Gear it. Charge it. Run it.
RC car math with the working shown: gear ratio and top speed, motor KV, LiPo runtime and charge time, plus researched picks for beginners, kids, bashers and crawler builders.
Best buy-once basher
ARRMA 1/10 Granite 4X4 223S BLX BRUSHLESS RC Monster Truck RTR
- 1/10
- 4WD
- Brushless
A 3S-capable brushless 4x4 that starts calm on 2S and gets properly fast on 3S. The heart of our intermediate build.
$339.11 listed price, changes often
Check price on Amazon Full specsGear ratio and top speed calculator
24.0mph theoretical top speed
- Realistic estimate
- 20.4 mph
- On a full charge
- 27.3 mph
- In km/h
- 38.7 km/h
- Final drive ratio
- 13.00:1
- Spur ratio
- 4.778:1
- Motor RPM (nominal)
- 24,420
- Wheel RPM
- 1,879
Calculators
All calculatorsGear ratio and top speed calculatorTop speed = motor KV x battery volts / final drive ratio x tire circumference.Motor KV and RPM calculatorMotor KV is RPM per volt with no load, so RPM = KV x volts.LiPo runtime calculatorRuntime in minutes = mAh / 1000 x 0.8 / average amps x 60.Cell count, voltage and C rating calculatorEach LiPo cell is 3.7 V nominal and 4.2 V full, so a 3S pack is 11.1 V nominal and 12.6 V full.Charge time calculatorCharge time is roughly Ah to replace / charger amps, plus about 10 to 15 percent for balancing.Pinion and spur swap calculatorGoing up one pinion tooth raises top speed by about 100 / pinion teeth percent: 18T to 19T is about 5.6 percent faster.RC scale converterScale is a size ratio: a 1/10 car is one tenth the size of the full-size vehicle, so a 17 in long 1/10 truck represents a 170 in (14.2 ft) vehicle.Right RC car for an ageUnder about 8, toy grade at under 12 mph is right for nearly every child.
Best RC cars
All roundupsBest RC Cars for BeginnersThe best RC cars for beginners in 2026 are hobby grade RTRs with spare parts support, not toy grade. Our top pick, why, and three picks by budget.Best RC Cars for KidsThe best RC car for kids in 2026 depends on age and speed cap. See our top pick for ages 8 to 12, plus toddler and teen options with supervision notes.Best RC TrucksThe best RC truck for the money in 2026 is the Traxxas Slash 4X4 Brushless. See our top pick, budget tiers, and which brands actually earn their reputation.Best RC CrawlersThe best RC crawler to buy in 2026 is the Axial SCX10 III Coyote. See our top pick, three budget tiers, and how SCX10, TRX-4, and SCX6 actually compare.Best Fast RC CarsThe fastest and cheapest RC car we found stated at 50 mph is $122.99. See real speed claims as printed by manufacturers, by budget, with no invented numbers.Best Traxxas RC Cars and Trucks in 2026Traxxas builds bashers, crawlers, and monster trucks at almost every price point. Here is which Traxxas model actually fits your budget and skill level in 2026.Best Arrma RC Cars and Trucks in 2026Arrma covers everything from $150 GROM buggies to $800 6S bashers. Here is which Arrma model actually matches your budget, skill, and driving style in 2026.Best RC Car LiPo Batteries in 2026RC car LiPo batteries come in 2S, 3S, 4S, and 6S, with different connectors and C ratings. Here is which pack actually fits your truck's power system in 2026.
Popular right now
From Traxxas and Arrma bashers to mini crawlers and the best-selling toy-grade car for kids.
Complete builds
Compare all sixBeginner basher buildA first RC car for a teen or adult who wants to jump things in the yard without committing $500. About $218.57.Intermediate basher buildSomeone who knows they like RC and wants 40 mph-class bashing without buying twice. About $546.60.Expert basher buildExperienced drivers with open space who want the biggest, toughest monster truck in the Traxxas line. About $1791.68.Beginner crawler buildAnyone who wants to try crawling cheaply, including kids and apartment dwellers. About $180.97.Intermediate crawler buildSomeone ready for real outdoor trails and rock, who wants a platform that grows with upgrades. About $546.20.Expert crawler buildExperienced crawlers who want the smoothest low-speed control and are comfortable swapping a motor and ESC. About $996.29.
Settle a decision
All comparisons- 1/10 Scale vs 1/8 Scale RC Cars
- 2S vs 3S LiPo
- Arrma vs Losi
- RC Crawler vs Basher
- Brushed vs Brushless RC Motors
- LiPo vs NiMH RC Car Batteries
- Axial SCX24 vs Traxxas TRX-4M
- Toy Grade vs Hobby Grade RC Cars
- Traxxas TRX-4 vs Axial SCX10 III
- Traxxas vs Arrma
Learn the numbers
All guides- How Fast Do RC Cars Go?
- How Long Does an RC Car Battery Last
- How to Calculate RC Car Gear Ratio
- How to Change a Pinion Gear on an RC Car
- How to Charge RC Car LiPo Batteries
- How to Choose Your First RC Car
- RC Car Motor Turns vs KV
- RC Car Battery Connector Types
- RC Car Gear Ratio Explained
- RC Car Maintenance After Every Run
- RC Crawler Overdrive vs Underdrive
- RC Car Motor KV Explained
- RC Motor Temperature Guide
- What KV Motor for an RC Car?
- What Scale RC Car Should I Get
Look it up
Gear ratio chartEvery common pinion and spur, worked out.
KV and cell countRPM and speed ceiling from 2S to 8S.
Battery runtimeMinutes per pack by car type.
Model specsSpeed, scale and battery by model.
By ageThe right car from 3 to 16.
By budgetBest car under $50 to $1,000.
By scale1/24 to 1/7 explained.
Get the six build lists by email
Bashing and crawling builds at three budgets, every item priced. One email, no sequence.