Forza Motorsport 8 - Best Starting Car to Choose

Best Starting Car to Choose in Forza Motorsport 8

For beginners and new players, the 2019 Subaru STI S209 (AWD) is the best choice.

When choosing your starting car in Forza Motorsport 8 (2023), it is recommended to go for the 2019 Subaru STI S209. This AWD (all-wheel drive) sedan is the best starting point to begin Career Mode thanks to the class’ forgiving handling while also having good acceleration off the line. These traits will help you finish well in most early racing events.

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The Subaru STI S209 might not have the greater potential speed available to the RWD (rear-wheel drive) 2018 Ford Mustang GT, but you are less likely to spin out of control from oversteering, going too hard on the throttle, taking a corner from a bad line, or other mistakes when starting out.

The FWD (front-wheel drive) 2018 Honda Civic Type R, meanwhile, has superior handling to the STI S209 (which can greatly benefit beginners as well), though you may find its lower power and acceleration a noticeable disadvantage during races. Despite this, the Type R is the clear second choice if you prefer the generally better stability it offers compared to the S209.

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Overall, choose the car that you like the best.

In the end, the most important factor when choosing your starting car is what you like the best. You do not have to shy away from picking the hard-to-control Mustang GT or the Civic Type R which initially lacks a punch if you prefer their design and feel when driving them. You will have access to various tuning options later anyway to make any of the starting choices viable in the long-run.

Starting Car Specs Comparison

Below is a table comparing the specs of all three starting cars in the game, including each vehicles drivetrain, Performance Index (PI), power, and total weight. Note that these stats can change via tuning and other upgrades applied to your car.

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Starting Car Stats (No Upgrades)

Starting Car Specs
Car	2018 Honda Civic Type R	2019 Subaru STI S209	2018 Ford Mustang GT
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD	RWD
PI	571	547	568
Engine	2.0L I4-T	2.5L F4-T	5.0L V8
Power	306 HP	341 HP	460 HP
Torque	295 LB-FT	330 LB-FT	420 LB-FT
Weight	3,117 LBS	3,485 LBS	3,705 LBS
Weight Distribution	62.0F/38.0R	59.0F/4.0R	53.0F/47.0R
Power/Weight Ratio	0.098 HP/LB	0.098 HP/LB	0.124 HP/LB

All starting cars can be purchased at the shop afterwards.

All three starting cars will be available for purchase using credits once you gain access to the car shop (Showroom). Because of this, you do not have to worry about missing out on any of the free cars you can choose when starting the game.

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Upgrades and tuning can compensate for each car’s drawbacks.

You can purchase upgrades from the Upgrade Shop using Car Points (CP) or tune your car to compensate for its drawbacks. These customization options will help you modify your vehicle to suit your preferences, driving style, and qualification to enter specific racing events throughout the game.

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