Let’s be real for a second. Driving in a straight line across the Mexican desert at 250 mph gets old after a while. We’ve all done it. You grab a Rimac or a Jesko, pin the throttle, and watch the scenery blur. It’s fun, sure, but it lacks soul. That’s basically why the Forza Horizon 5 Rally Adventure expansion felt like such a breath of fresh air when Playground Games dropped it. It wasn't just more of the same; it was a fundamental shift in how the game handles dirt, verticality, and pace.
If you haven't spent much time in Sierra Nueva, you’re missing out on the most technical driving the franchise has ever offered. This isn't just "off-roading" in the sense of cutting across a field to reach a Bonus Board. It’s actual rally. It’s about weight transfer. It’s about listening to a co-driver shout "Easy Left" while you’re blinded by dust.
The Sierra Nueva Difference
The map is small. There, I said it. Compared to the sprawling main Mexico map, Sierra Nueva looks like a postage stamp on the UI. But size is a deceptive metric in racing games. What matters is density. The roads here are narrow, winding, and packed with elevation changes that make the main map feel flat by comparison. You can't just floor it. You have to actually use your brakes, which is a novel concept for some Horizon players.
The biomes are tight. You've got the rugged Devil's Pass, the weirdly green Bolders, and a massive quarry that feels like a playground for gymkhana fans. Honestly, the way the light hits the dust in the quarry during a sunset is probably the best the game has ever looked. Playground Games leaned heavily into the "deformable terrain" tech here. Tires actually dig into the sand and mud, affecting your line on the second lap of a circuit. It's subtle, but if you’re playing with a steering wheel or even just a controller with haptic triggers, you feel the grit.
Why the Co-Driver Changes Everything
The biggest mechanical addition in Forza Horizon 5 Rally Adventure is the co-driver. In standard Horizon races, you rely on the "driving line" or your own memory of the track. Here, you get actual pace notes delivered from a helicopter hovering above your car. It changes the vibe completely. It feels less like a street race and more like a sanctioned event.
The helicopter is a bit extra. It’s got a massive spotlight that cuts through the night and kicks up even more dust. Some people found it distracting, but it adds a layer of chaos that fits the rally aesthetic. You aren't just racing the clock; you're racing through a localized hurricane. The pace notes themselves are surprisingly accurate, though they aren't as granular as what you'd find in a hardcore sim like DiRT Rally 2.0 or EA Sports WRC. They’re "Horizon-style"—enough to tell you if a jump is coming or if a hair-pin is about to ruin your day.
Picking the Right Tool for the Job
Don't bring a supercar here. Seriously.
I’ve seen people try to take a lowered Lamborghini Huracán through the dirt trails of Sierra Nueva. It’s painful to watch. This expansion is where the "B" and "A" class cars really shine. There is something immensely satisfying about taking a 1980s Audi Quattro or a Subaru 22B and actually having to manage the turbo lag as you power out of a muddy corner.
The expansion brought ten new vehicles to the garage, and they aren't just filler. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum is a heavy beast, but it’s surprisingly capable in the technical sections because of that instant electric torque. However, the real stars are the purpose-built buggies like the Alumicraft Trick Truck. These things have suspension travel that defies physics. You can hit a crest at 100 mph, land on a 30-degree incline, and the truck just soaks it up like it’s nothing.
The Career Path: Teams and Trophies
Instead of the vague "accolades" system that can feel a bit aimless in the base game, Rally Adventure splits things into three distinct teams:
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- Horizon Raptors: Focused on the traditional dirt and gravel stuff.
- Apex Predators: This is all about asphalt rallying—think narrow, winding mountain passes.
- Grit Reapers: These are the night owls. Lots of fog, lots of lights, and a heavy focus on technical driving in low visibility.
Choosing a team doesn't lock you out of anything, but it gives you a sense of progression that the main game sometimes lacks. You actually feel like you’re climbing a ladder rather than just being "The Superstar" from minute one.
