Introduction
Traxxas and Hpi are one of the best providers of RC vehicles. So we know how hard it is to choose between these two.
So, who will win the race Traxxas vs. Hpi?
RC cars from both companies are top-notch. Still, there are slight differences in the outlook, suspension, steering axle, etc. Traxxas cars are easy to handle, the drift coefficient of these is good. But Hpi cars are best for both off-road and on-road.
Wanna know more to decide? Stay tuned, because we’ve covered all you need to know about the two.
Traxxas Vs. HPI: Basic Differences
So, let’s take a look at the basic differences between Traxxas and HPI.
| Traxxas | HPI |
| Outlooks are not as premium looking | Minimal outlook. There’s a premium vibe to it |
| A bit expensive | Affordable |
| Traxxas has diversified products. But they are known for only off-road cars and trucks | HPI is both known for off-road and on-road RC cars and trucks |
| Maintenance cost is very low if you don’t upgrade your car. | Maintenance cost is affordable. |
| Upgrade cost is high | The product comes prebuilt. You can choose to take the whole product or parts of the product. |
Still can’t decide what to go for? Yes, we got you! Sit back and enjoy a head-to-head comparison.
Traxxas vs. Hpi: Head To Head Battle
Basic differences are not enough to get a clear idea. Just like you wouldn’t be able to make a choice between getting an RC vehicle from Redcat or Traxxas. Thus, for a detailed comparison between Traxxas and Hpi, read along.
Appearance of the RC
Before you play with the car, you need to like how it looks. Traxxas has aggressive-looking designs for its trucks and off-road cars. These designs are particularly favourable to a younger audience.
But the design of on-road cars isn’t as good-looking. It can look tacky at times. They aren’t well designed according to the customer’s needs.
On the other hand, HPI provides an all-around smart design for both on-road and off-road cars. These minimal looks are becoming popular nowadays. That’s why HPI shines amidst an older audience.
Which Brand Has Better Design?
It’s a tie between both brands when it comes to the design of the RCs. Ultimately it comes down to your preferences whether you prefer a bolder look like the Traxxass or a minimal look like the HPI.
Upgrade Options
Both brands are good when it comes to RC cars according to the stock kit. Now the question arises, why would I want to upgrade my car?
For improving the performance, you have to upgrade your RC. That’s where HPI comes in. You have the capacity to put any kind of upgraded materials on your cars. Because Hpi will provide you with many options to choose from.
It can be that you’re no expert or don’t understand much about RC cars. Don’t worry because Traxxas dominates here. They create prebuilt cars, which are best for beginners. You can also upgrade Traxxas cars. But there are some limitations.
You cannot use any product from other companies. Traxxas will provide an upgrade. But sometimes these are not enough.
Which Brand Has Better Options for Upgrades?
The HPI RC cars have better upgrading options. You can upgrade or customize almost any part of the vehicle.
Diversity of RC Cars
You’ll be needing different types of cars or trucks depending on your purpose. So, which company provides better-diversified products?
When it comes to diversity Traxxas beats almost any other competitor from the market.
Starting from 60 different types of Ready-to-Race cars to monster trucks there’s an RC vehicle for everyone in Traxxas. Some of their most well known RCs are the Rustler, Bandit, Stampede and the Slash series.
You can even choose from a variety of scales for your Traxxas RC vehicle. Whether it be 2WD, 4WD, nitro, electronic, crawler and buggy you can find any types of RC under one roof.
Traxxas is known as the best for off-road racing. They are able to defeat any off-road car from other companies.
However, Traxxas is lagging behind in the on-road RC car market. Their product isn’t of premium quality. Moreover, their performance isn’t satisfactory.
On the other hand, the off-road cars and trucks of HPI are of average quality. But yes, you get the option to upgrade anytime.
Keep in mind that HPI specialises in monster trucks. As a result, you can see more off-road vehicles and less diversity of products in general.
You can mostly find buggies and truggies in HPI. Some of the most popular RCs of HPI are the Vorza, Savage and Blitz series.
You can modify steering sensitivity, servo capacity anytime you like. By modifying the car, you can get the utmost output from the truck.
The on-road cars of HPI are the best in the business. Starting from outlook and performance to small parts of the car. So, they’re a little ahead of Traxxas.
Which Brand Has a More Diversified Product Range?
Traxxas has a better product range than HPI. It’s because you can find different types of RCs catering to each and every need of yours.
Durability of the Vehicles
The durability of the product totally depends on customer usage. But there are some facts that’ll help you decide.
For example the chassis. Chassis is the part that gives the structure. A good quality chassis defines a strong and durable car.
Traxxas uses various materials for chassis. For example- carbon fiber, aluminum, stainless steel, etc. Carbon fiber is the best quality chassis out there.
Whereas, the chassis quality of HPI is not that diverse. They mostly use aluminum. It’s strong enough but carbon fiber is the best option.
