The Fennec and Octane dominate competitive Rocket League, but is there really a difference between the two? Fiv3up helps us break down why pros favor these cars and how each can influence your playstyle.
While playing Rocket League, two types of cars stand above the rest. The Octane and the Fennec have been staples in the professional community for as long as they have been in the game. Why is this the case? Are the Octane and Fennec really that much better than the rest of the roster? With the help of professional Dignitas Rocket League player Logan “Fiv3up” Seaman, we break down what makes these cars special and why there is no variance in the professional community.
What’s the difference between the Octane and the Fennec?
The straightforward response to that is: pretty much nothing.
The Octane and the Fennec have an identical hitbox. They have exactly the same size, turns, and power on hits. Game-wise, these are two identical cars, and if two players of the same skill level were to interchange the Octane and the Fennec, there would be no performance difference for either of them.
But why are there discussions about which car is better? It’s mostly placebo and visual preference. Players generally find the Octane more comfortable, while the Fennec seems more aggressive or "manic" to them, but it really comes down to how the cars look.
I used to main Octane until Zen won Worlds, and then I switched to Fennec because of him. It’s actually completely placebo; there’s no difference between the two hitboxes, just like there’s no difference between decals. I only switched to the Fennec because I wanted to be like Zen. It’s like why you wear LeBrons when you play basketball: because you want to be like LeBron. It’s also weird because I feel like I play differently between the two. It does affect the way I play, and I’d love to see a study on that.
What’s the difference between the Octane hitbox and other cars?
Rocket League has six distinct hitboxes spread across multiple vehicles.
The Octane and the Fennec share the same hitbox, called Octane, which has been the most popular since the game's inception. This hitbox is the perfect height and width for winning 50s, landing powerful flicks, and maintaining good aerial control. All these come with no downside, which is why most pros prefer these models. Funnily enough, the Roadhog offers the same octane hitbox, yet there is only one bubble pro who has used it.
Some other notable hitboxes are:
I don’t think any other cars have potential, to be honest. There have been top players who use other cars for a tournament, but it never really catches on. It would probably take Zen winning Worlds in a different preset for that to happen, or a completely new car coming out. Personally, I’ve never considered using a different car outside of the Battlebus for a little bit, but I’ve never used it in a tournament. I feel like I’m trolling when I do.
Why Do Most Pros Use the Octane Hitbox?
Consistency is always the most important aspect for professional players.
Most of them grew up playing the game with the Octane, so having muscle memory from that car definitely helped with the Fennec when it came out in 2019. There is one more benefit to the Fennec: its model fits the Octane's hitbox perfectly. As the body and the hitbox are quite alike, it seems like players have better control over their touches.
After a few top professionals started using them, everybody followed. And now there are no reasons to switch to other cars if you're a pro (unless you’re Oaly switching to the Batmobile).
On the Octane, I play more slowly and controlled, whereas with the Fennec, I play more mechanically. It actually used to be the opposite. The Octane was what all the mechanical players used, like Firstkiller and BeastMode. Then the Fennec came out, and Seikoo was the big Fennec player at the time. He played like a robot: not a lot of air rolls, stiff camera settings, slow and mechanical, but still effective. Then, at some point, it just kind of switched, and I don’t really know why. It’s interesting because there are times when you want to play a certain way, so you’ll switch to the car you’re comfortable with for that specific playstyle. I think it’s because you see certain players play a certain way and naturally mimic them. The way Monkey Moon plays in the Octane is how I feel like I play in the Octane. It’s just weird, and I feel like it’s because I watched him play that way. Many pros will swap cars when they need to change their playstyle. It’s bizarre. When Monkey Moon won his second World Championship, everyone on the ladder was in the Octane, playing like Monkey Moon.
Conclusion
If you are torn between the Fennec and Octane, there’s no need to agonize about which one to pick.
The two cars are mechanically the same. The only reason that there may be any distinction between the two is their design and how confident you feel controlling them. Thank you to Fiv3up for talking with us about the bodies of Rocket League.
If you want to hear more from him, you can do so on X: @Fiv3Up.
