It doesn't matter if you are a kid or an adult, remote control cars are loads of fun. Despite the advent of smartphones, game consoles, and streaming televisions, RC cars have stood the test of time. There is something incredibly exhilarating about racing a powerful RC car around your neighborhood, especially if you compete with some other fanatics.
In this brief post, we look at some of the best RC cars in the market today. Whether you are looking for easy remote control cars for kids or powerful monster trucks for adults, there is something in here for you. RC cars are split between on-road and off-road models, and we have included a selection for every budget and taste.
Let’s dive in.
Best Remote Control Cars
1. Traxxas Rustler- Overall The Best Remote Control Car
Sale
Traxxas Rustler XL-5 Stadium Remote Control RC Truck with Remote Control for Adults and Kids, 2WD,...
- PREMIUM POWER SYSTEM: Powerful Titan 12T 550 modified motor...
- SPEED CONTROL: XL-5 electronic speed control features a complete...
- LONG RANGE RADIO: TQ 2.4GHz radio system with advanced...
- HIGH CURRENT CONNECTORS: Traxxas high-current connectors are...
- FAST CHARGING: Includes iD-equipped 3000mAh, 8.4V, power cell...
Specs
- Scale: 1/10
- Motorization: Brushed
- Transmission: 4x2
- Required level: Beginner
- Kit type: Assembled kit ready for driving
- Charger: 12V included
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 445 x 311 x 178mm
- Weight: 1690 g
- Remote control: 2.4GHz TQ flying radio
- Requires 4 AA alkaline batteries for transmitter
The Traxxas Rustler is one of the fastest, easy-to-use RC cars, and it's a lot of fun. The beautiful car is powered by a 7-cell NiMH battery that helps it reach up to 35mph, and thanks to the built-in rechargeable battery pack, you don't have to take the car apart when charging it. You can enjoy a good 15 minutes of high battery power before it starts to slow down.
If you want a car that you can drive through mud, grass, snow, and rough concrete, this RC car is the all-terrain vehicle you want. Because of that, they have sealed all its electronics so they won't be affected by moisture when you are cruising through mud and snow.
This is a two-wheel-drive car which means it's easy to turn, and the tires are large enough and ribbed for good traction. As if that wasn't enough, its remote control has a handgrip with a steering wheel so turning the car one way or the other is super easy and realistic.
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2. Redcat Racing EPX Drift Car- Best Drift Car for Adults
Redcat Racing EPX Drift Car with 7.2V 2000mAh Battery, 2.4GHz Radio and BL10315 Body (1/10 Scale),...
- 19T RC550 brushed motor with 40A brushed waterproof ESC
- Shaft driven 4WD helps maintain control while drifting and the...
- 7.2V 2000mAh NiMH and charger included
- 1/10 RC scale
- Made in China
Specs
- 19T RC550 brushed motor with 40A brushed waterproof ESC
- Shaft driven 4WD
- 7.2V 2000mAh NiMH and charger included
- 1/10 RC scale
- Aluminum capped coil-over shocks
For remote control cars, nothing beats being able to drift and slide sideways through corners and bends. This Redcat Racing EPX Drift Car comes with a 4-wheel drive system and low-grip rear wheels, making it incredibly easy to drift. The car may not give you more than 20 minutes, but it can rave up to 40mph on a paved surface which is quite impressive.
As for power and electronics, the Redcat Racing EPX Drift Car boasts a waterproof 40a brushed ESC, and you can choose between NiMH and LiPo batteries. The high-power brushed motor delivers incredible power to all four wheels making it fast and efficient. While this is not an offroad car, they still put a waterproof case to protect the electronics from water and dust.
For a remote car of this caliber, it's impressive how well it’s priced, a significant reason why it has caught our attention.
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3. Redcat Racing Volcano EPX- Best Off-road RC Car (Monster Truck)
Sale
Redcat Racing Volcano EPX Electric Truck, Blue/Silver, 1/10 Scale
- 4WD Monster truck w/ Large monster truck tires, Lightweight...
- Tunable suspension, Adjustable ride height, Tunable shocks,...
- Aggressive tires, Independent suspension, Low center of gravity...
- 19T brushed 550 electric motor with heat sink, Waterproof ESC,...
