9 Best Remote-Control Cars for Kids (And Adults)
Our top RCs are beloved by little kids, teens and adults who are still kids at heart.
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Little kids, big kids and adults all like to make electronic remote-controlled cars and vehicles careen through the house or around a yard or park, testing how far and fast they'll go and whether they can overcome obstacles and turn on a dime. When the Good Housekeeping Institute looks for the best RC cars, we place a premium on those that can do fun tricks, like wheelies and spins, since that's a big part of their appeal. Here's our list of top picks for the young and the young at heart.
Pros
- Goes over land and through water
- Durable
- Use indoors and outdoors
Cons
- Short USB cord makes charging awkward
Ages: 4+ | Top speed: 3 mph | Power: USB cord attached to the underside of the truck that folds into a compartment; controller requires 2 AAA batteries (not included) | Dimensions: 11" x 15" x 10"
This monster truck does what it promises: It travels on land or water, even moving through a swimming pool, which is a unique thrill. It's styled after the Monster Jam Megalodon shark-themed vehicle that kids may know from YouTube videos and monster truck events. The body and wheels are lightweight, which helps it bounce over obstacles in true monster truck fashion. It sometimes even catches a little air as it bounces over rough terrain.
"It doesn't get old!" one mom said of her kids going back to play with it again and again. Testers praise its speed and agility, especially for the under $50 price. "My only issue is that the USB cord for recharging the truck is short, so it has to sit near my charger," one parent told us. "When the truck is dirty and muddy, it's not necessarily something you want on your countertop."
Note that the USB cable stays attached to the truck. That makes it basically impossible to lose and keeps it from getting mixed up with all of your other cords. However, it also means you must carefully fold the charging cable back up into its waterproof door in the bottom of the truck after every charge, something that might require adult help.
There's another version of this that we love: the Monster Jam Official Grave Digger Trax All-Terrain RC is built like a tank and is popular with kids who love Grave Digger best. It won one of our previous year's Best Toys Awards, where a tester said, “People were jealous of its ability to go over rocks and through water.”
RELATED: Best Car Toys for Kids of Every Age
Pros
- Races up walls and across ceilings via vacuum power
- Low, giftable price
Cons
- Rechargeable battery lasts less than 20 minutes
Ages: 4+ | Top speed: N/A | Power: USB cord (included), 2 AA batteries for the controller (not included) | Dimensions: 6.25" x 2" x 5"
The thrill of this tiny car is that it can race up walls and even across the ceiling. Note that it can't go from the floor and then up the wall — just straight forward or backward on whichever surface it's set on. Also, it doesn't work well on textured walls — flat is best.
The secret is that it holds to a surface with vacuum power. That vacuum makes noise, but it's worth the small racket for the fun of racing a car vertically. This can run for anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes before it needs a recharge. The limited playtime can be frustrating, but the car being rechargeable is nice.
Terra by Battat Remote Control Bumper Cars
Pros
- Fun for two players
- Hitting one car into another can send a dino flying
- Can also play solo with one car in Auto Mode
- Dinos are removable for play on their own
Cons
- Requires 10 batteries in total
Ages: 3+ | Top speed: N/A | Power: Requires 10 AAA batteries (not included), two for each of the two vehicles and three for each of the two controllers | Dimensions: Each vehicle is 5.6" x 3.9" x 4.3"
Bumper cars are so much fun when used by two players willing to smash tiny dino vehicles into each other. If one car T-bones the other in the right spot, it hits a trigger that sends the unlucky dinosaur flying! Hilarity ensues.
Our consumer testers loved this set, earning it a spot in our most recent Best Toy Awards. “My sons had a ton of fun chasing each other’s cars around the house," one mom said. “These kept their attention longer than most toys.”
Alternatively, a kid can play with this solo. Switch the opponent car into Auto Mode and it will drive itself. A kid can also take the dinos out and role-play with them separately from the cars. Getting started with the remote-control play requires a lot of batteries — 10 of the small AAA batteries, to be exact.
Lego Technic App-Controlled Transformation Vehicle
Pros
- Lego build is a rewarding, educational challenge
- Runs for a long time
- Flips over to reveal a second vehicle
Cons
- Requires a smartphone or tablet to operate
Ages: 9+ | Top speed: N/A | Power: Car requires 6 AA batteries (not included); download the Lego Technic Control+ app to use a smartphone or tablet as the controller | Dimensions: 15" x 10.3" x 3.7"
You build this two-in-one vehicle from 772 Lego pieces, which is a project in itself, so that means you won't have a working vehicle right out of the box. We find it takes a tween or teen about a week to assemble it on their own, working for a few hours each day. Families working as a team report putting it together over a couple of evenings.
