6 Top-Rated Toy RC Cars That Will Make Great Gifts

It's never too early to get a start on your holiday shopping. Whether it's for a kid, or an adult who never quite grew up, an RC car can make for a great present, as they can provide hours of entertainment both indoors and outside. While Internet-connected devices and newer technology have expanded the ways you can entertain a child, such as by using one of the best streaming services for kids, RC cars are a tried-and-true way to help kids learn hand-eye coordination and motor skills (pun intended).

I've purchased multiple remote control cars for my preschooler, and we've both had a blast taking them out for spins. When it comes down to controls, the RC cars of today aren't much different from the ones I played with when I was my son's age. But, more advanced technology has definitely brought some advantages, such as smaller and more efficient rechargeable batteries (that are also easier to recharge thanks to USB compatibility) and longer range remotes.

Hobby-grade RC cars typically take even more advantage of newer tech to be fast and powerful, but they're fairly expensive, whereas simple, toy RC cars that may be more appreciated by younger kids are cheaper than ever. Of course, with cheap cars, you're at greater risk of buying a toy-sized lemon. To help avoid this, here are six top-rated toy RC cars that will make great gifts, based on customer reviews and my own personal testing. More information on how these cars were selected can be found at the end of this list.

The DEERC Spider Remote Control Car, which has a 4.6 average customer score on Amazon, is not officially sanctioned Marvel merchandise, but it certainly looks the part and immediately won my son over with its red and blue Spider-Man-like design. It's crazy fast, and with its big wheels, it's more like a cat than a spider because it always lands on its feet, no matter how hard you try to crash it. Plus, it has LED lights that look very cool at night, especially when it does an easy-to-implement vertical spin maneuver.

On a single charge, I've gotten at least 20 minutes of full play out of the car, but you'll need to pause and use a screwdriver to swap the additional rechargeable battery in. While this is a little frustrating, it does mean the battery won't pop out as the car is jostled around, and my son does seem to get a kick out of "playing mechanic" to swap it out.

One other downside to note is that, after a few weeks of steady use, one wheel is already loose — though in fairness, my son also likes to repeatedly kick the toy for some reason. It still rides smoothly and can handle all sorts of terrain so far though, and I've already gotten so much bang for my buck that I wouldn't mind buying another at some point.

The DEERC Spider Remote Control Car is available on Amazon for $24.99. The DEERC Iron Remote Control Car, a variant with a red and gold Iron Man-styled aesthetic is available for just $18.99.

Tamiya is well known for its detailed kits, such as its F1 racer and Ford Bronco, and building the Tamiya Grasshopper RC Car can be just as fun (or more) than driving it once it's assembled. Of course, if you're just looking for a simple RC car you can play with right out of the box, Tamiya's Grasshopper might not be the choice for you since it's a kit.

The Grasshopper is built with a durable frame and tough plastic body that can withstand dirt tracks and rougher roads. It's also equipped with rear two-wheel drive, rigid axle rear suspension, an independent swing axle in the front, coil spring dampers, and a sealed gearbox to protect it from debris. Its rear tires are paddle-style, and the front wheels are ribbed to give the vehicle exceptional grip to the surface. Despite all this equipment, the RC car weighs just 830 grams. At the heart of the car is a 380-type motor, though its chassis is also compatible with the sold-separately Tamiya 300053068 Electric Motor 540 Sport Tuned.

On Amazon, the list price for the Tamiya Grasshopper RC Car is $164.99, but it often goes on sale and is marked down to $105 at the time of this writing. Based on nearly 550 user ratings, it has an average customer score of 4.4 out of 5.

RC cars that have wheels big enough that they can't flip over are especially great for younger children who are likely to keep crashing their cars. Plus, they look cool when they flip. The Air Hogs Flippin' Frenzy is especially fun for this, since one side is a bright red muscle car and the other a bright blue luxury sports car, making it easy to track your flips. 

The toy is one of the highest-rated toy RC cars on Amazon and has a 4.5 out of 5 overall user rating based on over 450 customer reviews. Many of the positive reviews highlight how fast the car is, which is important when you're looking to slam it into walls or large rocks or other obstacles to overturn it. The controls and axles also allow you to flip the car on its own without bumping into anything. Combined with its ultra-soft wheels, this also makes the Flippin' Frenzy a great choice if you want to keep your RC play entirely indoors.

It's also durably built to withstand drops, crashes, and toddlers. It should be noted that a small minority of reviews have mentioned that the wheels may break down after a while, along with issues with battery life, which isn't that hard to believe when dealing with cheaper RC products.

