Micro Crawlers Compared: SCX24 vs. TRX-4M vs. FCX24 and More

An RC rock crawler on rocks. — SOURCE PHOTOGRAPH
An RC crawler. Scale and revision notes in the pack stay dated.
Andreas · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credit & source ↗

From the September 2026 research edition. Product details and prices are dated source records; confirm the exact model and manual before buying or making changes.

Micro crawlers are small enough to drive on a living room floor, a backyard rock pile or a desk course made from books and boxes. They are also some of the most affordable ways into scale RC, and the choices have multiplied since Axial launched the SCX24 Jeep Wrangler JLU in 2019.

The trouble is that "micro" covers two different sizes (1/24 and 1/18), very different drivetrains, and a few models that are no longer made. Some battery specs floating around online are also inconsistent.

This guide compares the best-known micro crawlers using manufacturer pages and established RC news sites. You will learn what each one ships with, which features matter (portal axles, two-speed gearboxes, brushless power), which models are discontinued, and where the published specs are uncertain.

Key takeaways

The Axial SCX24 is the long-running 1/24 platform, with current brushed RTRs listed from $119.99 to $159.99 (list price as of September 17, 2026).

The Traxxas TRX-4M is larger (1/18) and ships with a 750mAh 2S battery that Traxxas says gives "over an hour" of runtime, but it has no portal axles.

The FMS FCX24 adds portal axles and a two-speed gearbox at 1/24 scale; FMS calls it the first 1/24 crawler with a 2-speed, a claim we could not independently confirm.

The Axial AX24 XC-1 and the UTB18 Capra (V2 page) are listed as discontinued by Axial. Retail stock may remain.

Treat battery specs for the Element Enduro24 and Redcat Ascent-18 Apex with caution; the sources disagree or are unconfirmed.

1/24 vs. 1/18: which size is right?

Scale is a ratio against a full-size vehicle, so a 1/18 truck is noticeably bigger than a 1/24 one. For a sense of the gap, Small Scale RC gave the SCX24 2019 Jeep Wrangler JLU a 133mm wheelbase, while the TRX-4M Chevrolet K10 High Trail Edition has a 162mm wheelbase and is 269mm long.

In general terms, 1/24 trucks fit tighter indoor courses and are easier to carry around. 1/18 trucks cover rougher outdoor ground more easily and have room for bigger batteries. Neither is "better"; it depends where you plan to drive.

Comparison table

Prices are list prices as of September 17, 2026, taken from manufacturer pages unless noted. Prices change often.

Model	Scale	Price	Motor	Battery (as published)	Axles / gearbox	Status
Axial SCX24 (current RTRs)	1/24	$119.99–$159.99	Brushed	Not listed on the platform page we used; see notes	Worm-gear axles on the launch JLU	Current
Traxxas TRX-4M Bronco / Defender	1/18	$179.95	Titan 180 87T brushed	7.4V 750mAh 2S LiPo with iD	No portals; spools front and rear (confirmed for Bronco)	Current
Traxxas TRX-4M K10 High Trail	1/18	$199.95	Titan 180 87T brushed	750mAh 2S	Long Arm Lift Kit, 162mm wheelbase	Current
FMS FCX24S Power Wagon	1/24	$119.99 sale / $159.99 regular	130-size brushed	7.4V 380mAh LiPo	Portal axles, 2-speed	Current
FMS FCX18 LC80 Brushless	1/18	$239.99 (sold out when checked)	1212 brushless, 3200KV	7.4V 900mAh 2S LiPo	Metal-geared portals, 2-speed	Current listing
Element RC Enduro24 Trailrunner	1/24	$99.99 (retailer)	Unconfirmed by manufacturer	Uncertain: a retailer says 1S LiPo	Divorced transfer case (retailer)	Current at retail
Axial AX24 XC-1 4WS	1/24	No price shown	Dynamite 88T brushed	Dynamite 350mAh 2S LiPo	Worm-gear axles, single-speed, 4-wheel steer	Discontinued
Axial UTB18 Capra (V2 page)	1/18	No price shown	380-size 37T brushed	Spektrum 7.4V 650mAh 2S Smart G2	Portal axles	Discontinued
Redcat Ascent-18 Apex Brushless	1/18	$249.99 (Big Squid, Sept. 2025)	HW-1621 3500KV outrunner	Uncertain: see notes	Portal boxes	Check Redcat

Axial SCX24

The SCX24 is the platform that made 1/24 crawling mainstream. LiveRC and Small Scale RC both covered the launch of the SCX24 2019 Jeep Wrangler JLU CRC on September 27, 2019. That truck launched at $119.99 with a Dynamite 88T brushed motor, a 7.4V 350mAh 2S LiPo, 3-link front and 4-link rear suspension, worm-gear axles, steel frame rails and licensed Nitto Trail Grappler tires.

