How Stats Work in Mario Kart World

We help you understand and interpret the driver and vehicle stat data in Mario Kart World, including the hidden stats Nintendo doesn’t tell you about.

In Mario Kart, your stats are determined by the driver and your chosen vehicle. You can see your stats on the vehicle selection screen by toggling on Details by pressing Y.

Stat Meanings in Mario Kart World

Stats in Mario Kart World are grounded in physicality, so you can trust your intuition and rely on appearance to get a sense of how you will move.

Acceleration is directly proportional to Handling and inversely proportional to Speed and Weight. Likewise, Weight and Speed are directly proportional to each other and inversely proportional to Handling and Acceleration.

Faster cars are heavier, but take longer to reach max speed, have worse turbo boosts, and don’t do as well around corners. Slower cars are lighter, but can reach their max speed sooner, have better turbo boosts, and do better around corners.

Speed

Speed defines how fast you can go, though it’s a little more complicated than it appears. The number displayed in the stats screen is an average of your selection’s performance on different types of racetrack surfaces including pavement, dirt road, and liquid.

This measure does not refer to off-road performance, only the main track you see on the map. Likewise, liquid performance only refers to when your vehicle deploys the yellow jet skis from driving around in water.

Different characters within the same weight class can have slightly different Speed stats across different types of racetracks. Some types of vehicles are also better suited to a specific surface. These sorts of distinctions really only matter if you’re going hard into Time Trials.

Collecting up to 20 coins increases your max speed on a weight-dependent curve by up to 5%.

Acceleration

Acceleration defines how long it takes to reach max speed AND the duration mini-turbos. In some past games, mini-turbo was its own stat which affected more than just the duration.

At the time of publishing, the nature of mini-turbos in Mario Kart World is still being investigated. It is unclear whether Acceleration also affects your Speed during a mini-turbo (post-drifting speed boost), which determines the value of Acceleration relative to Speed.

These differences primarily pertain to Time Trials, where a slower vehicle could finish the race in a shorter amount of time if those mini-turbos can compensate for the loss in raw Speed.

Aside from Time Trials, the more impactful part of Acceleration is that recovery time. If you’re constantly getting hit with items, it doesn’t matter what your max speed is because you never have enough time to reach it before you get hit again.

Weight

Weight determines how much you knock lighter opponents around when you bump into them and how vulnerable you are to getting knocked around by heavier opponents. Weight also determines how well each additional coin contributes to the maximum 5% speed boost from having 20 coins.

If you’re heavier, you need to get closer to 20 coins to get the maximum +5% speed boost provided by coins. If you’re lighter, you don’t need as many coins to get as close to the maximum speed boost, so it isn’t as problematic if you don’t have a full coin purse.

That being said, you won’t be going as fast if your Speed is low, so the absolute speed boost negates the impact of the curve.

More broadly, Weight is considered to be the cornerstone of the other stats because of the physical effect it has on mobility.

If you’re lighter, you won’t take as long to reach max speed, can handle turns better, and mini-turbos will last longer. However, you will get knocked around more and can’t go as fast.

If you’re heavier, you can go faster, but it will take longer to reach that max speed, you will have a harder time going around turns, and mini-turbos won’t last as long. You also have a capacity to knock around lighter racers.

Handling

Handling determines how well you can turn and how much control you have while drifting. To use a physics term, Handling improves your angular velocity.

High Handling means you can respond better to the twists and turns in the racetrack and can more easily navigate the chaos of items and road hazards. Low Handling means you can’t go exactly where you want to go as easily or swiftly.

Accounting for Track Surface

There are 3 different types of track surfaces that may affect a vehicle’s Speed and Handling. Some vehicles do much better on smooth surfaces, others do much better on rough roads or water, and some perform equally everywhere.

The all-rounders will beat out the specialized vehicles in terms of Speed and Handling if they’re out of their element, and those specialties make them 30-50% better if they’re on their preferred surface.

