Cross country in Forza Horizon 5 is the race type where the track is only a suggestion. You go through fields, rivers, cactus and over jumps, checkpoint to checkpoint.
A road car with rally tyres does not work here. You need suspension travel, big tyres and a car that lands without bouncing off the line. These are the eight I would pick, and why.
The best cross country cars in Forza Horizon 5
| Rank | Car | How to get it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 Ford #2069 Ford Performance Bronco R | Autoshow, 450,000 credits | A class, any cross country route |
| 2 | 2016 Jeep Trailcat | Autoshow, 75,000 credits | The best value on the list |
| 3 | 2014 Local Motors Rally Fighter | Autoshow | A class with more speed on open ground |
| 4 | 2017 Ford #25 Brocky Ultra4 Bronco RTR | Autoshow, 500,000 credits | Rocks, rivers and big jumps |
| 5 | 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics M12S Warthog CST | Autoshow, 850,000 credits, or a wheelspin | Launches and fun |
| 6 | 1986 Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution | Autoshow | S1 and S2 cross country |
| 7 | Extreme E Odyssey 21 | Autoshow, several team liveries | S1 races with a lot of slow corners |
| 8 | 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR | Autoshow | A cheap all wheel drive build for mixed routes |
Prices are the Autoshow prices. Where I do not give one, check the Autoshow in your game, and look at the Auction House too, because off-road cars often sell there for less.
One note on the old version of this page. It had a Porsche 911 GT3 RS in the list. I took it out. A low road car can win a dirt race on a smooth road, but in a real cross country route it gets thrown around by the first field.
Which car for which class
| Class | PI range | What I would take |
|---|---|---|
| B | 601 to 700 | Jeep Trailcat tuned down, or a light rally car on off-road tyres |
| A | 701 to 800 | Ford Bronco R. The Trailcat if you are short on credits |
| S1 | 801 to 900 | Hoonigan RS200 Evolution or an Extreme E Odyssey 21 |
| S2 | 901 to 998 | Hoonigan RS200 Evolution with the power turned up |
Seasonal events and online races fix the class, so it is worth having one car ready for A and one for S1. Those are the two classes where cross country works best. Below B the cars are too slow for the open sections, and in S2 the speed is so high that the bumps decide the race more than you do.
On the official forums, the fast players also name the Mercedes-Benz X-Class and the International Scout 800A as the cars to beat in A class online. They are harder to tune well. If you want to compete at the top of the leaderboards, look at those two. For everything else, the list above is easier to live with.
1. Ford Bronco R
The Bronco R is the race truck Ford built for the Baja 1000, and in the game it sits at the top of A class without any upgrades. Long suspension travel, all wheel drive and enough torque for any hill.
What I like is how calm it is. It lands flat, it does not snap when one wheel hits a rock, and you can keep the throttle down where other cars make you lift. That is what you want when the race is ten minutes of bumps.
It costs 450,000 credits in the Autoshow. There is also a Welcome Pack edition, which I cover in my Forza Horizon 5 Welcome Pack list.
2. Jeep Trailcat
A Jeep Wrangler with the 707 hp supercharged Hellcat V8 and 40 inch tyres. It costs 75,000 credits, which makes it the best value on this list by far.
It is heavier and taller than the Bronco R, so it rolls more in fast direction changes. In return, nothing stops it. Rivers, rocks, walls of cactus, it drives through all of it. If you are new to cross country, buy this one first.
3. Local Motors Rally Fighter
A coupe body on desert racing suspension with a 6.2 litre V8. It is lighter than the trucks, so it is quicker on the open sections and it changes direction better.
The price you pay is in the rough stuff. It does not absorb the big hits like the Bronco, so you have to choose your line with more care. On routes with long fast fields, I would take it over the Trailcat.
4. Ford Brocky Ultra4 Bronco RTR
An Ultra4 car, the type built for rock crawling and desert racing in the same event. A 7.0 litre V8 with about 600 hp and suspension that looks like it belongs on a tractor. It costs 500,000 credits.
It is the best car here over rocks, river beds and the biggest jumps. On smoother routes it is slower than the Bronco R, because it is heavy and soft. Take it for the roughest routes in the game.
