All The Best Rides Added In 2023 (So Far)
Since its release in November 2021, Forza Horizon 5 players have enjoyed a steady stream of new content as in previous versions of the popular racing game. Beyond the constantly refreshed events occurring during different Mexican seasons, without a doubt, it is the new cars that Forza fans crave the most. Already offering more than 500 different vehicles at launch, the Forza Horizon 5 car list now stands at over 650 choices consisting of trucks, rally cars, and the top-performing sports cars from across the globe. As the 2023 calendar year unfolds, there is no sign of the Forza Horizon 5 garage closing anytime soon.
So far in 2023, the new slate of Forza cars are products of two series, one celebrating the long history of Ford, while the other pays tribute to modern and classic JDM sports cars. Surprisingly, none of the new vehicles rewarded for completing festival playlists are actually Fords in the traditional sense. Renault is receiving plenty of attention in Forza Horizon 5 in recent months, with three compact performance-oriented models hitting the virtual roads and racetracks. JDM fanatics should also be content with popular Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Nissan cars making their way to Forza Horizon 5 for the first time. Unfortunately, collecting them all requires many hours of gameplay, and taking the short route at the auction house can cost an obscene number of credits. The following eight cars represent some of the best cars in Forza Horizon 5 added so far this year, and are worth the effort and expense.
8 2010 Renault Megane RS 250
The Renault Megane is a compact car from the famous French auto manufacturer, introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the Renault 19. From its looks, it’s hard to imagine the Megane as a high-performance car, but it reached hot hatch status with the Sport Megane 225 packing 225 hp. The third generation of the Megane RS arrived in 2009 with a more sports coupe exterior, boasting enhanced power with a twin-scroll turbocharger and output of 250 hp.
The Renault RS 250 in Forza Horizon 5 was a reward for completing part of the #Fordzathon festival playlist. With an excellent combination of speed and handling, the Renault RS 250 is one of the best cars in Forza Horizon 5 in the super hot hatch category.
7 1965 Toyota Sports 800
With the Japanese economy recovering in the 1960s, automakers began to turn their attention toward making high-performance sports cars. The Toyota Sports 800 was the company’s first widely produced sports car as a souped-up Publica sedan, which the Camry later evolved from.
With its flat U engine, the 1965 Sports 800 only provided 45 hp of power, but its extremely lightweight construction allowed it to reach speeds of around 96 mph. The Toyota Sports 800 is the only classic car added to the Forza Horizon 5 car list in 2023 so far. The RWD Sports 800 competes with classic sports cars and sports an impressive 4.8 for handling among D-class vehicles.
6 2010 Renault Clio R.S.
As a follow-up to the Renault 5, the Renault Clio debuted in 1991 and quickly became a best-selling European supermini. The Clio had several advantages over other compact cars of its era, with a more spacious interior, modern engines, and available features like electric windows and remote locks. The Clio won the European Car of the Year in 1991, but Renault was still seeking a true successor to the high-performance Renault 5 GT Turbo.
In 1999, the first Clio R.S. hit roads and raceways and impressed spectators with its snappy acceleration and 2.0-liter 172 hp engine. The sport versions of the Clio would continue to evolve with beefier V6 engines, and by 2009 the Cup version output up to 196 hp.
The 2010 Renault Clio R.S. in Forza Horizon 5 has similar specs to the Cup model and ranks among the best cars in the hot hatch category. With 5 or better ratings in speed, handling, and off-road, the FWD Clio R.S. is a versatile and strong all-around choice in hot hatch races. As another reward car in the #FORDzathon playlist, players will have to scour the auction market in hopes of tracking down this miniature racing terror.
5 1995 Toyota MR2 GT
With the goal of designing a small, fun-to-drive, and fuel-efficient commuter car, the first concept behind the eventual MR2 surfaced in 1976. It was not until 1984 that the MR2 was ready for production, and by then the car had evolved into a traditional sports car. In 1989, the second generation of the MR2 launched and was a longer car with a more European style, reminiscent of a Ferrari.
