What car to choose?
That is a good question, but also a bad question at the same time up to some degree. Why? Pretty simple, not all cars handle the same way, and while its a good idea to try to avoid the worst cars, simply because using cars that barely accelerate and handle properly can really hamper your experience overall, but at the same time picking the most overpowered cars just because they're the best even though your driving skills are bad, you are not really going to get any good time splits any time soon, so our personal opinion on the matter is to simply pick a car you feel comfortable with. Although it is a good idea to pick a car and grind points with just that one car, changing the car you're using is a good way to break with the eventual monotony of using the same car over and over again.
Regardless of what we said above, if you would still like to know an overall grasp of how the cars perform in this game, read the text that follows and then try to decide for yourself what car would you like to choose.
Drivetrains
The game has 4 possible drivetrains to use, and all of them make the car's behaviour in every aspect very different in comparison to other cars with different drivetrains.
Even though this game does not feature realistic handling, it's important to understand these points that we're going to showcase here since those are the ones that matter the most just for playing this game:
Front engine/Rear wheel drive (FR)
- Key points:
- Control over top speed
- Advantatges:
- Manageable maneuverability in corners
- Disadvantatges:
- Prone to sliding outwards while cornering in wet conditions
- Prone to sliding outwards while cornering in wet conditions
Front engine/Front wheel drive (FF)
- Key points:
- Great stability
- Great stability
- Advantatges:
- Great acceleration after exiting corners
- Great acceleration after exiting corners
- Disadvantatges:
- Noticeable understeer
- Noticeable understeer
Mid engine/Rear wheel drive (MR)
- Key points:
- Countersteering is mandatory for the usage of these cars
- Countersteering is mandatory for the usage of these cars
- Advantatges:
- Lightweight cars, so their overall manuevaribility is very good
- Lightweight cars, so their overall manuevaribility is very good
- Disadvantatges:
- Most oversteer-y cars in the entire game
- Most oversteer-y cars in the entire game
4 wheel drive/All wheel drive (4WD/AWD)
- Key points:
- Ideal for wet condition races
- Ideal for wet condition races
- Advantatges:
- Most stable cars in the game
- Best acceleration stats
- Most stable cars in the game
- Disadvantatges:
- Most understeer-y cars in the entire game
- Most understeer-y cars in the entire game
Car ratings
Toyota
Sprinter Trueno 3door GT-APEX (AE86)
One of the most balanced cars in the game (except for course D since it has better top speed but worse handling in comparison to the other courses), the Trueno is surprisingly a car not suited for beginners, mostly because of its tendency to lose a lot of speed when hitting or just rubbing walls at high speeds.
Best course: Akina
Worst course: Irohazaka, wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
- TRD racing engine (only with the A-Tune path): 8000 - 9000 - 10500
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A: TRD racing engine upgrade
- Tune course B: Racing engine upgrade
- Tune course C: Racing engine upgrade
- Tune course D: Turbo kit upgrade
Corolla Levin GT-APEX (AE86)
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Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A: Turbo supercharger upgrade
- Tune course B: Racing engine upgrade
- Tune course C: Racing engine upgrade
- Tune course D: Turbo kit upgrade
Corolla Levin SR (AE85)
(WIP)
Best course: Akina
Worst course: Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A: Turbo supercharger upgrade
MR2 G-Limited (SW20)
(WIP)
Best course: Akina, Happogahara, Irohazaka
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: MR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5500 - 5500 - 6000
MR-S S-Edition (ZZW30)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: MR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Altezza RS200 Z Edition (SXE10)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Celica GT-Four (ST205)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Nissan
Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR34)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Skyline 25GT Turbo (ER34)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Silvia K's (S13)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Silvia Q's (S14)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Silvia K's Aero (S14)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Silvia Spec-R (S15)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
180SX Type X (RPS13)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
SilEighty (RPS13)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Honda
Civic Type R (EK9)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FF
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Civic SiR-II (EG6)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FF
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Integra Type R (DC2)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FF
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A:
Turbo supercharger upgrade
S2000 (AP1)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Mitsubishi
Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A:
TurboMisfiringsupercharger upgradesystem
Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Lancer Evolution VII GSR (CT9A)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Mazda
ɛ̃fini RX-7 Type R (FD3S)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course
A:Turbo supercharger upgrade
RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD3S)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
SAVANNA RX-7 ∞ III (FC3S)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Eunos Roadster (NA6CE)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A:
TurboIncreasedsuperchargercylinderupgradebore
Roadster RS (NB8C)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Subaru
Impreza WRX STi Sedan Type R Version VI (GC8G)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Impreza WRX STi (GDBA)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Impreza WRX STi Coupe Type R Version V (GC8F)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
Suzuki
Cappuccino (EA11R)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, Akina
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5000 - 6000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course: