There's a hot debate going on in Rocket League right now: which car type is better, Octane or Fennec?
The question of which car type is best to use in Rocket League has been on the minds of many fans since Day 1, but in recent years there has probably been no debate as heated as the one surrounding Octane vs. Fennec. Why? Well, let's get to the bottom of it....
Octane vs. Fennec - The Basics
Octane has been in the game since the release of Rocket League (July 2015) and is one of the common car bodies. As with all standard bodies, many newer designs are based on the Octane's hitbox.... and Fennec is one of them. This one first appeared in Rocket League in July 2019, and has been a favorite among pros and amateurs in Rocket League ever since. It is said to have replaced Octane, which was one of the most used bodies in Rocket League to date, in popularity.
So the Octane and the Fennec have the same hitbox. Why all the fuss? Shouldn't the cars be the same? Of course not, if they were, then Rocket League forums wouldn't have been glowing with heated discussion for years. The designs of the Octane and Fennec are fundamentally different – so much so that some players wonder why they even have the same hitbox.
Fennec is more reminiscent of Dominus or Merc - it's a bit chunkier and more compact than the Hot Wheels-like Octane. It has more power because of that – at least it feels that way. As I said, technically the cars are identical... But it's not all about the vibes and feels, isn't it? And for many players, the Fennec feels better, as the hitbox is said to fit the more compact design better. The experts at Dignitas summed up the "better feel" of the Fennec as follows:
[...] the Fennec does not feel like the Octane in game. The Octane feels quite light and more pointed. But the Fennec feels bulkier and bigger, almost as if it has more power behind each hit.
Octane vs. Fennec – Which Car Type is Better?
We are leaning towards Fennec. But: it's probably a matter of taste, like everything in life...Fennec is a beast of a car. There are good reasons why pros like Chausette45 from Team Reciprocity, who played with Octane for a long time, switched over to Fennec. One reason is the bulkier design of the body – it's often stated by players that the hitbox suits such a body better than the sleek design of the Octane. This makes the car feel even better. I mean, let's be real, the Octane is the OG... but the Fennec? The Fennec is an absolute beaut! Oh, and it handles a charm as well. What more could you want?
But, still: don't forget about the Octane. This thing is simply awesome, and it's basically the same car as the Fennec. So if you're more used to the feel of the Octane, and are more comfortable with it, that's totally understandable. For many, though, the Fennec is the better alternative, and rightly so.