While racing games typically stress road-based showdowns, Playground Games greatly expands and diversifies the terrain of Forza Horizon 4, offering a slew of events, environments, and conditions to zip across. Still, it's hard to deny the sheer thrill and excitement of classic street racing, and there's plenty to be had in this UK-based installment.
5 Things Forza Horizon 4 Does Better Than Forza Horizon 5
While Forza 5 delivered a wonderful experience to fans of the franchise, there are some things Forza Horizon 4 simply did better.
Forza Horizon 4 offers an expansive list of cars to play around with, many of which are specifically designed for—or at least emphasize—road, street, and drag races. With such a huge lineup of vehicles, and the often tough nature of turn-laden Street Races, picking optimal cars can be tricky. Thankfully, there are many great options that run the gamut in terms of traits and pricing.
Updated September 27, 2024 by Stephen LaGioia: Racing games' biggest thrills typically come from flooring it and zipping through 3D locales in lightning-speeds. Forza Horizon 4 brings this exhilarating trait in spades, providing a now-massive lineup of awesome cars that most can only dream of obtaining in real life.
While new content has slowed to a crawl, the game still provides endlessly appealing online romps and rotating seasonal events to keep the action going. With this in mind, and given the new cars added to the lineup, it seemed fitting to revisit and add to this list of the speediest, most capable cars for Street Races.
15 Honda NSX-R (2005)
290 Bhp (Brake Horsepower)
There are a few variants of this Honda NSX-R found in Forza, but this '05 model stands out for its light, solid, and generally reliable nature. Specially crafted and refined for swift racing, the car provides a balanced, smooth feel with a responsive V6 engine and a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout.
It's fairly well-rounded statistically and well-built, making it a good option for newer players. Launching and speed are its best attributes, which are both ideal for skillful street racing.
14 Mini Cooper S (2011)
75 Bhp
Touted as being "stout in presence and performance" despite its small build, this retro car from the UK thrives on its maneuverability, light weight, and all-around functionality. These are useful traits for those tight, turn-heavy street scrambles.
This economy car might not thrive on burning rubber on the roads of England, but it has it where it counts. With decent handling and acceleration, as well as an excellent launch ability, the Mini Cooper S could be a deceptive force when racing on streets. This car can be scored by way of a Barn Find in Derwent Trail.
13 Koenigsegg CCGT
610 Bhp
This sleek 2008 supercar from Swedish Koenigsegg just plain looks the part of a street racer — and has the stats and power to back this up. Combining resourcefulness and raw power, the lightweight, nimble car can effortlessly zip its way across a variety of tracks.
There are faster options, but the CCGT yields picture-perfect braking and handling, as well as near-perfect launch, making it about as tough and versatile as they come — at least on the road. It's worth picking up through a Horizon Backstage pass, or seeking out a seasonal completion reward.
12 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport
611 Bhp
This limited-production supercar from Bugatti is among the top-performing cars in the game, boasting a 3.5L quad-turbocharged V12 engine AWD drivetrain that allows it to hit the ground running. Specifically, this sleek ride can zip to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Top speeds, meanwhile, can hit an impressive 218 mph.
However, as handling is not one of its strong suits, players will want to stress longer, straighter raceways when driving this beast. Still, it's worth the 1,700,000 Credit investment, given its incredible launching ability and solid speed statistics.
11 Audi TT RS Coupe
335 Bhp
While it may not be much to look at, this 2010 Audi has it where it counts — with an AWD quattro system that can handle the elements brought by the changing seasons. Despite its heavy nature, the car can get flying quickly, with a launch stat that surpasses nine as well as capable acceleration.
The all-wheel drive car is fairly versatile and remains pretty even-keeled when navigating the twists and turns of the various Street Races.
10 Honda Civic CRX Mugen
120 Bhp
Despite lacking in the aesthetic department, this Honda is deceptively reliable and effective in street-based scrambles. The car makes for a smooth ride that can coast its way to victory, weighing only 1819 lbs. At the same time, its front-wheel drive layout gives it solid traction and thus handling, making it a good choice for those tighter, turn-heavy raceways.
Forza Horizon 4: 15 Best Cars To Upgrade
These everyday cars shouldn't be overlooked by players seeking affordable options with great upgrading potential.
Speed is its best trait, nearing the six-point mark statistically without even receiving an upgrade (at D 492). Unfortunately, this one can't be found at the Autoshow, but is redeemed via pass at Horizon Backstage.
9 BMW M1
277 Bhp
This charming sports car from the 80s can get the job done on the road with its potent engine and solid build. Its design gives it a smooth, even-keeled feel that can nicely handle the tight corners and other curveballs of Street Races.
Being specifically crafted for racing, the BMW M1 can leave opponents in the dust with its great capabilities in speed and acceleration, as well as a superb launch statistic that's north of seven—even with its more tepid B 652 build. Pick it up from the Autoshow for 585,000 CR.
8 Audi RS5 Coupe
442 Bhp
Audi is well represented in Forza Horizon 4, and while there's no shortage of greats from this German manufacturer, the RS5 Coupe particularly stands out for those frantic Street Races. Its solid, economical build and technical wizardry allow it to thrive without a ton of bells and whistles — and without breaking the bank.
Packed inside this 2011 car is a 4.2L naturally-aspirated V8 with 442 bhp that can rev north of 8,000 RPM. Its ability to swiftly shift loads of power to the front or rear wheels gives it great handling that can easily deal with the sharp turns of race tracks. Of course, it also helps that the car is near the top of the pack when it comes to launch capabilities. This great ride can be purchased fairly cheaply at the Autoshow, costing just 88,000 CR.
7 Mosler MT900S
530 Bhp
Its official description of being like a "road-going spacecraft" may sound hyperbolic. However, it's not too far off given the Mosler's 7.0L supercharged V8 and 530 bhp, not to mention blistering speeds that top 294 mph when fully upgraded. With terrific acceleration that allows for zero to 60 in just over three seconds, the MT900S truly thrives on the race tracks of FH4.
Forza Horizon 5: Best Cars To Auction & Sell
These cars in Forza Horizon 5 will fetch a pretty penny at the Auction House.
The S2 957 build juices up this car with tremendous power and stats north of eight across the board. Its superb launch will leave racers behind in a flash, while pitch-perfect braking and handling ensures optimal control around those tight corners. This is a hard-to-find vehicle that can't be had at the Autoshow, but look for it as a Forzathon Shop or Festival Playlist reward.
6 Volkswagen Golf Gti 16v MK2
139 Bhp
It may not be much of a looker, but this hot hatch can really shine when hitting the streets of England with its compact build and all-around great performance.
With a twin-cam 1.8 liter EA827 engine, this is the most powerful variety of the Mk2 Golf, trailing only the supercharged G60 model.
Its above-average launch and acceleration abilities — along with its light weight and good balance — make this Volkswagen subtly effective. At least for its budget price of just 20,000 CR at the Autoshow, this car can be more than sufficient for some of those early Street Races in FH4.