The reality of remote control cars is that you spend much more time charging your vehicle than actually driving it. That said, some cars have longer drive times than others. Fortunately, testing battery life is relatively easy and offers useful insights.
Safety should always come first, especially if you're shopping for a young child or toddler. These cars run on batteries which can be dangerous if ingested, so always supervise young children while they're using a remote control vehicle.
While top speeds, run times, and features all vary within the world of remote control vehicles, there is one thing common to all RC cars, trucks, and buggies: they all crash, usually with alarming regularity. For this reason, durability is often a primary concern. While on-road vehicles will often encounter curbs, walls, and other obstacles, environmental factors like sand and grit often pose a much higher threat to the off-road variety. Indoor cars are less likely to encounter either.