Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 Mobility Scooter Review
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Some mobility scooters can set you back a fair amount of money, but if you only require something for short journeys and traveling, then there’s very little point in forking out your life savings!
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is a reliable and versatile little scooter that gives you an amazing bang for your buck!
Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 Mobility Scooter Specs
Comfort
Seat Adjustability
One of the things that makes the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 stand out from the crowd is how adjustable it is. While it only has a weight capacity of 300 lbs, making it unsuitable for bariatric users, it’s versatile enough to accommodate larger or taller people with ease. The seat measures 16.5 inches x 16 inches which is slightly on the smaller side but still considered to be within average range and will provide comfort and support for the majority of users.
The seat can be height adjusted, giving you a seat-to-floor height anywhere between 17 inches and 19 inches. What’s more, it features a swivel design that allows users to get on and off the scooter much more comfortably and safely. These features combined ensure that the user remains comfortable for the duration of the ride. Forcing yourself to sit in an unnatural position can cause discomfort, but the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 has so many adjustability options that it’s unlikely to ever be a problem.
The backrest can be completely folded down, which isn’t something you see in all compact mobility scooters, so it’s a nice addition. Moreover, the full-back and seat padding further improve comfort, and since this mobility scooter doesn’t have suspension, it also acts as something of a shock absorber.
Arm Rests
While the seat of the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is narrower than some competing scooters, it does have the advantage of armrests that can be moved. This allows a little more room for larger users who may be nearer to the weight capacity of this scooter.
Just like the seat, the armrests are heavily padded and so provide additional comfort, especially if you are going to be sitting in the scooter for longer periods. The armrests can be lifted to allow the user to mount or disembark the scooter more safely.
Legroom
One of the advantages of the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is the tiller can be adjusted, which frees up legroom for taller users. Since this is a compact mobility scooter, the frame is not overly large, so you’ll find that there’s a relative amount of space for the legs without adjusting the tiller. But once you throw in this feature, you’ve got a scooter that can be used by a much wider range of people.
Storage
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is designed to be a travel scooter, and so storage is not as great as some larger models. However, the scooter does come equipped with a medium-sized front basket that can be used for your everyday essentials and small amounts of shopping.
Controls & Tiller
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is fitted with a Delta Tiller. This wraparound style offers much easier use, especially for people whose dexterity and strength are limited. The tiller is very simple to use with just one hand, and the controls are incredibly light.
Another advantage of this type of tiller is that, for those with grip difficulties, the placement of the hands means that you don’t need to grasp as tightly. The handles are padded with a foam cover, making it much more comfortable to hold onto and reducing friction on the hands.
Controls
One of the things that makes the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 suitable for such a wide range of users is its simplicity. This is by far one of the easiest to drive mobility scooters out there at the moment and features a speed dial, throttle, and horn button. Again, the controls can be operated by people with limited dexterity with very little problem; everything is ergonomically designed for optimal ease.
Above the speed dial is a battery dial with a light system so that you can easily see when the device needs to be recharged. It comes with a 12Ah battery and an off-board 2 amp charger, so you’ve got everything you need in this aspect.
Adjustability
We were vastly impressed by the ability to adjust the tiller to an angle that feels more comfortable for the user. The tiller can be moved to several positions, and doing so involves nothing more than loosening a knob, moving the tiller to your desired angle, and retightening the knob. This means that you won’t have to over-exert yourself to access the controls, and further improves the overall comfort of the scooter.
Portability
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is designed to be compact and easy to transport, making it ideal for people who need something that they can load into their vehicle. This is made simple through an easy disassembly process; the user can take the scooter apart into five pieces which can then comfortably fit into the trunk of the car.
The process for disassembly is incredibly quick, and for the most able-bodied people, can be completed in seconds. However, even for those whose strength or dexterity is lacking, the process can be done in mere minutes. Each removable component features a handle to make it easier to pull away.
The heaviest component, once taken apart, weighs 39lbs. This shouldn’t be too problematic for users with relatively good strength, however, for some people, this may be slightly too heavy and may require a hoist or assistant.
If you are looking to travel via air with your mobility scooter, the batteries that come with the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 are FAA approved and so can be transported without any problems. However, it’s always worth keeping in mind that some carriers may have different rules, and you should check this before traveling.
Manoeuvrability
As well as being a superbly affordable mobility scooter, the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 benefits from being ideal for use in various situations. This is advertised as a scooter that is great for both indoor and outdoor use, and it has several features that demonstrate this perfectly.
