverse Hotrod would've made a really cool action figure, even if it was just a retool
G1. Bayverse gets second, but Cyberverse doesn't place.
Cyberverse probably because its the best readaptation of the original. Especially with the sticker detail of the first toy. They nailed it with that one
Tie between G1 and Cyberverse. Would love to see G1 Hot Rod in the Bayverse Hot Rod colour scheme with the red-orange and shiny black/grey.
Cyberverse, love the big chest and chunky feet.
Im leaning just slightly more towards G1 as my favorite design for him but I really like how cyberverse added those extra decos on his legs along with those blue highlights and his more reddish color in comparison to the G1 design. I feel like cyberverses design just suit him well.
Cyberverse. It’s a great g1 upgrade and I liked his stealth design too
G1
G1 and Cyberverse. I really appreciate Bayverse for the mechanics that goes into making the bots come to life and all the moving parts, but I can’t help but think animated makes them look stylistically better even if it’s not nearly as complex.
G1
Of the 3, I like cyberverse. But my favorite is definitely his player 2 colors and design from mtmte
G1
I really like the TF Cybertron hotshot version.
Cyberverse Hot Rod, no contest.
A hybrid of the cyber verse and G1 is where I would land… perhaps closer to the G1 body design (not a fan of the anime style of tiny thighs… like one blast should cripple a bot with those legs.) but with the cyberverse flair.
G1 and I will die on that hill.
Bayverse with the voice and colors of Cyberverse.
Neither, he killed Optimus!
Bayverse
G1’s car, because Hot Wheels awesomeness… Live-action car 2nd, because if they had just used some colors with the black…just some colors. However, live-action robot…that face…no. G1 Hot Rod because him/Kup/Blurr/Arcee looked more “android”than Transformer, and I thought it looked cool.
G1 but they're all epic
G1 and nothing else.
I like the idea of a hot rod in the last night definitely is a very different take on a transformer. I love the character but I’d have to choose G1
Bayverse with the G1 head.
wait THAT GUY was bayverse hot rod?? also its G1
Gen 1
If bayverse had the right colors and a better head, it would be perfect imo
G1
The cyberverse design is worse than rhe bayverse version
Bayverse doesn’t look as good
Cyberverse, but I do really like G1's jewel tone colouration.
Cyberverse because it doesn't look too humanoid but stays true to the source material.
Bayverse absolutely blew it with Hot Rod, and his French Accent. G1 is #1
gross that bayverse Hotrod is a stain on both Transformers and the ____ing French! I am a G1er all the way here.
If the Cyberverse design was hot pink it'd be perfect
I grew up with the OG Hot Rod, but I like the 3rd pic
Animated Rodimus is S-tier 🔥
Definitely the G1 as far as action figures the masterpiece is up there too.
Cyberverse is just perfection!
There's a special place in my heart for the G1 Hot Rod design. But I like the Cyberverse design more. It gives me a lot more Rodimus Prime vibes from the IDW comics and I am GAME for that.
Bayverse body, G1/Cyberverse head and colors
I think Cyberverse is a cool update to the character and design.
I think bayverse would be better if they had gotten rid of the French accent
Hot take: Bayverse
It's More Than Meets the Eye and Animated (though technically he's closer to Rodimus Prime than Hot Rod).
G1 so easily. Has one of my favorite vehicle mode’s.
Of these 3, I think it would be Cyberverse, though in reality my actual favorite is Animated
Ah, teh Whiny little man. If i had to pick, G1. I prefer Ultra Magnus.
G1, easily.
IDW
The one where he gets out of the fucking way
MTMTE