Gran Turismo has been a gateway for us car lovers to drive things we can only dream of. Most kids of the ‘80s and ‘90s got their first taste of JDM performance cars in the virtual world, and those who grew up that time have been listing after those icons ever since.
Of course, it didn’t stop with Japanese cars, as the addition of exotics and race cars further expanded the car list. Heck, there were even some oddballs thrown in the game for good measure.
But what we’re here for are the cars you don’t normally see in racing games. We’re talking about the most regular cars you can find, or those that one would typically on the streets. Gran Turismo 7 continues that tradition, and we’re here for it.
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Daily runabouts
Truth be told, we’re just as excited to see these kinds of cars appear in, of all games, Gran Turismo 7. The latest addition to the game is the fifth-generation Honda CR-V. The fact that there’s a CR-V in a game is amusing enough as it is, and it even comes in e:HEV form. We’d totally do laps around the Nurburgring in it, complete with the ‘Physician on Call’ tag by the plate. Sadly, that’s not an accessory available in the game yet.
Prior to that, there’s also the Mazda CX-30, one of the best daily drivers out there says our chief, along with the Mazda 3. The thing is, the brand from Hiroshima has a long history of putting its regular cars in the game as there’s also the Mazda 6 diesel and Mazda 2.
Suzuki Jimny fever has reached Gran Turismo lore by including both the kei car version and wider Sierra variant in the game. And while GT7 doesn’t have an off-road mode, it’s still pretty cool seeing it do virtual laps in some of the world’s most demanding race tracks.
And speaking of boxy things, Volvo has returned to the Gran Turismo series with two cars. The first of them is the much-loved 200 Series, more specifically, the 240 GL Wagon. Hipsters and Volvonatics, rejoice.
Luxury cruisers
We’re happy to see high performance sedans in the game, but it’s cool that there are also four-doors in the game that are have a bit more emphasis towards luxury. Case in point, there’s the Toyota Crown Athlete and Genesis G70 3.3T Prestige.
Sure, it says Athlete on the Crown and the G70 has a boosted V6, but these are plush and cushy cruisers with a touch of sportiness and not all out sport sedans. Oh, and there’s even a safety car version of the Crown and there’s buckets of Japanese police car liveries that can be downloaded for it.
But for us, it was the addition of Toyota Alphard that sent us over the moon. We’ve driven these in real life and it’s the opposite of sporty or racy. It’s soft, devoid of feel and feedback, and heavy. It’s less of a minivan and more a leather-lined mobility device with La-Z-Boy seats and a V6 engine. But it’s also one of the cars we’d choose just because of the meme factor.
Utilitarians
And speaking of memes, who can forget the UV Express cup that filled GT7’s online lobbies? Thanks to the Toyota Hiace Commuter in the game, one can safely explore the race track capabilities this shuttle never had, all from comfort of your room. And for those who prefer a Continental commercial vehicle, the Renault Kangoo is also for yours to play.
Of course, a kei truck is in the game. While we wish the Daihatsu Midget would return to the series, at least there’s the Suzuki Carry with its 660cc engine and mighty 62hp output.
Now, this isn’t an exhaustive list. Rather, it’s an appreciation of Gran Turismo 7’s varied car list. We like the fact that these seemingly ordinary cars are alonside some of the most iconic cars ever made, along with some of the most race cars. Sure, there are some who say it’s unnecessary, but we say more people need to have a sense of humor.
Besides, if you own any of the cars mentioned here, weren’t you at least amused and curious how the car sitting in your garage performs on the (virtual) race track? We rest our case.
We sure hope we see more of these everyday cars in the game. So, are there any supposedly random cars you’d like to see here? But while we wait for your answers and more updates down the line, we’ll do a couple more laps in a Lalamove-liveried Hiace while being chased by a Crown Athlete police car.
More photos of Gran Turismo 7’s ‘regular’ cars:
