Brand roundup
The best ARRMA RC cars for beginners
Arrma's range looks confusing because the models differ mostly in body shape and battery size. Here is which one to start with, and which to definitely not start with.
By Ryder M. · Published September 27, 2026 · Last reviewed
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Arrma's naming is the main barrier to buying one. The models are largely the same idea in different bodies at different power levels, so the choice comes down to two questions: how big a battery does it take, and what shape is it. Our pick for a beginner is the ARRMA Granite 223S.
Start with the Granite 223S. It is the 1/10 monster truck in Arrma's current brushless range, takes a 2S or 3S battery, and is the most forgiving entry to a brand whose whole reputation is built on surviving crashes.
Best first Arrma
ARRMA Granite 223S 4x4
Brushless power in a monster truck built to be crashed — the most common recommendation for a first serious basher.
Best for a younger driver
ARRMA Typhon Grom 223S
A scaled-down Arrma buggy — the same toughness in a size and speed a younger driver can actually manage.
Best looking
ARRMA Big Rock 223S 4x4
The Granite's running gear under a lifted monster-truck body — the one that looks the part.
Decoding the range
| Model | Shape | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Granite | Monster truck, 1/10 | Beginners — the default starting point |
| Big Rock | Lifted monster truck, 1/10 | Anyone who wants the tall monster-truck look |
| Vorteks | Stadium truck, 1/10 | Jumping — lower and more stable than the monster trucks |
| Typhon Grom | Buggy, 1/18 | Younger drivers; smaller, calmer, cheaper |
| Kraton 6S | Speed truck, 1/8 | Experienced owners only — a large step up in power |
What 2S, 3S and 6S actually mean
The number is how many cells are in the battery, and it is effectively the power level. 2S is about 7.4 volts and is the calm setting. 3S is about 11.1 volts and is where these trucks feel fast. 6S is roughly 22 volts and is an entirely different category of machine. A beginner should start on 2S even if the car accepts 3S — it makes the first few sessions learnable. Our LiPo guide explains the battery side properly.
Our Arrma picks, ranked for a beginner
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ARRMA Granite 223S 4x4Brushless power in a monster truck built to be crashed — the most common recommendation for a first serious basher. | Best brushless starter | 8.8 | |
| 2 | ARRMA Typhon Grom 223SA scaled-down Arrma buggy — the same toughness in a size and speed a younger driver can actually manage. | Smaller hands, real power | 8.6 | |
| 3 | ARRMA Big Rock 223S 4x4The Granite's running gear under a lifted monster-truck body — the one that looks the part. | Monster truck looks | 8.5 | |
| 4 | ARRMA Vorteks 223S 4x4Arrma's stadium truck: lower than the Big Rock, tougher than most things it will land on. | Jumping and landing | 8.6 | |
| 5 | ARRMA Kraton 6S 4x4A large 6S speed truck. Buy this for someone who already has an RC car and wants a bigger one. | Experienced adults | 8.0 |
Illustrative photo — not this exact model.
#1 · Best brushless starter
ARRMA Granite 223S 4x4
Brushless power in a monster truck built to be crashed — the most common recommendation for a first serious basher.
8.8/10our score for this use
Arrma designs for bashing: heavy-duty plastic, chunky driveshafts, and a reputation for surviving impacts that break lighter cars. The 223S is the current brushless version of its 1/10 monster truck and takes a 2S or 3S battery.
- Size:
- 1/10
- Drive:
- 4WD
- Motor:
- brushless motor
What it does well
- Built heavy on purpose — the brand's whole identity is surviving bad landings
- Brushless power with a 3S option, so it has room to grow with the driver
- Supported through Horizon Hobby, so parts and service have a real distribution network
What it does badly
- The weight that makes it tough also makes it hard on whatever it hits
- Battery and charger are extra on most versions
- Too fast for a young child without adult supervision
Specifications from ARRMA's current releases.
Illustrative photo — not this exact model.
#2 · Smaller hands, real power
ARRMA Typhon Grom 223S
A scaled-down Arrma buggy — the same toughness in a size and speed a younger driver can actually manage.
8.6/10our score for this use
The Grom is a small-scale version of Arrma's Typhon buggy, made deliberately for younger and newer drivers: lower, lighter, cheaper, and still built on the brand's bash-it-and-see philosophy.
- Size:
- 1/18
- Drive:
- 4WD
- Motor:
- brushless motor
What it does well
- Arrma durability in a size that does not overwhelm a ten-year-old
- Low buggy shape means far fewer rollovers than the monster trucks
- Cheaper than the full-size Arrma models while keeping the parts support
What it does badly
- Still brushless and still fast — supervision matters for the first few runs
- Small wheels limit it on long grass
- Costs more than 1/18 cars from the budget brands
Specifications from ARRMA's current releases.
Illustrative photo — not this exact model.
#3 · Monster truck looks
ARRMA Big Rock 223S 4x4
The Granite's running gear under a lifted monster-truck body — the one that looks the part.
8.5/10our score for this use
Same mechanical family as the Granite with a taller stance and a monster-truck body. It trades a little cornering composure for ground clearance and for looking exactly like what a child pictures when they say monster truck.
- Size:
- 1/10
- Drive:
- 4WD
- Motor:
- brushless motor
What it does well
- The most visually impressive truck in this price band on Christmas morning
- Clears rough ground the lower trucks bottom out on
- Shares parts with the rest of Arrma's 1/10 4x4 range
What it does badly
- The tall body rolls in corners — expect a lot of flipping early on
- Heavier again than the Granite, so impacts hit harder
- No battery or charger included on most versions
Specifications from ARRMA's current releases.
Illustrative photo — not this exact model.
#4 · Jumping and landing
ARRMA Vorteks 223S 4x4
Arrma's stadium truck: lower than the Big Rock, tougher than most things it will land on.
8.6/10our score for this use
A stadium truck sits between a buggy and a monster truck — open wheels, long suspension, designed to be jumped. The Vorteks is the brushless 1/10 version in Arrma's current line.
- Size:
- 1/10
- Drive:
- 4WD
- Motor:
- brushless motor
What it does well
- Long suspension travel absorbs jump landings that break lesser trucks
- Lower and more stable in corners than a monster truck
- Horizon Hobby parts and service network
What it does badly
- Open wheels snag on fences, curbs and long grass
- Fast enough to need open space
- Battery and charger extra
Specifications from ARRMA's current releases.
Illustrative photo — not this exact model.
#5 · Experienced adults
ARRMA Kraton 6S 4x4
A large 6S speed truck. Buy this for someone who already has an RC car and wants a bigger one.
8.0/10our score for this use
6S refers to the battery: six cells in series, roughly 22 volts, which is a large step up in power from the 2S and 3S vehicles above. This is an expert-level machine that needs open space and respect.
- Size:
- 1/8
- Drive:
- 4WD
- Motor:
- brushless motor
What it does well
- Enormous performance and the build quality to survive using it
- A platform people keep for years and upgrade rather than replace
- Full parts and service support
What it does badly
- Expensive, and 6S batteries are expensive too — this is not a single-purchase gift
- Completely unsuitable for a beginner or a child
- Needs a large open space to use safely
Specifications from ARRMA's current releases.
Which Arrma not to start with
The Kraton 6S. It is an excellent machine and completely wrong as a first car: the power level is high enough that a beginner will break something expensive in the first hour, and the batteries alone are a significant ongoing cost. Buy it as a second car, or for someone who already owns a 3S truck and has outgrown it.
How we picked
Ranked by how forgiving each model is for a first-time owner, then by durability and cost. Model details come from Arrma's own current range listing — see our methodology page for how we handle a range that changes regularly.