RC Car Review - Traxxas vs. HPI: Who Wins?
If you love RC cars and RC racing then you will be pretty familiar with two names 'Traxxas' and 'HPI Racing'.
Both of these companies are pioneers in RC cars and produce a range of trucks, nitro cars and products that are the best money can buy. However, when it comes to investing your hard-earned cash into one of these products, there are the inevitable questions that pop up...
"Is Traxxas better than HPI or is it the other way around?...
Is a Traxxas Revo the best?...
Or is an HPI Hellfire?"
These questions have been in constant circulation ever since both companies hit the market, and because they directly compete with one another. In order to help you weigh your options, we've compiled a series of comparisons to help you decide for yourself which brand suits you best.
The Eighties: The Rise of Hair Metal, HPI and Traxxas
Both companies started up in 1986 and changed the face of the RC cars industry with their new, competitive approaches to RC.
Within a year of its launch, Masami Hirosaka used an HPI Uno motor to win his first IFMAR World Championship in England, and the first milestone victory for HPI ('Hobby-Products International') in what's now a lengthy track record.
Around the same time, Traxxas was no slouch on the market either, coining the term Ready-To-Run or 'RTR' cars. These cars had all the characteristics of the high-class racing cars of the day, but came RTR and were completely customized by Traxxas with replaceable parts.
Initially the public was wary of Traxxas RTR vehicles; they were used to unassembled RC cars. However, they came around fast once they realized the quality of the cars. This was the beginning of Traxxas' impact on the RC market.
The Products
So, when it comes to product satisfaction, who comes out on top?
After Traxxas came out on the market, they soon launched their range of products that included nitro and electric cars and trucks, plus marine vehicles and accessories. Below is an up-to-date list of Traxxas' latest makes and models:
- Traxxas Jato 3.3
- Traxxas Revo 3.3
- Traxxas T-Maxx 3.3
- S-Maxx 1/10 scale 2wd Monster Truck
- Traxxas Nitro 4-Tec 3.3
- Traxxas Nitro Rustler
- Traxxas Nitro Stampede
- Traxxas Nitro Sport
Traxxas recently released their new TRX 3.3 Nitro powered racing engine, the new and improved version of their older models: the TRX 2.5/TRX 2.5R and the TRX Pro.15. There has also been a range of electric versions of the nitro-powered products as well, like the Bandit, Stampede and Rustler.
While Traxxas was working on its line of nitro and RTR cars, HPI wasn't the company to be left behind and soon launched its own range of products. This line-up also included nitro and electric products and accessories.
- HPI Baja 5B
- HPI Savage
- HPI Savage X
- HPI Hellfire SS
- HPI MT2 18SS
- HPI Nitro MT2
- Wheely King RTR
- HPI E-Savage
- HPI Firestorm
- HPI Sprint 2 series
The Best of Both; Monster Trucks Compared
So, enough with the history.
To truly know which company comes out on top, we'll take a look at the best that both companies offer in terms of nitro Monster Trucks. The Traxxas Revo 3.3 and the HPI Savage X are arguably the best Monster Trucks that each company produces.
Here are the stats, pros and cons for each.
Lets start with the Revo:
Pros:
- The Revo comes RTR so that the only thing it requires out of the box is fuel and a battery for your transmitter.
- Helpful How-to's: Traxxas also includes a break-in DVD guide which is really helpful for newcomers. It helps you with break-in, tuning, maintenance, pretty much any basic question you'd have. Their instruction manual is also helpful and explains a lot more than just the basic parts/features of the truck like some manuals.
- Traxxas gives you a receiver pack and charger that are pretty reliable. Plus, the tools they give you are actually useful, the allen wrenches come in real handy.
- They provide a full shock rebuild kit (which includes oil, pistons, and seals), plus an extra air filter and oil.
- Wider chassis design makes for very decent and predictable handling
- Can go up to 45 mph if the engine is properly broken in.
Cons:
- To be competitive in any kind of racing situation, the tires on the Revo will definitely need upgrading for better traction, etc.
