Need for Speed Heat has over 100 cars to choose from and so much to do in terms of events in the playable area. This game, in particular, is more than just racing on tarmac and asphalt. Aside from traditional high-stakes racing and evading the cops in pursuits, you can also take on various events that focus on drifting and offroading. To ensure that you get top spots in these events, these are the best cars you can use in Need for Speed Heat.
Best Cars to Use in Each Event in Need for Speed Heat
The following vehicles will fall into one of these three categories. They are the most consistent when performing in their respective events.
Best Cars for Racing
Pagani Huayra BC ’17
This car is on the high end of things. It looks extremely regal and stylish, but it’s also such a speedster. The Huayra can easily reach top speeds over 200 and still be very maneuverable. Sadly, it is the only Pagani vehicle in the game, but this is a very strong representative of the brand. The best engine to use on this is the 7.0L V12.
Ferrari F40 ’87
The Ferrari F40 is a clean-looking, versatile vehicle that can dominate the streets with no problem. Luckily, it’s only a third of the cost of the Huayra and can do just as well. If you want the best engine, try using the 4.4L V8.
Ford GT ’17
This is an even better version of the F40. Talk about the irony of Ford v. Ferrari. The GT is an all-American vehicle that excels at just about everything. It has a slight edge over some of its other rivals in terms of acceleration. This has one of the faster startups, meaning you can zoom into first place at the beginning of a race and maintain it as long as you can control it once it gets to a possible top speed of 235 MPH. You must use the 8.4L V10 engine on it.
Koenigsegg Regera ’16
The Regera is an interesting vehicle. It’s the only car that has one gear, so it’s not going to have the best acceleration. It’s also a weighty car, so it’ll be a stiffer one to turn. However, while it doesn’t have godlike cornerings like the previous and later cars, this thing can reach top speeds that exceed every car’s speeds. On straightaways, this thing will win. Though, with extreme speeds, you have to be ready to slow down to turn properly.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX ’07
The Evo IX is easily top 3 when it comes to the overall fastest cars in the game. It can reach top speeds over 230 MPH, and it also excels in cornering at high speeds. It’s also one of the more versatile vehicles that can still maintain high speeds and perform well even off tarmac as you’ll see later. The best engine for this vehicle is the Forged 2.0L I4.
McLaren F1 ’93 (DLC)
The only paid DLC of the game, excluding the Deluxe Edition cars, feels a lot like it’s pay-to-win. This car is the second best in the game, slightly beating the Evo IX in terms of everything except its looks. Once you complete the small quest to unlock all the parts for the F1, you’ll be the Palm City PD’s biggest headache. Use the Forged 2.6L I6 engine to get the most out of this car.
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 ’73
The RSR is just plain unfair. This vehicle makes everything easy. You can play Heat on Hard mode and still do extremely well with this. Its only weakness is that it doesn’t have the best 0-60, but once you’re above that, the speed ramps up extremely fast. It corners easily at top speeds and no other car can beat it. After you slap on a 2.9L V6 on this, you basically win the game.
This is perhaps the absolute best car in the entire game.
Best cars for off-roading
Subaru Impreza WRX STI ’06
Subaru is one of the better manufacturers when it comes to making cars that can drive off-road. The Impreza in NFS Heat is a solid all-rounder that can still race well on both normal asphalt and other kinds of terrain. You’ll want to use a Forged 2.5L Flat 4 engine to maintain extremely high speeds and good cornering.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX ’07
Mentioned as one of the better cars for standard racing, the Evo IX can also perform extremely well with the proper offroad setup. It can handle very well on dirt, sand, and mud without losing complete control. Mitsubishi has always been one of the better brands when it comes to rally racing, so there’s no surprise here. You can still use the Forged 2.0L I4 engine for offroading.
Best Cars for Drifting
If you want to complete all the drift events or just like to drift, these two cars are the premier choices to do just that.
Mazda RX-7 Spirit R ’02
A beauty and a classic. This car is as versatile as it is a favorite for many. Because of its versatility, it can be one of the better vehicles to drift around. With the right tuning, its drifting capabilities can make it so that it still handles very well, races, and prevents spinning out. This car can do well with most of the engines provided, but I go with the 3.8L V8.
SRT Viper GTS ’14
Right from the dealership, this car has a decent drift stat which you can capitalize on. The only problem you may run into when customizing this vehicle is that it can easily be over or under-tuned. It’ll either be so stiff that drifts just cancel out or so slippery that you’ll end up spinning out. You’ll have to tinker with it to get it just right but still is very good despite that one big flaw.
Need for Speed Heat is currently available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The game is also free via Xbox Game Pass.
– This article was updated on September 1st, 2022
