• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SimpleMechanic.com

What to buy for your car!

  • Electronics
  • Maintenance & Care
Home » Electronics » What Are The Best RC Cars? We Review The Best
What Are The Best RC Cars? We Review The Best

What Are The Best RC Cars? We Review The Best

best rc car 2019
I hope you will agree with me when I say:

Remote controlled vehicles are some of the most fun toys there is out there. No matter if you are an adult or a kid, there is a remote control car to satisfy your fun appetite.

Now with so many brands and models available on the market, finding the best RC car for you can be a little overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created this guide, a one-stop-shop to help you find the best remote control car that fits your needs.

The Best RC Cars

  1. Team Losi 8IGHT-T E 3.0 Electric Truggy

    Best RC Car for 2019

  2. Arrma Talion 6S BLX 4WD RTR Truggy Vehicle

    Best RC Car for the Money

  3. Traxxas E-Revo VXL 4WD Racing Monster Truck

    Best RC Car for Beginners

  4. Traxxas Rustler RTR with XL-5 ESC Vehicle

    Best RC Car under $200

  5. Exceed RC Blaze EP Electric RTR Off Road Buggy

    Best RC Car under $100

Since first publishing this article, many readers have suggested that it should be called the best electric RC car guide because of the absence of the nitro RC cars. Although that is true, we truly believe that electric RC cars offer the best value and are what you will enjoy using the most.

You can read about the pros and cons of electric vs nitro engine RC cars below.

*These are super fast RC cars already, but you can almost always increase their top speed with aftermarket parts and special tuning. 

Nitro vs Electric RC Cars

The difference between nitro and electric RC vehicles is primarily on the powertrain system. Most of the other components are the same. So this begs the question…

Should you buy an electric or a nitro gas RC vehicle? (Applies to cars, trucks, and buggy)

In the nitro system, you have an engine carburetor and a fuel tank which requires special nitro gas fuel that you can buy at your local RC hobby shop or a t Amazon.

Electric RC vehicles have an electric motor either brushed or brushless and an electronic speed control which is used to control the motor. Brushless motors electronic speed controls are more expensive than their counterpart (brushed motors) but they are faster and more efficient which allows you to get longer battery life, require less maintenance as there are no brushes to replace and they are usually sealed to avoid dirt and debris getting into the motor.

Nitro Powered RC Cars Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Some hobbyists like the smoke and gas associated with nitro gas engines. It provides them with a more realistic experience when driving and racing their vehicle
  • You can run as long as you want by simply adding fuel to the fuel tank
  • Provides you with more opportunities to develop mechanical skills
  • Very precise handling, refined drifting in corners
  • Quality suspension which enables off-road stunts

Cons

  • Nitro engines take more work in terms of starting, tuning and maintaining them
  • Not recommended for kids under 13
  • Nitro engine noise may disturb your neighbors or be prohibited in certain RC racetracks due to noise restrictions
  • Higher operating cost due to constantly buying fuel which can be around $35-$45 per gallon depending on where you live
  • Reverse gear generally absent except in some higher end model
  • You can’t use indoor
  • RC fuel can be difficult to purchase in your area if you live far away from RC hobby shop (though available on Amazon)

Electric Powered RC Cars Pros and Cons

Pros 

  • They are quiet and should not disturb your neighbors. They can also be used indoor and at all RC racetracks ‘
  • They are very easy to use and to maintain. You just have to connect the battery and turn it on.
  • The reverse gear is standard in all electric vehicle
  • Typically faster than nitro RC car when equipped with a LiPo battery on a brushless motor
  • Runtime and play time is limited to your battery life

Cons

  • Prone to water damages. Shouldn’t be driven in wet condition unless specifically identified waterproof
  • Limited battery life. Consider having extra batteries and/or a fast battery charger

best rc cars buyer's guide

There are a few things you need to settle before you ahead and buy your remote control car.

Vehicle Type

rc car vs rc buggyAlthough this article title suggests that this guide is for RC cars only, you will be missing on the real fun if we don’t include other types RC buggies. Essentially RC buggies give you the speed of RC cars with the off-road capabilities of RC trucks. They are all terrain vehicles whether is road, mud, dirt, you can throw at them.

So your choice really depends on how and where you intend to play.

Vehicle Size/Scale

The size of an RC vehicle is measured counting from the front lip of the vehicle to the rear tip of the vehicle.

Although we think the best RC car size is more or less around the 1:10 scale, watch the short video below to see the side by side comparisons of a couple of RC vehicles and really get the feel of the size.