- When going off jumps, in-air adjustments (like tapping the breaks, hitting the gas, etc.) throw off your landing and you're likely to crash your stock revo in the dirt.
- Adjustments out of the box can be lowered a bit, although they work fine just out of the box for a newbie.
- Traxxas break-in methods for the engine should be followed to a tee (especially in the case of the 2.5R) in order to keep that engine in good shape.
Now for HPI's Savage X:
Pros:
- Better than the Revo 3.3 for bashing, as it is more durable and takes what you dish out better with less maintenance.
- Takes and lands jumps better than a Revo.
- Compatible with a wide range of HPI hop-ups.
- The HPI's stock engine is super easy to tune, and can make your Savage go 40 mph plus.
Cons:
- The Savage X only has one servo, compared to the Revo's two, giving it a bit worse handling and accounting for why it's a better basher than a racer.
- HPI's Savage X can be a pain to maintain if you bash it too hard and don't follow HPI's break-in methods.
- Doesn't go quite as fast as a the Revo, as far as I've seen, but with major modification it can reach 60mph.
Overall on a rating of 1 to 5, you can give both trucks a 4 plus.
The Traxxas Revo is better for nitro newbies, and HPI's Savage X is better if you want to bash and you know what you're doing and how to handle it. Both are great fun for off road racing and can give you some hands on experience in brutal power and monstrous wheelies.
Best of RC Cars
Traxxas Nitro 4-Tec 3.3 vs HPI RS4 3Evo
If those were the best of Monster Trucks then both the companies have an excellent range of RC cars as well. Now we'll get down to business comparing the nitro powered cars each company offers...
Traxxas Nitro 4-Tec:
Pros:
- Unlike the slower RS4, this baby can reach speeds of up to 75 mph.
- Plenty of after-market parts for the 4-Tec, so you can have fun hopping this one up.
- The 4-Tec's tires come pre-glued so you won't have to worry about the tires coming loose at key racing moments, or spoiling your fun burning up the track.
- Winner of several awards, known by most as the fastest most powerful car around.
Cons:
- The stock 4-Tec's suspension and handling aren't quite up to par with track racing; however this can be fixed by adding sway bars and modifying the suspension.
- There honestly aren't too many complaints to be found with this car, what can I say?
How about the HPI RS4 3Evo?
Pros:
- Comes stock with rubber-sealed ball bearings so you won't have to worry about metal brushings wearing down your drive shaft, which makes it harder to upgrade your bearings in the future.
- Comes with the option of several of HPI's fun bodies, including the Dodge Viper (shown) and Lamborghini Gallardo. These bods will give your car the class you drool over at the lot, without burning a hole in your wallet.
- Very decent performance right out of the box, good handling and traction.
Cons:
- There are sometimes complaints over the quality of the shock oil supplied by HPI, so instead it may be better to invest in some 30w Associated oil to get a better quality run out of your RS4.
- Not a very wide range of hop-ups for this one, so if you're looking to upgrade a lot, this may not be the best choice.
- A certain level of patience is needed in order to tune the engine well, but practice makes perfect!
- It's not the fastest out there, with speeds of about 20 mph out of the box.
On a 1-5 scale again, the Traxxas Nitro 4-Tec gets a 5, and the HPI RS4 gets a 4. Both are super fun to race, and give you a variety of bod mods to have fun with.
These are, in my opinion (feel free to disagree), the four best nitro vehicles from HPI Racing and Traxxas.
So the ultimate question yet remains to be answered...
" - HPI or Traxxas, which one comes out on top?"
For street cars, I would choose Traxxas. Undeniably both companies manufacture some amazing vehicles - so the end choice is entirely up to what you're looking for.
About the Author
Lee Brain is a successful business writer and an expert in the field of RC Cars and RC Trucks. He is seen as an RC industry resource, specializing in racing and RC nitro cars. He offers valuable tips, advice and money-saving techniques for online purchasers.
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