Slot Car Sets Tested

We pick our favourite slot car sets for kids of all ages

Auto Express Car Reviews

December 2011

Slot car racing is great fun for the festive season. Laying out tracks on the living room floor and mastering the curves can keep you occupied for the whole of the Christmas holidays.

However, the latest sets offer enough fun to have you picking up the controller long after the tree has been taken down.

Whether you’re looking to buy for a big or small kid, you’ll be baffled by the huge variety currently on offer. We’ve rounded up eight top sets to find out which offers the best bang for your buck.

The Test

The main differences are between the size of cars and the complexity of the sets. First up are small-scale kids’ sets, with tiny cars and tight, compact courses. Next up are more popular analogue sets, with longer track layouts and more detailed model racers.

Lastly, there are top-spec digital sets that enable drivers to swap lanes to overtake, but they tend to cost more. We compared detail, build quality and sizes, then rated each set on how difficult it was to build and race with.

The ‘play again’ factor was crucial – we wanted sets that would have us picking up the controller many times. Finally, we factored in price, although the figures quoted don’t include delivery costs.

Verdict

It's two sets in the top three for SCX. The maker’s well priced C3 Paul Ricard analogue set was our favourite: it’s keenly priced and offers great quality, a challenging track and detailed cars.

The SCX Pit Box Digital set occupies the final place on our podium, as it’s great value, includes three cars and a brilliant fuel screen for each one. Separating the two is our favourite small-scale track, the Carrera GO! Rally Rivals. With its loop-the-loop and low price, it’s the best for youngsters this Christmas.