Forza Horizon 5 exhibits beauty not only in the cars but also in how they are organized, how they compete, and how they force players to adapt. The class system is the invisible hand guiding every race, every tune, and every white-knuckle moment of FH5 on Mexico’s roads. The game is not just about raw speed per race; it is about philosophy, absurdity, and everything in between.
PI, Performance, And The Art of Balance
In FH5, every car is given a Performance Index (PI) score, which serves as a performance measurement. The PI score is a numerical rating starting from 100 to 999, indicating how ‘good’ a car is. The PI score of a vehicle isn’t just limited to horsepower or top speed; it is calculated based on acceleration, handling, braking, weight, and even aerodynamics. For instance, in Forza Horizon 5, a muscle car half the Lola’s Pi might have higher horsepower than the Lota’s, but its raw speed does not account for the supple grip that the Elise has on the track.
Classes put everything into perspective. Vehicles are grouped into categories (E, D, C, B, A, S1, S2, X) based on their PI range:
- E (100-299) & D (300-499) – The underdogs. These are slow, stock economy cars, but they’re where some grassroots racing occurs. Try a D-class rally race in a Vintage Mini Cooper, and I dare you not to enjoy yourself.
- C (500-599) & B (600-699) – Balanced performers. Here, you find tuner cars, classic sports cars, and even modern performance cars. Tight technical courses reign supreme because they require skill more than brute force.
- A (700-799) & S1 (800-899) – These are the most competitive classes in Horizon. Still fast but not too difficult to control, these classes have an influx of drivers attempting to beat the rival’s leaderboard. Well-built A-class cars often outpace poorly built S1s.
- S2 (900-998) & X (999) – The monsters. Vehicles in these classes include hypercars, extreme track toys, and anything close to defying physics. 250+ mph is the threshold for absolute mayhem, and even the tiniest input at that speed will launch you into orbit.
But here’s the kicker: PI is not the whole picture. A car’s spread of stats is equally important in Forza Horizon 5. A 900-PI drag car might destroy everyone in a straight line but will probably handle like a shopping cart on ice. A 900-PI race-bred Porsche might be able to dominate all the circuits but lose in straight-line battles. That is why tuning and upgrades are half the game.
The Hidden Meta: How Classes Define the Races
FH5’s events aren’t one-off creations—there’s a method to the madness, and its class is structured to maintain engagement.
- A “Modern Sports Cars” championship may only allow A-class and restrict you to choose between the Corvette’s raw power or the Cayman’s agility.
- A “Vintage Racers” event could require B-class classic cars, which puts the “every upgrade decision matters” statement to the test.
This is where homologation (a word taken from real-world motorsport) comes into play. Some events require that cars meet specific requirements—like with “Retro Rally: B700”, which means you must have a rally car built before the year 2000 and tuned to exactly 700 PI. It’s a clever way to stop players from simply putting the most powerful engine available to every car and pressing the fastest button. Instead, you have to consider: Will I reduce weight and improve handling or add turbo power for the straights?
The Wildcards: Specialty Classes
Outside the standard FH5 PI brackets, the game adds specialty classes designed to add extra flexibility:
- Unlimited Offroad (as described previously) – Where PI is irrelevant as long as it can survive and perform at the terrain’s challenges.
- Drift – Slam on the brakes to power slide; track times don’t count; it’s all about the slides.
- Drag – Battles bulldozing their way through start lines, no mercy with launch control, and gear ratio reign supreme.
- Electric – Instantly responsive accelerator pedal, no noise, and the rhythm of driving is completely different.
By design, these classes do not conform to PI brackets, and they are meant to do that. FH5 for players who buy PS5 racing games is not only about racing but also about testing, mastering various skills, and sometimes doing downright silly things.
Why It All Matters
The class system prevents FH5 from devolving into a mindless speed fest. It encourages variety and creativity and prevents any car from dominating everything. Sure, you might have a favorite S1 hypercar, but when a tight dirt race requires a B-class rally build, you are back to the drawing board— tweaking the suspension and the gear ratios as well as rekindling the joy of driving something different.
And that is the beauty. Be it crafting a sleeper for min-maxing in D-class or pushing an S2 beast beyond its limits, it is the class system that breathes life into Forza Horizon 5. The game is not only about speed but finding new ways of achieving it—over a thousand different ways. It remains one of the best PS5 racing games.
Now, go and tune something bizarre. The open roads are waiting.
