To help you find the best RC cars for kids, we’ve tested out dozens of products, driving them overall kinds of surfaces, looking for models that were truly safe for children to play with and ones that could take the kind of beating those same children would throw at them. It takes a lot to impress kids these days, who have used intelligent devices like best smartwatch for kids, so this was not easy. While testing, we favored cars made high quality parts, featuring easy-to-use remote controls, and ones with bright kid-friendly designs. If you want to browse for other toys for your kids, look at our best RC toys guide.
Of the seven products on this list, the two-pack of Prextex Cartoon Vehicles is truly the best RC car for kids, containing two separate RC vehicles, a police car and a racecar, each with their own remote frequencies, so two kids can play together. The price is right, each vehicle looks great and sounds great, the build quality is high and the cars are completely safe, being rated for children three years old and up. Keep reading to learn more about the Prextex Cartoon Vehicles and the other products on our list.
Top 7 Best RC Cars for Kids Compared
#1 Prextex Cartoon Vehicles
Award: Top Pick / Best for Multiple Kids (ages 3 and up)
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Prextex Cartoon Vehicles offer the best of two worlds, with the package including both a brightly designed police car and a racecar, each featuring vehicle-specific sounds and their own unique remote frequencies, letting two kids play together. The remote control is easy to use, perfect for children ages three and up, easily making this the top pick.
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- Two cars come in package
- Remote is super simple to use
- Made from highly durable hard plastic
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- Sounds cannot be turned off
- Does not do well on thick carpeting
- Batteries not included
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This pair of Prextex Cartoon Vehicles are ideal for multi-children households, as each car’s unique remote frequency ensures that their wireless connections won’t get confused. The vehicles are made from highly durable hard plastic that easily stayed intact as we intentionally raced it down a few flights of stairs, boasting a maximum distance range of 20-30 feet. The remote is perfect for kids aged three and up, featuring just two buttons, and each car makes a vehicle-specific noise and comes with a unique action figure.
While the package does contain two vehicles, it does not come with any batteries whatsoever, meaning you’ll have to provide a whopping 10 AA batteries to get them both going. These cars, also, do not do well on thick carpeting, though we had no problem with other flat surfaces. However, the best RC trucks might fare better there.
#2 Haktoys Blue Invincible Tornado Twister
Award: Honorable Mention / Best for Stunts (ages 3 and up)
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Haktoys Blue Invincible Tornado Twister is designed, primarily, for flipping and performing outlandish stunts, featuring huge tires that can spin in 360 degrees and a durable hard plastic exterior. It is charged via USB, offering 20 minutes of play time on a 90 minute charge, and boasts a maximum range of 40 feet.
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- Reaches max charge in 90 minutes
- Safety forward features, such as bendable antenna on remote
- Durable exterior and spinning tires perfect for stunts
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- Struggles in grass and other outside surfaces
- Built-in music cannot be turned off
- Does not come with batteries for remote
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The Haktoys Blue Invincible Tornado Twister is a neat car that is perfect for stunts, featuring big grip tires that can spin in multiple directions and a durable hard plastic exterior that can take a beating. It is charged via USB and does not require any kind of battery removal, reaching a max charge in just 90 minutes, which will net you around 20 minutes of play time. The maximum distance range is 40 feet, which is good for most homes, and there are several safety forward features at play, including a bendable antenna on the remote control that will not break and become a choking hazard, making it safe for children three and up. These are features that can also be found in the best RC trucks for kids.
While the car’s batteries can be charged via USB, the remote needs garden variety AA batteries, which are not included in the box. It also plays a variety of five jingles as it races, which are cool at first, but cannot be turned off. Check out the DOUBLE E RC 1/18 Rechargeable RC Rock Crawler as well, which is a fun remote control truck that can reach a top speed of around 12 MPH. This monster truck can be controlled at a distance of up to 100m away and comes in an assortment of graffiti-style designs. If you want to make your truck even more entertaining, give it sound effects through an RC sound kit.
#3 Liberty Imports My First RC Car
Award: Best for Young Children (18 months and up) / Multiple Designs
WHY WE LIKE IT: A sturdily designed vehicle with a non-toxic ABS plastic exterior and a soft remote antenna, which is bendable and cannot be accidentally broken. It also comes in six unique designs, from a fire truck to a police car, that all come with a removable action figure, making this the perfect RC car for children as young as 18 months.