Nearly a supermajority of Mario Kart World’s racetrack surfaces are smooth road, so the only types of vehicles that are really worth considering are vehicles well suited to smooth surfaces or all-rounders.

It’s just not worth using a vehicle specialized for water when you’ll always spend a majority of your time on land.

Track		Terrain Specialty	Cup
	Mario Bros. Circuit	None	Mushroom
	Crown City	Smooth	Mushroom
	Whistlestop Summit	Smooth	Mushroom
	DK Spaceport	Smooth	Mushroom
	Desert Hills	Smooth	Flower
	Shy Guy Bazaar	Smooth	Flower
	Wario Stadium	Partial Rough	Flower
	Airship Fortress	Smooth	Flower
	DK Pass	Partial Rough	Star
	Starview Peak	Partial Water	Star
	Sky-High Sundae	Smooth	Star
	Wario Shipyard	None	Star
	Koopa Troopa Beach	Rough	Shell
	Faraway Oasis	Partial Rough	Shell
	Crown City	Smooth	Shell
	Peach Stadium	Smooth	Shell
	Peach Beach	Partial Water	Banana
	Salty Salty Speedway	Partial Water	Banana
	Dino Dino Jungle	Rough	Banana
	Great ? Block Ruins	Smooth	Banana
	Cheep Cheep Falls	None	Leaf
	Dandelion Depths	Partial Rough	Leaf
	Boo Cinema	Smooth	Leaf
	Dry Bones Burnout	Smooth	Leaf
	Moo Moo Meadows	Rough	Lightning
	Choco Mountain	Partial Rough	Lightning
	Toad’s Factory	Smooth	Lightning
	Bowser’s Castle	Smooth	Lightning
	Acorn Heights	Partial Rough	Special
	Peach Stadium	Smooth	Special
	Mario Circuit	Smooth	Special
	Rainbow Road	Smooth	Special

If you’re going for a Time Trial record, you’ll want to use a vehicle specialized to perform best on that course, but for a Grand Prix, you will be better off optimizing for the majority, assuming there is one.

Cup		Predominant Terrain
Mushroom		Smooth
Flower		Smooth
Star		None
Shell		None
Banana		None
Leaf		None
Lightning		None
Special		Smooth

Given the variability of terrain, I only recommend using unspecialized vehicles for Knockout Tours.

Driver Stats and Weight Classes

All 44 drivers fit into one of 8 weight classes, so if you really want specific performance from your vehicle, you have multiple appearance options.

Despite being displayed as completely different choices, A character’s appearance (costume) does not affect their stats. For example, Aviator Mario will have the exact same stats as Cowboy Mario.

One weight class isn’t inherently better than another because the total stat budget for every class is 8 points (Speed + Acceleration + Weight + Handling = 8, always). However, the game mode typically favors certain stat distributions.

For example, Battle Mode benefits more from Handling and Acceleration because you need to turn on a dime and speed up quickly after getting hit with an item.

Conversely, Time Trials favor Speed and Handling because you want to finish as fast as possible and don’t really need to worry about Acceleration or Weight since you won’t ever get hit with an item or run into something.

Almost all drivers also have a minor affinity for a certain type of racing surface, whether it be smooth, rough, or water. Their Speed and Handling are ever so slightly better on one type of terrain compared to the other two.

