BEHIND THE WHEEL

The Carisma M10DB is meant to be a fun off-road performer with desert styling. That’s perfect for me—living in Southern California, I have easy access to desert terrain, including rock gardens, sand pits, loose dirt, and elevation changes of the coastal range mountains. After installing a battery (which is particularly quick, thanks to the flip-up body) and a shakedown cruise to check the radio settings, I was grabbing throttle and driving it hard.

The M10DB has familiar handling that’s similar to today’s 2WD buggies, with the extra dexterity of a modern mid-motor design. Factory gearing feels conservative, with 22mph on tap using a 2S Lipo pack. There’s likely room to gear up a few teeth to past 25mph, but in scale-like terrain the gearing is good, and offers plenty of torque. (It’s also easier on the power system and extends run time.) The tires’ lugged tread is good for loose and sandy conditions, and their scale-like appearance really enhances the experience. The suspension is highly active and balanced, which is good since camber and toe settings are fixed. The M10DB jumps like other 2WD buggies, and has no trouble airing out. Massive leaps to flat landings will bottom the chassis, which is typical—it’s a 2WD buggy, not a monster truck. After a good amount of time thrashing around, I inevitably took some tumbles and found some puddles. The buggy held up well and the water-resistant brushless system, servo, and sealed receiver box all did their jobs.

The M10DB is intended for beginners, and is a good package for those looking for a budget-friendly starter. It took on aggressive terrain and handled better than I expected. As a 2WD buggy. it doesn’t have a ton of ground clearance, so expect rocks and obstacles to scrape up the chassis. On the plus side, the low-slung chassis offers a planted feel and low center-of-gravity. Lastly, you can’t ignore its head-turning looks. With so many cool details, it feels like you’re in a miniature version of the real thing.