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- Made from highly durable non-toxic plastic
- Soft antenna is bendable, so difficult to break and swallow
- Comes in six unique kid-friendly designs
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- Batteries not included
- Remote frequencies can interfere, so multiple cars at once is difficult
- Not ideal for thick carpeting and outdoors is a no-no
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The Liberty Imports My First RC Car comes in six unique designs, including a train and a race car, that each come with a removable action figure, which young children should enjoy playing with. There are also several safety forward features that further enhance its reputation as being great for toddlers, including a soft, bendable antenna that is nearly impossible to break, thus avoiding accidental swallowing, and an exterior made from non-toxic plastic. The remote is easy to use, with just two buttons, and can make each vehicle emit noises and songs.
The car requires three AA batteries and the remote requires two AA batteries and none come in the box, so you’ll need to purchase them on your own. Additionally, we found it difficult to race two of these at once, as the remote frequencies tended to interfere with one another. This is something we expect from kids toys until they graduate to the best remote control car, but this could have been improved.
#4 Amicool Stunt Car Toy
Award: Best Value / Best for Outside Use (ages 8 and up)
WHY WE LIKE IT: Perfect for pulling off impressive stunts, thanks to its ABS plastic design and its capacity for 360 degrees of tumbling and flipping. The price is right, also, making this product the best value on the list, and the car is great for playing outside, with many competing cars intended for indoor use.
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- Low price point, considering features
- ABS plastic design is virtually indestructible
- Huge tires are great for outside play
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- For kids 8 and up, ruling out many children
- No batteries included
- Lasts under 15 minutes on a charge
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The Amicool Stunt Car Toy is, primarily, a vehicle designed to help kids pull off amazing stunts. This functionality is aided by a virtually indestructible ABS plastic design and some huge, vacuum-designed, tires that allow for an all manner of flipping and tumbling, with a full 360 degree range of motion. To that end, the remote feels great as you pull off these stunts, with sim controls and a maximum distance range of around 60 meters, making this a great choice for playing in the yard.
The low price point does come with its share of limitations. No batteries are shipped with this product, for either the vehicle itself or for the remote, and you’ll only get around 15 minutes of play time on a single charge. It is also rated only for children eight and up, meaning younger kids won’t have a chance to play with it. So maybe look at something like our Mattel Hot Wheels Car Maker Playset Review if that is an issue. Also, one of the best remote control cars for the outdoors is the RGT RC Crawler, which is waterproof and has a 1/10 scale.
#5 Cyclone Mini Remote Control Car
Award: Best Budget / Smallest (ages 8 and up)
WHY WE LIKE IT: A super-small, fitting in the palm of your hand, stunt vehicle that flips, twists and turns with the press of a button, featuring a remote control that looks and feels like a video game controller. The price is also very right, easily making this the best budget item on the list.
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- Small in size, but still capable
- Price is right
- 30 minutes of play time on a single charge
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- Great for open areas, but not small rooms
- Rated for kids 8 and up
- Not intended for outside use
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The Cyclone Mini Remote Control Car boasts a dual-sided design, so it can easily right itself after performing a flip, and a set of high-grip tires that can race on virtually any terrain found in the home. The included rechargeable battery will get around 30 minutes of play time after being charged for two hours, which is on the high end, and the Nintendo-centric remote control can make the car perform crazy stunts just by pressing a button. The super-small size makes it great for small children and the low price makes it perfect for anyone looking for an easy birthday gift.
The car zips along, making it great for open areas, a large living room perhaps, but not ideal for smaller living spaces. It is also not intended for outside use, as the car is simply too small to deal with large rocks and related obstacles.
#6 BIFYTON Remote Control Car
Award: Longest Distance Range / Best Crash Resistance (ages 8 and up)
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is another vehicle designed primarily for stunts, manufactured with a PVC plastic shell that is extremely durable, with the product becoming even more crashproof thanks to a set of heavy duty anti-shock tires that excel outside and bumpers on the rear. This is the most crash-resistant car on this list and boasts the longest distance range for the remote, coming in at over 65 feet.