The GT was one variety of the revised MR2, with a turbocharged 2.0 liter 3S-GTE engine outputting 218 hp. The 1995 Toyota MR2 GT in Forza Horizon 5 is not a brand-new car to the racing game series, as it was also available in the fourth UK-based Horizon. However, it resurfaced recently as one of the fastest cars in Forza Horizon 5 among B-class vehicles, with an impressive 6.2-speed rating and 241 hp.
4 1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR4
The Mitsubishi Galant is well known to North American and Japanese car buyers as a four-door sedan with wide appeal when first introduced to the market in 1969. In 1987, the new VR4 was designed to tackle the Group A rally circuits with four-wheel drive and a four-valve turbocharged engine. Chock-full of high-tech features, the added weight held the top speed of the VR4 Galant back to some degree. The VR4 did not achieve the success in racing that Mitsubishi hoped for, but its four-door design and 4G63T engine soon gave rise to the more recognizable Lancer Evolution.
The 1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR4 is technically not a newcomer to the Forza Horizon car list, but returned to the series as a tribute to popular JDM cars in recent weeks. The Galant VR4 is a rare commodity on the auction house, and its 5.4-speed rating and 237 hp make it a solid choice for retro rally races.
3 2020 MG #20 MG6 XPower
The British MG automotive company has undergone more than its fair share of turmoil since its start in the 1920s. A state-owned Chinese company now controls MG, and it introduced the four-door MG6 saloon in the UK in 2011 as its first model since the acquisition. Despite achieving some success on British racing circuits and winning numerous awards, the MG6 was a sales failure and left the UK market in 2016. Production of the MG6 would continue in Asia, and in 2021, MG introduced a high-performance version of the car with the XPower tag. The MG6 XPower has some fairly dramatic design elements, with Italian styling, wide body, and carbon fiber rear wing.
The 2020 MG6 XPower in Forza Horizon 5 includes a 2-liter turbo ICE combined with an electric motor and gives the aerodynamic saloon a healthy power output of 340 hp. The car is a legitimate track toy, but without upgrades, its speed rating pales in comparison to its attributes for handling and braking, which are among the highest in the Forza Horizon 5 car list.
2 2023 Nissan Z
The modern Nissan Z is a culmination of a long history of Nissan’s top-performing yet modestly priced sports cars, originating in 1969 with the Datsun 240Z. The two-seat coupe didn’t have the raw power to compete with American cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, but provided an impressive amount of torque and cost considerably less. By the time the Nissan Z cars entered their sixth generation in 2009, they had firmly entered the category of top-performing sports cars, with models like the Nismo with V6 engines capable of up to 350 hp.
The 370Z hit the end of the road in 2020, but Nissan could not deny fans of the popular JDM car for long and reintroduced the car as the Nissan Z with retro styling in 2023. Forza Horizon fans are always clamoring for the latest sports cars to make their way into the game as soon as possible, and Microsoft recently added the 2023 Nissan Z to the Forza Horizon car list. Without any upgrades, in the Modern Sports Car category, the A-class Nissan Z has 400 hp, and a speed rating of over 7.
1 2016 Renault Clio R.S. 16 Concept
One of the significant advantages of racing video games is they provide the opportunity to drive rare cars that never enjoyed substantial production runs. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Renault R.S. cars, the 2016 Clio R.S. Concept was the most advanced Clio car to date with engine and suspension elements taken from the Megane RS 275 Trophy R. Despite the concept car packing a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 273 hp, it was sadly shelved in favor of Alpine sports cars.
The Forza event featuring the 2016 Renault Clio R.S. ended in late January, and now the car demands an asking price of over 15 million credits on the auction market. The car matches the specs of the concept car and has an impressive combination of speed and handling ratings. The 2016 Renault Clio R.S. concept with its all-around strong performance is one of the best cars in Forza Horizon 5 among Super Hot Hatch competitors.