Specs
- Dual shocks
- Reinforced bumpers
- durable chassis
- Transmission cover
- Motor heat sink
- Fully adjustable suspension
- Brushed 550 19 turn motor
- Hobbywing brushed ESC
There are remote cars, and then there are adrenaline monsters; this Redcat Racing Volcano EPX is a monster truck that sits mighty and high off the ground, making it perfect for all off-road adventures. The remote-controlled car is fitted with massive monster truck wheels that make it possible to climb any barrier, including tall grass and rocks. You can use it on a hiking trail or the backyard without any fear.
For durability, this off-road truck uses a 4WD shaft-driven drivetrain with steel dogbone axles and eight aluminum capped oil-filled shocks. It is fully adjustable and upgradeable if you want to tune it some more.
Despite being so high, it's very hard to knock it over. The truck climbs wherever you want it to go slowly but surely without going past 20mph. The 7.2 2000mAh NiMH battery is well protected by a waterproof casing, so you don't have to worry about any damage to electronics.
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4. Fast & Furious Brian's Nissan Skyline GT-R-Best RC Car at an Affordable Cost
Jada Toys Fast & Furious Brian's Nissan Skyline GT-R (BN34) Drift Power Slide RC Radio Remote...
- High Performance Drifting Action
- Turbo Button
- Pistol Grip Controller
- Extra Set Of Tires With Easy Mount Design
Specs
- High performance drifting action
- Turbo button
- Pistol grip controller
- Extra set of tires with easy mount design
- USB charging technology
- 1:10 scale
Fans of the Fast & Furious franchise (isn’t everyone?) will go nuts over anything Brian owned. This Fast & Furious Brian's Nissan Skyline GT-R is a drift RC car that boasts the same silver and blue lively as the original car. While Brian's car is known for speed, this one has focused more on drifting, but it's pretty fast as well.
For $40, you would not imagine that this car will offer a lot; you would be wrong. The classic GTR comes ready to play right off the box, and you can upgrade it if you want. It also comes with a cool set of rear spare tires because they expect you will be drifting a lot. It's quite handy with a great build and a lot of metal where it counts like axles and knuckles for durability.
As for electronics, it comes with a non-removable 900mah 9.6v battery and can go for 30 to 45 minutes. It truly exceeds expectations in every way.
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5. Traxxas XO-1 1/7 Scale AWD Supercar- Fastest Remote Control Car
Traxxas XO-1 1/7 Scale AWD Supercar with TQi 2.4GHz Radio & TSM, Black
- 25.2V extreme ESC and the largest brushless motor ever offered...
- Includes telemetry sensors, TQi 2.4GHz Radio with Wireless...
- Shaft-driven all wheel drive with reinforced steel-gear...
- Machined 6061 aluminum C-hubs, steering knuckles, axle carriers,...
- Bold ProGraphix painted bodies aerodynamically styled to provide...
Specs
- 5.2V extreme ESC and the largest brushless motor ever offered
- telemetry sensors
- TQi 2.4GHz Radio with Wireless Module
- TSM Stability Management
- Shaft-driven all-wheel drive with reinforced steel-gear differentials, shock-absorbing Cush Drive, and steel splined dual-CV driveshafts
- Machined 6061 aluminum C-hubs, steering knuckles, axle carriers, shock towers, and 17mm hex hubs
The Traxxas XO-1 is the world's fastest ready-to-race remote control supercar that goes from 0-60 in 2.3 seconds and 0–100 mph in under 5 seconds. With that speed and all the luxurious parts fitted into this car, it's safe to say this is not a kid's toy, and neither is it for amateur racers.
To reach such speed, you need an extremely powerful system which is why Traxxas used a specially made motor, which is the largest brushless motor ever in a ready-to-race model. The 25.2V extreme ESC has been enhanced for higher performance on 6S LiPo power. The supercar has a stability management system that allows it arrow-straight acceleration on any slippery surface without losing control. The TSM also makes high-speed cornering corrections for you.
The all-wheel-drive supercar features machined aluminum steering knuckles and all-aluminum suspension components for durability. It is without a doubt the holy grail of consumer-grade remote-controlled cars.
