In our latest study, we analysed data from the Internet Game Cars Database to reveal which cars are seen the most in video games. We also spoke to 500 drivers who regularly play video games, asking a number of questions about their driving habits and driving records in real life, as well as which driving video games they prefer to play, what cars they prefer to drive in games, and how much, if any, influence video games have on their car-purchasing decisions.
Our study found that 90% of drivers who play driving and racing games said that they would be interested in owning a real-life version of their favourite gaming vehicle (59% are very interested, and 31% are somewhat interested). As well as buying outright, leasing a car is a great option for those looking to experience how it feels to drive their favourite video game cars in real life. Leasing gives gamers the freedom to drive their favourite brands and enjoy all the technology and features that are only available in the latest models.
Our survey of gamers revealed that Grand Theft Auto is the most widely played video game, followed by Gran Turismo and F1. The most popular car makes that gamers like to drive in games are Ferrari, BMW and Audi , whilst Ford takes the crown as the brand with the most video game appearances, with Nissan , Chevrolet and Dodge also all featuring highly.
| Game | % of Real Life Drivers Who Play | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Grand Theft Auto Series | 62% |
| #2 | Gran Turismo Series | 54% |
| #3 | F1 Series | 51% |
| #4 | Need for Speed Series | 47% |
| #5 | Mario Kart Series | 44% |
| #6 | Forza Series | 37% |
| #7 | Rocket League Series | 22% |
| #8 | Burnout Series | 20% |
| #9 | Dirt Series | 19% |
| #10 | iRacing | 17% |
When surveyed, the most popular driving video game among motorists is the Grand Theft Auto series. The popularity of this gaming stalwart is grounded in the game's remarkable satirical take on American culture, along with memorable characters and their catchphrases. The game's dark humour, its multi-player mode and cinematic production value all contribute to making it one of the most successful driving games in history.
The next most played car-based game franchise among motorists is Gran Turismo. With an enormous choice of cars for gamers to choose from, all with pain-staking detail and commitment to as real-life accuracy as possible, Gran Turismo offers an authentic driving game that car and racing fans adore - a very different vibe from the hyper-unreal world of GTA.
The rest of the top 10 favourite driving games among real-life drivers includes the F1 series, Need for Speed, Mario Kart and Forza.
| Car Make | % of Real Life Drivers Who Say This Is Their Favourite Car to Drive in Games | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ferrari | 13% |
| #2 | BMW | 10% |
| #3 | Audi | 8% |
| #4 | Lamborghini | 7% |
| #5 | Porsche | 6% |
| #6 | Nissan | 5% |
| #7 | Ford | 5% |
| #8 | Mercedes | 4% |
| #9 | McLaren | 3% |
| #10 | Aston Martin | 2% |
When asked what car makes they prefer to drive when playing video games, motorists opted for Ferrari more than any other brand. According to gaming forums , the best games for driving Ferraris include Gran Turismo Sport, Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon - as well as the Project Gotham Racing series. The next most popular car that gamers like to drive virtually is a BMW, with over 3,200 listings of BMW in the Internet Game Car Database. Car manufacturer BMW's list of their favourite games to drive a BMW in includes Gran Turismo Sport, Need for Speed Heat and Forza Horizon 5.
| Car Model | No. of Video Game Appearances | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ford Mustang | 1,006 |
| #2 | Ford Crown Victoria | 931 |
| #3 | Nissan Skyline GT-R | 823 |
| #4 | Subaru Impreza | 722 |
| #5 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | 663 |
| #6 | Dodge Charger | 592 |
| #7 | Nissan Silvia | 548 |
| #8 | Chevrolet Corvette | 537 |
| #9 | Mazda RX-7 | 452 |
| #10 | Dodge Challenger | 446 |
| #11 | Toyota Supra | 412 |
| #12 | Chevrolet Caprice | 219 |
| #13 | Dodge Viper | 212 |
| #14 | Volkswagen Golf | 397 |
| #15 | Honda Civic | 368 |
The Mustang has been an iconic muscle car since the 1960s and has over 1,000 feature listings on the Internet Game Cars Database. Gamers can actually 'drive' a Ford Mustang in at least 144 different games including a huge number of the Forza, Gran Turismo and Need for Speed series, as well as Sega GT, Midtown Madness and GRID. The Mustang is a cornerstone of video gaming with Ford building a loyal Mustang fanbase of gamers thanks to frequent collaborations with game developers and their marketing campaigns, as well as allowing gamers to modify, customise and tune their virtual Mustang to make it completely personal and perfect to them.