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- Maximum distance range of 65 feet
- PVC plastic shell is highly durable and crashproof
- Great for outdoor use
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- Ran into temporary trouble syncing remote
- Charging requires removal of battery chassis
- For kids 8 and up, ruling out many children
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The BIFYTON Remote Control Car is perfectly crashproof, thanks to the exterior being coated in hardshell PVC plastic, sturdy rear bumpers and a set of anti-shock tires, making this a nearly perfect stunt car, as it can easily perform flips, twists and other feats. The distance range for the remote is also the longest on this list, coming in at over 65 feet, meaning your kids will be able to play with this throughout your yard and well into the neighbor’s yard. You’ll also get 20 minutes of playtime on a two hour charge, which is decent.
While the cars are juiced via a set of included rechargeable batteries, you’ll have to manually remove the chassis every time you need a recharge, though the product does come with all relevant tools to do so. The car is rated for kids eight and up, which we understand, given the remote may be too complicated for younger children. Nevertheless it is one of the best RC toys around. If you are looking for some gifts for geeks, an RC car is the perfect gift.
#7 KOOWHEEL Remote Control Car
We’re sorry, this product is temporarily out of stock
Award: Best for Many Vehicles at Once / Cool Glow in the Dark Look (ages 8 and up)
WHY WE LIKE IT: A sturdily designed stunt vehicle, with a cool glow-in-the-dark look, that allows for multiple racers in the play area at the same time, thanks to a remote that easily syncs to the desired vehicle. This is a great choice for multi-children households or for neighborhood kids that like to race together.
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- Remote instantly pairs to its vehicle, so you can have many going at once
- Features set of LED lights that makes it glow in the dark
- Durable design is great for stunts
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- Remote may be too complicated for younger children, rated for 8 and up
- Charging requires removal of battery chassis
- 10 minutes of play time for 2 hours of charging
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The KOOWHEEL Remote Control Car comes with a remote that easily syncs to its host vehicle, without much interference, meaning you can race multiple cars at once, provided you have access to more than one product. The stunt car is also made highly durable plastic materials and rubber tires, which can easily traverse yards or other common neighborhood obstacles. The vehicle also features a unique aesthetic, with LED lights running throughout that makes the car glow-in-the-dark.
While the car does come with a rechargeable battery, it will only net you around ten minutes of play time before needing to charge for two hours. Additionally, this battery is located underneath a chassis in the vehicle itself, requiring manual removal. If you prefer the skies, the best rc helicopters may be your first choice.
How We Decided
To help you find the best RC Car for your kids, we’ve tried out a bunch of different models, testing them out for safety, high build quality and traction on a variety of surfaces. To that end, we chose vehicles made with high quality materials, usually encased in ultra-hard plastic, to ensure that small pieces could not break off and become a safety hazard.
We also took a detailed look at each remote, choosing products that offered simple controls that were easy to race around the home and, in some cases, throughout the yard. While the distance ranges on the above products differ, each of them could be controlled all over the house, excelling when the vehicle was in eyesight.
We also took a look at additional quality-of-life features, such as good battery life, crashproof bodies and those that offered a variety of kid-friendly designs. Finally, there was the age range to consider. We took care to populate the above list with a mix of products that were suitable for kids of all ages, with some targeted for younger children and others appropriate for ages eight and up.
RC Cars for Kids Buying Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Safety Features
These are RC cars that are designed to be played with by children as young as 18 months, so you are going to want to make sure the manufacturers took their time to address common safety concerns. Look for products that are totally encased in an ultra-durable plastic, with no external parts that can easily break away. Also, depending on the age of your child, you may want to pick a product with a bendable, soft antenna, as antenna breakage is a common cause of alarm with these vehicles. - Battery Life
If you are looking to occupy your kids for the maximum amount of time, you are going to want to pick a product that features a robust battery life, something in the 30 minute range on a single charge. Additionally, you’ll have to decide on whether or not you want something that is powered by traditional AA batteries or via USB connection, the drawback of the latter is they often require manual removal in order to be charged. The drawback of using traditional batteries is obvious, as they cost money. - Age Appropriate
We took care to populate the above list with a mix of vehicles designed for children of all ages, from 18 months to eight years old and above. Even some of the products that are intended for older children can still be played with by younger kids, with the complication in controlling the remote being a typical barrier of entry. However, the products intended for toddlers are often designed with safety in mind, meaning no breakable parts to swallow and non-toxic plastic covering the exterior. Do your research and you’ll be sure to pick the right car for your child, no matter the age.
