Best Remote Control Cars for Kids Reviews and Buying Guide

Are your children bored with the toys they already have? Do they want something new and exciting? Or are did the just start getting into cars? Then an RC (remote controlled) car is an amazing and fun gift. Not only will a remote-controlled vehicle give them hours of fun, but it may teach them basic facts about how cars function. Half the fun of owning one of these is upgrading them, and tinkering around with the various parts found therein.

Now, of course, an RC car is not nearly the same as an actual car, but playing with it will undoubtedly stimulate that mechanic, do-it-yourself part of their personalities. Another impressive fact is that your kids will spend more time outside, not only on sidewalks but in nature as well, as these cars are not meant to be played indoors. However, this isn’t just a gift for kids – there are many enthusiasts, adults, who would certainly love one of these bad boys. Car enthusiasts and model train or plane fans will enjoy playing with these things.

Now, the number of cars found online can be quite overwhelming, so we have compiled an article that will help you in choosing the right RC car for your loved ones – just read on.

5 of the best remote control cars

1.  The Distianert 9300 Offroad Monster Truck

This car is, in our opinion, the best on the market. Affordable, fast, durable, and with a reliable battery, you should not miss out on this thing.

Let’s start with the design. First of all, it’s a Monster truck, already getting a nice plus in our book. It has blue decals on blue and white paint, with black wheels. While there is nothing special as far as its looks are concerned, its functionality is where it shines.

Since it’s a monster truck, it’s intended for off-road driving. That’s where its wheels come in: it has big, durable wheels, with spikes on them. This gives the truck excellent traction and control. Its suspension is made out of durable materials that provide it just enough “bounciness” and give you just enough power. The materials used for both the suspension and the wheels are intended to make the car withstand drops from high surfaces, weathering unstable terrain, guaranteeing that this car will last you for a very long time.

It has a potential top speed of 30 miles per hour, making this truck quite stable at racing as well. This speed is provided by a reliable 7.4 V battery and will last for around 20 minutes (charging lasts for about 3 hours).

The controls are very accurate and responsive, giving you a great deal of power and precision, and has a 100-meter control radius. Trust us, and you won’t go wrong with choosing this car.

2. The Holy stone 2962A Lamborghini Venano

This is, at least for us, the most beautiful car on this list. Constructed out of sturdy and high-quality plastic, this car has a stylish glossy finish that makes it (literally and figuratively) shine. The car itself is very detailed and looks very realistic. Another cool aspect is that the doors open automatically; it has an actual mock engine sound and has working lights.

Another great option is that the joystick has a gravity sensor, meaning that you can just nudge and direct the controller in whatever direction you want, and the car will follow.  You can drive it for a solid 30 minutes, and charging lasts for about 4 hours.

There is one issue, however, and that is that the control distance is just 30 meters. Still, it’s a gorgeous streetcar that is a must for any Lamborghini fan.

3. SXJJX RC Rock Off-Road

This is a very tough RC car. The frame and every part are fixed with screws guaranteeing that it can take a punch. This is probably the best RC car you can get for wild, unstable off-road drives. Not only is it durable, but the tires are made from PVC materials that are elastic and soft, with a firm grip and skid resistance.

All these factors give you a great deal of control and durability, which is further emphasized by its suspension. Each wheel has its independent suspension spring, making it possible to withstand rough and tumble terrain.

Another excellent addition is that the electric motor is powerful and gives you enough torque to go wherever you want it to go. However, this one is a bit slow, and the battery doesn’t last that long.

4. Exceed RC Infinitive Nitro Gas Powered Off-Road Monster

Now, this is one powerful car. Using a nitro-based gas motor, this remote-controlled car has many great things to offer. Namely, being a gas-powered car, it will last for a long time is easy to refill and has a lot of power behind it.

First, the chassis is made from a lightweight, 2.5-millimeter thick aluminum alloy. This protects it from damage while making it quite light.  Furthermore, the suspension arms are also made from a light alloy, reducing the weight of the car, while sacrificing none of the durability or strength. Also, compared to other gas-powered vehicles, this one is relatively easy to maintain and fix.

However, it’s a bit difficult to control and steer, and the control radius isn’t that wide.

5. IRUIS CrossRace Off-Road Racing Buggy

A flexible and fast buggy, this one will give your kid hours upon hours of fun. Perhaps the main point of this one is one word – speed. It can speed up and maintain a velocity of 20 kilometers per hour, and since it’s a buggy, it can handle rougher terrain. It could be a great option if you want to start a race around a park.

Furthermore, it has a Shock Absorption and Damping system that increases its lifespan significantly. This electric car has a control distance of 60 meters and a charging time of just 1-2 hours. Furthermore, it can even traverse sand.