Amazon sells the Air Hogs Flippin' Frenzy for $49.99 before discounts.

Not all RC cars need to be racers. If you've ever had a young child, you probably know how obsessed they can become with construction equipment, which makes the KIDMARKT Remote Control Excavator a great, outside-the-box gift idea. On Amazon, it has a 4.2 out of 5 average customer score based on over 675 ratings. With its 11-channel remote, you can do a lot with this excavator, including drive it forward and backward, turn the cab fully around, and lift the excavating shovel up and down. It's fully functional, so you'll be able to scoop up and move loose sand, dirt, gravel, or small toys like Legos or beads.

With its rugged treads, it can also drive over these materials, as well as carpets and other uneven terrain. Like real excavators, though, it's a fairly slow vehicle. It's nice to be able to do so much with a relatively simple toy, but the controls can be a little complicated for younger kids. Their muscle memory will likely catch on quickly — you'll just need to make sure it does before they get bored and move onto the next shiny thing. However, this truck also comes with fun lights and sound effects to win over their attention.

The KIDMARKT Remote Control Excavator is listed at $59.99 on Amazon.

Many kids are first introduced to auto racing through "Mario Kart," which makes Nintendo's official Super Mario Kart 8 Mario Anti-Gravity Mini RC Racer a great gift choice. Modeled after Mario's anti-gravity ride in "Mario Kart 8," this RC toy has a 4.3 out of 5 overall customer score based on over 7,500 user reviews on Amazon. Its remote uses child-friendly controls and has a 100-foot range, so you can set up long, fun racetracks. Plus, you can perform tricks like wheelies and 360-degree spins, as well as classic "Mario Kart" drifts. Its wheels can even flip sideways to mimic Mario's hovercraft mode.

Reviews by parents mention that the toy is durable enough to handle rough handling by younger kids. However, if you look closer at the breakdown of its ratings, you can see that while most are five stars, over 11% are just 1-star, and that Amazon even includes a warning that it's a "frequently returned item." Plus, many report that the toy quickly depletes its AA batteries. These red flags mean you may be rolling the dice with everyone's favorite plumber and could end up with a dud, but Amazon is good about returns and replacing items with better-working ones if it comes to that. 

The Super Mario Kart 8 Mario Anti-Gravity Mini RC Racer is priced at $39.99, though it's currently available from Amazon for $26.49.

Let's acknowledge the "Beast Wars" cyborg elephant in the room — the LNNKINE Transform Robot Car is clearly a knockoff of a "Transformers" product. It's a sleek-looking police car that — with the single push of a button — turns into an upright robot with distinct, angular features. However, it's also an extremely affordable RC car that's perfect for especially younger kids, thanks to its very simple controls. 

It's easy to steer both in its car and robot modes, and it has an autopilot demo mode that can be activated with a large, dedicated button on the remote. This lets the car drive itself and transform on its own for 30 seconds or so, which is great for little kids who want to feel like they're controlling the vehicle, even if they're not. Plus, it has a fun red-and-blue light-up siren that — thankfully for parents — doesn't actually make noise.

However, the car is dreadfully slow and can only handle very flat terrain. It'll get stuck easily on anything else. But, if you're shopping for a starter RC car for toddlers, it's a fantastic choice that has been a huge hit with my four year old. Based on over 1,100 reviews, the toy has a 4.4 out of 5 average customer rating on Amazon, which sells the LNNKINE Transform Robot Car for $20.99. There's also a bright yellow model available for the same price that looks more like the Bumblebee Camaro from "Transformers."

Three of these RC cars — the LNNKINE Transform Robot Car, DEERC Spider Remote Control Car, and the KIDMARKT Remote Control Excavator — have been used for several months by myself and my four-year-old son, who is one of the toughest critics I know. By watching him play with these products, as well as controlling them myself, I learned a good deal about the various pros and cons of each. Additionally, every item on this list has overall positive feedback on Amazon, with scores all upward of 4.2 all based on at least 450 ratings each. 

When considering which RC cars would make for great gifts, several factors were considered, including price, durability, ease-of-use, aesthetics, and whether they can do more than just make left and right turns. While these toys can make great gifts for adults, it's more likely that children will get the most out of these RC cars, as opposed to more expensive, hobby-grade models. That said, I'd be lying if I told you I didn't enjoy taking over the remote for these vehicles whenever my kid would get bored.