5. M12S Warthog CST
The Warthog from Halo. A twin turbo V8 with 720 hp, all wheel drive and a launch that few cars in A class can match. 850,000 credits in the Autoshow, or luck in a wheelspin.
It is fast and it is fun. It is also wide and it bounces more than the Bronco R on landings, so it is harder to keep on the line for a whole race. I would not buy it as my only cross country car. As a second one, yes.
6. Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution
The RS200 was a Group B rally car, and the Hoonigan version is the wildest one in the game: a small turbo four cylinder with a huge amount of power in a car that weighs very little.
This is the one for S1 and S2. The trucks run out of power in those classes, and the RS200 has more than you can use. It is a rally car, so it sits lower. Fit the rally suspension, raise it, and accept that the worst rock sections will cost you a little. Everywhere else it disappears.
7. Extreme E Odyssey 21
The electric off-road racer from the Extreme E series. The game has it in several team liveries, and they all drive the same.
Electric means full torque from zero, so out of slow corners and up hills it is very strong. The top speed is the weak point. Pick it for tight, twisty routes and leave it at home for the long sprints. More on the car in my post about Extreme E in Forza Horizon 5.
8. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR
The odd one out. It is a road car, but it has all wheel drive from the factory and it takes the off-road parts well. It is cheap to buy and cheap to build.
I would use it on the mixed routes, the ones that are half dirt road and half field. In the deep rough it cannot follow the trucks. As a first build to learn tuning on, it is a good one.
Parts and tune
The car is half of it. The build is the other half, and the same rules work on every car in this list.
| Part | What to fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | Off-road race tyres | The biggest gain on grass, sand and mud |
| Suspension | Rally suspension, ride height near the top | Travel for the landings and clearance over rocks |
| Springs and dampers | Softer than you think | The wheels have to follow the ground, not bounce over it |
| Drivetrain | All wheel drive | Traction out of every slow corner and on every hill |
| Differential | More lock on acceleration | Both wheels keep pulling when one is in the air or in mud |
| Tyre pressure | A few psi lower than on tarmac | A bigger contact patch on loose ground |
Then test it on a route with a big jump. If the car bounces twice after the landing, the dampers are too stiff or the ride height is too low. If it rolls over in fast corners, stiffen the anti-roll bars a little before you touch anything else.
How to drive cross country
In a real car, an engineer will tell you that the car only does what the tyres let it do, and a tyre in the air does nothing. That is the whole game here.
- Land straight. Set the direction before the jump. If you land with the steering turned, the car hooks and you lose a second or you spin.
- Do not brake or accelerate hard in the air. The wheels change speed, and the car jerks when they touch down. Hold a steady throttle.
- Go slower into water. Deep water slows the car as if you hit the brakes. Enter in a lower gear with the car straight.
- Look at the next checkpoint, not at the ground. The fastest line is nearly always the straight one between two flags, through whatever is in the way.
- Know what you can drive through. Cactus, fences and small trees break. Rocks, big trees and walls do not.
If you drive with a wheel, turn the force feedback down a bit for these races. The landings send big spikes through it. My FH5 wheel settings are a good base.
Cross country or dirt racing?
They are two different race types. Dirt races follow a road, and a rally car is the right tool. Cross country leaves the road, and a truck or a buggy is better. I keep a separate list for the first kind: the best off-road cars in Forza Horizon 5. For road racing in the same classes, see the best A class cars and the best S1 class cars.
FAQ
What is the best cross country car in Forza Horizon 5?
The Ford #2069 Ford Performance Bronco R. It sits at the top of A class, lands well and has all wheel drive.
What is the best cheap cross country car in FH5?
The Jeep Trailcat. It costs 75,000 credits in the Autoshow and has a 707 hp V8.
What is the best S1 cross country car in FH5?
The Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution. It is light and has the power the trucks are missing in S1.
What tyres should I use for cross country?
Off-road race tyres. Rally tyres are made for dirt roads and have less grip on grass, sand and mud.
Is all wheel drive needed for cross country?
It is not required, but it is much faster. You get traction on loose ground and on hills where a rear wheel drive car just spins.
How much does the Warthog cost in Forza Horizon 5?
850,000 credits in the Autoshow. You can also win it in a wheelspin.
Can I use a supercar in cross country races?
You can enter one if it fits the class, but it will be slow. Low cars with stiff suspension get thrown off line by every bump.