Name		Type	Minor Affinity	Weight Class	Unlock Requirement
	Mario	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Medium II	Unlocked
	Luigi	Character	Rough Roads	Medium II	Unlocked
	Peach	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Medium I	Unlocked
	Daisy	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Medium I	Flower Cup
	Yoshi	Character	Rough Roads	Medium I	Unlocked
	Donkey Kong	Character	Rough Roads	Heavy II	Mushroom Cup
	Bowser	Character	None	Heavy III	Unlocked
	Bowser Jr.	Character	Water	Medium I	Lightning Cup
	Koopa Troopa	Character	Water	Light III	Unlocked
	Toad	Character	Rough Roads	Light III	Unlocked
	Toadette	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Light III	Unlocked
	Lakitu	Character	Water	Light III	Shell Cup
	King Boo	Character	Rough Roads	Heavy I	Leaf Cup
	Shy Guy	Character	Rough Roads	Light III	Unlocked
	Wario	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy II	Unlocked
	Waluigi	Character	Water	Heavy II	Unlocked
	Birdo	Character	Water	Medium II	Banana Cup
	Pauline	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy I	Unlocked
	Rosalina	Character	Water	Heavy I	Star Cup
	Baby Mario	Character	Smooth Surfaces	Light II	Unlocked
	Baby Luigi	Character	Rough Roads	Light II	Unlocked
	Baby Peach	Character	None	Light I	Unlocked
	Baby Daisy	Character	None	Light I	Unlocked
	Baby Rosalina	Character	Water	Light II	Unlocked
	Nabbit	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Light III	Unlocked
	Goomba	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Light II	Unlocked
	Dry Bones	Creature	Rough Roads	Light II	Unlocked
	Piranha Plant	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy I	Unlocked
	Spike	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Light II	Kamek: Common
	Wiggler	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy II	Unlocked
	Hammer Bro	Creature	Rough Roads	Medium II	Unlocked
	Sidestepper	Creature	Water	Light II	Unlocked
	Cataquack	Creature	Water	Heavy I	Kamek: East Bay Region
	Monty Mole	Creature	Rough Roads	Medium I	Unlocked
	Cheep Cheep	Creature	Water	Light III	Unlocked
	Conkdor	Creature	Rough Roads	Heavy I	Kamek: Yellow Sand Desert Courses
	Pianta	Creature	Water	Heavy II	Kamek: Common
	Rocky Wrench	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Medium II	Kamek: Airship Fortress
	Swoop	Creature	None	Light I	Kamek: Dandelion Depths
	Pokey	Creature	Rough Roads	Medium II	Unlocked
	Peepa	Creature	Rough Roads	Light II	Kamek: Boo Cinema
	Stingby	Creature	Rough Roads	Light III	Unlocked
	Fish Bone	Creature	Water	Light II	Kamek: Dry Bones Burnout
	Coin Coffer	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Medium I	Kamek: Common
	Cow	Creature	Rough Roads	Heavy II	Unlocked
	Snowman	Creature	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy I	Unlocked
	Penguin	Creature	Water	Medium II	Unlocked
	Dolphin	Creature	Water	Medium I	Kamek: South Bay Courses
	Para-Biddybud	Creature	None	Light I	Unlocked
	Chargin’ Chuck	Creature	Rough Roads	Heavy II	Kamek: Common

Since smooth surfaces are the most common type of terrain by far, it behooves you to pick a character that has a minor affinity for smooth roads as opposed to rough terrain or water, unless you’re going for a Time Trial on a specific map that does not have much pavement.

Our guide and catalog to all characters and costumes will tell you everything you need to know about unlocking characters, alternate costumes, creatures, and their unique driver stats in Mario Kart World!

Vehicle Stats

Vehicle stats add together with your driver choice to determine your driving performance. Different vehicles can be split into classes, but they’re more fragmented than that of the drivers.

There are only 7 vehicle weight classes as opposed to the 8 driver weight classes.

Vehicle type doesn’t mean as much in Mario Kart World compared to previous games. I have included it in the table if you have a visual preference, but terrain specialization is really what matters.

Approximately 25% of the vehicles drive with the same amount of Speed and Handling regardless of terrain type. The other 75% have a strong affinity for a specific type of terrain (Pavement, Dirt Road, or Water) and perform significantly worse on other types of racing surfaces.

Vehicles without one of these racetrack surface specializations are better suited to general purpose racing. You will be placed at a significant disadvantage if you pick a vehicle that is specialized for a type of racetrack surface you won’t encounter.

For example, if you bring something like the Funky Dorrie into the desert, your Speed and Handling will be half of what it is in the water, and the game only shows the average, which will never be accurate.

