Traxxas are known for being the biggest brand within the RC car industry. They’ve been around for over 30 years, so they’ve earned their prestigious name as producing some of the best RC cars around. However, Tamiya also provide another option if you’re looking for a decent RC car.
Although the brands both produce decent RC cars, there are some differences between them that will likely make you decide on one above the other. Of course, ideally you’ll want to be looking at each RC car individually and it’s specs, because the best Tamiya is better than the worst Traxxas, and vice versa. So, it’s important to check out exactly what model you want from each brand.
Traxxas vs Tamiya
Traxxas are the leader when it comes to RC cars – they produce the best cars around, and by best cars, most people tend to mean fastest cars. Traxxas are always pushing the boundaries when it comes to their cars, with the best example being the XO-1, which can do speeds of over 100mph out of the box. Aside from this model, they have a ton of customizable options for those looking for RC cars.
Whereas Traxxas are best known for their cars in their own right, Tamiya are definitely best known for their scale replicas and their awesome drifting cars. They have licenses for some of the most famous cars around, including everything from Ford Broncos to Ferraris, as well as a wide collection of Japanese car brands (my favorite of these is the Mitsubishi Lancer. This is no surprise, as the brand itself is Japanese, so they have good relations with a lot of big Japanese car manufacturers. Another brand that have some great replicas are HPI.
So, these two brands are some of the best around whether you’re looking for a replica of a big brand or you’re looking for premium RC car, then these are two of the better options around. Let’s have a look at some of the best models from each brand to see some of their best offerings.
Traxxas – Slash
If you’re looking for a good entry level RC car of a higher grade, then the Traxxas Slash is a good choice. The Titan 12-Turn 550 motor is decent enough, and it’ll give you speeds of around 30mph from stock. You can also find a ton of upgrades with the Traxxas Slash too, so if you’re looking at getting your fingers dirty in the modification side of things, then it’s a great place to start.
The Slash isn’t a 4×4 model, but it’s still quite durable and should last you a good while. It has rubber bumpers, so even if you do crash, you have got some level of support there to ensure that you’re not going to damage the chassis (of course if yuu go 30mph into a wall, it’s never going to be good). As entry level 2wd RC cars go, then this is a pretty sweet option.
Tamiya – Evo
Tamiya specialise not only in RC cars, but also in a range of other miniatures. They also make a ton of great remote control sailboats, as well as a series of model kits too (amongst other things, there’s too many to name!).
In comparison to the bigger brands, Tamiya aren’t really a first choice nowadays and much of their attraction is through Nostalgia. Because they make a ton of retro cars, you really have to want their specific model to opt for Tamiya over some of the cheaper competitors (Redcar) or better performing ones (Traxxas).
Saying this, Tamiya do have a few decent quality options and you shouldn’t discount them completely. In fact, they have a loyal fanbase who would probably argue with you that Tamiyas are great. And they can be (the Evo series is great) but often, you’re going to have to spend a lot to get it to a decent performance. For beginners, a cheap Traxxas tend to be a better choice, because there’s a ton of parts available at cheap prices (especially in the US).
If you do decide to go for Tamiya, then you might eventually want to modify your car. If you do, your best bet is to head to the Tamiya Club website, where there’s a ton of unique and inventive ideas to modify various different Tamiya RC cars.
Conclusion
Overall, it really comes down to what model you want from each brand. For the most part, you’ll be safe sticking with Traxxas, as they’re the most well known brands around, as well as Redcat. They have a pretty decent variety of products too, so there should be something for you no matter what you’re looking for. However, if you’re looking for replicas, then Tamiya might prove to be the better choice. They provide a ton of decent replicas and other RC cars for you to consider as well, so both brands have their benefits.
Last update on 2022-09-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API