20 Best Tamiya Rc Car (2022 Updated)

Ebay and some of my other go to vendors know when i purchase a new model. these trucks have some great hop ups and attractive parts, this is just what a seasoned hobbyist like my self has been waiting for at quite a stretch of time.

i’ve built many buggies,on road racers, monster and crawler trucks, boats, planes, trains, slot cars, rockets, kites and finally my first Semi Truck. These kits are Awsome! i’ll do a MAN Racing Truck after the holidays i have three 1/32nd scale slot racing trucks and the detail is phenomenal I’d like to build a 1/14 in that category.

i’ll be scratch building quite a bit of parts also, that’s part of this hobbies charm.

As usual. One can expect top quality as far as realism details and molding details from Tamiya models. This kit is no exception to that expectation.

Great kit to build lots of scale and detail. Lots or accessories you can buy aftermarket to really customize your kit. Enjoy.

Same here. Back in the 80’s I was way into RC off-road cars. I raced them at the local track in Costa Mesa, (R. I. P. ) The Hornet was a awesome starter car. Moderately easy to build. Lots of upgrades available.

This car is tuff too, especially with better shocks. The chassis used to break most when something did break, however racing it around the streets everything’s fine until I used my skateboard quarterpipe and launch ramp as jumps for the cars.

They soared! I drove these cars hard. The Hornet was a favorite. It’s better than the Grasshopper and a step down from the Frog and not in the same league as Associated RC10 goodies. The Hornet will sting you with RC car addiction.

Beware.

I had one of these when I was 14yo in the 80s. It was my first R/C car. Easy to build and cheap to maintain. If your looking to race or compete with a full suspension machine this is not for you. It is a great neighborhood car that is durable and fun.

The rear suspension has low clearance and is a straight axle that will only spin one wheel. You can adjust the pinion for different gearing and change motors out. To wrap it up. This is a fun durable neighborhood car that will teach the beginner how to build adjust and maintain their equipment.

It taught me gearing, how to pick the right motor and how to drive a r/c.

The revolutionary 1984 2WD off-road buggy is back and more fun than ever before! The Hornet stands as one of Tamiya’s most popular R/C cars ever released, helping launch a 2WD R/C buggy boom worldwide.

Featuring excellent performance on both dirt and on-road tracks, this awesome buggy can take on any type of terrain. Just like the original, this re-release features an easy to assemble chassis and drivetrain consisting of a durable but lightweight ABS resin bathtub frame, diff gear loaded sealed gearbox, oil filled rear dampers, powerful RS 540 motor and high performance suspension system.

The Hornet is perfect for those that used to have one, those that have always wanted one, and for those that want a revolutionary buggy that has earned its place in R/C history.

Sure, there are rc trucks that are technically superior, faster, and even cheaper. But this is the only thing I’ve seen out there that handles and resembles old school 80s monster trucks. Can be a bit of handful to build though, taught me a thing or two in the process.

But overall, its a really fun project if you have a few bucks and have some time to kill. Oh, and if the rest of the internet hasn’t told you already, BUY A BALL BEARING SET!! The kit includes some wimpy plastic bushings that fit where you should put bearings.

That’s the only hop-up option that I feel is a must no matter what you plan on doing with the truck.

Ive been building these since i was a kid. And its even more fun now that my mechanical abilities are stronger. I love these throwback kits that have been updated with the escs.

Simple really. Brilliant service, as ever, from the best UK based supplier and distributor of Tamiya. And a brilliant product from the ever reliable Tamiya. This model can (nearly) climb walls! Exceptional.

I had a Tamiya hotshot, one of my favorite vintage cars. The car would run great, even with a high power motor and battery. The car has some good upgrades you can find online, I would recommend getting some different tires if you want to drive on-road.

All in all, I would highly recommend this over Tamiyas others. Great fun. Great buy!.

Tamiya rereleased the 1985 Hotshot, it was their first 4×4 buggy. The rereleased version has been upgraded using modern drive shafts & the chassis now has a hatch to access electronics. Really all you need to buy is a Hotshot Ball Bearing set, before building the buggy.