Nevertheless, HPI provides all high-quality steering servo, engine, RC shocks, etc. Other than the chassis all the other factors are better in HPI. So, at the end of the day HPI has a bit more durability.
Which Brand Is More Durable?
HPI wins this round as it is slightly more durable. However, how long your RCs will last depend mostly on how you use and take care of it.
Maintenance Cost
By this point we know, the less the maintenance cost, the better. HPI maintenance cost is affordable. Because they already put the best materials in it. Thus you don’t need to upgrade.
Even if you need to upgrade, you can sell the existing material of your HPI vehicle. Chip in some money to buy the better one.
The materials in a Traxxas car aren’t of high quality. So, you might need to upgrade a bit.
You’ll need to buy new materials. Those can be adhesive glues for tires, tapes, screwdrivers, etc. Ultimately you’ll end up spending much more than you were about to spend in a stock HPI car.
Which Brand is Cheaper?
Upfront the price of Traxxas vehicles are cheaper than HPI. However, for Traxxas vehicles to function properly you’d need upgrades and these upgrades can be costly.
Traxxas Rally vs HPI WR8
To get a more in-depth knowledge regarding the vehicles of the two brands, we need to compare them side by side. Let’s start with Traxxas Rally and HPI WR8.
Both the Traxxas Rally and HPI WR8 RCs are well known 4WD rally cars among RC enthusiasts. They are made of the highest quality and are made for on-road racings. Now, let’s take a look at all the aspects where these two cars differ:
| Comparison Factor | Traxxas Rally | HPI WR8 |
| Top Speed | 44 miles per hour | 60+ miles per hour |
| Handling | Quick and precise handling | Smooth but not as precise |
| Power | Can handle up to 4S power | Can handle up to 4S power |
| Balance | Sublime balance | The balance isn’t as smooth |
| Upgrades | Has fewer options for upgrades | Has numerous options for upgrades |
| Scale | 1/10 | 1/8 |
These are all the factors you need to consider before deciding which one is better.
Traxxas Rally vs HPI WR8: Which is the Better Buggy Car?
Between Traxxas Rally and HPI WR8, HPI WR8 is better because of it’s high top speed. Moreover, by adding an upgrade you can achieve a lot from the HPI WR8. The Traxxas Rally isn’t too shabby as well. It has one of the best handling in the RC universe.
Traxxas Revo vs HPI Savage
Both the Traxxas Revo and the HPI Savage are top choices for RC enthusiasts. When it comes to monster trucks it can’t get better than these two.
| Comparison Factor | Traxxas Revo | HPI Savage |
| Top Speed | 45+ miles per hour | 45 miles per hour |
| Handling | Quick and precise handling | Smooth but not as precise |
| Power | Can handle up to 6S power | Can handle up to 6S power |
| Balance | Sublime balance | The balance isn’t as smooth |
| Upgrades | Has fewer options for upgrades | Has numerous options for upgrades |
These are all the factors you need to consider before deciding which one is worth getting.
Traxxas Revo vs HPI Savage: Which is the Better Monster Truck?
From Traxxas Revo and HPI Savage, the Traxxas Revo is a better monster truck mainly due to it’s slightly higher top speed. On top of that, the handling capacity of Traxxas Revo is far superior than the HPI Savage. However, if you think about durability the HPI Savage lasts a longer time.
Traxxas Slash vs HPI Blitz
Both the Traxxas and HPI have their own sets of short course RCs. Although they may sound similar at first, they have many differences. Let’s take a look at some of their defining features:
| Comparison Factor | Traxxas Slash | HPI Blitz |
| Top Speed | 60+ mph (4WD) 30+ mph (2WD) | 30 mph |
| Handling | Quick and precise handling | Smooth but not as precise |
| Wheel Drive | Both 4×4 WD and 2×2 WD are available | Only 2×2 WD is available |
| Power | Can handle up to 3S (2WD) and 6S (4WD) power | Can handle up to 6S power |
| Balance | Sublime balance | The balance isn’t as smooth |
| Upgrades | Has fewer options for upgrades | Has numerous options for upgrades |
These are all the factors you need to consider before deciding which one is worth getting.
Traxxas Slash vs HPI Blitz: Which is the Better Short-Course Car?
Between the Traxxas Slash and HPI Blitz, the SLash series wins undoubtedly. With higher top speed and more options for wheel drive, the Traxxas Slash RCs are definitely worth the purchase.
Traxxas Rustler vs HPI Firestorm
When it comes to RC trucks, there are often confusion about which one to get between the Traxxas Rustler and the HPI Firestorm. Both are amazing trucks in their respective ways but which one is more worth investing on must be debated.