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6. ORRENTE Stunt RC Car- Best RC Car for Kids
Sale
Remote Control Car, ORRENTE RC Cars Stunt Car Toy, 4WD 2.4Ghz Double Sided 360° Rotating RC Car...
- 360° ROTATING STUNT: Double sides running, moving forward,...
- 2.4GHZ ANTI-INTERFERENCE CONTROL: With 2.4GHz interference-free...
- 4 ORIGINAL BATTERIES: Equipped with two 3.7V 500 mAh rechargeable...
- 2 MOTORS AND COOL HEADLIGHT: Featured with 2 motors and LED...
- SHOCKPROOF OFF ROAD CAR: Designed with anti-crash duable tires,...
Specs
- 2.4GHZ anti-interference control
- 4 original batteries
- 2 motors
- I USB charger
If you want a kid’s remote control car that does more than just drive around the house, this ORRENTE Stunt RC Car is perfect. It is more suitable for kids between 6 and 12 because it's easy to use, well-made, and highly affordable. The stand-out feature about this car is that it pulls some pretty amazing stunts, thanks to the idea of driving separately on each side. Kids will be excited to do some 360 degrees spins, rotating and drifting the beautiful car in the house and outside.
The ORRENTE Stunt RC Car comes with a 2.4 Ghz two-stick controller, making it very easy to control the car. This frequency also means that you can have several cars at the same time when racing, and they won't interfere with each other.
Because kids, especially boys, enjoy high-speed and off-road driving, this car is equipped with a 4-wheel drive and two powerful motors. The massive anti-slip wheels support the car and handle various terrains like a boss. To mimic a real car even further, the RC is fitted with cool headlights that allow you to ride the car at night.
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Benefits of RC Cars
RC cars are incredibly fun to drive and no one can refute that. However, there are some other reasons why you should invest in a cool RC car or two, especially if you have kids.
- Enhance skills. Controlling an RC car requires a lot of hand-eye coordination, and that is something you will develop as you get used to riding them. Everything from steering, avoiding bumps, taking corners, and stopping helps to train your brain and your eyes and hands to coordinate. You will also learn fine motor skills and some other handy driving skills that will benefit you when driving a real car.
- Playing outdoor. Today, both children and their parents spend most of their time staring at devices and sitting on their butts. If there is one thing that can draw people outside to have some fun its a remote control car, especially if you can race as a group. Even if there is no racing, the sheer excitement of controlling and seeing your supercar take off is undeniable.
- Socialize. Again, an RC car will make you go outside and meet some people. Both kids and adults can benefit from making some more friends and socializing with real people instead of devices. What's more, RC cars give families a chance to bond and get into their element when racing.
- Learning responsibility. What better way to teach kids responsibility than when taking care of their much-beloved cars. After a fun day rising, you can wash and polish the cars together as you take the opportunity to teach them about taking care of their stuff.
Key Features to Look for When Choosing the Best Remote Control Car
Type
We have already mentioned there are two types of RC vehicles; off-road and on-road, and there is also somewhere in between. Apart from preference, consider also where the car will be used. If it's for a kid who will rarely go outside or the play area is smooth and tarmacked, an on-road RC car is okay. However, for cars that will be mostly used outside on the grass and rough terrain, go for off-road trucks and buggies.
Speed
Another important factor to consider is speed which is also determined by the user. For entry-level racers and young kids, go for speeds of 20 to 40mph. Experienced racers and teenagers can opt for more robust and speedier cars over 40mph for safety purposes. The speed of a car will be determined by how powerful its motor is.
Battery life
How long do you want to be riding the car? For ultimate fun, it's important to choose a car whose battery can stay over 30 minutes without powering down. Anything less should come with a backup battery, so you don't have to cut short the fun just to go recharge the battery. NIMh are the most common batteries because they are cheap, but they don't last long. If you want high performance, go for LiPo ones which can be pricey.
Controlling distance
Just as important as power is the distance you can have between the car and the remote control. This is crucial if you are racing since you don’t want to be running right behind your RC car all the time. The best remote control cars have a signal range of 80 meters which is quite far.
Final Thoughts
Remote control cars range from $20 to $800 depending on the power, body, battery, and other included features. Whatever your price point is, you must consider the user, the durability of the car, and whether you can upgrade it or not. It's also good to find an RC car that you can repair or replace a part if something goes wrong.