Brilliant service, arrived next day. Surprised my dad with this model he has wanted since the 80’s. Have bought from wonderland before and wouldn’t hesitate in buying from them in the future

This is now my third purchase and have yet to be disappointed. Excellent service and swift delivery. Just completed the kit and it was fun to build and even more fun to use. Getting back in to the RC hobby scene after too many years away.

Very nice detailed model at a great price with a lovely exclusive box , fast shipping as always could be free shipping though . Many thanks

Just like the original but with better drive shafts Would be it it from the upgraded ball diff but not essential Other than a couple of body tiny details it s just as the original car Drives jumps and is reasonable fast for a stock car.

What an amazing piece of machinery, just what you expect from tamiya and above and beyond all that follow. A must have for the tamiya collector, the detail is perfect in every way. Cant wait to display this beauty, thank you tamiya.

Just a fun kit to put together and go hit the asphalt. Only down side is body three pieces to pai t and assembly. Tons of aftermarket aluminum hop ups to add to this kit. Enjoy the RC world friends.

Love the model and drive concept . Enjoyed putting it together. Funny enjoyable and takes time.

a very nice kit from tamiya , well posted on to me from a German supplier at what was a good price or so i thought having bought from Germany before. i had forgotten we were out of the common market so import duties cost me more, my fault , but i am happy with the kit.

A very well designed model, by a well respected manufacturer, assembly is well described in the comprehensive instructions. A lot of enjoyment to be had building and operating this model.

big build,big truck plenty to keep me occupied for some weeks,one of my best buys would recomend to any 1/14 model truck fan.

This is the lowdown on this kit. It’s a basic entry kit but there is a ton of parts to upgrade if you wish too. I bought the TT02D recently to just drift at a parking garage & knowing it’s build (which is basically the TT02) with a covered drive train I’d have no issues with sand & pebbles tearing up the spur gear.

It is a solid bathtub design with a perfect amount of fun in stock trim for beginners & intermediate’s alike. Most will want to upgrade to some of Tamiya’s or Yeah Racing’s blue anodized aluminum eye candy parts/kits if not all that’s out there.

which is alot =D You can’t get some high dollar drift car or any other touring car out there besides a few entry level kit’s/RTR’S to bash without losing a spur gear almost ever run unless you run on a prepared surface.

Or worse ruining your carbon fiber chassis. Enjoy this great hobby just like I have been since 97, I love it! Here are a few Tamiya’s I did last year. TT02D & CR01.

Great item. I had one of these when i was a kid so i thought I’d rekindle my youth. Pretty straightforward to build and gives someone with little knowledge of how car parts work some insight. I would recommend purchasing some ball bearings and oil shocks as the standard ones are a bit bouncy.

All in all very good peice of kit.

Great little kit. Not to hard to put together. I found it to need upgrades to be a great really car but that is expected. Shocks and control arms are recommended. I have a brushless system in mine And wow.

The brushed system is great too. I actually use mine for in road and drift and it’s great. I have touring tires on it and no problem drifting with it. I also got the optional interior kit for it and gives it a great scale look.

I am a kid from 77, my first love was the Tamiya Grasshopper, which I took to tournaments and it got me to win a few of them, we had such great fun before ladies became my main focus. You know puberty kicked in and I kind of shelved the Grasshopper for a long time.

Almost 30 years late, I have rediscovered the amazing RC community, live and well, buzzing with nostalgia and I just couldn’t help my self, I had to buy another RC car. to my surprise Tamiya Re-Released The Grasshopper and this was such a great opportunity to invest in part of my childhood, so I went for it, got the Grasshopper and felt like an 8 year old again.

The car is almost exactly the same as it was back when I was a kid. The difference is that when I was a kid, the package came in a blister pack type box, but that’s about it. Oh and the controller is now much more advanced.

The car handles pretty much the same way, although I miss the hard breaks which it doesn’t do anymore, it slows down, but it doesn’t do hard break, the general feeling is that the car is exactly the same, Tamiya has brought back a piece of my childhood and I thank them for allowing me to relive those fun moments, driving this car.

For anyone wanting to try out RC cars for the first time, to build them and learn to drive them, go with this one, hands down this is the best entry model and best one to also be able to hop up to a better engine etc.

If you’ve been out of the game for a bit, like me. then this is a great way to get back into it again. My next car will be Aero Avante, and Avante 2011. Maybe if I have time I’ll throw in a SuperShot, these are amazing cars.

