A brushless 4WD stadium truck for under £60, which is hard to beat. The Q130 has a 4000KV motor and 35A speed controller, is listed at 70 km/h and gets 15 to 18 minutes from its included 7.4V LiPo.

Best for: a cheap, fast truck for parks and BMX tracks. Watch out for: its size. At 1:14 it is quick, but rough ground will throw it about.

FTX calls the Tracer a pocket rocket. It is a 1:16 4WD truggy with coil-sprung shocks on adjustable mounts, double-wishbone suspension and front universal driveshafts, which is more suspension engineering than most cars this size get.

Best for: a first off-road truck, or a back-garden runabout. Watch out for: expecting big-truck ability. It is a small car with good suspension, not a 1:10.

An Ultra4-inspired 1:16 desert truck with metal oil-filled shocks, steel driveshafts and proper bearings. It is brushless, listed at 45 km/h, and ready to run with a 7.4V LiPo and radio.

Best for: drivers who like the desert-racer look in a small, cheap package. Watch out for: the listing title, which calls it a buggy. It is the desert truck pictured.

A 1:12 short course truck listed at 70 km/h that comes with a 3S LiPo and a charger, so there is nothing else to buy. Short course trucks have covered wheels and full bodies, which makes them tough in knocks and great fun to race against friends.

Best for: a fast truck that arrives with everything. Watch out for: 3S power at this size. It is a lot, so start gently.

The QByte SC Pro runs on 3S for a listed 80 km/h, with a heavy-duty machined steel drivetrain to take the power. Maverick is HPI’s sister brand, so parts are easy to get.

Best for: drivers who want the quickest small short course truck from a mainstream brand. Watch out for: the battery. It is not included, so budget for a 3S LiPo and a charger.

A 1:10 stadium truck: the shape that sits between a buggy and a monster truck, with big wheels outside a low chassis. The XT Flux has a 3500KV brushless motor and a 3S-capable speed controller.

Best for: drivers who want buggy-like handling with more ground clearance. Watch out for: what is in the box. Check the listing for battery and charger.

A 1:8 desert truck with full-time 4WD, three differentials, hardened steel drivetrain parts and adjustable suspension geometry. It looks like a trophy truck and moves like one, soaking up rough ground at speed.

Best for: experienced bashers who want scale looks and a chassis worth tuning. It also features in our best off-road RC cars guide. Watch out for: batteries and charger of the right size, which add to the price.