The Technical Reality: Dust and Deformation
One thing the developers at Playground Games talked about leading up to the launch was the "improved" dust effects. In the base game, dust is mostly a visual flourish. In Forza Horizon 5 Rally Adventure, it’s a gameplay mechanic. If you’re trailing another car, the plume of dust they kick up is genuinely blinding. You have to either find a way to overtake quickly or hang back to see the road.
This creates a dilemma. Do you play it safe or do you dive into the brown cloud and hope there isn't a tree on the other side? It adds a layer of tactical thinking to the AI races that isn't present when you're just drafting on a highway.
The road surfaces are also more varied. You’ll go from smooth asphalt to chunky gravel to deep sand within a single sixty-second sprint. Each transition requires a slight adjustment in your steering input. If you’re using a wheel, like a Logitech G923 or a Thrustmaster T300, the Force Feedback (FFB) in this expansion feels more communicative than in the Hot Wheels DLC. You can feel the tires "searching" for grip on the loose stuff.
What Most People Get Wrong About This DLC
A common complaint is that it "isn't a real rally sim."
Well, yeah. It’s Forza Horizon.
If you go into this expecting Richard Burns Rally, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you view it as a "Greatest Hits" of rally culture, it’s brilliant. It captures the feeling of rally—the speed, the danger, the grit—without requiring you to spend forty hours learning how to left-foot brake properly. It’s accessible, but the skill ceiling is significantly higher than anything else in the game.
Another misconception is that the map is "too small to be worth it." I’d argue that the main Mexico map is actually too big. Much of it is empty space you just fast-travel over. Sierra Nueva is designed so that every inch of road has a purpose. There are no "boring" sections. Every turn is an opportunity to mess up your line or nail a perfect drift.
Navigating the Challenges
To really master the expansion, you need to turn off some of the assists. Horizon is very forgiving by default. If you keep Stability Control and Traction Control on, the game will fight you when you try to slide the car. Rally is built on sliding.
Try this:
- Set Traction Control to OFF.
- Set Steering to Simulation (if you're on a controller, this takes practice).
- Manual shifting is almost mandatory here so you can hold a gear through a long sweep.
Once you stop letting the computer manage your grip, the map opens up. You start using the handbrake to rotate the car around those tight quarry hairpins. You start timing your throttle blips to keep the revs high. It becomes a different game.
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The Verdict on Sierra Nueva
Is it better than the Hot Wheels expansion? That’s subjective, but for me, it’s a resounding yes. Hot Wheels was a fun novelty, but it felt like a carnival ride. Forza Horizon 5 Rally Adventure feels like a car lover’s expansion. It honors the history of the sport while keeping that signature Horizon "party" vibe.
The soundtrack deserves a shoutout too. Epitaph Radio is back, and there is nothing quite like tearing through a forest at night to the sound of high-octane punk rock. It’s a vibe that the base game sometimes misses with its more "pop" focused stations.
Actionable Steps for New Rally Drivers
If you're just starting your journey in Sierra Nueva, don't rush into the S1 class. You'll just spend your time hitting trees.
- Start with a B-Class Build: Take an older hatchback, throw some dirt tires and rally suspension on it, and keep the horsepower under 300. Learn how the car leans in corners.
- Watch the Co-Driver Icons: Even if you have the driving line on, the icons at the top of the screen give you a better heads-up for what's coming after the next jump.
- Adjust Your Tire Pressure: Lowering your tire pressure slightly in the tuning menu can help you find more "bite" on the loose gravel sections.
- Respect the Water: The stream crossings in the south of the map will slow you down significantly. Hit them straight or you'll aquaplane right into a canyon wall.
The expansion is a masterclass in environment design. It reminds us that racing isn't just about who has the most horsepower, but who can manage the chaos of the terrain most effectively. Get off the pavement, turn the music up, and try not to roll your truck in the quarry.