Rally in Gran Turismo 7 is a small part of the game, and that is why people get the car choice wrong. There are only a few dirt tracks and one class that matters, Gr.B. Pick one good car, learn how it slides, and you can clear every dirt event with it.
Here is the car I would buy, the ones I would skip and the full list.
The best rally cars in GT7
| If you want | Car | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One car for every dirt event | Ford Focus Gr.B Rally Car | Short, stable, and usually at the front of the class in community testing |
| The easiest car to learn on | Subaru WRX Gr.B Rally Car | Calm rear, long enough wheelbase to forgive a late correction |
| A car that rotates | Peugeot RCZ Gr.B Rally Car | Turns in sharply. Quick, but it asks for cleaner hands |
| A real rally car that is still competitive | Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST205) '95 | Group A manners: predictable and easy to place |
| The one for the garage | Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak '87 | The sound and the history. Not the easiest, not the cheapest |
A word on how I rank them. Inside Gr.B the game balances the cars, and that balance moves with updates. So the gaps are small. In community time trials the Focus and the RCZ are usually the two in front, with the Mustang and the Genesis at the back. In between it is closer than the forums make it sound, and the driver is the bigger difference.
What Gr.B means in Gran Turismo 7
Gr.B is the name the game gives to its loose surface race cars. It is not the same thing as the real Group B of the 1980s, even if two of those cars are in it. There are three families:
- Modern fantasy cars. Road cars that Polyphony turned into rally cars: Focus, RCZ, WRX, 86, NSX, Lancer Evolution, GT-R, Genesis, Mustang. None of these exists as a real rally car in this form. They have a lot of power, around 550 BHP before the balance of performance, and four wheel drive.
- Real Group B cars. The Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak '87 and the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 '86.
- Real cars from the 1990s. The Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST205) '95 and the Subaru Impreza Rally Car '98. In the real world they are Group A and World Rally Car machines. The game puts them in Gr.B so they can race the others.
That makes 13 cars at my last check. Polyphony adds one now and then, so look at the Gr.B filter in your garage or in Brand Central if you read this later.
Ford Focus Gr.B Rally Car: the one to buy first
If you buy one rally car, make it this one. The short wheelbase makes it change direction quickly, and it stays stable when you get on the power early. On dirt that is the combination you want: a car that turns when you ask and does not punish you on the exit.
The modern Gr.B cars are sold in Brand Central. The old version of this page listed the Focus at 450,000 credits. Prices can change with updates, so check before you save for it.
Subaru WRX Gr.B Rally Car: the easiest on dirt
If you have never driven on a loose surface, I would start here. The WRX is calmer than the Focus. The rear follows the front, and when you make a mistake you have time to fix it. You give away a little in the tight corners. You get it back by not hitting anything.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final is the same kind of car. Pick the one you like the look of.
Peugeot RCZ Gr.B Rally Car: fast and sharp
The RCZ is the other car that is usually at the front. It turns in harder than the Focus, which is great when you are precise and annoying when you are not. I would take it for time trials after you are comfortable on dirt, and not as a first car.
The real rally cars
The Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak '87 is the one everybody wants. It was built for one hill, with wings the size of a table and a five cylinder turbo. In the game it is quick and it is popular in online dirt races. It is also short and lively, and it does not forgive you the way the WRX does. Buy it because you love it.
The Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 '86 is small, mid engined and very agile. The two real Group B cars get extra weight and less power under the balance of performance, so in a balanced race they do not have the advantage their history suggests.
The Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST205) '95 came with update 1.27 in December 2022. It has less drama than the Group B cars and it is easy to drive on the limit. If you want a real car that you can also win with, this is my pick.
The Subaru Impreza Rally Car '98 arrived with update 1.49 in July 2024. It drives a lot like the Celica: balanced and honest. Between the two it is a matter of taste.
The older real cars are not always in the same shop as the modern ones. If you do not find one in Brand Central, look at the Legend Cars dealer, where the stock rotates.
