Forza Horizon 6 launches May 19 and it's the most accessible entry yet โ but there are still a dozen things the tutorial won't tell you. Whether you're a returning veteran or this is your first Horizon game, these ten tips will save you credits, time, and frustration from day one.
1. Pick the Right Starter Car
The reality: Your first car choice matters more than you think. FH6 gives you a few options early on, and the one you pick shapes your first few hours. For beginners, go with balanced handling over raw speed. The Subaru BRZ is the safe bet โ predictable cornering, excellent for learning the new Japan map's tight mountain roads. If you prefer something with more punch, the Ford Fiesta ST is a great all-rounder. Avoid the muscle cars on your first playthrough โ they're fun in a straight line but the Hakone passes will punish you.
Don't stress too much though โ within 30 minutes of starting you'll earn your first wheelspin, which can drop anything from a mild upgrade to a supercar. Save your early credits and see what lady luck gives you before buying anything expensive.
2. Turn On These Driving Assists First
The fix: Horizon games are arcade racers, not sims โ don't let pride keep you from using assists. Head to settings immediately and turn on ABS (Anti-lock Brakes) and Traction Control while you learn the map. The Japan routes have variable camber and elevation changes that'll send you into a wall without warning.
Here's the pro tip most guides won't tell you: set Steering to "Normal" not "Simulation" and Braking to "Assisted" for your first 5-10 hours. This dramatically reduces oversteer on the narrow mountain roads. Once you're comfortable, slowly dial assists back โ but never feel bad about keeping ABS on. Even FH6 veterans use it.
3. Rush the Horizon Festival โ Don't Freeroam Aimlessly
The mistake: Driving around Japan's beautiful map is tempting, and you should โ but don't waste your first hours just roaming. Head to the Horizon Festival site immediately. Completing the opening festival chain unlocks the core gameplay loop: events, fast travel, car mastery, and most importantly, the ability to buy and upgrade cars.
Each new outpost you unlock adds fast travel points and reveals events on the map. Prioritize unlocking all four festival locations (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Okinawa) before you start grinding individual races. The XP and credit payout from the festival chain is significantly better than random freeroam events.
4. Never Skip Wheelspins โ and Know When to Use Them
The truth: Wheelspins are your primary source of cars, cosmetics, and credits in the first 20 hours. Use every one the moment you get it. Super wheelspins (3 prizes at once) are even better โ you get them from leveling up, completing showcase events, and seasonal content.
Key rule: if you win a duplicate car, sell it immediately rather than deleting it. Even low-end duplicates can net you 30,000-50,000 credits. High-end duplicates can be worth 200,000+. Wheelspins also drop horn sounds, clothes, and emotes โ these feel like filler but some rare cosmetics are only available through spins.
5. Use Photo Mode to Unlock Fast Travel
The trick: FH6 hides a fantastic QoL feature that's easy to miss. Taking photos of specific landmarks with the in-game Photo Mode unlocks them as fast travel points โ for free. No fast travel sign, no credit cost.
Look for the camera icon on your map near landmarks like Tokyo Tower, the Itsukushima Shrine gate, and the Hakone Shrine. Drive there, snap a photo (press P), and the fast travel point unlocks permanently. This can save you millions in fast travel sign purchases across the map.
6. Master the New Tuning System (It's Simpler Now)
The good news: FH6 reworked tuning to be more approachable. You no longer need a spreadsheet to make your car handle well. The new Quick Tune option lets you adjust three sliders โ Balance, Grip, and Speed โ instead of 15 individual settings.
For Japan's mixed terrain, here's your default setup: slide Balance toward center (not too tight, not too loose), Grip 60%, Speed 40%. The mountain passes need grip, but the Okinawa highway sections reward top speed. Adjust per event โ it's free and takes 10 seconds. Once you're comfortable, the full advanced tuning menu is still there for fine-tuning gear ratios and suspension.
7. Buy These Cars Early (Cheap and Worth It)
The value picks: Not every good car costs millions. These affordable rides will carry you through most early-to-mid game content:
- Mazda MX-5 (2016) โ ~30,000 credits. Perfect for D-class and C-class road races. Handles like a dream on Hakone mountain roads.
- Subaru WRX STI (2005) โ ~45,000 credits. The rally king. Dominates dirt and cross-country events.
- Ford Focus RS (2017) โ ~55,000 credits. A-grade all-rounder that works on road and dirt.
- Nissan Silvia (S15) โ ~60,000 credits. Japan classic, great for drift zones and street races.
Upgrade these gradually. A well-tuned B-class car beats an untuned S1-class car every time. Don't rush to S2/X-class โ the handling gets twitchy and the AI rubber-banding gets aggressive.
8. Do All the Showcase Events โ They're Not Optional
The mistake: New players often skip showcase events (the big set-piece races against planes, trains, boats, etc.) thinking they're side content. They're not. Each showcase event unlocks major progression milestones: new festival outposts, car masteries, and significant credit payouts.
FH6's Japan setting brings incredible showcase moments โ racing a bullet train through Kyoto, a drift battle on a moving cargo ship, and a mountain descent against a fighter jet. These aren't just spectacle; they're tied to the main story progression. If you hit a wall where events aren't appearing, check if you have an unfinished showcase.
9. Horizon Arcade and Seasonal Events = Best XP
The strategy: Regular races are fine for credits, but Horizon Arcade events and seasonal championships are where the real XP and rare rewards live. Horizon Arcade pops up on your map as pink circles โ they're multi-round public events where you and nearby players complete stunts, speed traps, and drift challenges together.
Completing Arcade events gives massive Accolade points (FH6's XP system) and Forzathon Points that you spend in the Forzathon Shop on exclusive cars and cosmetics. Seasonal events rotate weekly and offer exclusive cars you cannot buy with credits. Make it a habit to check the Festival Playlist (in the pause menu) every session and complete at least the first few seasonal challenges.
10. Car Mastery Perks Are Game-Changing โ Don't Ignore Them
The hidden system: FH6 reworked Car Mastery from FH5, and it's now more impactful. Every car has a skill tree that you unlock with Car Mastery Points (earned by driving that car and gaining experience with it). These points unlock perks like credit bonuses, fast travel discounts, XP multipliers, and even free cars.
The game-changer: some cars' skill trees contain free wheelspins or super wheelspins as unlockable nodes. Spend your first 10-15 Mastery Points on cheap cars (like the MX-5 or BRZ) to grab those wheelspin perks early. This creates a snowball effect โ more wheelspins mean more cars and credits, which means more Mastery Points to reinvest.
Pro tip: the Forza Edition variants of cars (marked green in the autoshow) have significantly better skill trees. Always prioritize Mastery Points on these if you manage to win one from a wheelspin.