Skip to Content

Do Cars Matter in Rocket League? What You Need to Know

Do Cars Matter in Rocket League? What You Need to Know

There are 80+ cars in Rocket League. With so many choices at your disposal, it is hard to identify which ones are the best, or does it even matter what car you choose? So in this article, we will go over some of the differences that each car has and the car you choose will ultimately impact the way you play in Rocket League.

In a nutshell, cars DO matter in Rocket League. There are a total of 6 types of HITBOXES for the cars. All the cars in the game are categorized within each hitbox and will play similarly to every car in that particular hitbox. Each hitbox is unique and will play differently. These hitboxes are:

  • Breakout
  • Dominus
  • Hybrid
  • Merc
  • Octane
  • Plank

Related: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Rocket League

Cars in Rocket League & Hitboxes

Rocket League cars

As mentioned before, there are tons of cars to choose from in Rocket League. Although these cars differ in looks, it is important to know that it is just the aesthetics that are different. Underneath the surface, all these cars are divided into 6 types of Hitboxes and that is where they differ in playstyles only.

Every car in the game belongs to one of these hitboxes and will function the same as any other car in the same hitbox category. Some cars’ appearances are more accurate to the underlying hitbox hence they will feel more precise to play with.

The speed stat of all these cars/hitboxes is the same to ensure that no category has this particular advantage over the other. This is there to make sure the game stays fair and balanced. However, other stats are unique to each hitbox which we will get into later.

We will be focusing on the hitboxes for the rest of this article and won’t go into each car. If you want to know which car comes under which hitbox then check it from this link.

Hitboxes

Hitboxes

Hitbox is referred to the actual unseen physical cube/box of the car. It is the outermost point of the car where the actual contact is registered on a given car. As seen above, the Octane hitbox has some of the car body protruding out of it and this part will not deal any impact. On the other hand, the car body that lies inside the hitbox will be ignored and the hitbox above it will deal the impact.

So essentially, each car is a moving cube/box hidden behind an exterior which may or may not represent this box correctly. There are 6 hitboxes in total and all the cars in the game are categorized under each hitbox. These hitboxes are:

  • Breakout
  • Dominus
  • Hybrid
  • Merc
  • Octane
  • Plank

Let’s get into the details of each of the hitboxes and their respective stats along with their general use cases.

Hitbox Stats

First, let us identify the stats difference between these hitboxes (the Merc hitbox is relatively new and not used that much so some of the stats are not available for it):

Body TypeLengthWidthHeightHandling
(higher value = tighter turning radius)
Ground HeightInclination
(front lower than back)
Octane118.0074084.1994136.15907Standard = 2.336
Boost = 2.031
48.469040-0.55°
Dominus127.9268083.2799531.30000Standard = 2.336
Boost = 2.035
45.152540-0.97°
Plank128.8198084.6703629.39440Standard = 2.323
Boost = 1.967
55.860375-0.37°
Breakout131.4924080.5210030.30000Standard = 2.345
Boost = 2.014
54.858975-0.99°
Hybrid127.0192082.1878734.15907Standard = 2.342
Boost = 2.014
45.447330-0.55°
Merc120.7200076.7100041.66000N/AN/AN/A

As you can see, each hitbox has a different dimension. These numbers play a major role in how each hitbox/car plays and their effectiveness in certain situations like some cars will be better at pulling off specific tricks than others.

Related: The 10 Best Ways to Get Items in Rocket League 2021

Octane Hitbox

Rocket League Cars Octane Hitbox

Octane hitbox is much taller and much more responsive in turning and that makes it usually the best car for dribbling in particular bounce dribbling in the lower ranks. The Octane hitbox also makes it a little bit easier to make contact with balls that are bouncing off the wall and on the ground due to the additional height.

Octane can be useful for kickoffs and 50/50s as the extra height makes the ball a lot less likely to fly over your head but in the higher ranks, you can usually compensate for this with your car’s orientation in the approach to the 50/50.

Dominus Hitbox

Dominus Hitbox

The Dominus hitbox is a very popular preset amongst freestylers as the length and the flatness of the car make it a little bit easier to see what you’re doing while spinning through the air. Its shape also makes it easier to judge the corners of the hitbox which makes it easier for getting powerful hits on the ball as that is where you’ll get the most power from.

The shape of the Dominus hitbox also gives it the ability to pull some devastating flicks off due to its extra length and the extra surface area. This also means that you can cover more of the goal while goalkeeping making it that much easier to get saves than it would in the Octane.

Plank Hitbox

Plank Hitbox

Another hitbox that is very popular amongst freestylers is the Plank preset. The reason for that is very much the same as with Dominus, with its flatness making it easy to do the insane spins. The Plank preset is also very similar to Dominus in the sense that it is very useful for flicks which have given it a strong place in the 1v1 scene.

The Plank is also the widest hitbox and is longer than the Dominus meaning it’s got the largest surface area of all the hitboxes. This makes it especially great for goal saves as you’re able to cover a much larger area of the goal which is great for defensive players.

Related: The Complete Guide to Becoming a Diamond in Rocket League

Breakout Hitbox

Rocket League Cars Breakout Hitbox

The Breakout hitbox is considered to be the best car for air dribbling due to its very narrow front end, low height, and low width. This means you’re able to get much more precise contact with the front of your car. You’ll see the best Rocket League air dribblers in the world using this more than any other preset.

It is also great for flip resetting and hence it is popular amongst the freestyle community too. Though unique, this hitbox is rather a two-trick pony and there isn’t much utility beyond that. You can however get good behind the wheel if you want.

Hybrid Hitbox

Rocket League Cars Hybrid Hitbox

The Hybrid hitbox is statistically one of the best and has been increasing in popularity. The Hybrid essentially gives you the best of both worlds. With it being close to the same length as Dominus and the height being second only to the Octane. This hitbox is probably the one that you’d consider to be the jack of all trades.

You can get some great bounce dribbles and regular dribbles and you can have good air dribbles along with some nasty flicks too. However, the lack of design options for the cars and customizations makes it a little less appealing to many players.

Merc Hitbox

Merc Hitbox

Now comes the most recently added hitbox to the game, the Merc Hitbox. This hitbox is sadly more of a meme rather than a high-performing member of a team though it does have some benefits. It is not popular for its sick tricks or maneuvers but rather for its brute force.

It has a very tall boxy design hence the only thing it is good for is winning 50/50s. If you want to be a bully then this is the go-to hitbox for pulling off demolitions. If you know how to destroy cars with this then there is a chance that your opponent will leave the match giving you the win by default. It sounds fun and all but how much longer can you keep it up?


The question isn’t about cars but rather their underlying hitboxes. Each hitbox has its own set of unique properties that can be utilized for certain tricks and playstyles. Most of the world gravitates towards the Octane hitbox due to its rather robust usage and general popularity amongst the esports side of Rocket League. Now depending on how you want to play this game, it is up to you to figure out which hitbox best serves your needs.