Drive Beyond Horizons entered Early Access on 24 March 2025, published by Tacty Studio and Santor Games, and it asks whether you can keep a rusted car alive on an endless procedurally generated road. You start at Home with a barely running Dada, scavenge parts from 24 documented points of interest, and manage fuel, oil, radiator water, hunger and thirst at the same time. Up to four players can share the road in online co-op.
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
Part by part vehicle assembly
Every car is a stack of slots: engine, radiator, battery, wheels, lights, seats, dashboard, shifter and more, each removable and swappable. Any engine fits any engine bay, so a starter Dada can end up with a V8 if you find one and haul it home.
Fuel and fluid upkeep
Petrol engines take the green nozzle at a gas station and diesel engines take the red one. Engines also hold between 3L and 10L of oil depending on the unit, and the radiator needs water or the engine burns through that oil far faster than you can replace it.
Procedural road and points of interest
The road generates as you drive, and 24 documented points of interest spawn on it, beside it, or slightly off to the side. Garages are the richest stop because one can contain two whole cars plus loose parts and tires.
Hunger and thirst meters
Both drain slowly for as long as you play, including while you stand in a garage sorting parts. Your house stocks food cans, soda cans and energy drinks, and there is a first aid kit for the moments a zombie or a landmine goes badly.
Road hazards and enemies
Four hostile things exist: zombies, UFOs, landmines and gas station explosions. A speed bump is not classed as an enemy but it will still strip wheels and trim off a car doing 180 km/h.
For a deeper dive into how these systems interact, see our Drive Beyond Horizons combat guide.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dada | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Musgoat | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Poyopa | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| TriClops | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Bonphiac | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Drive Beyond Horizons builds guide. For rankings, check the tier list.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| I4 Petrol Engine | The Dada's stock four cylinder: 3L of oil, 110 kg, and a 105 km/h ceiling. | First restorations and any chassis where weight matters more than pace. |
| V8 Petrol Engine | The Musgoat unit: 5L of oil, 200 kg, 140 km/h stock, and the only engine in the game that takes two turbochargers at once. | Heavy builds chasing the highest boosted top speed. |
| Flat 6 Engine | TriClops power at 250 kg and 180 km/h stock, with room for a single turbo. | Touring builds where trunk space for fluids is not a problem. |
| Turbocharger | A 5 kg part that adds 20 km/h flat. | Any finished car, fitted the moment you find one. |
| Radiator | Capacities run 6L to 24L at 5 kg to 13 kg. | Long stretches between points of interest where water refills are not guaranteed. |
I4 Petrol Engine: The Dada's stock four cylinder: 3L of oil, 110 kg, and a 105 km/h ceiling. It is the slowest common engine but also one of the lightest, and a turbo lifts it to 125 km/h.
V8 Petrol Engine: The Musgoat unit: 5L of oil, 200 kg, 140 km/h stock, and the only engine in the game that takes two turbochargers at once. The Bonphiac V8 variant runs 6L of oil for 190 km/h.
Flat 6 Engine: TriClops power at 250 kg and 180 km/h stock, with room for a single turbo. Its 10L oil requirement is the catch and it forces you to carry spare oil on long runs.
Turbocharger: A 5 kg part that adds 20 km/h flat. One fits an I4 or a flat 6, two fit a V8, which makes it the cheapest speed per kilogram available anywhere in the game.
Radiator: Capacities run 6L to 24L at 5 kg to 13 kg. It cools the engine and stops it losing oil at an accelerated rate, so a dry radiator quietly destroys an otherwise finished build.
Full breakdowns in our Drive Beyond Horizons weapons guide.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Hour one, before your first drive | Starter Dada, car radio, cleaning supplies, food cans, soda cans, energy drinks, first aid kit |
| Gas Station | Spawns beside the road at any distance | Bulk petrol and diesel, canned food, containers |
| Garage | Spawns beside the road at any distance | Whole donor cars, tires, engine and interior parts |
| California Motel | Mid run, once you have cargo space | Consumables, decor items, container loot |
| Minefield | Skip until you can repair at the roadside | Nothing worth the parts bill, drive around it |
Home: The starting property, with a garage, a water tank behind the house, and loose parts scattered around the front and back exteriors. A basket on the garage's left wall holds cleaning supplies and there is always a car radio on the first table.
Gas Station: A run down convenience store and pump island ringed by chain link fence. The pumps carry both fuel types with green nozzles for petrol and red for diesel, and they fill containers as well as tanks.
Garage: A small mechanic shop with two roller doors. It can contain up to two cars plus parts and tires across the floor, which makes it the single best restoration stop on the road. A Large Garage variant also exists.