The next most-seen model in video games, with just over 900 individual listings in the Internet Game Cars Database is the Ford Crown Victoria - North America’s most recognisable law enforcement vehicle. For any driving games that feature police chases, urban underworlds or crime scenarios, the Ford Crown Victoria is practically a permanent fixture on the gaming screen. Affectionally shortened to 'Crown Vics' - this model of Ford can actually be driven by gamers in Grand Theft Auto, BeamNG and Forza Horizon 4 & 5.
Thanks to the Fast & Furious, the Skyline GT-R has achieved legendary status in car culture in general, as well as within driving games with over 800 different appearances in video games. With an immense racing heritage, including total domination of the Japanese Grand Touring Championship between 1990-1994, the Skyline GT-R appeals to gamers who want to drive a retro superstar with an incredible racing pedigree. Gamers can virtually drive the Skyline GT-R in a number of the Midnight Club releases, as well as Project Gotham Racing, Need for Speed and Forza Motorsport.
With over 700 feature listings on the Internet Game Cars Database, the Subaru Impreza sits just outside the top three most-seen cars in video games (but just ahead of its rally racing competitor, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution). The loyal and passionate fanbase for real-life Impreza WRX and WRX STi models translates into the gaming community too, with players keen to experience a virtual drive of this rally and street racing legend. Alongside the usual game suspects (Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo and Need for Speed) players can also drive the Impreza in several other games, including the WRC series, Wangan Midnight, Sega GT, Colin McRae Rally and DiRT.
According to the Internet Game Cars Database, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has over 660 appearances, making it the fifth most popular car to be featured in video games. The Evo has become a beloved choice for those who enjoy car games, thanks to its performance in both off-road and rally racing scenarios. The Evo featured as a hero car in the 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tokyo Drift movies of the Fast & Furious franchise, and it's firmly cemented as a fan favourite among those who play Forza Horizon, Gran Turismo and Need for Speed.
Whether it's being used as a police cruiser or a high-speed racing car, the Dodge Charger is a super versatile vehicle that game developers use in lots of different gameplay scenarios. The distinctive front grille makes it super recognisable in game environments, and as well as being documented in just shy of 600 listings on the Internet Game Cars Database, the Dodge Charger has also enjoyed the Hollywood limelight. A black 1970's Dodge Charger is Dom's (played by Vin Diesel) signature car in the Fast & Furious films, and a bright orange 1969 Dodge Charger is driven by the eponymous characters in the Dukes of Hazzard TV show.
According to Reddit users, playing video games regularly can result in several transferable skills such as response and reaction time, hand-eye coordination and problem-solving. Our new research suggests that virtual video game driving experiences are in fact translating to better and safer real-world driving skills.
Drivers who play automotive video games certainly do think that they are better drivers; a staggering 41% of gamers rated their skills on the road as 'excellent', whereas only 13% of people who do not play driving video games think of themselves as being stellar drivers.
But where does this 'gamer confidence' come from? Over half of the gamers surveyed (56%) believe that their time behind the virtual wheel has positively impacted their real world driving skills. Those surveyed claimed that playing driving and racing games:
These skills could well be translating into better real-life driving habits considering gamers are less likely to have had any penalty points deducted from their driving licences compared to non-gamers.
| Have you ever had any penalty points deducted from your driving licence? | Gamer | Non-Gamer |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 15% | 28% |
| No | 82% | 71% |
| Prefer not to say | 3% | 1% |
Whereas only 15% of gamers have been penalised for their driving behaviour, more than one in four (28%) drivers who don't play video games have admitted to receiving driving penalties for dangerous driving since getting their licence.
We've hugely enjoyed our dive into all things related to video games, cars and driving habits - and hope it's satisfied your car video game information cravings until the next big game release!
In the meantime, browse our leasing deals to explore ways you can drive your favourite video game cars, including BMW, Audi and Ford, in real life.
Survey: Using survey provider Prolific, Auto Trader surveyed 1,000 UK drivers aged 18+, half of which played car driving and racing video games for over four hours a week, and a control group of drivers who did not regularly play driving video games. Survey results correct as of April 2024.
Car models most frequently seen in video games : Records of how many times auto vehicles are seen in video games (both playable and unplayable cars) were taken from the Internet Game Cars Database website , and ranked by the number of listings for individual models. The listings were summed to reveal the car models seen the most in video games. Non-car vehicles such as mopeds, trucks and vans were removed from the final data. Fictional brands and 'Made for Game' cars were also removed from the final data set. The data set includes cars seen in both current and old platform games. Data correct as of May 2024.