10 Best Remote Control Cars in 2020

There is nothing wrong with owning a few remote-controlled cars, especially if you’ve always had an interest in cars in general. It’s one of the few hobbies that children and adults get to enjoy in equal measure, and even if you don’t have children to share them with, they can be a great guilty pleasure for a vast range of people. They bridge the gap between “toy” and “hobby” really well, and are an accessible pastime or diversion for even the most casual car or racing fans, as well as anybody who just likes to race small cars – you don’t need to be some lifelong expert to understand the fun behind setting up your own mini races around the house.

Below are ten different remote control car models that stand out from the rest, as well as some of the reasons they are perfect for adults and children alike. Like Fast and Furious? Check out the best Fast and Furious RC Cars

Remote Control Cars Buyer’s Guide

You wouldn’t think that buying a remote control car would be difficult. However, it’s not as simple as getting a toy model car – there’s a lot of different elements that go into the design of these remote-controlled vehicles, and each one can make or break your enjoyment depending on how it’s set up and constructed. This is especially important if you’re buying it as a gift for somebody else – there’s nothing worse than getting a present that doesn’t meet your expectations, and cars are a big hobby for a lot of people, even if they don’t actually own a real car yet.

Knowing what to buy and what to avoid depends on your (or your gift recipient’s) personal requirements and preferences, but there are still some rules and pieces of advice that almost always matter.

Scale

Just like models, action figures, or other toys, scale makes a big difference when you’re buying something for a car lover. For those unaware, a scale system works on the basis of “original size: new scale” – this means that a “1:16” car is one sixteenth of its original size. Even a small difference between two RC cars can affect not only their relative sizes but also the way they perform. Larger cars generally have bigger engines and wheels, and will usually take longer to charge (but not always).

You should also keep in mind that price and scale often matter when they are compared. A low-cost but high-scale RC car will usually be weaker than one of a smaller scale, since it’ll be made from a larger amount of cheaper materials, rather than a smaller amount of stronger and more durable plastics and metals. This isn’t always true, but it’s the case for the majority of brands.

Power

Remote-controlled toys often have limitations on the amount of power they can store at any one time since it’s not like you can just plug them in to keep them running forever. The majority of RC car models will use one of two main power sources – rechargeable batteries, or regular non-rechargeable batteries. It’s extremely rare that a single design will be able to use both at once, especially if it’s a cheaper product, so make sure you know what you’ll need ahead of time.

Obviously, both kinds have their own advantages and disadvantages. You can quickly swap out regular batteries when they go flat, as opposed to having to wait for them to recharge, but you’ll also end up spending more money in the long-term as you keep re-buying full batteries. On the other hand, a rechargeable battery needs a specific cable or charging station, which can render it useless if you lose it.

The controllers also need their own power source, and it won’t necessarily be the same as the car. There are many rechargeable RC cars that use battery-powered remotes and controllers, so you’ll still need to make sure that they’re both full and ready to use. Even if they’re both rechargeable, they’ll still drain power at different speeds, so two fully-charged batteries can run out of power at different times.

It’s important to note that many rechargeable battery packs are removable, allowing you to swap in a new one. This means that you can have a spare one in reserve, or even get a different type of battery that holds a greater charge. This is similar to getting more efficient regular batteries, with the added benefit of being able to recharge them at any time.

On-Road and Off-Road

Just like real cars, you’ll need to try and work out whether you’ll be using the remote control car indoors or outdoors. While the best remote control cars would deal with both equally, this is very rarely possible or practical, and there will always be a bias towards one or the other in the design. That’s not to say that you can’t use a car on a surface it’s not built for, but it’ll perform poorly, and might end up getting stuck or slow to a crawl.

If you’re a hobbyist or car fan who’s getting these cars to hold your own miniature races and competitive events, this becomes even more important. It’s like buying a real car – you need to get something that’ll perform well for the track you’re racing on, and you have to weigh up every pro and con in the context of the environment you’ll be in. For example, if you’re only planning to race around your own home or driveway, you can probably get away with using an RC car that’s designed for indoor use. However, it’ll lack the extra features that off-road cars often have, like proper waterproofing or a better suspension.

This isn’t just something for competitive hobbyists to think over, though. The same can be said for young children who will be getting the car as a present or toy – where are they going to use it, and what kind of environment will it need to endure? Some children will prefer to keep their cars indoors, whereas others might want to take them outside where there’s more space. Even something as small as a puddle or a patch of sand can be enough to cause damage to the workings of an RC car that’s not equipped to deal with it.

Quality

You should always focus on the general quality of any purchase. While it’s not easy to see exactly how strong, durable or detailed an item is when you’re buying it online, you can always look up reference images or video reviews that point out any faults and flaws. It’s often hard to tell the exact scale or size of a particular car, and you might end up finding reviews that point out serious hazards or design problems that haven’t been fixed.

If you’ve found a deal that seems too good to be true chances are it is, this is even more important, since RC cars can be much more dangerous than your average toy car. Not only can weak materials shatter and fragment if they hit something too hard, but the wiring and motors within can cause electric shocks, damaged skin, or even cuts if something goes wrong. This can be said of the controllers, too, since they use batteries of their own and can electrocute the user if the wrong parts are exposed.

There’s also the issue of the antenna – it’s one of the weakest points on any remote-controlled product. Not only does one have to stick out of both the car and the controller to make it function properly, but the loss of either antenna makes the vehicle completely useless since there’s no way it can receive signals to actually do anything. While you can sometimes buy replacements without having to throw away the entire set, it’s still an annoying setback that can’t always be fixed with just some tape or glue.

Expert Tip

Many higher-quality car designs will have concealed antennas that don’t stick out as much. This makes it far less likely for them to be damaged and has the added benefit of making the overall design look more compact.

Did you know?

You can often swap out or DIY certain parts on more expensive RC cars, even if it’s not officially supported by the manufacturer. This can include things like new tires for different surfaces or a more shock-absorbent front bumper.