CarX Technologies built this drift physics model with the CarX Motorsport racing team and put it on Steam on 17 November 2017. Over 120 cars, 19 built-in tracks and five categories of modification with more than 50 adjustable settings sit behind a tandem scoring system called XDS that grades runs out of 100 points. Nine years on it still holds a 95 percent positive rating across more than 40,000 English reviews.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best builds, equipment worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
XDS tandem scoring out of 100
Tandem runs are judged on a 100 point scale, once with you leading and once chasing. The lead run rewards angle and line, the chase run rewards proximity, so a car set up purely for maximum angle often scores badly as the follower.
Five modification categories
Parts are split into five modification types covering engine, drivetrain, suspension, wheels and body, feeding into more than 50 individual settings. Swapping an engine changes power delivery enough that a tune built for the stock unit stops working entirely.
Suspension and steering geometry
Camber, caster, Ackermann, steering angle, anti-roll bars, spring rates and differential lock are all exposed. Steering angle usually maxes out between 56 and 60 degrees depending on the car, and differential lock commonly sits between 0.35 and 0.70.
TOP-32 elimination brackets
TOP-32 runs a knockout bracket of tandem battles across dozens of track configurations, with a judge's decision screen at the end of each round. It is the closest the game gets to a real competition format.
Steam Workshop maps and liveries
Beyond the 19 built-in tracks, the Workshop carries hundreds of community maps and a livery editor deep enough that most online lobbies run custom designs. Downloading a map takes effect without leaving the game.
For a deeper dive into how these systems interact, see our CarX Drift Racing Online combat guide.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo drift scoring | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Tandem lead | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Tandem chase | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| TOP-32 elimination | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Time Attack | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our CarX Drift Racing Online builds guide. For rankings, check the tier list.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Spector RS | Based on the Nissan Silvia S15 and the default recommendation for anyone learning. | First 20 hours of learning, and for tandem practice where predictability beats outright angle |
| Falcon RZ | The Mazda RX-7 FD equivalent, light on its feet and quick to change direction. | High-angle solo runs and lead position in tandem, where holding a deep angle scores |
| Hachi-Roku | The Toyota Corolla AE86 stand-in, underpowered by every modern standard and completely dependent on momentum. | Learning line and momentum on downhill runs such as Kami Road |
| Burner JDM | The Toyota Chaser JZX100 equivalent, long and heavy with plenty of torque. | Mountain and touge tracks with long sweeping corners |
| Atlas GT | The Nissan GT-R R35 equivalent, with power far beyond what the tyres want to handle. | Time Attack sessions and straight-line speed rather than tandem scoring |
Spector RS: Based on the Nissan Silvia S15 and the default recommendation for anyone learning. Balanced weight distribution, generous steering lock and a huge amount of community tunes and liveries built for it.
Falcon RZ: The Mazda RX-7 FD equivalent, light on its feet and quick to change direction. It rewards clean inputs and punishes sloppy ones, which makes it a good second car rather than a first.
Hachi-Roku: The Toyota Corolla AE86 stand-in, underpowered by every modern standard and completely dependent on momentum. Nothing teaches weight transfer faster because nothing else forces you to use it.
Burner JDM: The Toyota Chaser JZX100 equivalent, long and heavy with plenty of torque. The extra mass makes it stable at speed and forgiving of small corrections, at the cost of quick transitions.
Atlas GT: The Nissan GT-R R35 equivalent, with power far beyond what the tyres want to handle. It is a lap-time weapon and a difficult drift car, and most players buy it as a trophy rather than a tool.
Full breakdowns in our CarX Drift Racing Online weapons guide.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Springstone | Suitable from the first hour | Fast money and XP runs, reliable tune testing, low risk of ending a run against a wall |
| Kami Road | Recommended after basic transitions are reliable | Momentum and line practice, long linked corners, the best showcase for a low-power car |
| Saihem Forest | Suitable from the first hour | Balanced corner variety for tune validation, decent payouts, easy tandem practice lines |
| East Touge | Intermediate and up | Long-corner scoring practice, Ackermann tuning feedback, high-speed confidence |
| Navaro Base A | Intermediate and up | High money per minute, tight transitions, close-quarters chase practice |
Springstone: The community's default testing ground and the track almost everyone uses to farm experience and money. Wide, forgiving corners make it easy to compare two tunes back to back without the track itself getting in the way.
