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Forza Horizon 5’s “Back to the 90’s” update brought four cars into a retro-themed Festival Playlist, along with a VHS collectible, a decade-inspired outfit challenge and new Hide & Seek achievements. The original reward weeks ran from October 10 to November 7, 2024, so those dates are historical. The cars later returned in the 2025 anniversary playlist, and Playground Games announced in March 2026 that previous Festival Playlist-exclusive cars would become purchasable at Horizon Backstage.
What cars came in Forza Horizon 5’s “Back to the 90’s” update?
Playground Games announced the update on October 4, 2024. Its four weekly Festival Playlist rewards were the Toyota Soarer, Mitsubishi FTO, Aston Martin Lagonda and Subaru SVX:
| Car | Original playlist week | Original reward window | Reward requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Toyota Soarer 2.5 GT-T | Week 1, Summer | October 10–17, 2024 | 20 points |
| 1998 Mitsubishi FTO GP Version R | Week 2, Autumn | October 17–24, 2024 | 20 points |
| 1990 Aston Martin Lagonda | Week 3, Winter | October 24–31, 2024 | 20 points |
| 1996 Subaru SVX | Week 4, Spring | October 31–November 7, 2024 | 20 points |
These are the reward requirements and dates announced for the 2024 playlist, not currently open challenges. Playground Games listed all four cars again as weekly rewards in its 2025 10-Year Anniversary Playlist announcement, alongside the 1992 Ferrari 512 TR and 1992 GMC Typhoon as series rewards: the 2025 10-Year Anniversary Playlist.
What else did the update add?
The update paired the car rewards with decade-themed activities and customization. Playground Games described the festival as returning to “an era filled with boy bands, flannel shirts, CDs and VHS tapes” in its October 4, 2024 update announcement.
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#1 Best Overall
![Forza Horizon 5 – Premium Edition – Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51SeBIPzMvL._SL160_.jpg)
- REDEMPTION INSTRUCTIONS: Go to "Your Orders" and click "View Order" to receive install code. Xbox: Microsoft Store App --> Redeem --> Input code. Window: Xbox App --> Store --> Redeem --> Input code.
- The Premium Edition includes the Welcome Pack, Car Pass, VIP Membership, Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels expansion, and Forza Horizon 5 Rally Adventure expansion.
- NEW RALLY ADVENTURE EXPANSION - Drive purpose-built rally monsters and conquer the rugged Sierra Nueva. Feel the intensity of massive dust trails and deformable roads in 10 new cars. Play on March 29th, 2023.
- Explore a world of striking contrast and beauty. Discover living deserts, lush jungles, historic cities, hidden ruins, pristine beaches, vast canyons, and a towering snow-capped volcano.
- Take on awe-inspiring weather events such as towering dust storms and intense tropical storms as Mexico’s unique, dynamic seasons change the world every week. Keep coming back for new events, rewards, and new areas to explore.
- Horizon Backstage returned. The feature gives players a way to unlock cars that were previously Festival Playlist rewards.
- Five Hide & Seek achievements were added.
- An inflatable VHS collectible was available to find and could also be placed as an EventLab prop.
- A 90’s Outfit was earned through a photo challenge.
How can you get the cars now?
The October 2024 playlist dates have passed. Playground Games’ March 26, 2026 announcement said that every previous Festival Playlist-exclusive car and every car involved in a Backstage Vote would become purchasable at Horizon Backstage, taking the shop total to 136 cars: the Horizon Backstage availability announcement.
For a specific car, check the live game’s Horizon Backstage shop and current in-game listings. The announcement updates the longer-term route for playlist-exclusive cars, but availability in the live shop can change; the old 2024 reward windows should not be treated as a current way to earn them.
Rank #2
- Lead breathtaking expeditions across the vibrant and ever-evolving open world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in hundreds of the world’s greatest cars.
- Explore a world of striking contrast and beauty. Discover living deserts, lush jungles, historic cities, hidden ruins, pristine beaches, vast canyons, and a towering snow-capped volcano.
- Immerse yourself in a deep campaign with hundreds of challenges that reward you for engaging in the activities you love. Meet new characters and choose the outcomes of their Horizon Story missions.
- Take on awe-inspiring weather events such as towering dust storms and intense tropical storms as Mexico’s unique, dynamic seasons change the world every week. Keep coming back for new events, challenges, collectibles, and rewards, and new areas to explore. No two seasons will ever be the same.
What do the featured cars offer?
Playground Games’ 2024 announcement gives selected specifications, not a complete or independently tested comparison. Its stated figures include:
- 1997 Toyota Soarer 2.5 GT-T: Playground Games says its 1JZ-GTE engine produces 278 bhp and 279 lb-ft of torque.
- 1996 Subaru SVX: Playground Games lists a 3.3-liter engine producing 231 horsepower and 228 lb-ft of torque, with a 0.29 drag coefficient.
The announcement does not provide equivalent specifications for all four cars, so these figures do not support a direct performance ranking. They are the developer’s vehicle descriptions, not results from independent testing.
Rank #3
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- WELCOME PACK — Features 5 special pre-tuned cars and a Car Voucher, which can be used to claim any car available from the Autoshow.
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- ITALIAN PASSION CAR PACK — Introduces 4 great new Italian cars in Forza Horizon 6 post-launch, perfect for cruising, racing, or exploring.
What does “Back to the 90’s” mean?
“Back to the 90’s” is the official name of the October 2024 update. “Forza Horizon 5 is Taking Things Back to the 90’s” is a descriptive way to refer to it, not the update’s official title. The theme evokes 1990s pop culture while centering the playable content on cars, playlist challenges, collectibles and customization.
Playground Games’ announcements establish what content was offered, but do not provide a named independent measure of player participation or reception. Claims about how popular the theme was therefore cannot be established from those announcements.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
- Tauchen Sie in eine immersive Kampagne mit Hunderten von Herausforderungen ein, die Sie dafür belohnen, dass Sie das tun, was Sie lieben
- Treffen Sie neue Charaktere und bestimmen Sie den Ausgang ihrer Horizon-Story-Missionen
- Bezwingen Sie unglaubliche Wetterereignisse wie die gigantischen Sand- oder intensiven Tropenstürmen, während Mexikos einzigartige und dynamische Jahreszeiten die Welt jede Woche verändern
- Schauen Sie regelmäßig für neue Events, Herausforderungen, Sammlerstücke, Belohnungen und neue Gebiete zum Erkunden vorbei. Keine Jahreszeit wird der nächsten gleichen
- Schließen Sie sich mit anderen Spielern zusammen und stellen Sie sich gemeinsam Horizon Arcade für eine fortlaufende Serie unterhaltsamer und abgefahrener Herausforderungen, die euch Action ohne Menüs, Ladebildschirme oder Lobbys bietet. Treffen Sie in Horizon Open und Tours neue Freunde & teilen sie Ihre Kreationen
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