Best cars in Forza Horizon 5 cars for road racing, dirt racing, and free roam

The best Forza Horizon 5 cars will help you win races with a top tier level of speed and control to give you an advantage. That said, with so many different tracks, terrains, and weather conditions to think about , there is no overall ‘best car’, it all depends on what you need. A Ferrari is always going to beat a Ford Bronco in a road race, but the same supercar will be left literally in the mud for a cross-country sprint.

Success in Forza Horizon 5 is ultimately down to owning and mastering a variety of cars. The problem here being that you have to earn and spend a huge number of Credits (CR) on new cars (or get lucky with Wheelspins), or tune up what’s already in your garage, to stay competitive. To make things easier here are a few of my top Forza Horizon 5 car picks for road, street, dirt, and cross-country races and even free roam.

The best cars in Forza Horizon 5 quicklist

If you’re just after a quick list of the best Forza Horizon 5 cars overall, here are the vehicles I recommend from the overall Forza Horizon 5 car list:

• Best cars for road races:
  • Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – Forza Edition (2011)
  • Koenigsegg Jesko (2020)
  • Porsche Taycan Turbo S (2020)
  • Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR (2008)
• Best Cars for dirt races:
  • Hoonigan Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC (1991)
  • Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR (2008)
  • M12S Warthog CST
• Best cars for free roam:
  • Koenigsegg Jesko (2020)
  • Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – Forza Edition (2011)
  • M12S Warthog CST

Choosing any of these cars is all well and good, but remember that the assists you have active and your chosen difficulty will drastically affect how they feel. You can read our Forza Horizon 5 tips guide for more information on assists, but I’ve been playing with Simulation Steering, Traction Control on, and Stability Control off.

Furthermore, “fastest” does not equal “best”, which is why there’s such a wide spread of cars in the list above – although, if you are looking to learn what the fastest cars in Forza Horizon 5 are, I’ve got you covered with a separate guide.

Of course, tuning and modifying your cars is another major aspect of the game, so experiment with auto upgrades, custom tunes, and community-made tune setups to find what works for you – some of these can turn rubbish cars into rocket ships, so there are almost limitless options.

Below is everything you need to know about the best cars in Forza Horizon 5 based on my racing experience:

Forza Horizon 5 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Forza Edition (2011)

Class: S2 – (Forza Edition) / S2 – 936 (normal version)

Price: N/A (Forza Edition) / CR 2.5 million (normal version)

The Sesto Elemento’s stats speak for themselves, really, with 10 in Handling, Acceleration, Launch, and Braking. It might not be the fastest car, but its superb stats overall mean I’d probably call it the best car in the game if I was pushed. It’s excellent for any road races and various open world activities too.

The added benefit of the Forza Edition of the Sesto Elemento is that you’ll also get a flat 25% boost for trick points you build up as part of Skill Chain too. You can pick up the regular model from the Auto Show or you can get the Forza Edition variant from a Wheelspin or the Auction House. The Forza Horizon 5 Lamboghini Revuelto is a good alternative and you can get it for free.

Forza Horizon 5 Koenigsegg Jesko (2020)

Class: S2 – 971

Price: CR 2.8 million

The Koenigsegg Jesko is one of the fastest cars in the game out of the box. If you manage to get one, it should definitely be one of your go-to S2 rated cars for races and speed traps. While driving along the main highway road in Mexico, I got the top speed to be around 283mph and sometimes even a little over that.

In fact, any of the modern Koenigsegg hypercars will do the job if speed is what you’re after. An honorable mention goes to the the Agera RS, which is 800,000 CR cheaper than the Jesko with similar stats and a slightly higher rating of 980. There’s also the One:1 which is very similar.

Forza Horizon 5 Porsche Taycan Turbo S (2020)

Class: S1 – 900 (Welcome Pack) / S1 - 807 (normal version)

Price: Included in premium Welcome Pack / CR 185,000 (normal version)

The Taycan is an all-electric Porsche that makes its Forza debut in Forza Horizon 5. I’ve got the Welcome Pack edition of the car – available as part of the Premium edition of Forza Horizon 5 it but can also be bought as part of the Premium Add-On Bundle – which comes pre-tuned to have significantly higher speed and launch. This helps it tear up drag strips and straighter road races, but it’s an incredibly cumbersome car due to its weight, so definitely avoid it for more technical street races. However, it is on the cheaper end of S1 cars in FH5, with others costing in excess of one million CR. If you don’t have the Welcome Pack version of the car, you can install player-made tunes that will bring it up to that level.

Forza Horizon 5 Hoonigan Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC (1991)

Class: A – 783

Price: Free for everyone (CR 500,000 to buy again)

The Hoonigan Ford Cosworth is a great little rally car that is excellent for dirt and cross-country races. Best of all, everyone gets it for free within the first hour of FH5 after completing the game’s first Showcase event. The solid handling, both on and off-road, and great acceleration will allow you to easily stay near the front of the pack as you race. Some slick driving and drifting on corners will really help you get to the front and get high scores in Forza Horizon 5 Drift Zones.

Forza Horizon 5 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR

Class: A – 800 (Welcome Pack) / B – 649 (normal version)

Price: Included in premium Welcome Pack / CR 43,000 (normal version)

This Mitsubishi Lancer GSR is one of the most versatile cars in Forza Horizon 5 and is definitely one you should pick up as soon as you can. Admittedly, I’ve been using the Welcome Pack edition which, like the Porsche Taycan, comes pre-tuned and is only available in the premium Welcome Pack. This Class A version of the Lancer has high Acceleration and Off-Road stats, making it a great choice for mixed-terrain Dirt races. Despite its off-road capabilities, this souped-up Lancer is also great for any Street or even road races thanks to its steady handling, speed, and acceleration.

A tune setup for the base B Class version of the Lancer that brings its rating up to 700, or a better setup that elevates it to A Class is the way to go if you don’t have the premium Welcome Pack.

Forza Horizon 5 M12S Warthog CST

Class: A – 719

Price: 850,000

While not a real car, I think the Warthog from Halo is a real hidden gem. It’s got some of the best in-class Launch for an off-road vehicle, meaning it will fly off the line at the start of most Cross-Country races, and its incredible off-roading stat means it’ll remain very stable. Its major downside is that its base top speed of 117mph (I see what you did there, Playground Games) is pitiful, so a custom tuning setup is essential to keep it competitive in races on higher difficulties.

Although, if you’re looking for a fun car to drive in free roam, the Warthog is definitely the one. It’s size, weight, and power mean it’s almost unstoppable as you drive across Mexico – perfect for smashing through objects, such as Forza Horizon 5 solar panels. This novelty Halo vehicle is a bit on the expensive side for an off-road A Class car, but we think it’s worth it if you’ve got the CR.

Forza Horizon 5 Ford Capri RS3100 (1973)

Class: D – 497

Price: CR 55,000

I’m not going to sugar-coat this one. Most D-Class cars are old bangers and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever need one, but in case you do, may we recommend the Ford Capri RS3100. For the cars in this category, this one is definitely up there as one of the best. It’s got balanced stats across the board with good Launch, Acceleration, and Handling. It’s good for road races, the less technical street races, and even the odd mixed-terrain dirt race. The fact that it’s such a barebones car – like a lot of the Class D cars – means it’s very receptive to modifications. You can find plenty of tune set ups for the Ford Capri that will boost its performance to A or S Class.

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