All 13 Gr.B cars
| Car | Family | My note |
|---|---|---|
| Ford Focus Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | The reference. Buy this first |
| Peugeot RCZ Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | As quick as the Focus, more nervous |
| Subaru WRX Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | The beginner pick |
| Toyota 86 Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | Light on its feet, good traction out of slow corners |
| Honda NSX Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | Mid engine. Fun, but the rear moves more on entry |
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | Safe and neutral. A fair second choice to the WRX |
| Nissan GT-R Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | Strong on the straights, feels big in the tight parts |
| Hyundai Genesis Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | Usually off the pace of the front group |
| Ford Mustang Gr.B Rally Car | Modern | Usually off the pace too. Great noise |
| Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak '87 | Real Group B | Huge wings, short wheelbase, a handful |
| Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 '86 | Real Group B | Tiny and agile, held back by the balance of performance |
| Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST205) '95 | Real Group A | Added in update 1.27. Friendly and consistent |
| Subaru Impreza Rally Car '98 | Real WRC | Added in update 1.49. The one everybody wants in blue and gold |
What the dirt events ask for
Two rules catch people out.
First, the tyres. Every dirt event needs dirt tyres. The Gr.B cars come with them. A road car needs a set from the Tuning Shop, and not every car can fit them.
Second, the class. The World Rally Challenge at Colorado Springs Lake is for Gr.B cars only, so a tuned road car will not get in. The early dirt events and licence tests are more open.
The dirt and snow courses are few, and you will know them all in an evening. I keep them in my GT7 rally tracks list. If you also want rain on tarmac, that is a different list: GT7 tracks with rain.
How to drive a rally car in GT7
The car is maybe a third of it. The rest is this:
- Brake earlier than you think. Dirt has much less grip. If you brake where you would on tarmac you are already in the wall.
- Turn while you come off the brake. That puts weight on the front and makes the rear rotate. It is the same trail braking I teach in karting, with bigger angles.
- Be patient with the throttle. With four wheel drive the car pulls itself straight when you get on the power. Too early and it pushes wide.
- Use a higher gear. Third where you think second. Less wheelspin, more drive.
- Look far ahead. On dirt the car is always a little sideways. Your hands follow your eyes.
On a wheel, the car talks to you a lot more on dirt. My GT7 FFB settings are the place to start if the steering feels numb.
Problems and fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| The car will not turn in on dirt | You are braking too late and too straight. Brake earlier, turn while you release the brake |
| It spins on the exit | Too much steering with the throttle. Open the wheel first, then go to full throttle |
| The event will not let you enter | Check the tyres. Dirt events need dirt tyres, and Gr.B events need a Gr.B car |
| The car feels lazy in long corners | Lift for a moment before the corner to move the weight forward, then back on the throttle |
| You keep hitting the walls and getting penalties | Use one gear higher. Less wheelspin, calmer car |
| Slower than the AI on the straights | Check the event rules. If tuning is open, shorten the gearbox for the short dirt straights |
FAQ
What is the best rally car in Gran Turismo 7?
The Ford Focus Gr.B Rally Car is the one I would buy first. It is stable, it changes direction well and it is usually at the front of the class in community testing.
What is the easiest rally car in GT7 for beginners?
The Subaru WRX Gr.B Rally Car. The rear is calm and it gives you time to correct. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final is very close.
How many Gr.B cars are in GT7?
13 at my last check: nine modern fantasy rally cars and four real ones, the Audi S1 Pikes Peak, the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2, the Toyota Celica ST205 and the Subaru Impreza '98.
Is the Audi quattro S1 Pikes Peak good in GT7?
Yes, it is quick and popular in online dirt races. It is harder to drive than the modern cars, and under the balance of performance it carries extra weight.
Do I need a Gr.B car for rally events?
For the World Rally Challenge, yes. Other dirt events accept road cars as long as they have dirt tyres.
Do I need dirt tyres in GT7?
Yes, for every dirt event. Gr.B cars have them as standard. For a road car you buy them in the Tuning Shop.
Are the Gr.B cars in GT7 real cars?
Four are: the Audi, the Peugeot 205, the Celica and the Impreza. The other nine are fantasy builds that Polyphony made from road cars.
Can I use rally cars on tarmac?
You can. With sports or racing tyres they are quick and fun on short circuits, and some online races use them that way.