Some of the key traits of Traxxas Rustler and HPI Firestorm are given below:
| Comparison Factor | Traxxas Rustler | HPI Firestorm |
| Top Speed | 70+ mph (2WD) 65+ mph (4WD) | 77 mph |
| Handling | Slower handling | Smooth and precise handling |
| Wheel Drive | Both 4×4 WD and 2×2 WD are available | Only 2×2 WD is available |
| Power | Can handle up to 3S (2WD) and 6S (4WD) power | Can handle up to 6S power |
| Balance | Sublime balance | The balance isn’t as smooth |
| Upgrades | Has fewer options for upgrades | Has numerous options for upgrades |
These are all the factors you need to consider before deciding which one is worth getting.
Traxxas Rustler vs HPI Firestorm: Which is the Better RC Truck Car?
Between the Traxxas Rustler and the HPI Firestorm, HPI firestorm is the better RC truck. The Firestorm series of HPI trucks have very high top speed and has numerous options for upgrades. However, the Traxxas Slash is a good RC truck as well and it has both a 2WD and a 4WD option to choose from.
Traxxas Slash vs HPI Jumpshot SC
Both the Traxxas and HPI have their own sets of short course RCs. Although the Traxxas Slash and the HPI Jumpshot SC may sound similar at first, they have many key differences. Let’s take a look at some of their defining features:
| Comparison Factor | Traxxas Slash | HPI Jumpshot SC |
| Top Speed | 60+ mph (4WD) 30+ mph (2WD) | 30 mph |
| Handling | Quick and precise handling | Smooth but not as precise |
| Wheel Drive | Both 4×4 WD and 2×2 WD are available | Only 2×2 WD is available |
| Power | Can handle up to 3S (2WD) and 6S (4WD) power | Can handle up to 6S power |
| Balance | Sublime balance | The balance isn’t as smooth |
| Upgrades | Has fewer options for upgrades | Has numerous options for upgrades |
These are all the factors you need to consider before deciding which one is worth getting.
Traxxas Slash vs HPI Jumpshot SC: Which is the Better Short-Course Car?
Between Traxxas Slash and HPI Jumpshot SC, the Traxxas Slash short-course RC car wins. Starting from the perfect traction to higher top speeds, Traxxas Slash has everything that you need in a short-course RC car. It also manages to balance itself perfectly on rough terrains. However, the HPI Jumpshot has many options for upgrades. These upgrades can enhance the performance by a lot.
Traxxas 4-tec vs HPI RS4
One of the most basic kinds of RC car is the touring cars. So, naturally this is a perfect car for beginners.
People who are just getting into RCs may get confused regarding which car to get between the Traxxas 4-tec and the HPI RS4. So to make it easier for you I’ve provided a table that discusses some key factors.
| Comparison Factor | Traxxas 4-tec | HPI RS4 |
| Top Speed | 70+ mph | 50+ mph |
| Handling | Delayed | Smooth and precise |
| Wheel Drive | 4×4 WD | 4×4 WD |
| Power | Can handle up to 3S power | Can handle up to 2S power |
| Balance | Balance is mediocre | The balance isn’t smooth |
| Upgrades | Has fewer options for upgrades | Has numerous options for upgrades |
These are all the factors you need to consider before deciding which one is worth getting.
Traxxas 4-tec vs HPI RS4: Which is the Better Touring Car?
When it comes to choosing between the Traxxas 4-tec and the HPI RS4 it’s a tie. The Traxxas 4-tec cars have higher top speeds with mediocre balance. Whereas, the handling of HPI RS4 is smooth and the car has numerous options for upgrades.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
Now, that we’ve completed our discussion on all of the deciding factors, it’s time to make the final decision. Both Traxxas and HPI are amazing brands in the RC world. There performance differs only slightly. So depending on your needs you can choose either of the two.
However, if you’re new to this RC world, you can go for Traxxas. Because it’s more ergonomic and good for beginners. Plus, you have way more options to choose from.
On the other hand, if you’re an experienced RC user, then you’ll have a good time with the HPI RCs. They can be customised to fit your exact needs. Moreover, HPI RCs are long-lasting and can handle rough terrains.
FAQs
What is the Most Popular Traxxas Vehicle?
The most popular Traxxas Vehicle has to be either the Rustler 4X4 VXL or the Slash 4×4 Ultimate. These cars are loved by RC enthusiasts all over the world. They have high top speeds and can run perfectly on all terrains.
What is the Best HPI RC Car?
The HPI Blitz RTR car is considered the best RC that HPI came out with. Blitz cars will provide you with extreme top speeds and unbeatable power boosts. Moreover, the Blitz series are made with the highest quality of material which makes it pretty durable.
What is the Unique Selling Point of HPI Cars?
The unique selling points of HPI cars are that they are easily upgradeable. Also, the best materials are provided with the kit.
Conclusion
We hope we’ve helped you choose a winner in the race between traxxas vs. hpi. But remember you can also win races with Traxxas or HPI. We all know, “it’s not about the car, it’s about the one who is behind the wheel”.
Let us know what you decided to buy and why. Till then, enjoy winning races.
