But, Need for Speedhas becomemore than a simple race game since the most recent games include Off-road, Drag, Drift, and even “Runner” (running away from the police) type races. But, without any doubt, the most challenging races to complete are the off-road ones, especially in Need for Speed: Payback. But, over 40 Off-road vehicles are available for players to use in NFS: Payback, making it a lot challenging to know which one is best suited for off-road races.

6 BMW M3 Evolution 2 E30

The BMW M3 Evolution II E30 made its debut in the Need for Speed franchise in Need for Speed (2015) and since then has appeared in two other NFS games (Need for Speed: Payback and Need for Speed: Heat). And while this BMW M3 was made for Drift races in Need for Speed: Heat, it took a different role in NFS Payback since it excelled in Runner, Drift, and Off-road races.

But, players will want to use the BMW M3 Evolution II E30 as an Off-road car since it has excellent Landing (4.4) and Airtime (3.8). On top of that, players unlock this vehicle early on in the game after completing the Same Crew, New Wheels mission in Chapter 1: “Ignition.” And those fans that want to make the most out of this Off-road speed demon will want to use the Americana Performance Cards.

5 Dodge Charger 1969

This Muscle car fan favorite first made it into the NFS spotlight in a spin-off called Motor City Online in 2001, which essentially was Need for Speed but on an online setting. In Need for Speed: Carbon, the 1969 Dodge Charger took the role of a Police car wrecker due to its muscle car aspect, but in later games, it was more of a Drag-type car. Fortunately, the 1969 Dodge Charger in Need for Speed: Payback is a decent Off-road car.

Its Top Speed is quite impressive for an Off-road car, reaching up to 143 without any Performance Cards. And because of that, this American muscle car can also participate in SpeedX races, but players should make sure they have the best Performance Cards (which function like Ultimate Parts from the Need for Speed: Heat) before attempting these races.

4 Volkswagen Beetle

Long-time NFS fans will likely remember driving a Volkswagen Beetle in Need for Speed II after inputting the cheat code “bug” onto the chat box. But, the Volkswagen Beetle would become a mainstay in the NFS series appearing in four other games, including Need for Speed: Payback. And while its initial stats may seem like nothing special, the fact that it’s a Derelict makes it top-tier.

And that’s because Derelicts can reach higher stats than regular cars, meaning players will be able to reach 399 with relative ease. But, obtaining Derelicts is no easy task and involves locating five Derelicts parts of the car the player wants. These parts are scattered around the map but can be located through various Clues.

3 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8

When people think of Off-road cars, they usually picture a Land Rover Defender 110 or a Ford F-150 Raptor, and while these Off-road cars may be decent, they’re nothing compared to the Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 (which is also amazing in Need for Speed: Heat). For starters, this speedster can reach the Top Speed of 174 while Off-road, which is already remarkable. On top of that, players can use the Outlaw Performance Cars to boost their Speed and Nitrous rating even further.

But, players will need to save up quite a bit for this Off-road monster since it costs $160,950 to purchase, aside from completing Chapter 4. So, the fastest way to earn cash fast in NFS Payback is by completing SpeedX races, as they usually have short racetracks that can be finished in less than four minutes.

2 Chevrolet Bel Air

Perhaps one of the few cars from the 1950s, the Chevrolet Bel Air makes its second appearance in the NFS franchise (the first time was in Motor City) as an Off-road powerhouse. This old-timey car has one of the highest Airtime (4.6) and Landing (4.5) stats in Need for Speed: Payback, making it the top pick for players looking to tackle the end-game content. But, as with the Volkswagen Beetle, players must locate all five Derelict Parts if they want to ride this beauty.

Players can find the Chassis near Silver Rock, the Engine, Wheels, Tires, and Drivetrain near Silver Canyon, Body Parts A at Mount Providence, and the Accessories in Liberty Desert. And once completed, players can purchase it for $44,450 from the Off-road dealership.

1 Porsche Panamera Turbo

Undoubtedly, the best Off-road car to use in Need for Speed: Payback is the Porsche Panamera Turbo, even though it’s far from being a proper “off-road” vehicle. Not only does the Porsche Panamera Turbo have one of the highest Top Speed in the game (190), but it also has 5.1 Airtime and 4.2 Landing, which is leagues ahead of other Off-road cars.

And the best part is that players can maximize all of its stats by using 3x Outlaw Performance Cards (boosts Speed and Nitrous) and 3x Americana Performance Cards (boosts Nitrous and Air ratings). Players can obtain this car early in their playthrough after completing two questlines in Chapter 4: “Open Skies.”

Need for Speed Payback is available now for PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360/One, and Microsoft Windows.

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