If there’s one thing all gearheads have in common, it’s our appreciation of vehicles. It can be a car, a motorcycle, a pickup truck, or whatever else that comes with wheels and an engine — that's what we're all about. Racing games have provided us with our daily fix of cool vehicles for decades now, and if there's one game that offers its players a wide range of weird, quirky, and unique vehicles to race, it’s Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Granted, the Mario Kart franchise is perhaps as far removed from a serious and realistic racing sim as it's possible to get. This game is all about craziness, wacky action, power-ups, and is a riot to play. However, once a gearhead, always a gearhead, so of course we've analyzed the vehicles to come up with a list of the best-performing ones (focusing on the kart/bike bodies, the essence of your ride) in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Update March 2023: Mario Kart 8 is almost a decade old, but you'd never guess it with all the support this racing game receives from Nintendo. Nintendo has been giving Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe their fair share of updates, including track expansions in the form of a Booster Course Pack. Video game fans, rejoice: by the end of 2023, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will have amassed 48 additional tracks to race on. With the addition of more courses, picking the quickest car, ATV, or bike is even more important. This updated list is more thorough than ever so that you can be sure that a victory on Rainbow Road is in your sights.

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10 Mach 8

Mach 8
Mario Kart

In the recent Mario Kart installments, the Mach 8 has become a true icon. This vehicle is reminiscent of race cars from the past, and it has the speed to match.

In both Mario Kart 8 and Deluxe, as per the newer titles, the player can pick and choose from parts they've unlocked in three categories — Body, Wheels, and Glider — and modify their vehicle in the kart customization feature. Those wanting to build a speedy vehicle could do a lot worse than picking the Mach 8 Body, however, traction and acceleration will suffer as a result. Of course, picking the right character for each car matters. Each character has their own attributes in reference to weight and acceleration, just to name a few. Putting Luigi behind the wheel of the Mach 8 is a good call.

9 W 25 Silver Arrow

Silver Arrow
Mario Kart

We agree that the Mach 8 is a bit too cartoon-like to suit everyone's tastes, but the W 25 Silver Arrow is a great option for those who don't want to drive the Mach 8.

The W 25 Silver Arrow is aptly named after the Mercedes-Benz race car of the same name. Of course, there's a reason for that; it's actually in the game as a result of a Mercedes-Benz collaboration. This vehicle comes with great handling and acceleration, which can be just as important as top speed, especially when you’re getting pelted by banana peels and shells.

Pairing the W 25 Silver Arrow with the off-road tires makes this one of the fastest karts in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

8 Landship

Landship
Mario Kart

As every gamer knows, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is certainly not a realistic game and shouldn't get taken too seriously. However, there are some setups that are better than others, and they usually belong to one of two categories – speed or acceleration.

The faster characters, the heavyweights, usually have more of a struggle to get back on track when they're hit due to their poor acceleration. On the other hand, the lightweight builds will accelerate back to their top speed much quicker, but their top speed is also far less impressive. The Landship, along with a handful of other vehicles on this list, is one of the best in terms of overall stats. It also looks awesome, if not very realistic.

The Landship, when paired with Bowser as the driver, is a perfectly well-rounded kart that should get you up the ranks as you race against your friends.

7 Blue Falcon

Blue Falcon
Mario Kart

As all true gamers know, the Blue Falcon is an iconic vehicle in F-Zero, Nintendo’s beloved and long-neglected futuristic racing franchise. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features not only the Blue Falcon vehicle, but also a track based on the series.

The Blue Falcon has changed slightly since it debuted in Mario Kart Wii. Back then, it boosted speed, left acceleration unaffected, and reduced all the other stats. Nintendo has since discontinued support for Mario Kart Wii, but the Blue Falcon lives on. In Mario Kart 8, the Blue Falcon packed some serious speed and acceleration, while in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this quick car is more in line with standard speed-boosting vehicles. Granted, it may not be the best vehicle in the game for that sort of build, but it sure looks awesome.

6 Pipe Frame

Pipe Frame
Mario Kart

Unlocking parts and vehicle customization have been an important part of the series since Mario Kart 7. Not only is it fun to collect these sometimes outlandish parts, but it also adds an element of player choice and strategy that wasn't there before.

However, for casual play, there's no need to delve too deep into which parts affect which stats. Functionally speaking, the old-school Pipe Frame kart is identical to the W 25 Silver Arrow (as well as a couple of other bodies), which means it'll offer decent acceleration and handling for those players who just want to dive straight into a race and not overthink things.

If you are looking to take your racing up a notch to 200cc, lightweight karts work best – much like the Pipe Frame.

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5 Biddybuggy

Biddybuggy
Mario Kart

Many Mario Kart players reserve purely speed-based setups for Time Trials. Time Trials is a game mode where it’s just the player against the clock, with no silly power-ups to worry about. The absolute chaos of a twelve-player race means you might end up getting bounced all over the track like a pinball in a pinball machine in a hurricane.

As we swiftly move past that mess of an analogy, let's just say it's often beneficial to use a vehicle that's capable of recovering as quickly as possible. As Nintendo Life reported in their in-depth analysis of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe vehicle stats, the Biddybuggy with the Button Azure Roller or Roller Tires is one of the best acceleration combos in the game.

4 Sports Coupe

Sports Coupe
Mario Kart

On the other hand, there are some fearless, ruthless players who'll grab a heavyweight character, hop into the fastest vehicle they can and barge their hapless lightweight opponents so far off the track that they won’t make it back for 7-12 business days.

If that's the kind of player you are, the Sports Coupe might be the perfect vehicle. Just like the W 25 Silver Arrow and Mach 8, this neat kart resembles an actual racing car, and it also has the stats to match. In stark contrast to the Biddybuggy, this beast ties for the best speed potential in the game when equipped with the Cyber Slick or Slick tires. With a name like "Sports Coupe," this kart better be fast!

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3 Scooty

Scooty
Mario Kart

Before we go into any details, let’s just all agree and appreciate the fact that this is one of the most darn adorable vehicles in all of Mario Kart. Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and the other Mushroom Kingdom babies often ride it and come perilously close to breaching the cuteness limit whenever they do so.

However, it’s not all about the design, though. As expected from a vehicle that's commonly used by the CPU-controlled super lightweights, this is another option that offers the best potential for an acceleration build in the game. Scooty's stats are similar to those found on the Landship and Biddybuggy, but for those who prefer to race bikes.

2 Streetle

Streetle
Mario Kart

The Streetle is a bit of an odd one. Design-wise, this vehicle may seem a little out of place in the Mario Kart series, and there’s a perfectly good reason for that: it got created for the Animal Crossing DLC. As such, its design mimics the beetles that are rampant in the iconic life simulation series.

Stats-wise, the Streetle doesn’t quite offer the best of either of the two builds, but is fairly well-balanced in both areas. In fact, it’s just the same as the F-Zero-referencing Blue Falcon.

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1 Gold Standard

Gold Standard
Mario Kart

Well, naturally, when looking for the Gold Standard of speed, only the Gold Standard will do. Especially for those looking to showboat, anyway. Metal Mario inside the Gold Standard kart? Absolutely.

The Gold Standard kart body certainly isn't easy to unlock. Whereas most can get unlocked in a random order as the player collects coins, the gold kart parts require certain feats to get completed. For the Gold Standard kart body in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you’ll need to complete every Grand Prix in Mirror Mode with a star ranking. The Gold Standard matches the Sports Coupe and others as the best speedy options in the game.

Sources: Nintendo