Users say the build is rewarding, and the car, controlled via an app on a tablet or smartphone, is high quality. It runs on regular batteries and can go for days before you need to switch the batteries out. When the blue racing vehicle flips over, it reveals a second side, which is an orange exploration vehicle.
This one is not speedy, and it is, in fact, slower than toy cars for younger kids, but the way it spins, climbs, flips and keeps going is a delight. This vehicle is best used indoors, since it would be hard to clean if it got muddy, and it can travel over obstacles you put in front of it.
Nintendo Super Mario Kart 8 Mario Anti-Gravity Mini RC Racer
Pros
- Does fun stunts
- Works over a far distance
- Popular with kids, teens and adults
Cons
- Burns through batteries in a couple of hours
Ages: 8+ | Top speed: 1.5 mph | Power: Car requires 6 AA batteries (not included); controller requires 2 AA batteries (not included) | Dimensions: 11.5" x 8" x 7.25"
If any franchise deserves an RC race car, it's Nintendo's Super Mario Kart. This fun little vehicle can do tricks, including wheelies, spins and drifts, like the moves featured in the video game. The wheels can turn sideways — that's the "anti-gravity" mode, because it makes it look as though the car is hovering. "It does not, in fact, leave the ground, but it is a fun illusion," said one tester.
The remote control works even 100 feet away from the toy, making it entertaining to race the car over a distance. Parents report it holding up to real abuse, including being sent off ramps and smashed into walls. Families report it being equally popular with 4-year-olds and teenage racers — and, of course, adults who never gave up playing Mario.
The Super Mario Kart comes with demonstration batteries and a cord connecting the car to the remote control, so be sure to remove the cord and replace the demo batteries with new batteries before play. Amazon reviewers say that it can burn through batteries after a couple of hours of use, so consider buying extras.
Prextex Cartoon Remote Control Police Car and Race Car
Pros
- Includes toy figures that ride inside the cars
- Two people can play together
- Easy operation
- More than 18,000 five-star Amazon reviews.
Cons
- Requires 10 AA batteries total
Ages: 2+ | Top speed: N/A | Power: Requires 10 AAA batteries (not included), two for each of the two vehicles and three for each of the two controllers | Dimensions: Each car is 5" x 4" x 4"
Just can't wait to race cars with the littlest person in your life? These feature lights, sounds and toy figures that can ride around in the two cars. Blinking headlights, sirens, simple songs and remote controls that are shaped like steering wheels add to the thrill of making the cars move forward and backward, as well as having them turn. The figures come out for play, but the lights and sounds can't be turned off.
The vehicles, a race car and a police car, are easy for even a toddler to operate. There are only two big buttons, which keeps things simple and intuitive for young kids. A big plus of this set is that two children can play together, or an adult can play along with a child.
Play can last a long time, but you'll want to keep batteries on hand. The entire set requires 10 of them, not included. This has more than 18,000 five-star Amazon reviews.
Pros
- Great beginner hobby RC car
- Runs for 30 minutes or more
- Lightweight and jumps high
Cons
- Wheels can wear down quickly when used outdoors
Ages: 14+ | Top speed: 15 mph | Power: Racer recharges via a USB cord, included; controller requires 4 AAA batteries, included | Dimensions: 17.7" x 8 x 5"
Users rave about this racer's value for the money. The low price is partly due to the fact that this remote-controlled car is 1/18th the size of a real race car, while most hobby cars are 1/10th the size. This mini is an affordable way to step up to fast-racing fun. It's also the rare RC car that's ready to go after you take it out of the box — even the remote control's batteries are included.
Families use this car both indoors and outdoors but report that the wheels do wear down quickly when it's run on concrete and rock versus wooden floors or carpet. We notice that it seems more responsive than many other RC cars, turning quickly. It's also able to do great wheelies and jumps because it's so lightweight.
Pros
- A Barbie-size princess doll fits inside
- Batteries included
- Fun addition to pretend play
Cons
- Basic controls, so this doesn't do fancy tricks
Ages: 4+ | Top speed: N/A | Power: Batteries, included | Dimensions: 15" x 6.5" x 12"
A fashion doll such as Barbie can ride around in this remote-control vehicle for princess fans. The remote control Barbie Corvette is cool, too, but it's hard to compete with a gilded carriage!
Kids can make the carriage go forward or backward or take wide turns. Batteries are included, so it's ready to go out of the box. This won one of our most recent Best Toys Awards, and testers said it led to fun imaginative play. “My daughter loved creating imaginary scenes with the carriage and her dolls,” one parent said.