Brand

Whether you are a racing enthusiast or not, buying from best RC car brands means you have room for customization and upgrades. The top manufacturers will provide high-quality parts as well as good customer support service.

This top list of the best RC cars to buy in 2019 only includes reputable and top rated brands with good history and racing heritage.

Price 

Price is a great factor when it comes to buying anything but you can be sure that you can find a fun and reliable at just about any price range. Although the more expensive models are technologically advanced, this guide is more about getting a bang for your buck, whether cheap or expensive.

You should also consider the operating cost of your RC cars. If you choose a Nitro powered RC car, you always need to buy nitro fuel and if you choose an Electric RC car, you may need to buy an extra battery pack or a battery charger if you wanted extended play time.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, you found this remote control car buying guide useful. Deciding on the best RC car is not straightforward but with a budget in mind, weighing the pros against the cons of the top rated RC cars in this you can be confident of your choice.

If you have any question or comment, please leave a comment below.

Contents

  • 1 The Best RC Cars
    • 1.1 Team Losi 8IGHT-T E 3.0 Electric Truggy
    • 1.2 Arrma Talion 6S BLX 4WD RTR Truggy Vehicle
    • 1.3 Traxxas E-Revo VXL 4WD Racing Monster Truck
    • 1.4 Traxxas Rustler RTR with XL-5 ESC Vehicle
    • 1.5 Exceed RC Blaze EP Electric RTR Off Road Buggy
  • 2 Nitro vs Electric RC Cars
    • 2.1 Should you buy an electric or a nitro gas RC vehicle? (Applies to cars, trucks, and buggy)
    • 2.2 Nitro Powered RC Cars Pros and Cons
    • 2.3 Electric Powered RC Cars Pros and Cons
    • 2.4 Vehicle Type
    • 2.5 Vehicle Size/Scale
    • 2.6 Brand
    • 2.7 Price 
  • 3 Final thoughts

Last Updated: November 10, 2019

About Alex Williams

Alex has been a car nut since he was a kid and uses this site to write about his car knowledge, trials, and tribulations.

About Milan Lazic

Milan Lazic is a tech passionate, currently studying Computer Engineering at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. When he is not writing about technology, he is Off-road bike racing, one of his favorite hobbies.

Comments

  1. Perez says

    April 14, 2017 at 6:19 am

    Hi

    Very good article indeed. In depth in all aspects. But I would like your opinion on the hpi rs4 flux sport 3 Porsche 911 gt3 Falken rc car and if it is a good buy as I am looking to getting myself one of those. Thankyou

  2. Stephen says

    May 8, 2017 at 8:40 pm

    It’s actually a waste of money to buy a cheap RC car. If you want to have fun, you are going to have to drop atleast 300$

    • Alex Williams says

      June 13, 2017 at 2:28 pm

      Hi Stephan,

      Thank you for the comment. There is definitely a noticeable performance for RC cars over $300 compared to cheaper ones.

      Knowing the pros and cons of each is definitely going to help.

    • Dave says

      August 8, 2017 at 11:04 am

      Not necessarily true. There are great trucks and buggies that can be purchased in the $100 – $300 price range that are RTR. My picks are: ECX Roost 1/18 and the Traxxas Bigfoot 1/10. (Traxxas is under $230 and the ECX is under $120)

  3. Mike says

    May 11, 2017 at 12:54 pm

    If you are a beginner, I would say go with the Arrma Kraton, the Team Losi 8 is for those who want more customization.

  4. Parker says

    May 11, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    is the Team Losi 8IGHT the fastest RC car of the list?

Recently Reviewed

  • What Are The Best Magnetic Car Mounts? A Buyer’s Guide
  • RC Car Buying Guide: Find the best RC car for you!
  • What Are The Best RC Cars? We Review The Best
  • What Are The Best Car Waxes? A Buyer’s Guide
  • Best Fuel Injector Cleaners 2019 – Our Guide to the Best Fuel Additives
  • What Are The Best Cheap Portable Bluetooth Speakers?
  • What Are The Best Radar Detectors? A Buyer’s Guide
  • What Are The Best RC Trucks for 2019? A Buyer’s Guide

Can find what you are looking for?

FOLLOW US!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

SimpleMechanic.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca etc) and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.

Trademark Disclosure

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates
All other trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners

  • About
  • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
  • Trademark & Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 · simplemechanic.com

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. In addition, some links on this site may take you to sites where we get a commission if you subsequently buy something on the site (an affiliate commission) If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with these terms. You can read more in our Privacy Policy & Affiliate DisclosureOk