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: ShomaruAkina, Pass,Happogahara, AkinaIrohazaka
Worst course: Myogi, Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: MR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5500 - 5500 - 6000 - 6500
Altezza RS200 Z Edition (SXE10)
(WIP)
Best course: Shomaru Pass, AkinaPass
Worst course: Wet conditioned racesHappogahara
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000 - 7500
Celica GT-Four (ST205)
(WIP)
Best course: ShomaruAkina Pass, Akina(Uphill)
Worst course: Wet conditioned races-
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Nissan
Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Real Myogi
Worst course: Akina, Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 7500 - 8000
Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR34)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Real Myogi, Momiji Line
Worst course: Akina, Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 7000 - 7500 - 8000
Skyline 25GT Turbo (ER34)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Usui, Momiji Line
Worst course: Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 7000 - 7500 - 8000
Silvia K's (S13)
(WIP)
Best course: Usui, Akina, Real Myogi, Real Usui, Wet conditioned races
Worst course: Happogahara
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 6500 - 7000
Silvia Q's (S14)
(WIP)
Best course: Usui, Akagi, Real Myogi
Worst course: Happogahara, Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Silvia K's Aero (S14)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Usui, Real Myogi, Real Usui
Worst course: Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Silvia Spec-R (S15)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Usui, Real Myogi
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6200 - 6700 - 7000
180SX Type X (RPS13)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Usui, Real Myogi, Real Usui
Worst course: Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
SilEighty (RPS13)
(WIP)
Best course: Usui, Real Usui
Worst course: Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Honda
Civic Type R (EK9)
(WIP)
Best course: Happogahara, Enna Skyline
Worst course: Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: FF
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 7000 - 7500
Civic SiR-II (EG6)
(WIP)
Best course: Happogahara, Wet conditioned races
Worst course: Dry conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FF
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 7000 - 7500
Integra Type R (DC2)
(WIP)
Best course: Akina (Wet), Happogahara (Wet), Enna Skyline (Wet)
Worst course: Usui (Downhill), Akagi (Downhill)
Technical information
Drivetrain: FF
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 7000 - 7500
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A: Turbocharger upgrade
S2000 (AP1)
(WIP)
Best course: Myogi, Happogahara
Worst course: Irohazaka
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6500 - 7200 - 7500 - 8000
Mitsubishi
Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A)
(WIP)
Best course: Irohazaka
Worst course: Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5500 - 6500 - 7000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A: Misfiring system
Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A)
(WIP)
Best course: Irohazaka
Worst course: Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Lancer Evolution VII GSR (CT9A)
(WIP)
Best course: Happogahara, Irohazaka
Worst course: Akagi, Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Mazda
ɛ̃fini RX-7 Type R (FD3S)
(WIP)
Best course: Akagi
Worst course: Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course B: Single turbine
RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD3S)
(WIP)
Best course: Akagi
Worst course: Akina
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
SAVANNA RX-7 ∞ III (FC3S)
(WIP)
Best course: Akagi
Worst course: Myogi, Momiji Line
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5500 - 6000
Eunos Roadster (NA6CE)
(WIP)
Best course: Happogahara, Momiji Line
Worst course: Myogi, Real Myogi, Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 5000 - 5500 - 6000 - 6500
Complete basic tune reward of each tune course:
- Tune course A: Increased cylinder bore
Roadster RS (NB8C)
(WIP)
Best course: Momiji Line
Worst course: Myogi, Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 6500 - 7000
Subaru
Impreza WRX STi Sedan Type R Version VI (GC8G)
(WIP)
Best course: Akagi, Akina, Irohazaka
Worst course: -
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Impreza WRX STi (GDBA)
(WIP)
Best course: Akina, Happogahara, Irohazaka
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 6-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Impreza WRX STi Coupe Type R Version V (GC8F)
(WIP)
Best course: Akagi, Akina, Irohazaka
Worst course: Myogi
Technical information
Drivetrain: 4WD
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 6000 - 6500 - 7000
Suzuki
Cappuccino (EA11R)
(WIP)
Best course: Akagi, Akina, Shomaru Pass
Worst course: Wet conditioned races
Technical information
Drivetrain: FR
Transmission: 5-speed
Recommended shift points (in rpm):
- Normal engine: 8000 - 9500 - 10500