Forza Horizon 5: choosing your starter car

The release date for Forza Horizon 5 is approaching rapidly. We're starting to get news of the car list and we're hyped about the graphics upgrades for the new installment.

One question looms large though: which car are we going to drive first?

Opening gameplay

We've now seen some footage of the initial gameplay. Like with previous games, Playground Games use the introduction to show off some of the exciting new aspects of the game.

We'll be airdropped into Mexico in a Ford Bronco Badlands, chase a dust storm in a C8 Corvette, then blast through jungle in the Rothsport Racing 911 'Desert Flyer' Porsche. Finally, we'll get a blast in the headline-grabbing Mercedes-AMG ONE before arriving at the festival and choosing our first car.

Starter cars

The good news with the starter cars is that your choice is not permanent. Whichever car you choose, all three will be added to your garage. This is a change from previous games. In prior games your first choice of car could make your first few Forza Horizon races tricky.

This time around, the decision has less consequence and so you can just pick whichever takes your fancy to start exploring Mexico!

Chevrolet C8 Corvette stingray

We've got the choice of three cars to start the game in, once we've completed the introduction. The first of these is the Chevrolet C8 Corvette Stingray.

As in Forza Horizon 4, we're expecting this car to be a good compromise between power and handling. The acceleration will make short work of straights while the lateral rear grip and balanced weight distribution will keep things sensible in the corners.

You'll already have driven this car in the introduction though, so maybe it's not the most exciting choice for your initial free-roam driving experience.

Ford Bronco

The second option starter car is the 2021 Ford Bronco. Don't expect this to be the fastest choice on tarmac, but unlike the other two choices, you'll be able to get across rough ground at speed. If your first priority is to abandon the tarmac and find some tricky terrain to traverse, this will be your pick.

This Bronco is a different model from the Badlands edition we'll be driving in the introduction. It might not have all the power of the vehicle you just blasted down the volcano in. Still, I quite fancy exploring the landscape to start with so this will likely be my pick!

Toyota GR Supra

The third option is the Toyota GR Supra. This car has been a little controversial among car critics, with so many BMW parts onboard. We're excited, though, as this vehicle looks perfect for a drift build.

This car will likely be your choice if the first thing you'll do in Horizon 5 is turn off the driving aids. We've also seen some body kits for this car in a previous Let's Go stream so we'll look forward to seeing how we can upgrade the appearance of the Supra!

Whichever of the three you choose, you'll quickly be able to swap to a different one so you can give all three a go before starting racing.

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