Since the game was first released, new players have always wondered what is the best car in Rocket League. With new car bodies being added to the game constantly in every new season, it can be very overwhelming for players with the large amount of options that are now available.
Whilst it will eventually come down to your own personal preference, we are here to give some advice to help you decide which battle car you should use.
A quick disclaimer before we begin. Whilst some cars may provide more advantages than others, it does not mean that it will definitely hold you back. You can still perform the necessary mechanics to reach Supersonic Legend in any battle car that you choose. However, understanding what lies under the hood may help elevate your game even further.
What Makes Rocket League Cars Different?
Firstly, let’s take a look at what makes the cars different. Every car can be split into different groups depending on their hitbox. There are a total of 6 hitboxes in the game: Breakout, Dominus, Hybrid, Merc, Octane and Plank. While all cars have the same basic stats, each hitbox differs in length, width and height. For example the Breakout hitbox has the longest length but the second shortest height.
Alternatively, the Merc has the tallest height but the second shortest length. Whilst each different hitbox has its own advantages and disadvantages, there is one in particular that has stood out to be the best hitbox in Rocket League.
PresetLength (uu)Width (uu)Height (uu)Angle (degree)
Octane118.0184.2036.16-0.55
Dominus127.9383.2831.30-0.96
Plank128.8284.6729.39-0.34
Breakout131.4980.5230.30-0.98
Hybrid127.0282.1934.16-0.55
Merc120.7276.7141.660.28
Rocket Science has an amazing playlist you can check out for a visualization of the hitboxes.
What is the Best Hitbox in Rocket League?
The Octane hitbox is easily the most used across the whole playerbase. One reason for this could be that the Octane is the default car choice when you first begin your journey in the game.
However the fact that it has the most balanced statistics compared to all other hitboxes is the main reason why you won’t see pro players use anything else very often. With it being the second tallest hitbox in the game, it allows for better 50/50s which is a crucial mechanic to master if you want to rank up. This along with its above average width allows for easier dribbling, flicks and solo plays. Overall, it gives you a better chance at winning your kickoffs.
The one downside is its shorter length, meaning it has less reach in the air. This is why some pros occasionally decide to use a longer hitbox such as the Dominus, which makes double taps and redirects slightly easier. This is why you see many top freestylers using it. However using a Dominus hitbox comes at the expense of the lack of height, leading to less reliable ground plays. The dependability and balanced nature of the Octane hitbox will almost always be favoured in the pro scene.
Read also: Rocket League Goal Explosions – Guide
What is the Best Car in Rocket League?
Now that we have established that you will most likely be wanting to use a car with the Octane hitbox, the question is which car body should you pick? If you have been paying attention to the pro scene, there are two clear favorites.
From the very early stages of the game, the best Rocket League players began to realise that the Octane body was in fact the best car in Rocket League. This is because the shape matched that of the Octane hitbox the best, compared to other bodies with the same hitbox such as the Zippy or the Backfire. Using a car that best matches the hitbox means that you will be able to judge how the car will make contact with the ball better. This in turn makes it easier to hit the ball in the direction that you want.
Fennec: New Challenger has Emerged
For years the Octane dominated the pro scene. Occasionally you would see a different car (mainly the Dominus/Dominus Hitbox) being used if a player wanted to change things up, but the vast majority of players stuck with their trusted Octanes. This was until in the second half of 2019, where a top pro began to change the meta.
Thibault “Chausette45” Grzesiak pioneered the use of Fennec, a new car body that had been released in July 2019. The Fennec had an Octane hitbox, and due to it having a more rectangular shape it fit the shape of the hitbox even better than the Octane did. Chausette45 was arguably the best Rocket League player in the world over the Summer of 2019 as his game-changing performances in the Fennec helped his team to win Dreamhack Valencia and finish second place at the Rocket League Summit event. His setup became the default in all Rocket League Pro Settings.
Since then, the Fennec has been rapidly growing in popularity. Now we are at a point where around 50% of pros are using the Fennec in RLCS.
To say that the Octane is still the best car in Rocket League is definitely up for debate.
The Dominus: A dying breed
Like mentioned earlier, in the past pros would occasionally use the Dominus if they wanted to change things up. The longer hitbox can allow for flashy mechanical plays to be made easier, with the downside being slightly less reliable ground plays. You get a lot of 50/50s because of its lack of height. The most notable pro known to use the Dominus was Jesus “gimmick” Parra.
He used the Dominus in Cloud 9’s famous RLCS Season 6 Championship where they took down the dynasty of Dignitas.
However gradually over time, pros have stopped using the Dominus. We are at a point where we are lucky to get even a glimpse of any lengthy car body. With the evolution of pro play, players are much more consistent with their mechanics nowadays and they will always prefer a more reliable Octane hitbox when competing.
What car should you use in Rocket League?
I would argue that the Fennec is the best car in Rocket League at the moment. The main advantage for me is because of how well it fits in the Octane hitbox. I believe that all pros would be using the Fennec if it had been added from the start. Those that are still using the Octane are just very comfortable with it after playing thousands of hours, and so a change would not be beneficial to them.
At the end of the day, it really is purely personal preference. If you feel like you can be the best Rocket League player in the world in the Dominus or even the Scarab, then you should continue to use that. Consider either Fennec or Octane if you really want to compete with the best Rocket League players in the world.
Read next: Best Rocket League Camera Settings
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