Axial's SCX24 platform page currently lists these brushed RTRs (list price as of September 17, 2026):

Base Camp: $119.99
Jeep JT Gladiator V2: $139.99
Ford Bronco V2: $149.99
1967–72 Chevrolet C10: $149.99
Dodge Power Wagon: $159.99
Toyota 4Runner: $159.99
Flatbed trailer: $44.99

Earlier SCX24 versions such as the Deadbolt, B-17 Betty and the 2019 JLU are not on that page. A 2021 comparison from CC RC Adventures said those early models shared the same motor, servo and receiver/ESC, and differed mainly in body mounts, tire clearance, wheels and tires, and suspension links. A review site also lists a Lexus GX 470 and Deadbolt that are not on Axial's current page, so some variants have likely been discontinued.

About the battery: the launch JLU shipped with a 350mAh 2S pack. The review site RC Cars Guide describes the stock battery as a Spektrum 350mAh 2S 30C on a JST-PH 2.0 connector with 15–20 minutes of runtime, but that is a secondary source. Check the product page for the specific SCX24 you are buying.

Upgrades: RC Cars Guide ranks common SCX24 upgrades in this order: stickier tires, brass knuckles and diff covers (to lower the center of gravity), a stronger servo (it calls the stock AS-1 weak), brass beadlock wheels, oil-filled aluminum shocks, 450–500mAh 2S packs, and a brushless conversion.

Traxxas TRX-4M

Traxxas entered small-scale crawling in September 2022, when Small Scale RC reported the TRX-4M Ford Bronco and Land Rover Defender at $149.95, with availability in November 2022. Today Traxxas lists both at $179.95, and the Chevrolet K10 High Trail Edition at $199.95.

Current Bronco specs from Traxxas:

Titan 180 87T brushed motor
7.4V 750mAh 2S LiPo with Traxxas iD and a 2A USB charger; Traxxas claims "over an hour" of runtime
ECM-2.5 module combining ESC, receiver and LED control, with Sport, Trail and Crawl drive modes
Spool front and rear axles, and no portal axles
45° steering; 10.3" long

The K10 High Trail Edition adds a Long Arm Lift Kit that Traxxas says gives ">35% more center ground clearance," 2.4" Mickey Thompson Baja Pro XS tires, and a stretched 162mm wheelbase.

The included 750mAh pack is roughly double the 350mAh and 380mAh packs published for the AX24 and FCX24S, which is a big part of its appeal. The trade-off is that it lacks the portal axles found on the FMS trucks and the Capra. For steering upgrades, Traxxas's servo guide lists the 2065R micro servo for the TRX-4m.

FMS FCX24 and FCX18

FMS lists the FCX24S Power Wagon at $119.99 on sale ($159.99 regular) as of September 17, 2026. It has a 130-size brushed motor, a 7.4V 380mAh LiPo, portal axles, 4-link suspension and a metal-gear servo. FMS claims 8 mph in high gear, which is a manufacturer figure (FMS does not state test conditions), not an independent measurement.

FMS calls it "the world's first 1/24th scale RC Crawler featuring a 2-speed gearbox." We could not verify the "world's first" part independently, but the two-speed gearbox and portals are genuine points of difference at this scale. FMS also sells a brushless FCX24 Power Wagon through retailers; we did not confirm its specs.

At 1/18, the FCX18 LC80 Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Brushless RTR lists at $239.99 (sold out when we checked). FMS lists a 1212 brushless motor at 3200KV with a separate ESC, a 7.4V 900mAh 2S LiPo, a two-speed transmission, metal-geared portal axles, a 160mm wheelbase, 35mm minimum clearance and about 45 minutes of runtime (manufacturer claim). A brushed FCX18 LC80 with 2-speed and lights also exists.

