These Aren't Toys—the Best Adult and Hobbyist RC Cars for 2024

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This story was updated in March 2024 with new products and information.

When most of us think of RC cars, we imagine the little plastic cars and trucks that kids lose their minds over on Christmas morning and have become an afterthought (or, worse, destroyed) by the new year. There is, however, a world of radio-controlled cars that aren't toys. These things are serious; they're bigger, faster, more complex, and even sometimes powered by real fuel. These are not kids' toys—they're for teens, adults, and, more specifically, hobbyists.

Some RC cars are tuned to drift, some to wow you with face-melting speed, and some to replicate their life-size counterparts with a stunning attention to detail. With so many options out there, the Gear Team experts came together to figure out which RC cars and trucks are most worth it. These are our favorite RC cars for drifting, flat-out speed, and looks—perfect if you've got a lonely stretch of pavement that deserves some action.

Best RC Cars for Kids

Things to Consider When Buying an Adult RC Car

Adult RCs can go faster than the speed limit on a freeway and out-tough a monster truck. And they can cost plenty too. All of which makes buying an RC car for an adult a bit of a crapshoot for the uninitiated. So, here are a few things to consider when buying a remote-controlled car for a hobbyist.

Types

Just like the real car market, the RC-car market offers a variety. The first thing to consider is whether you want to go on-road or off-road. On-road cars tend to go faster—especially around corners, because the tires typically have more grip. On-road cars also include drift machines, which are designed to slide around corners. For most people, though, off-road RC cars are preferred, because they allow you to drive them in more places.

In the off-road RC realm, there are a few main body shapes, including buggies, monster trucks, and rock crawlers. A lot of the components are identical, whether it's the skeletal frame, the motor, or the suspension. But different cars have different characteristics. Monster trucks have tires sitting very wide on the car. The bigger footprint means they're less susceptible to rolling over. Buggies are great all-rounders with a low center of gravity, so they're ideal for those wanting to set a lap record. Rock climbers can clamber over all kinds of obstacles.

Scale

The size of an RC car is measured as a fraction relative to a full-size vehicle. Buying a more common scale of around 1/10th typically gives you access to more spare parts.

Speed

Modern RC cars are fast. Back around 2015, a Southern California man named Nic Case drove the fastest radio-controlled car ever recorded—a face-melting 202 mph. Thanks to improvements in battery and motor tech, Case set that record with an electric RC.

While your average toy RC car will only do a fraction of that speed, adults can easily find models that will do 50 or 60 mph. For a 1/10th-scale RC car, that equates to a scale speed of around 350 mph. Now that's face melting.

Electric vs. Fuel

There are two main types of propulsion for RC cars: fuel and batteries. Fuel RC cars are for serious hobbyists and racers only. They require a lot of maintenance and repair, just like a full-scale fuel-powered automobile. Electric RCs can go even faster than liquid-fuel cars, as evidenced by Mr. Case. RC batteries can cost $100 or more, but they're easier to maintain and simple to charge.

Electric RC car motors use either "brushed" or "brushless" motors. The terms refer to the small carbon blocks (or brushes) within the motors. Brushless motors are faster, so if budget permits, the extra expense is worth the extra fun.

Batteries

The cheapest RC batteries generally use a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) construction and cost around $30 or less. Like all batteries, they tend to degrade over time, but the affordability makes them easy to replace. But the RC market is fast moving to lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries. Typically more expensive and lighter, they can hold more energy, measured in milliampere-hours. Generally, the bigger the mAh number, the longer the drive time.

The Best Adult and Hobbyist RC Cars

Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Kit TT02

Tamiya made its first model, a replica of a Japanese battleship, in 1959 and has since been one of the leaders in replica models and RC cars and trucks. This kit comes unassembled, which we think is pretty neat, and the Martini-liveried Carrera RSR body is just icing on the cake.

The TT02 chassis includes four-wheel drive, racing tires, and a range of adjustability of things like ground clearance, wheelbase, and even gear ratios.

AK-787

The AK-787 may have drawn inspiration from Mazda's famous Group C 787 race car. While we can't say for sure, what we do know is that this ready-to-run kit shows just how impressive RC cars have become. There are too many features to list, but here are the things that matter: It has a range of about 1200 feet (four football fields), a top speed of over 120 mph, a carbon-fiber chassis, and an electrically operated liftable tail fin. All of this sounds more impressive than most real cars, and for under $500.

FCX18 Land Cruiser LC80

This officially licensed Toyota 80-series Land Cruiser has a cult following thanks to its legendary reputation for go-anywhere toughness. It features a roof rack, a snorkel, front and rear off-road bumpers, and working floodlights.

Underneath, the FCX18 chassis features components like crossbeams, suspension links, steering rods, front and rear axles, springs, and shock absorbers. Looking at the underside of this truck, we'd be surprised if you don't go full nerd the way we did. You can also opt to have the truck in blue or yellow, if you find gray a bit drab.

1/10 Super Clod Buster Limited Edition Truck Kit

The Clod Buster is one of Tamiya's best-known models, and it's easy to see why this kit has been popular for years. It features a Silverado-esque pickup-truck body with a blower and floodlights, metal trim, dual motors and gearboxes, four-wheel drive, and even four-wheel steering. This kit will require assembly, but a few hours of putting this together can teach you a lot about how these things work, and the payoff when it's done is sweet.