Ground Clearance
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 has a 2.5-inch ground clearance. If you’re looking for an all-terrain scooter that can comfortably handle large bumps and curbs then you’d generally want something with a clearance of 3 inches. However, this 2.5 inch clearance does give you much more than a standard indoor scooter. It will allow you to go over moderate bumps as well as several different types of terrain such as gravel or grass.
Turning Radius
We must point out that there is a three-wheeled version of the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 that offers a slightly smaller turning radius, so might be a better choice for people who will be using the scooter in very confined spaces. However, by removing one of the wheels, you also lose some stability.
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 benefits from a 53.75-inch turning radius which is around 5 feet. This is ideal for most situations and means that the scooter can be used in some tighter situations. It’s certainly not the most compact turning radius but would meet the needs of most users.
Dimensions
Since the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is designed to be easily used indoors, it is important that it will comfortably fit through a standard doorway. What classifies a doorway as standard can be very different depending on the building but you’d generally expect the door to be between 18 and 36 inches in width.
Since the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 has an overall width of 21.25 inches, it should fit through most doorways. It also has a relatively compact length at 42.5 inches which further adds to how easy it is to transport.
Tires
This mobility scooter is fitted with solid tires, which is ideal for outdoor use as there is no risk of puncture as there may be with a pneumatic tire. However, the downside is that this lessens the shock absorbency, especially when you consider the lack of suspension. Then again, you must consider that this scooter is designed for shorter journeys, so this is less of a problem.
The anti-tip tires offer excellent stability, and they are designed to be anti-marking, so when the scooter is used indoors, there’s no worry of damaging the floor.
The tires do provide excellent traction and can be used on a variety of surfaces. They perform particularly well on wet ground making this a good all-weather scooter.
Gradient
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 can handle slopes up to 6º, which is considered to be a mid-range ability. Most wheelchair ramps have an incline of 5º, so you should find that you can navigate most places with ease.
Operating Range
The operating range of the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is 9 miles, based on the use of the included 12Ah battery. Although it is possible to install a higher capacity battery, and get as many as 15 miles out of the scooter for every charge. However, it is important to keep in mind that this scooter is not designed for lengthy journeys.
It will travel at a maximum speed of 4.25 miles per hour, but one of the best features is that it can operate without power. This freewheel operation is designed for times when the scooter can gently roll along and is a great way to conserve power.
Safety Features
The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 doesn’t have a huge wealth of safety features, but it does have some important ones:
- The scooter features anti-tip wheels to ensure maximum stability even on rougher terrain.
- The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is fitted with a horn to alert other people to your presence.
- There is an option to include a positioning belt with your scooter which is ideal for users who may be a little more unsteady when seated.
The only real downside in terms of safety is that the scooter does not have any lights or mirrors, which can make it more difficult to see what is going on behind you and can make the scooter challenging and unsafe to use in low light.
What We Like
It cannot escape the attention that the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is a versatile and well-equipped scooter that doesn’t cost the earth. This is, of course, one of its main selling points. It’s excellent for use on various terrain and offers easy driving even for people who may not have great dexterity or strength.
But it’s user-friendly in many other ways as well. For example, the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 has a lot of adjustment options allowing the user to make it as comfortable as possible for their unique needs. Furthermore, taking the scooter apart can be done in minutes and is an incredibly simple process, making this product perfect for people who travel a lot.
What We Didn’t Like
If you are looking for a mobility scooter that you can use all day every day, then the limited operating range of the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 may not be suitable for you. However, since this scooter is designed for occasional use, we wouldn’t call it a major drawback. That said, there were a few things that we felt could be improved upon.
For example, the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 doesn’t have mirrors or lights, which does make it less safe to use, especially in the dark. What’s more, the scooter doesn’t have suspension, so you will be more likely to feel bumps in the road, which can lower the comfort factor.
Round-Up Review
Each mobility scooter is designed with a different user in mind. Some are intended for long-range use and are ideal for people who rely more heavily on a mobility aid. However, for many people, a mobility scooter is only needed on occasion and for shorter journeys. If this sounds like something you need, then you may benefit from something like the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4.
But much more than this, the Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 is an incredibly affordable piece of equipment that would suit anyone shopping on a budget. But the lower cost doesn’t mean that you’ll have to sacrifice important features. The Drive Medical Spitfire Scout 4 has amazing adjustability and is suitable for use on a whole range of surfaces.