However, controlling it can be a problem. While the controls have an excellent response time, they are not as precise as they could be.

What is a remote control car?

Now, what exactly is a remote-controlled car? It’s, mostly, a battery or small gas-powered model of a car (or truck) that you can control, well, remotely. You do this by using a particular remote (or transmitter). They can be controlled by a radio-frequency link (so, no wires, only radio transmission), or by a controller connected to the car by a cable. You can play with it outside on the asphalt, on dirt roads, some perform wonderfully on the sand, others in forests or rocky terrain.

Now, there are many types of remote-controlled cars, and we will elaborate upon this later in the article (in the “Things to consider section”). Still, for now, these are, in our humble opinion, the best and most affordable remote-controlled cars on the market.

Things to consider when purchasing an RC car

There are many factors when choosing a remote-controlled car. Namely, the type of car (Streetcars, drift cars, trucks, crawlers, truggies, and buggies), the power source of the vehicle (battery-powered or fuel), the car engine (brushed or brushless/2-stroke or 4-stroke) and the brand (Traxxas, HPI, Tamiya, Exceed).

Let’s start with the types:

Types

Choosing the type of car you want is predominantly based on where you want to drive it. Your choices are mostly on or off-road, though you can have a hybrid.

First, the streetcars. These are best for, you guessed it, street driving. They are made for flat, paved surfaces like asphalt. They will excel at both speed and handling when on a flat, clean road, but any bumps, cracks can damage it. They are mostly useless off-road, and even cobblestone is a problem, but no other car can match them as far as speed is concerned (if you drive them on an appropriate surface, that is).

Drift cars are quite similar to streetcars, but their tires smoother and slicker. This allows you to “drift” when driving them, making figure eights and whatever else you want. Drifting is difficult, but when mastered, it is a lot of fun. Be warned, the same constraints that apply to regular street cars apply to drift cars (even more so).

Next, good ol’ trucks. They’re big, they’re wrong, they’re just cool. Unfortunately, handling is delicate, and there is a good chance that they can flip over at high speeds (not that they’re that fast anyway). However, off-road racing is a great option and a ton of fun. Also, the coolness factor should not be understated.

Buggies are a fantastic option if you can’t decide whether you want to drive on regular roads or off-road. This one can do both. They are very fast on-road and can hold their own off-road, but they do fall into the “jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none” category. They are not as fast as streetcars, and because of their low wheelbase may struggle with nastier and more difficult off-road terrain.

Crawlers are made for really steep terrain (mostly off-road). They have fantastic suspension and are very mobile. You will certainly understand why they are named the way they are when you see them climb a crazy steep off-road hill. However, they are not as fast as streetcars (or buggies).

While buggies go the 70/30 route in favor of the streets, truggies go the other way around, being quite stable on actual roads, but being quite useful on crazy off-road terrain. Not very fast, but their monster truck tires and stiff suspension means they hold their own quite effectively on rough terrain.

Electric vs. Fuel

Now that you know which type you are interested in, you should know a little about the power sources available for remote-controlled cars.

First, you got the electric RC cars. This type is a bit cheaper, requires little maintenance, and doesn’t require any actual fuel. However, therein lies its main flaw – the battery. Batteries usually last around 30 minutes of run time (ranging from 12 to 50 minutes of actual driving). However, they typically accelerate faster and are more eco-friendly. You can get a brushed or a brushless motor. Brushed are cheaper, but are not as efficient. Also, Brushless motors can last for a very long time, while brushed have an expiration date of about nine months.

Those that run on fuel are a bit more expensive and more complex. Now, this complexity essentially means that a lot more things can go wrong (and then will have to be repaired). However, for some, this can be a big part of the fun.  They can, however, run much longer, and the gas isn’t that expensive (and you don’t need that much of it). They also sound cool, almost like a real car. You can get a two-stroke or a four-stroke engine. The latter is much more potent than the former, but is much more complicated (again, a plus for some people) and will require more maintenance.

 Brands

Now, the brands vary in price and quality, and there are hundreds of them, but the ones we listed are the most popular. Traxxas are expensive but are quite fast and durable. Tamiya is classic, old school cars, and are quite durable. HPI are durable but are not as fast as they should be for their price. Exceed are not that durable, but are very affordable.

Final

That should probably give you all the information you need to buy the right RC car for your kids. But don’t think of these cars as just toys. For example, the ones that require extra maintenance present a perfect opportunity to spend some bonding time with your child while you work on the RC car together. It’s a great educational tool and will get them regularly out of the house.