Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES Review: Style First, Speed Second, Fun Always

Short answer: the Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES is a style-first 1/10 RC truck built for relaxed driving, not maximum speed. If you want a brutal brushless basher, the Mad Van VE makes more sense. But if you want a retro custom van with real personality, a proven Fazer Mk2 chassis, and a driving feel that is easy to enjoy without stress, the MOONEYES Edition is exactly why slower RC trucks can still be fun.

The Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES Edition is one of those RC releases that makes people react before they even read the specifications. The yellow MOONEYES body, white wheels, chrome details, side exhaust pipes, and old-school van shape give it a completely different mood from most modern RC monster trucks.

That matters because this truck is not really selling itself on top speed. It is selling a feeling: a small piece of custom van culture built on a familiar Kyosho platform. Some RC vehicles make sense only after you compare motors, ESCs, and speed numbers. This one makes sense the moment you see the body.

What Makes the MOONEYES Edition Different?

The Mad Van name is already familiar in Kyosho’s Fazer lineup, but the MOONEYES version changes the personality of the truck. It takes the playful van shape and gives it a much stronger custom-culture identity.

The body is the main event here. The metallic yellow finish, MOONEYES graphics, white wheels, chrome mirrors, chrome bumper treatment, side exhaust details, roof visor, and LED-ready areas all push the truck toward a display-worthy, garage-style RC build rather than a disposable stunt truck.

That is why many owners look at the truck differently from a normal basher. Some want to add lights. Some want to keep the body clean. Some want the shell for another Fazer Mk2 project. Some simply want it because it looks unlike anything else in their RC lineup.

This is where the MOONEYES Edition becomes interesting. It is not just a Mad Van with a different decal sheet. It feels closer to a rolling custom piece.

Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES Specifications

The Big Debate: Why Is It Brushed?

The biggest complaint around the MOONEYES Edition is easy to understand: it is brushed, while the Mad Van VE exists as a faster brushless version.

On paper, that sounds like a weakness. In real use, it is more complicated.

The Mad Van VE has serious punch. It can wheelie, rip hard, and feel wild. That is fun, but the Fazer Mk2 monster truck format also has a limit. Large tires, higher torque, and aggressive brushless power can become hard on drivetrain parts, especially the differential gears.

The MOONEYES truck goes in the opposite direction. It does not feel like Kyosho forgot to make it fast. It feels like Kyosho chose not to let the power system overpower the character of the truck.

This brushed setup makes the truck easier to enjoy casually. It is not always trying to jump out of its own body. It feels more controlled, more approachable, and less likely to punish the drivetrain every time the trigger is pulled hard.

Mad Van MOONEYES vs Mad Van VE

The better choice depends on what you want from the truck. If speed is the priority, the VE is the obvious direction. If personality, styling, and low-pressure driving matter more, the MOONEYES Edition makes more sense than it first appears.

This Is the Kind of RC That Makes You Slow Down

Most modern RC bashers encourage aggressive driving. You pull the throttle, brace for impact, and hope the landing is clean enough to avoid a repair session.

The Mad Van MOONEYES has a different rhythm.

Drive it too aggressively and it becomes just another brushed truck that is not as fast as a brushless basher. Drive it at a reasonable pace and it starts to make sense. You notice the body lean. You see the wide tires working. The white wheels stand out. The chrome side pipes and visor start to matter.

That is the strange charm of this truck. It gives you permission to stop chasing speed for a while.

It is not lazy. It is not boring. It is just not desperate to impress you with a number.

The Body Details Matter More Than Usual

On many RTR trucks, the body is just something that gets destroyed slowly. On the MOONEYES Edition, the body feels like the reason the truck exists.

The yellow finish has a richer look than a plain plastic-bright yellow. The white wheels match the whole custom van theme. The side exhaust pipes add a nice scale touch. The visor area can support LED lighting, and that changes the truck’s attitude a lot once installed.

The body also creates a small problem: you may not want to damage it.

