The Batmobile is badass. All of the Batmobiles are great. They all appear safe, safer than most every car you’ll see on the road today. From the iconic 1960s Adam West Batmobile and 1989s Michael Keaton Batmobile to the more military looking vehicles driven by Christian Bale, Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson, Batman does not get behind the wheel in unsafe automobiles. Hell, even the animated Batman drives a beast on the streets of Gotham. The same can not be said for Batman’s not-exactly-children, especially in Max’s Batwheels. 

Batgirl rides a motorcycle. Motorcycles are way more dangerous than cars. According to J.D. Power, the chances of a fatality in a motorcycle accident are approximately 30 times higher than in a car. Sure, Batman also has a motorcycle but Batgirls’ bike is her only Batman-provided form of transportation. But Batgirl, at least in most comics and films, is not Batman’s ward. She’s the daughter of the police commissioner or the niece of Batman’s butler or the daughter of assassins. In Batwheels her origin story is still a mystery (it’s the Cassandra Cain version but she speaks and is happy so it’s not the same Cassandra Cain that can’t speak?) so let’s just assume she’s the daughter of Commissioner Gordon and Alfred’s niece and the offspring of hired killers. Her lack of safety on the road isn’t helped by Batman, but it’s not entirely his fault. She’s an adult. Or at least closer to being an adult than Robin. 

Robin’s transportation is Batman’s responsibility. Once again, in Batwheels Batman has a great Batmobile, a massive monster truck and the Batplane. Robin drives a modified 2007 Hyundai Santro. 

While perusing the Batwheels Wiki like most reasonable parents during a viewing of the hit (Is it a hit? Every kid I know watches it and some kids in my 5-year-old’s class have Batwheels backpacks but it’s on Max so who knows?), I noticed Robin’s car wasn’t nearly as unique as the Dark Knight’s fleet. In fact, it looked common, like something I’ve seen on roads for nearly 20 years. Because it is. According to the Batwheels wiki page for Robin’s car Redbird, it’s based on a 2007 Hyundai Santro.

The 2007 Hyundai Santro (or Atos Prime in Europe,and Kia Visto in Indonesia and South Korea) is not a good car for a superhero. Its top speed is 92 miles per hour. That’s perfectly fine for a normal teenager, but far too slow for Robin. 

The 2007 Hyundai Santro was made for city people in that drive in cities. Once again, not necessarily a bad thing, but not great when you’re chasing supervillains in their modified supercars. The car is not designed well when it comes to car crashes. You know what cars get into a lot of crashes? The cars in Batwheels! In multiple crash tests for 2007 Hyundai sedans, the roof strength received a ‘Marginal’ grade. While you or I don’t have to worry about super villains dropping large items like bank safes and super heavy water balloons from the sky, Robin sure as hell does. If any of these hit Robin’s Sonata, Robin’s Sonata becomes Robin’s coffin. 

Batman does not need a sidekick. Batman doesn’t need teenage boys in vulnerable cars or 20-something women on two-wheel death machines by his side. As an orphan that saw his parents brutally murdered over a small amount cash and jewelry in front of his eyes, the guy should know that each and every interaction with Gotham’s criminal element comes with risk. Risks a 2007 Hyundai Santro are not equipped to handle. 

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