Kami Road: A mountain downhill run that has been in the series long enough to be a fixture across CarX titles. Long corners, elevation changes and unforgiving edges make it a momentum track rather than a power track.
Saihem Forest: A tree-lined circuit used alongside Springstone for vehicle testing. The corner mix is varied enough that a tune which works here usually works anywhere, which is why it appears in so many setup guides.
East Touge: A mountain road defined by very long corners, which is exactly where added Ackermann earns its place. Setups that spin out here are usually carrying too much of it rather than too little angle.
Navaro Base A: An industrial layout that community guides single out for fast payouts, with runs that finish in under two minutes. Tight technical sections make it a better proximity test than Springstone for tandem work.
See our maps & locations guide for detailed area breakdowns and our walkthrough for the optimal progression path.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Start every tune with steering angle at the car's maximum, usually 56 to 60 degrees, and Ackermann at 0 percent. That combination is stable, and you can add Ackermann later once you know how the car behaves without it.
- Keep front camber between 0 and 1 and match caster to it. Values from 1 to 4 make the car feel bouncy and actively push back toward a lower angle when you reach full lock.
- Add Ackermann only for tracks with long corners such as East Touge. It helps the car hold speed at big angles and widens the drift, but too much of it spins the car on entry.
- Use the anti-roll bar to fix body roll, not to add grip. If the car wallows and takes too long to settle after a transition, stiffen it before touching springs or dampers.
- Low caster makes a car smoother, high caster makes it twitchy but faster to catch. Pick based on the track: smooth for tight technical layouts, twitchy for fast sweepers where quick self-steer helps.
- Farm money and XP on Springstone rather than the track you enjoy most. It is the community default for a reason, and Navaro Base A is the alternative when you want runs that finish in under two minutes.
- Set the rear camber so the rear wheels sit flat on the road or very slightly negative. Excessive rear camber cuts the contact patch and makes the car unpredictable at the exit of a slide.
- Test one setting at a time and drive the same corner after each change. Changing camber, differential and springs together tells you nothing about which one fixed or broke the car.
- Practise the chase run, not just the lead run. XDS scores proximity when you follow, so a car set up only for maximum angle will lose battles it should have won.
- Subscribe to Workshop maps before joining lobbies rather than during. Hundreds of community tracks exist and most competitive rooms run one, so arriving without it wastes your session.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying the Atlas GT or another high-power car early, then blaming the physics when it snaps on every entry.
- Cranking front camber to 3 or 4 degrees because it looks aggressive, which makes the car fight back at full lock.
- Adding heavy Ackermann on tight tracks and spinning out repeatedly without connecting it to the setting.
- Changing four suspension values at once and losing any idea of what actually helped.
- Practising only solo runs and then losing every tandem battle because the chase position was never rehearsed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cars and tracks are in CarX Drift Racing Online?
Over 120 cars and 19 built-in tracks, plus hundreds of community maps through the Steam Workshop. Cars carry invented names such as Spector RS and Falcon RZ because the game holds no manufacturer licences.
Which car should a beginner buy first?
The Spector RS, based on the Nissan Silvia S15. It has balanced weight, generous steering lock and more community tunes written for it than any other car in the game.
What is XDS?
The CarX XDS Evaluation System scores tandem drifting out of 100 points. You run each battle twice, once leading and once chasing, with the lead run judged on angle and line and the chase run judged on proximity.
Does it support wheels and VR?
Yes. Steering wheels, controllers and keyboard all work, and the game supports SteamVR and Oculus headsets alongside the standard display.
Is it still worth playing in 2026?
The 2017 release still sits at 95 percent positive across more than 40,000 English reviews and its Workshop stays active. Newer CarX titles exist, but the online population and community map library here remain the deepest in the series.
More CarX Drift Racing Online Guides
- CarX Drift Racing Online Best Builds
- CarX Drift Racing Online Tier List
- CarX Drift Racing Online Walkthrough
- CarX Drift Racing Online Beginner's Guide
- CarX Drift Racing Online Tips & Tricks
- CarX Drift Racing Online Weapons Guide
- CarX Drift Racing Online Combat Guide
- CarX Drift Racing Online Boss Guide
- CarX Drift Racing Online Maps & Locations
- CarX Drift Racing Online Crafting Guide
- CarX Drift Racing Online Classes & Characters
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