That is not a bad problem to have. It means the truck has enough visual value to make owners care. Some RC cars are bought to be abused. This one often ends up being wiped down and parked somewhere visible after a run.

Fazer Mk2 Platform: Simple, Proven, and Easy to Live With

The Fazer Mk2 FZ02L-BT chassis is another reason the truck works. This is not a one-off novelty platform. The Fazer Mk2 family has spread across touring cars, rally-style builds, muscle car bodies, drift-inspired models, and different Mad Van versions.

That matters for long-term ownership. A platform with history usually means easier parts support, better owner knowledge, and more confidence when maintaining the vehicle.

The chassis itself is not overly complicated. It has a stable 4WD layout, oil-filled dampers, simple battery access, and fewer tuning traps than a race-focused chassis. For newer drivers, that simplicity is useful. For experienced drivers, it makes the truck feel like something you can take out without turning every session into a tuning project.

Battery Setup: Keep It 2S and Keep It Enjoyable

The stock requirement is a 7.2V–7.4V drive battery with a T-style / Deans connector. For LiPo users, that points naturally toward a 2S hardcase LiPo battery.

This is not the platform where chasing higher voltage makes the most sense in stock form. A good 2S setup gives the truck cleaner punch, better consistency, and longer runtime without changing the entire driving character.

For most owners, 5000–6600mAh 2S hardcase packs are the best direction. The lower end feels balanced and easy to fit. The higher end gives longer casual sessions, which suits the MOONEYES truck especially well.

For compatible options, browse the Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES battery collection. For other Kyosho models, the broader Kyosho RC Car Batteries collection is the better starting point.

Who Should Buy the Kyosho Mad Van MOONEYES?

This truck makes the most sense for drivers who care about style, relaxed handling, and the overall mood of the RC experience.

It is a good fit if you want:

• A retro custom van body with real shelf appeal
• A proven Fazer Mk2 chassis that is easy to maintain
• A relaxed brushed truck for casual driving
• A 1/10 platform that feels different from common modern bashers
• An RC vehicle that can be customized with lights, wheels, and small visual details

It is not the best fit if your main goal is maximum speed, extreme jumping, or aggressive 3S-style bashing. In that case, a brushless platform will probably make more sense.

But if you understand the appeal of a truck that looks this good and does not need to prove itself with speed, the MOONEYES Edition becomes much easier to appreciate.

Final Thoughts

The Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES is not perfect if judged purely as a performance truck. It is brushed. It is not the fastest Mad Van. It may feel expensive to anyone who only compares motor specs.

But that is also the wrong way to judge it.

This truck works because it knows what it is. It is a retro custom van on a proven RC platform, built for people who enjoy the look, the mood, and the easygoing drive. It is the kind of RC that makes more sense after you stop asking why it is not faster and start asking why it feels so enjoyable at normal speed.

For many drivers, that is exactly the point.

FAQ

Is the Kyosho Fazer Mk2 Mad Van MOONEYES brushless?

No. The MOONEYES Edition uses a brushed motor setup. The faster brushless version is the Mad Van VE.

Is the Mad Van MOONEYES slow?

It is slower than the brushless VE, but it is not unusably slow. Its relaxed speed actually fits the custom van body and casual driving style very well.

What battery does the Kyosho Mad Van MOONEYES use?

The stock requirement is a 7.2V–7.4V battery with a T-style / Deans connector. For LiPo users, a 2S hardcase LiPo battery is the most practical direction.

Can I use 3S in the Mad Van MOONEYES?

For the stock brushed MOONEYES Edition, 2S is the recommended direction. Higher-voltage or brushless conversions should be treated as custom modification projects, not standard setup advice.

Why do so many people like the MOONEYES body?

The body combines retro American van styling with MOONEYES custom culture. The yellow finish, white wheels, chrome details, visor, and side exhausts give the truck much more personality than a typical RTR shell.

Is the Kyosho Fazer Mk2 platform beginner friendly?

Yes. The Fazer Mk2 platform is simple, stable, and easy to maintain, which makes it friendly for beginners and relaxing for experienced owners who do not want every session to become a tuning project.