Why it is meta
Cross Country (A, AWD, Stock or 6.2L V8): The FH6 A-class cross-country pick: consistent on every surface and track type.
Cross country combines off-road terrain with some tarmac sections and high-speed open areas. You need a build that handles both surfaces, with slightly stiffer suspension than pure off-road to cope with the faster sections while still absorbing rough terrain.
Upgrade Priority
- Engine Swap or Power Upgrades Power wins off-road. Faster acceleration out of corners and up hills makes a bigger difference than marginal handling gains. A strong V8 or turbo engine is the foundation.
- Rally or Off-Road Tyres These compounds are designed for loose surfaces. Road tyres on dirt lose massive amounts of grip. Essential for any competitive off-road build.
- Race Transmission Unlocks gear ratio tuning. Short gearing is critical off-road for strong acceleration between obstacles. You rarely reach top speed, so shorten everything.
- Race Differential Unlocks front, rear, and centre diff tuning. Moderate lock lets individual wheels find grip on uneven surfaces without pushing wide.
- Race Suspension Unlocks spring rate, damping, and ride height. Soft springs and maximum ride height absorb bumps and clear obstacles without bottoming out.
- Race Anti-Roll Bars Unlocks ARB tuning. Soft, balanced ARBs let each wheel move independently over rough terrain, keeping all four tyres on the ground.
- Tyre Width (Both Axles) Wider tyres provide more surface area on loose ground. Widen both front and rear equally for balanced grip.
- Weight Reduction Lighter cars are more agile over rough terrain and less likely to bottom out on jumps. Spend remaining PI here after power and handling.
- Race Brakes Unlocks brake balance tuning. Lower priority off-road as you brake less, but useful for controlling the car on steep descents.
Best Value Per PI
Spend Here First
| Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|
| Centrifugal Supercharger | Currently the single biggest performance-per-PI item in FH6: it adds huge power for far less PI than it should, almost certainly a bug. If your car can fit one, it is the strongest power upgrade available until it is patched. Expect it to be nerfed in a future update. |
| Race Exhaust | The best power-per-PI upgrade in the core engine tree. Install this on every build. |
| Race Intake | Second best power-per-PI in the engine tree. Pair with Race Intake Manifold to unlock its full gain. |
| Race Ignition | Very cheap PI for consistent gains across the whole rev range. |
| Sport or Race Flywheel | Often free performance: on many cars the weight saving outweighs the PI cost, so PI stays flat or even drops while throttle response improves. Watch the PI counter when you fit it. |
| Sport or Race Driveline | Typically 1 to 3 PI for 10 to 25 kg off the rotating drivetrain. One of the quietest bargains in the shop. |
| Race Transmission (10-Speed) | A 10-speed race gearbox keeps the engine in its power band and cuts time lost between shifts. The extra ratios are cheap PI for a real acceleration gain, and let you tune final drive precisely to the track. A meta pick on almost every build. |
| Tyre Width (Both Axles) | Wider rubber is cheap PI and directly adds grip on loose surfaces where every bit of contact patch counts. |
| Weight Reduction | The best PI-to-performance conversion overall: one upgrade improves acceleration, braking, and cornering at the same time. |
| Lighter Rims | Reduces unsprung and rotating mass for very little PI. Experiment with rim style and size while watching the PI counter. |
Poor Value, Usually Skip
| Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|
| Race Displacement | The biggest single power gain but also the most PI-expensive, typically 30 to 60 PI. It usually pushes you past your class ceiling for marginal benefit. |
| Race Pistons and Compression | High PI cost and shifts power toward high RPM, making the car peakier to drive. |
| Positive-Displacement Supercharger | Costs more PI than a comparable turbo for similar output. Only worth it when you specifically need instant low-end torque. |
| Race Camshaft | Sacrifices the low-end torque you rely on for loose-surface driving. Use street or sport cams instead. |
| Road Suspension Parts | Sport and race suspension hurt off-road builds. Fit rally or off-road suspension only. |
| Drag Tyres (Outside Drag) | The Series 2 patch removed their cornering grip while keeping the PI cost. The old cheap-PI drag tyre exploit no longer works anywhere except the drag strip. |
Tuning
Tyres
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound | Rally or Off-Road |
| Front Tyre Width | Widest available |
| Rear Tyre Width | Widest available |
| Front Pressure | 22.0 to 24.0 PSI |
| Rear Pressure | 22.0 to 24.0 PSI |
Similar pressures to off-road, at the firmer end for better response on tarmac sections. Still low enough for grip on loose surfaces.
Gearing
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Final Drive | 4.42 (short, assumes ~580 hp build) |
| 6-Speed Ratios | 2.97 / 2.07 / 1.6 / 1.3 / 1.1 / 0.96 |
| Strategy | Short gearing for acceleration, you rarely reach top speed off-road |
The final drive is the road-racing calculation shortened ~12% because off-road racing is about acceleration between obstacles, not top speed. If you hit the limiter on long open sections, lengthen it 0.1 at a time.
Alignment
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Camber | -1.0 |
| Rear Camber | -0.5 |
| Front Toe | 0.0 |
| Rear Toe | 0.0 |
| Caster | 5.0 |
Minimal camber and neutral toe give the widest contact patch on uneven ground.
Anti-Roll Bars
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front | 18.9 to 28.3 |
| Rear | 18.9 to 28.3 |
Slightly stiffer than off-road to reduce body roll on the faster sections, but still soft enough for terrain.
Springs
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Springs | 643 lbs/in |
| Rear Springs | 505 lbs/in |
| Ride Height | Maximum or near maximum |
Slightly stiffer springs than pure off-road for the faster tarmac sections. Still soft enough for rough terrain.
Damping
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Rebound | 13.5 |
| Rear Rebound | 10.6 |
| Front Bump | 7.7 |
| Rear Bump | 6.1 |
Damping follows the soft spring frequency, with slightly extra rebound to stop the car bouncing after jumps and compressions. Bump stays near 60% of rebound so the wheels can absorb hits without kicking.
Brakes
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Brake Balance | 50% to 52% |
| Brake Pressure | 90% to 95% |
Differential
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Accel | 40% to 55% |
| Front Decel | 5% to 15% |
| Rear Accel | 85% to 100% |
| Rear Decel | 30% to 40% |
| Centre Balance | 65% to 75% Rear |
Cross country mixes surfaces, so a milder rear bias than pure off-road keeps the car stable on tarmac sections. More rear accel lock than off-road helps put power down on fast open terrain.
Adjustment Tips
- Cross country events mix surfaces, so aim for a setup that is a compromise between off-road and road.
- Slightly stiffer springs and ARBs than pure off-road help on the faster tarmac sections.
- AWD is almost essential for competitive cross country builds.
- If you are losing time on the road sections, stiffen the suspension slightly. If you are bouncing off-road, soften it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mercedes-Benz X-Class good in Forza Horizon 6?
Yes. It is a current meta pick for Cross Country at A class, straight from the FH6 Rivals leaderboards.
What class is the Mercedes-Benz X-Class best at?
It is meta at A class in Forza Horizon 6.
How should I run the Mercedes-Benz X-Class?
Run it AWD with Stock or 6.2L V8. The full upgrade order and exact tuning values are on this page.
Tweak this build for a different class or discipline in the FH6 tuning calculator, or read the Cross Country setting guide.