Forza Horizon 6 Starter Cars: Which to Pick First?

Forza Horizon 6 gives you a choice of three starter cars right after the opening race, and the best first pick is the 2020 Toyota GR Supra for its balanced handling and speed. You choose between the Supra, the Ford Mustang GT, and the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and each suits a different driving style. This guide breaks down what each car does well, what it struggles with, and how to make the choice that matches how you actually play.

Formula

The calculator above works out your average pace and speed for any timed drive. The formulas are:

• Average pace = finish time (minutes) ÷ distance (km), giving you minutes per kilometre.
• Average speed = distance (km) ÷ (finish time ÷ 60), giving you kilometres per hour.

Variables: t = finish time in minutes, d = distance in kilometres. Pace is useful for comparing laps or stages of different lengths; speed is what you see on the HUD.

Worked Example

Using the defaults: you drive 10 km in 50 minutes.

1. Pace = 50 ÷ 10 = 5.00 min/km.
2. Speed = 10 ÷ (50 ÷ 60) = 10 ÷ 0.8333 = 12.00 km/h.

That matches the calculator output. If you instead finish 10 km in 8 minutes, pace = 0.80 min/km and speed = 75.00 km/h.

The Three Starter Cars and What They Actually Do

Forza Horizon 6 offers three retro-modern sports cars at the start, each tuned for a different feel. The 2020 Toyota GR Supra is the all-rounder: rear-wheel drive, turbocharged inline-six, and a chassis that rotates predictably. The 2020 Ford Mustang GT is the power pick: a 5.0-litre V8 with more torque, but heavier and prone to understeer if you brake late. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is the mid-engine specialist: sharp turn-in and strong cornering grip, but it can snap into oversteer when you lift off the throttle mid-corner.

All three are in the same performance class (A class, roughly 700-750 PI), so none is objectively faster in a straight line over a full lap. The difference is how they deliver that performance. The Supra rewards smooth inputs, the Mustang rewards aggressive braking and powering out of corners, and the Corvette rewards precise steering and trail braking.

How the Choice Affects Early Game Progression

Your starter car is not locked in forever. You can buy or win other cars within the first hour, and the game constantly throws new vehicles at you through Wheelspins and race rewards. However, the starter car is what you drive through the first few story missions and the opening showcase event. That matters because the early game has a mix of street races, dirt sprints, and a few highway speed zones.

For mixed surfaces, the Supra is the safest. Its suspension absorbs bumps better than the Corvette’s stiff setup, and it has enough torque to pull away from the Mustang on loose gravel. The Mustang is fine on asphalt but feels heavy on dirt, and the Corvette’s low front splitter can scrape and unsettle the car on rough terrain. If you plan to ignore dirt races and stick to roads, the Corvette is a legitimate pick. If you want one car that does everything, the Supra wins.

How to Choose Based on Your Driving Style

Ask yourself three questions before picking:

• Do you brake early and coast into corners? Pick the Supra – it forgives late braking and mid-corner bumps.
• Do you like sliding the rear out and powering through corners? Pick the Mustang – it has the torque to hold drifts, and its weight makes slides controllable.
• Do you brake late and carry high corner speed? Pick the Corvette – it rewards precise turn-in and has the most grip of the three.

If you are unsure, the Supra is the community consensus pick. It is the most neutral car, meaning it does not push you into a bad habit. The Mustang teaches you throttle control because it oversteers easily, and the Corvette teaches you braking points because it understeers if you enter too fast. None of these are wrong, but the Supra is the one that will not frustrate you on the first day.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

The biggest mistake is assuming the Corvette is the fastest because it has the highest top speed in a straight line. On the default road race circuit, the Supra and Corvette are within a second per lap of each other, and the Mustang is about a second slower on tight tracks but faster on long straights. The PI rating is a rough guide, not a ranking.

Another misconception is that you must upgrade your starter car immediately. The game gives you credits and upgrade parts, but spending them on the starter car is fine only if you plan to keep it. Most players swap to a different car within two hours, so saving credits for a car you actually want is smarter. Also, do not ignore the tuning menu – even a simple tire pressure adjustment can change how the car behaves. But for the first few hours, stock tuning is fine.

Upgrade Paths and Long-Term Value

Each starter car has a different ceiling when upgraded. The Supra can be built into a competitive S1 class track car (around 800 PI) with a widebody kit and race suspension. The Mustang can be turned into a drag monster or a drift car, but it struggles as a road racer at high PI because of its weight. The Corvette is the best of the three for S1 class racing – its mid-engine layout gives it an advantage in high-speed corners, and it takes well to aero upgrades.

If you care about leaderboards and online racing, the Corvette is the long-term winner. If you care about fun and versatility, the Supra is better. The Mustang is the most characterful but the least competitive. None of them are bad, but they lead to different playstyles.

Alternatives and What Comes Next

After the intro, you will quickly unlock other cars through Wheelspins, race rewards, and the Autoshow. Within the first five hours, you can realistically own a Subaru WRX STI for dirt, a Nissan GT-R for road, and a Ford F-150 Raptor for cross-country. The starter car is just a starting point, not a commitment.

If you want a specific niche, consider what you will race most. For dirt and cross-country, any AWD car like the WRX or Mitsubishi Lancer Evo is better than all three starters. For street racing, the Supra and Corvette are competitive. For drifting, the Mustang is a great base. For cruising and photo mode, all three look good, but the Corvette has the most dramatic styling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the other starter cars later? Yes, all three are available in the Autoshow for credits, and they also appear as Wheelspin prizes. You are not missing out on exclusives.

Which starter car has the best top speed? The Corvette Stingray has the highest stock top speed (around 290 km/h), followed by the Mustang (around 280 km/h) and the Supra (around 270 km/h). But top speed rarely matters in Horizon because races have corners.

Is the Supra really the best for beginners? Yes, because it is the most balanced. It does not punish mistakes as harshly as the Corvette’s snap oversteer or the Mustang’s understeer on entry.

Should I upgrade the starter car or save credits? Save credits unless you plan to keep the car for a while. The starter car is fine at stock for the first few hours, and you will get better cars soon.

Does the choice affect the story? No, the story missions are the same regardless of which car you pick. The only difference is the dialogue in the intro scene, which is minor.

Can I change cars before the first showcase event? Yes, you can switch to any car in your garage before the showcase. The game does not force you to use the starter car for that event.

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in t | Finish time | min | 50 | 0
in d | Distance | km | 10 | 0 | 100000
out pace | Average pace | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Average speed | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2