Happy Racing ya’ll!.

For any collector or new to the RC world, this kitt is a must have. Perfect for a beginner, such a simple build, easy to assemble and a great looking buggy. Tough for a 2wd and easy upgradable to tamiya hop up parts available.

If you love the look of this then get it. Put in a 540 motor 3600mah batt in, and this thing moves. awesome fun to run in the back yard or on the beach. Recommend this kitt to anyone.

There are a lot of more fancier, faster, durable and sophisticated yet cheaper RC cars out there. However none of those delivers the pure enjoyment of building an RC car. I enjoyed building this Tamiya when I was 10 years old.

and I enjoyed building the same car with my kids now I’m 40 years old.

A lot of fun to build. With options to make numerous different variants. Once built there are hours of fun racing this car over all sorts terrain, without doing to much damage. the more you use it the better it looks.

This is an RC model is not for life of a shelf queen.

The Tamiya Sandscorcher released back in 1979 was to be an iconic r/c car and to this day has a huge loyal following fan club. Tamiya re-released the Sandscorcher back in 2010 and was another instant hit with r/c fans.

This iconic r/c car is becoming very collectable and the its value is rising due to its popularity so grab one if you can (if you are lucky enough).

high quality kit. fun build, classic build that will last for generations, if not overly abused

Extremely easy to make. Just need a PZ1 and PZ2 screwdriver, Pliers and superglue for the rear tyres. You’ll see four tiny holes in the rim. A tiny drop in each one. Get proper ball bearings for the front wheels, makes all the difference.

When you fill the dampers give them a couple of minutes flicking the sides to get the bubbles out. Very important. As for the paint job wash the body shell in the sink, let it dry and spray it. Don’t use a brush.

Then use a sharp blade to cut out the decals. Last of all take it to the nearest grassy field and give it a spin!.

My parents bought me one of the originals of the Monster Beetles back when I was about 13, about 82, 83. I woke up early for X-Mas and there was that gleaming box! Within 3 hours I had it running. My very first R/C, and I loved it! Over the years I made small upgrades, and then there were no more.

I saw one listed at over $700 on eBay at one point. They brought it back, and Id recommend this build to anyone who is just getting into the game. You learn so very much about the ways things work in the cars.

Strong points, weak points. Highly recommended!!!.

I love this! It comes molded in red and looks great red, but I wanted to personalize it a little so I painted the body light blue and it looks great. I havent began building it yet but will soon. I have the Tamiya Lunch Box monster van which I recently completed the assembly.

The Beetle assembles very similarly. The van had a few challenges, but I believe it may be easier building the Beetle from the experience with the van assembly. I look forward to assembling the Beetle and know it will be a pleasure building it.

I highly recommend Tamiya models. It is critical to follow the instructions very carefully!.

A blast from Tamiyas past based on a real car. The DT-02 is a great beginners kit that is easy to assemble. You will eventually have to upgrade the shocks as the basic ones you get with the kit are awful.

You may need to get some more grease to assemble it as well as the kit tube empties quicker than you can blink. A beautiful looking car none the less. I wouldn’t hesitate in buying it again due to its fun factor.

I’ve been racing RC cars for a very long time. It’s pretty cool to find a car that just Spike’s the fun. Easy to scale out and make look very cool.

Please note that the electronic speed controller in this kit was defectiveit was in brushless mode and could not be reset to brushed and hence could not be usedWill contact modelsport however I have only made the kit up this weekend which is 3 months after purchase wish I did this sooner.

The truck looks to be decently made. The instruction sheet could be better. If your looking to run a lipo battery it is a bit difficult to find a round pack that will fit properly without modifying the battery tray.

Cut lines for the body could be a bit better defined. In the end my truck is together and I look forward to racing it over the ok broad season.

After seeing one of these at my local hobby track, I just had to get one! This is the class to run for pure entertainment/racing! With the class using box stock form makes for close racing and all on the driver, not the car.

Very durable! Actually bought for my 14yr old son and has taken several hard hits into the boards and just keeps on going. Very impressed with the looks and performance from Tamiya on this one!.

