Gran Turismo 5: 10 Best Starter Car List

Being dropped into a massive selection of cars with 20,000 Credits and no idea what to buy can be quite intimidating. We’ll help you out, then, with a choice selection of some of the better cars to start the career with.

Mazda MX-5

Preferably opt for the Miata if possible to add a bit extra power to the traditional starting car. It’ll cost you between 13,000 and 15,000 Credits, so enough for a couple of cheaper tuning options if you desire. The MX-5 has great handling, with enough grip to get you around corners at a drift but keeping you on track. The option to tune it up to a fairly powerful machine is there too, should you enjoy the ride that much.

Mitsubishi FTO GR ‘97

If you can find this available in the used car dealership then we’d highly recommend you buy it. It can vary quite dramatically in prices, depending on model, but either way it will be worth it. You’ll find this car hitting the high 180s or low 190s in the BHP and coupled with its strict tuning line and grip, you’ll find it a beauty to race in. The only limit is that it won’t allow you to enter any of the restrictive earlier races.

Toyota Celica SS-11 ‘99

Not only does this car look good, but is fast too. With a high BHP (and the cost to come with it) you won’t need much tuning or alterations to win a race in this thing. If you buy it with your starting 20,000 Credit balance, it will leave you with nothing but 20 Credits to your name. However, a couple of rounds in the Sunday Cup will get your finances back on track. The car will take a fair amount of practice however, since it takes corners quite tightly.

Suzuki Swift Sport ‘07

If you’re not able to find anything decent in the used car section, then consider opting for this cheap-as-chips Suzuki. It only has a BHP of 123, so will be quite limiting in the long run, but its acceleration is comparable to most opponents you’ll race early on. Besides, you should have more than enough Credits left over to purchase a few powerful tuning options – easily increasing its BHP by 20-30.

Honda Civic Type R ‘97

Here’s a car that will last you the long haul. If you want to build up a sizeable bank of cash then this is definitely the car for you. Its BHP of 182 will keep you ahead of most early races without any problems, but the handling has that sweet spot between drift and control. Careful tuning whenever it’s required will see you on top of most Amateur and Professional class races.

Mazda Demio Sport ‘03

This is a reward for completing the B License with all bronze trophies, so it won’t take much to unlock. It’s not fast, it’s not pretty, but you will want it if you’re going to enter the slower type races. Without tuning it will take some deft corners and allows for a lot of rival-blocking on straights if you hope to come first, but this is the best you’ll get for some car-type specific races.

VITZ U Euro Sport Edition ‘00

This is a reward for completing the Sunday Cup on gold, which you should have no problem winning at all, even in the most beat-up of bangers. It’s fairly nippy for the type of car it is, and allows better corner taking than some other 5-doors. With a little tuning, however, you can enter this into the Yaris race and win quite easily. Though this does mean spending money, it is ultimately cheaper than buying a Yaris outright.

Berlinette RS Coupe ‘99

If you bought a Mazda MX-5 then you should have no problems winning the World Compact Car Race and this as a prize. It won’t win any prizes for being the fastest car in your garage, but early on it has enough base BHP to make it into anyone’s most used early car. Besides, it’s free. If looks are important to you too, then you can be pleased with this too, since you won’t get a sleeker car until you’re rolling in Credits.

Honda Civic SiR ‘91

To unlock this you’ll have to achieve gold in the FF Race. The majority of your cars will have been FF so far, so there is no issues with having the right car. If not, we managed to win this race in our Mazda Demio Sport reward, only having to purchase a few upgrades to compete on the final race. This car handles well and will tide you over until you get something more impressive, but as with the Type R, careful upgrades could have it become a fast-favourite.

Tommy Kaira ZZ-S ‘00

And here’s the good stuff. If you want to avoid any kind of worry over which car to pick, simply don’t pick any. Complete all the License B tests with a gold medal (and that’s no mean feat), and you’ll have this beauty handed to you. Easily enough pace to lead the pack within seconds of a race and enough grip that even your B-Spec racer can handle it – if you have the wherewithal to collect every gold, this is definitely the car to last you quite some time.