Pros
- Based on an inspiring role model
- Able to do wild stunts
- Easy to use in small spaces
Cons
- Takes practice to make it right itself
Ages: 6+ | Top speed: 30 mph | Power: Recharges via a detachable USB cord that plugs into the back of the wheelchair; controller requires 2 AA batteries (not included) | Dimensions: 9.5" x 5.3" x 7.75"
Though it's not a car, we'd argue that this Hot Wheels remote-controlled wheelchair can do some of the wildest stunts. Named to our Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards and inspired by Paralympic motocross champion Aaron "Wheelz" Fotheringham, who was born with spina bifida, this remote-controlled vehicle speeds up to 30 mph, spins, jumps and does wheelies.
When it tips over, you can set it to right itself via the remote control, but that takes some practice. It comes with a cardboard ramp that you can use to send the wheelchair flying, and it also comes with a set of stickers. The wheelchair, with its nonremovable figure, is six inches tall and lightweight — easy to use even in small spaces.
How we test remote-controlled cars
The RC cars on this list have been reviewed in the Lab, in the homes of Good Housekeeping Institute staff and/or by family testers over the past 10 years. When we test toys and gifts our analysts begin by ensuring that each toy meets all federal safety standards. Then our experts check for pinch points (spots on a toy where a small child could hurt a finger) and conduct a drop test to be certain the toy won't shatter into small pieces with sharp edges or pose a choking hazard. Next, we carefully evaluate the ease of assembly for parents and kids, as well as the product's construction and durability during play.
When evaluating a remote-controlled toy, we check to be sure it can run for at least 10 minutes, fully charged. We look at how a vehicle gets its power, and whether it needs fresh, disposable batteries or uses a rechargeable battery. We don't place a lot of emphasis on pure speed; we leave that to the hardcore hobbyists, though we do have some fast racers among our picks. We take notes on the ease of the recharging process. We also take notes on whether the car works best indoors or outdoors, and if it leaves any marks on walls or cabinets that it bumps into. We race a vehicle down stairs or off a counter to be sure that, even going at speed, it doesn't break apart at the landing.
What to look for when shopping for a remote-controlled car
No matter who will be at the controls of your RC car, here's what to consider:
✔️ Power source: Today's remote-controlled toys are almost all wireless, powered either by batteries you insert or by rechargeable batteries that require you to plug in the toy. Very few RC cars are ready to go straight out of the box: You'll probably need to either insert new batteries (usually not included) or charge up the rechargeable batteries.
- If a toy takes regular batteries, play lasts a long time (hours), but you'll need to buy new batteries when they run down.
- If a toy uses rechargeable batteries, the vehicle will often run for only minutes at a time — often less than a half hour — but you won't need to buy new batteries. Rechargeable batteries fire up with a USB cable. You plug one end into the toy and the other end into a power adapter (like the kind you use to charge your phone) or into your laptop to give the batteries their juice.
✔️ Remote control: With the exception of one RC vehicle that's operated via smartphone, our picks require additional batteries for each remote control, the device a person holds to direct the toy.
✔️ Durability: We focus on trusted toy brands known for making strong toys that are built to hold up to a lot of rough play. When we test, we make sure that RC cars can smash into walls and furniture indoors and ride over rocks and hills outdoors, all without breaking apart.
✔️ Speed: Some RC cars are literally racers, and others are not so speedy. Vehicles age-graded for teens and adults usually go the fastest, but in this story, the RC wheelchair is also extremely fast.
✔️ Size: Look at the dimension size of an RC car so you know what you're getting. Small remote-controlled toys are fun indoors, but big RC vehicles are hard to maneuver around furniture. Any size can work outdoors, since, unlike a drone, these are unlikely to get stuck in a tree or on a roof.
✔️ Age grading: RC cars for ages 3 and up might contain small pieces that could pose a choking hazard for younger kids. Any remote-controlled vehicle is fun for an adult to use, but children should not be given toys that are marked as above their age level, both for safety and for practicality. For instance, if something is marked for 12 years and up, it probably takes a bit of finger dexterity and patience.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has provided expert reviews and advice on everything parents and children love, including active outdoor toys like the best drones for beginners and the best kids' bikes.
Author Jessica Hartshorn has several decades of experience evaluating and testing toys and tech with families as an editor at American Baby and Parents magazines. She now checks out new toys for Good Housekeeping.
Many vehicles on this list have also been evaluated by Marisa LaScala, Good Housekeeping's senior parenting and relationships editor and the author of most of our age-based gift guides.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.
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