A brand new Hurricane from Airfix. It looks a much better kit than the old 1/48th scale one and has the wings with all of the internal guns in it. It also has the arrestor hook for the Sea Hurricane AND a new lower fuselage part for it.

It also has TWO propellers as well as the spinners, so built as the Hurricane trop, or the sea hurricane it should prove to build well once it gets started!.

I love the fact that its a entire kit now without having to buy all the extras. Sound,lights remote. Etc. Ill be building mine into a dump truck

I orderd This from China and it took only 5 days! I’m I the process of building it and is so fun to build! Buy this kit! I Paid 290 and 95 shipping but will worth it!! The truck allay has all the custom upgrades you want to normally do! long, low & sexy! It’s an amazing truck and dog much fun to build!! Don’t buy any any other truck besides this one!.

Tamiya model kits are expensive but simply the best in my opinion. Excellent detail and fit. Professional kits for modelers who take their work to the top level. Older kits such as the Toyota GT One TS020 is a bit hard to find which makes these kits increase in value like rare baseball cards.

This item was very surprising for a Tamiya model kit. Everything went great right up until the procedure of connecting the body of the car to the frame and it just didn’t want to fit and worse than that the wheels extend 1/4 of an inch past the wheel well of the car and the same is true for the rear of the car as well.

As an experienced model builder, I was very disappointed with the product although I still recommend Tamayi products in general.

Great details and quality. Also a very good manual with detailed pictures.

I’ve owned lots of tamiya models. From the lunchbox, df03, to the cr01 unimog. Love to build them. The dt03 is a very good platform with plenty of room for electronics. Nice sealed gear box. Good looking r/c.

Performs well with the sport tuned motor but can’t wait to go brushless!.

Keeping in mind that this is only $115, I think this is a great buggy. It is fairly quick with the torque tuned motor, it is well balanced and handles transitions from pavement to grass without rolling.

With all terrain tires it steers well and it an all around fun car. Prior to this I had a Futaba FX10 and this is a much more modern and easy to drive car. Plus it was fun to put together ( it comes as a kit) missing only ball bearings and a radio controller and battery.

This is a great kit for a first buggy, easy clear Tamiya instructions for assembly, even better with the bonus items ESC, torque tuned motor, CVA oil shocks. Stable handling and great fun. You will need to additionally buy 2ch radio with receiver & servo, 7.

2v NiMh battery and polycarbonate paint for the body shell.

Very durable, reliable and fun. The stock rear shocks (friction shocks) are terrible, whereas the front friction shocks work fine. The stock 380 motor is obviously too weak, but it’s ok for the beginning to have fun with the kids.

Other similarly priced Tamiya kits come with a 540 motor. Upgrading to the 540 Sport Tuned creates a beast! Can’t wait to further upgrade with oil shocks and begin some serious racing.

Great for the price and fun. Definitely recommend for a noobie or child.

Great kit easy to build for first timer looks good !!

Lots of fun racing, and really fun putting it together,. All in all a enjoyable experience receiving, assembling ,and running.

great fun to build and to run around a car park etc …also these can be upgraded and raced at RC clubs up and down the county

Brilliant very happy with this kit can’t wait to start the build . The lay out of all the parts in box is straight forward same as instructions . Can’t fault it

Posted wrong stars first should be 5 stars. Fabulous service. Would recommend highly

Good speedy delivery but was disappointed that my kit was missing many parts! But I got replacement parts sent to me

This RC car is exactly as I remember it from childhood. Surprisingly fast and durable and relatively straightforward to assemble. Notably, you need to make sure everything is tightened up, I had a front wheel fall off on test drive, probably more my fault then the design of the car.

The paint and detailing of the Subaru body will take as long as the car build. Also the body could get damaged easily hence a second Ploy-carbonate body is provided which is easier to paint. There are easier car bodies to paint and build but the end result of this one is worth the effort.

I would not recommend this RC car for a young child (under 8) It is fast and hard to control in less experienced hands and could cause a lot of damage quickly.

Great little kit for more experienced rc users as a bit more in depth model to make with metal parts but great model. Most should be able to make it in an afternoon and if you’ve got a hairdryer can have it up running and painted by the end of a day.

Quite quick but could do with a bit more oomph but that’s because I’ve got larger nitro models but great fun and so much easier than nitro to use no messing about.