Vehicle		Specialization	Weight Class	Vehicle Type
	Standard Bike	None	Light I	Bike
	Tune Thumper	None	Light I	Bike
	Cute Scoot	None	Light I	Bike
	Pipe Frame	None	Light II	Kart
	Loco Moto	None	Light II	Bike
	Standard Kart	None	Medium I	Kart
	Plushbuggy	None	Medium I	Kart
	Blastronaut III	None	Medium II	3-Wheeler
	W-Twin Chopper	None	Medium I	Bike
	Reel Racer	None	Medium II	Kart
	Junkyard Hog	None	Medium III	3-Wheeler
	Dread Sled	Partial Rough Roads	Medium II	Sled
	Stellar Sled	Partial Water	Heavy I	Sled
	Mach Rocket	Smooth Surfaces	Light I	Bike
	R.O.B. H.O.G.	Smooth Surfaces	Light I	Bike
	Baby Blooper	Smooth Surfaces	Light II	Kart
	Roadster Royale	Smooth Surfaces	Medium II	Kart
	B-Dasher	Smooth Surfaces	Medium II	Kart
	Hot Rod	Smooth Surfaces	Medium II	Kart
	Bumble V	Smooth Surfaces	Medium II	Kart
	Billdozer	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy I	Kart
	Big Horn	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy I	Truck
	Rallygator	Smooth Surfaces	Heavy II	3-Wheeler
	Rally Bike	Rough Roads	Light I	Bike
	Hyper Pipe	Rough Roads	Light I	Bike
	Biddybuggy	Rough Roads	Light II	Kart
	Rally Kart	Rough Roads	Medium II	Kart
	Zoom Buggy	Rough Roads	Medium II	Kart
	Bowser Bruiser	Rough Roads	Heavy I	Truck
	Li’l Dumpy	Rough Roads	Heavy I	Truck
	Chargin’ Truck	Rough Roads	Heavy I	Truck
	Tiny Titan	Rough Roads	Heavy I	Truck
	Dolphin Dasher	Water	Light I	Bike
	Fin Twin	Water	Light I	Bike
	Cloud 9	Water	Medium II	Kart
	Ribbit Revster	Water	Medium II	Kart
	Carpet Flyer	Water	Medium II	Kart
	Funky Dorrie	Water	Medium III	3-Wheeler
	Mecha Trike	Water	Heavy I	3-Wheeler
	Lobster Roller	Water	Heavy II	3-Wheeler

If you have your heart set on a specific vehicle, I highly recommend sticking to the terrain it’s specialized for as much as possible. For example, if you brought the Funky Dorrie and have a choice to drive in the water or on the road, pick the water, unless the path is far longer.

Keep in mind that Time Trials only take place on a specific course, so it can be worthwhile to choose a vehicle that has a major affinity for the most common type of terrain on that track.

Check out our catalog and guide to all vehicles in Mario Kart World to see all available variants, how to unlock them and all details about every single vehicle you can unlock and drive.

Looking Ahead

I think the terrain specializations play far too big a role in racing performance given how much of the racetrack is smooth or mixed. You’re actively making the game harder for yourself if you pick a vehicle that’s specialized for water or rough surfaces.

The only time it’s worthwhile to use anything other than an unspecialized vehicle or one meant for smooth roads is if you’re doing a Time Trial or trying to secretly go easy on your younger nephew.

Given that the game was in development for 8 years, these stats are hidden, and there isn’t a specialization for air or rail, I suspect Nintendo is aware of the problem. I don’t think buffing or nerfing vehicle stats based on specialty will bring about positive change.

Unless Nintendo wants to do some sort of major overhaul, the only solution I see is to minimize or outright eliminate the performance disparity between vehicle types so the game stays Funky Dorrie even when you’re driving a jet ski through the desert.

Acknowledgements and Special Thanks

This guide could not have been possible without the raw data measured from the wonderful folks behind the Mario Kart World Statpedia spreadsheet. I encourage you to check it out if you want to dive into the competitive scene.