Element RC Enduro24

The Enduro24 Trailrunner was announced in January 2021 at $99.99 and is still listed at that price by at least one retailer (which shows it as "was $155.99"). Small Scale RC gave it a 215mm length, 102mm width, 128mm wheelbase, ladder frame and 4-link suspension.

The retailer White Rose Hobbies says it has a forward-mounted motor, a divorced transfer case, a 2-in-1 receiver/ESC and a chassis-mounted servo, and that it comes with a single-cell (1S) LiPo and charger. We could not confirm the battery from the manufacturer, and most other micro crawlers here use 2S, so check before you buy spare packs. The motor type is also not confirmed on a manufacturer page.

Discontinued but still around: AX24 and UTB18 Capra

Axial AX24 XC-1 4WS. This 1/24 crawler has three four-wheel-steer modes (front only, mirrored and crab), a Dynamite 88T brushed motor, a 350mAh 2S LiPo, two AS-1 servos, worm-gear axles, a 135mm wheelbase and a Spektrum SLT3 radio. Axial now lists it as discontinued. If you find one in stock, confirm parts availability first.

Axial UTB18 Capra. The V2 product page describes a 1/18 trail buggy with a 380-size 37T brushed motor, a Spektrum 7.4V 650mAh 2S Smart G2 LiPo with USB-C charger, portal axles, an axle-mounted 1/10-size servo, a 229mm wheelbase and 842g weight. Axial marks that page discontinued. AMain lists a "UTB18 Capra 4WS," which suggests a newer four-wheel-steer version, but we did not confirm its specs or price.

Redcat Ascent-18 Apex Brushless

Big Squid RC listed the Ascent-18 Apex Brushless at $249.99 in September 2025, with an HW-1621 3500KV outrunner motor, a Hobbywing Mini 24 ESC, a carbon chassis, brass front diff cover and portal boxes, and 38mm clearance. Big Squid gives the battery as "3S / 11.4V 200mAh," which is unusually small for a 1/18 crawler and may be an error. Check Redcat's own product page for the battery spec before relying on it.

What about Losi?

Losi's current "Mini" category shows the Mini LMT, Mini-T 2.0, Micro-T, Micro-B, Mini-B and 1/12 on-road cars, but no micro crawler. The older Losi Mini Rock Crawler appears only in legacy parts listings.

What to watch out for

Buying a discontinued model without checking parts. The AX24 and Capra V2 are listed as discontinued by Axial. Stock may linger, but spare parts can get harder to find.
Assuming all micro batteries are the same. Published packs range from 350mAh to 900mAh on the trucks with confirmed specs, connectors differ, and at least one model may use 1S. Match voltage, connector and physical size to your truck's manual.
Treating claimed speeds and runtimes as measurements. The 8 mph (FCX24S), "over an hour" (TRX-4M) and 45-minute (FCX18) figures are manufacturer claims.
Overlooking the servo. Small trucks often ship with modest servos, and a steering upgrade is one of the most common first changes.

FAQ

Is the TRX-4M bigger than the SCX24?

Yes. The TRX-4M is 1/18 scale and the SCX24 is 1/24. For example, the TRX-4M K10 High Trail has a 162mm wheelbase, while the 2019 SCX24 JLU has 133mm.

Which micro crawler has portal axles?

Of the trucks here, the FMS FCX24S and FCX18 LC80, the Axial UTB18 Capra, and the Redcat Ascent-18 Apex (portal boxes) have them. Traxxas says the TRX-4M does not.

Is the Axial AX24 still available?

Axial lists the AX24 XC-1 4WS as discontinued. Some retailers may still have stock.

Are any micro crawlers brushless out of the box?

Yes. The FMS FCX18 LC80 Brushless and Redcat Ascent-18 Apex Brushless ship brushless, and FMS sells a brushless FCX24 through retailers. Most others here are brushed.

How long does a micro crawler battery last?

It depends on the pack and how you drive. Traxxas claims "over an hour" for the TRX-4M's 750mAh pack and FMS claims about 45 minutes for the FCX18's 900mAh pack; both are manufacturer figures.