While racing around Mexico, you’ll come across Forza Horizon 5 Drift Zones, and we’ve got all the details on how to complete these challenges. In Forza Horizon 5, Drift Zones make a comeback, requiring players to get points while drifting along a specific stretch of road.
They’re not only a fun challenge, but they’ll also award you Accolade Points and XP, which will help you move through the Horizon Adventure campaign and level up. We’ll also show you how to acquire these zones as soon as possible if you’re a returning Forza Horizon player who enjoys drifting.
Here’s all you need to know about Drift Zones in Forza Horizon 5 and how to unlock them.
What are Drift Zones in Forza Horizon 5?
Drift Zones are challenges that can be found all across Mexico in Forza Horizon 5 that put players’ drifting skills to the test. To get points in each Drift Zone, you must drive along and stay within a specific stretch of road while drifting as much as possible. Starting at zero, your points will climb for as long as you’re drifting and then cease when you’re driving normally.
When you turn your car, tap the brakes or the e-brake to start a drift. Maintaining a drift takes practice, but to avoid spinning out or recovering control, you must carefully balance your steering in both directions. You’ll be given your final score after you exit the Drift Zone.
It is possible, however, to fail Drift Zones, in which case your existing score will be deleted and you will have to start over. You will fail if you spend too much time outside the flags and of the specified road, driving backwards, or halting your car. There are no time constraints in Drift Zones, but you must go through them continually to prevent failing the task.
There are three score requirements in each Drift Zone that must be met in order to receive a star rating and specific incentives. You will receive 100 Accolade Points for a one-star score in any Forza Horizon 5 Drift Zone, 250 Accolade Points for a two-star score, and 500 Accolade Points for a three-star score.
Hover over a Drift Zone’s emblem on the map to see the score criteria, and an information box will display. Your score is also displayed on a leaderboard, allowing you to see how well you did in comparison to other players.
Horizon Rush PR Stunts are part of the Horizon Adventure campaign’s Drift Zones series. In Forza Horizon 5, there are 20 of them, and you can filter them on the map to make discovering them easier or to focus on completing them all. To make it evident, each zone has a number of blue flags along the route, and small notches on the mini-roads map’s indicate where a Drift Zone begins and ends.
How to Unlock Drift Zones in Forza Horizon 5
You must complete the Horizon Rush PR Stunts series Expedition in order to access Forza Horizon 5 Drift Zones. However, you won’t be able to access any of the Horizon Rush activities right once when you first start playing Forza Horizon 5.
Instead, concentrate on completing the initial races and events in Horizon Festival Mexico, Horizon Apex, and Horizon Wilds. If you obtain a chapter unlock, keep monitoring the Horizon Rush series so you can get started on the Expedition as soon as possible.
Once Horizon Rush activities are accessible, a Horizon Adventure chapter unlock is required to access the Full Moon party Canyon Expedition. After that, go to the Canyon Expedition mission location and finish the objective, which requires you to drive an absurdly large parade float.
The Horizon Rush Outpost will be constructed once the Expedition is completed, and Jaimin will show you a map full of new PR Stunt activities like Speed Traps, Speed Zones, and Drift Zones that you can try out.
How to finish Forza Horizon 5 Drift Zones
You don’t have to perform Drift Zones because of the way Forza Horizon 5’s Horizon Adventure campaign works with Accolade Points, but if you enjoy drifting, want to develop your abilities, or want a fun challenge, you should absolutely do them.
The first thing to remember is that Drift Zone challenges can be done in either direction — you can start at one end and finish at the other. However, it’s a good idea to do each one both ways since you’ll find that one path feels easier than the other, especially if one way is downhill and the other is uphill.
The second item to consider when doing Drift Zones is whether you have any driving assistance turned on or off. Turning off Traction and Stability Control makes drifting considerably easier in general, as these two settings strive to keep your car steady, which you don’t want when drifting. Your vehicle is also a significant factor to consider.
You’ll want something that’s quick, agile, and capable of handling tough terrain. The Hoonigan Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC seemed like an excellent choice, especially because it’s available to all players once they win the ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’ Showcase Event versus the wingsuit stunt squad.
To gain points in Drift Zones, make sure you stay between the flags when driving and drifting. Even though you’re drifting, if you keep straying off the road, your score will suffer. Regardless of what the racing line says – after all, it is a racing line, not a drifting line – make sure you take a wider line.
To optimise your drifting distance and get more points, you should drift around the outside of each bend. You’ll also receive more points per second if you drive faster, so keep the throttle open throughout your drift to maintain a reasonable pace.
