When choosing an RC car, you do so for the following reasons; speed, the thrill of the drive, and the chance to drive a vehicle that you would not otherwise be able to afford as a full-scale vehicle. With the many different styles and types of RC cars available, you can choose the car of your dreams and then customize and adapt it to your specifications.
The best electric-powered RC car right now for beginners is the Redcat Racing Shredder XTE. The best nitro-powered RC car right now for beginners is the Redcat Racing Monsoon XTR Truggy. The best RC car for speed is the Traxxas XO-1, while the best off-road RC Car is the Traxxas Rustler XL-5.
When purchasing an RC car, you can choose a kit to build it yourself or an RTR RC car that is already built and has all the bells and whistles of a full-scale vehicle. When deciding which is the best RC car for you, consider your budget and your needs and then purchase the absolute best model that you can with what you have. RC Cars are available with many different features. We have listed a few of our favorites to help you decide.
What Is The Best Electric Powered RC Car Right Now?
If you enjoy the thrill of speeding along a track or navigating over rough terrain with electric-powered RC cars, then read on. We have listed the latest and greatest RC cars available on the market right now for various adventures and driver skill levels.
The Best Electric Powered RC Car For Beginners
All hobbyists start as beginners and work their way up through the ranks to become experts. As a beginner or novice, you should look for an RTR RC car that comes with everything that you need. Trying to build an RC car from a kit is a lot of hard work for a novice, especially if you are still learning the sport. Let’s take a look at the best RTR RC cars on the market for a beginner.
The Redcat Racing Shredder XTE
This RTR model is fantastic value for beginners and hobbyists of all skill levels. Retailing online for around $379.99, this RC Car provides hours of enjoyment for the driver.
- Fully assembled, electric-powered
- 1/6 scale, weighing 15.2 pounds (6.8kgs)
- Sports thick tires and large aluminum-capped oil-filled shocks
- Waterproof, easy to control in all weather
- Reaches speeds of 40mph (64kmh)
- Has both forward and reverse transmission
This Redcat Racing Shredder XTE RC car is available online directly from the Redcat Racing website
Click here to see the best deals on Amazon
The Best Electric Powered RC Car For Speed
This is an expensive RC car for the serious hobbyist! This car model Includes all the bells and whistles that you would expect on a high-end RC car, including an aerodynamically styled ProGraphix painted body!
The Traxxas XO-1
This all-wheel-drive RC Car is claimed to be “The Worlds Fastest RC Car!” because of its high-speed features and capabilities. This car retails online for around $799.99.
- Fully assembled, electric-powered with the largest brushless motor on offer
- Reaches speeds of 100mph (160kph) in 4.92 seconds
- 1/7 scale, weighing 6 pounds(3.9kgs)
- Telemetry sensors and TSM stability management harness
- Shaft driven, reinforced steel-gear diff
- Shock absorbing cush drive and steel splined dual-CV driveshafts
You have to see the XO-1 in action in this video
Find the Traxxas X0-1 RC car on Amazon.
Check out my related article: What Is The Fastest RC Motor?
The Best Electric Powered RC Car For Off-road
Traxxas Rustler XL-5
The best RC car for off-road driving is by far the Traxxas Rustler XL-5. This is one of the fastest 100% RTR completely assembled trucks on the market, with a top speed of 35mph (56kph). 1/10 scale with a pre-painted ProGraphix body and entirely waterproof electronics providing much more fun for the skilled hobbyist!
The Traxxas Rustler XL-5 is available from Amazon for $229.95
The Best Electric Powered RC Car for Drifting
Drifting is where your RC car driving skill is needed! If you are looking for a tremendous driftingRTR RC car, try the Redcat Racing Lightning EPX Drift. Specially designed for sliding sideways through the bends, this 4WD with low-grip wheels is extremely easy to drift.
This RC car is a powerful 1/10 scale model with a top speed of 15mph (24kph) and only weighs 6 pounds (2.7kgs). Anyone can enjoy drifting with this dynamic RC car.
The Redcat Racing Lightning EPX Drift is available from Redcat at a very affordable price of around $169.99.
You can also see the Lightning EPX Drift on Amazon by clicking here
Please see my article covering what to consider when choosing a good RC drift car
What Is The Best Nitro Powered RC Car Right Now?
Nitro-powered RC cars offer the same speed and thrill as driving an electric-powered RC car, but with the added excitement of the loud engine and the smell of fuel! Read on for our recommended top nitro-powered RC cars.
Also check out my article: Who Makes The Best Nitro RC Car?
The Best Nitro Powered RC Car For Beginners
This RTR nitro-powered Truggy comes with a beginner’s price tag of around $379.99. A versatile vehicle designed for racing and bashing. A great first car for beginners.
Redcat Racing Monsoon XTR Truggy
- Fully assembled, 4.6 cc nitro engine with pull start
- 4WD single-speed transmission without reverse
- 1/8 scale weighing 15.4 pounds (7kgs)
- Oversized tires with soft compound rubber and aggressive tread pattern
- Composite dual disc brakes
- Front and rear sway bars
- Adjustable suspension with oil filled adjustable shocks
See the Redcat Monsoon here on Amazon
The Best Nitro Powered RC Car For Speed
This 2WD RTR RC car is already assembled, saving you time and effort. Retailing for around $390, this RC car sports an amazing low-profile body and ProGraphix body paint.
Traxxas Rustler Stadium Truck
- Fully assembled sporting a high-performance TRX 2.5 racing engine
- 1/10 scale with a 2-amp 12 volt DC peak detecting fast charger
- Top speed of 50mph (80kph)
- Traxxas electric EZ start
- Alias 2.8-inch tires with foam inserts on mirror-chrome twin-spoke wheels
- Bolt-on rear wing with aluminum hex hardware
- Ruthless acceleration
The Traxxas Rustler Stadium Truck is available on Amazon
The Best Nitro Powered RC Car For Off-road
Redcat Racing Volcano S30 Off-Road Truck
One of the best off-road monster trucks, the Redcat Racing Volcano S30 Off-Road Truck retails at around $259.99. With monster truck tires and 4WD drive suspension, the Redcat Racing Volcano off-road truck sports a 2-stroke nitro engine and weighs 10.55 pounds (4.7kgs).
The 1/10 scale aluminum body and chassis, together with the large capacity fuel tank and the deafening screams of the nitro engine, make this RC car a force to be reckoned with!
An excellent choice for the adrenaline junky hobbyist with experience in driving nitro-powered monster RC trucks!
The Redcat Racing Volcano S30 Off-Road Truck is available at Amazon.
The Best Nitro Powered RC Car For Drifting
HPI Falken Nissan S13
The best drifting car on the market right now has to be the HPI Falken Nissan S13. 4WD drive with a nitro star 3.0 engine and drift tires for easy drifting, this RC car is designed for experienced drivers. This RTR RC car can be converted from drift driving to street driving according to your needs.
The HPI Falken Nissan S13 is available online from Treasure Island at around $514.00
Conclusion
If you are going to spend any of your hard-earned money on a hobby, then you should make sure that you do your research first to see what is available on the market. You can have many hours of fun and enjoyment by choosing the right type of RC Car for you and your skill level.
Sometimes knowing which RC car to get can be like navigating a minefield to find the top-rated vehicles for your favourite form of RC driving. Always be pushing yourself to improve your driving skills and select a car that will challenge your skills!