California Motel: One of the twelve major points of interest and a multi room building rather than a single container. It takes far longer to clear than a bus stop or a billboard, and it pays out accordingly.
Minefield: A hazard rather than a loot stop. Landmines are one of the four hostile entities in the game and a single detonation will take wheels and body panels off a finished car.
See our maps & locations guide for detailed area breakdowns and our walkthrough for the optimal progression path.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Run the full checklist at Home before your first drive: petrol in the tank, oil in the engine, water in the radiator from the tank behind the house, handbrake released. Missing any one of those four is the most common reason a new save never leaves the driveway.
- Ignition is held W, the I key, or a click on the ignition switch itself. If nothing happens, check the battery, because lights, ignition and the car radio all need one fitted before they respond.
- Fuel type is set by the engine, not the car. The Dada, Musgoat, TriClops, Bonphiac and GTR units burn petrol while the Poyopa, IFA, C18 and P-51 units burn diesel, so identify the engine before you pick up a nozzle.
- A turbocharger weighs 5 kg and adds 20 km/h. On a 105 km/h stock Dada that is a 19 percent gain for almost no weight, which makes it the first upgrade worth hunting once the car actually runs.
- Radiator capacity ranges from 6L to 24L and weight from 5 kg to 13 kg. A bigger unit buys distance between water stops, which matters because water is not guaranteed at every point of interest.
- Garages are the highest value stop on the road because they can spawn two whole cars. Strip the donor for the specific parts your build is missing instead of trying to recover both vehicles.
- Hunger and thirst drain constantly, including during long stationary repair sessions. Carry food cans, soda cans and energy drinks out of Home and keep the first aid kit for zombie encounters rather than for hunger.
- The four hostile things in the game are zombies, UFOs, landmines and gas station explosions. None of them pursue you far, so reversing out of a bad situation is almost always cheaper than fighting through it.
- Speed bumps spawn directly on the road and are easy to miss at pace. At 180 km/h in a TriClops one will strip wheels and bumper trim, so ease off whenever the surface ahead changes.
- Do not assume a bigger engine is an upgrade. The GTR inline six makes 212 km/h at 90 kg on 4L of oil while the flat 6 makes 180 km/h at 250 kg on 10L, so read the numbers before you commit to a swap.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Filling a diesel engine from the green petrol nozzle because it was the closer pump.
- Driving off with an empty radiator, then watching the engine burn oil until it stops.
- Skipping the home garage sweep and leaving the free car radio and cleaning supplies behind.
- Treating the Minefield as a loot stop rather than a hazard and losing a finished car to one landmine.
- Swapping to the heaviest engine you find without checking its oil requirement, then running dry 20 minutes down the road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drive Beyond Horizons finished?
No. It entered Early Access on 24 March 2025 and the developers have described a two to three year plan. The 2026 roadmap lists advanced garage customisation, vehicle tuning, more vehicle models, and controller and steering wheel support.
Can any engine go in any car?
Yes. Each vehicle has a stock engine but the bay accepts any of them. The trade is weight and oil: the flat 6 needs 10L and weighs 250 kg while the GTR inline six needs 4L and weighs 90 kg.
How many points of interest are there?
Twenty four are documented. Twelve are major stops such as the gas station, garage, large garage, Chameleon Station, motels, minefield and radio tower, and the rest are smaller roadside props like billboards, bus stops, payphones, cemeteries, cow fields and speed bumps.
Does it have multiplayer?
Yes, online co-op for up to four players alongside solo play. Steam features include cloud saves, leaderboards and 59 achievements.
What is the fastest engine?
The I6 petrol unit from the GTR at 212 km/h stock, and it is also the lightest at 90 kg. On other chassis, adding a turbocharger for 20 km/h is the cheapest way to close the gap.
More Drive Beyond Horizons Guides
- Drive Beyond Horizons Best Builds
- Drive Beyond Horizons Tier List
- Drive Beyond Horizons Walkthrough
- Drive Beyond Horizons Beginner's Guide
- Drive Beyond Horizons Tips & Tricks
- Drive Beyond Horizons Weapons Guide
- Drive Beyond Horizons Combat Guide
- Drive Beyond Horizons Boss Guide
- Drive Beyond Horizons Maps & Locations
- Drive Beyond Horizons Crafting Guide
- Drive Beyond Horizons Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Drive Beyond Horizons, check out these related guides:
- Terraria Guide: sandbox game with similar mechanics
- VRChat Guide: sandbox game with similar mechanics
- Garry's Mod Guide: sandbox game with similar mechanics
