If you've ever driven a Go Kart — and you should — you know that they're a heckuva lot of fun. While they don't necessarily go super fast, the fact that you're so low to the ground gives you the illusion that you're Max Verstappen on the last lap of the Monaco Grand Prix, Dale Earnhardt at Daytona or Mario on Yoshi's Circuit.
But, there's just one problem: During the winter, that Go Kart just gathers dust in your garage. And forget about going out in the rain. If you live in an area of the country where it's cold 5 months out of the year, dropping $2,000 on a Go Kart seems like a pretty lousy investment.
Segway's new GoKart Pro 2 solves the inclement weather problem in a clever fashion — by turning the entire thing into a controller for your gaming console. I had a chance to drive the GoKart Pro 2 at CES 2024 both on the track and behind the wheel for a racing game. Here's my impressions.
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Segway GoKart Pro 2: Price and availability
On Best Buy's site, the Segway GoKart Pro 2 is available for preorder for $2,299, with a ship date of March 8, 2024.
According to the listing, the GoKart Pro 2 weighs 106 pounds and measures 55.9 x 33.5 x 23.6 inches.
Segway GoKart Pro 2: On the track
Outwardly, the GoKart Pro 2 looks very similar to its predecessor, the GoKart Pro. It has the same gray finish, but this time with neon blue accents, rather than green, throughout.
The most obvious difference is on the steering wheel; the center of the wheel has controls similar to what you'll find on the best PC game controllers, with a d-pad on the left and the traditional four-button layout on the right. In the middle is a small display that gives you the speed of the GoKart as well as its battery life and other data. On the back side are two paddle shifters that can be used both in-game and to "shift" the GoKart up and down gears.
As someone who's 6 feet tall, I found the GoKart Pro 2 to be a little cramped — I had to almost fold my body to fit into the seat — but I was pretty comfortable once I nestled in.
The Pro 2 has a top speed of 26.7 miles per hour, which is 4 m.p.h. faster than the original. It has three driving modes, which cap its top speed: Eco (5 m.p.h.), Sport (11 m.p.h.), and Race (26.7 m.p.h.), but you can also use the paddle shifters in Manual mode to increase and decrease the top speed on the fly.
The Pro 2 has a 4,800-Watt air-cooled motor, and a 432-Wh battery that Segway says should last for up to 15.5 miles before needing a recharge.
Even in Sport mode, I found the Pro 2 to be lots of fun to drive, even if it was in a parking lot. As with Segway's other GoKarts, the Pro 2 has a hand brake on the right side, which lets you power slide and drift into turns. I really didn't want to get out of the car.
Segway GoKart Pro 2: Gaming mode
I then went inside to where a GoKart Pro 2 was hooked up to a gaming console — I can't say which one, as Segway has yet to officially announce its partnership. After starting up the game, I used the Pro 2's controls just as I would if I were still on the track: I hit the accelerator to get my car moving, the brake to stop and the steering wheel to turn. In no time at all, I was roaring over the roads — poorly, I might add, as I don't often play video games.
But, there's one more bit of realism that Segway has added: Haptic feedback has been built into the seat of the Pro 2, so every time I ran over a tree, fence or hit another car, I felt it throughout my body. Because I'm such a poor gamer, I essentially got a lower-back massage for all the work the haptics were doing.
Segway GoKart Pro 2 outlook
At $2,000, the Segway GoKart Pro 2 is not a cheap investment. For as much fun as I had driving it, I would be hard-pressed to find a reason to buy one. I'm sure others have made that same calculus. But, now that the GoKart can be used off the road as well as on it, gamers might also be tempted to try it out, too.
Check out our Best of CES 2024 awards to see all of the top gadgets announced at the show. And be sure to follow the Tom's Guide TikTok channel for all the newest videos from CES!
