Forza Horizon 5 Overview: Mexico Setting, Map, Biomes, Cars and Expansions
Forza Horizon 5 is Playground Games’ fifth Horizon entry, set in a fictionalised Mexico and released worldwide on 9 November 2021. As of today (2026-05-14), with Forza Horizon 6 launching on 2026-05-19 in a brand-new Japan setting, FH5 remains the current flagship open-world racer in the series — still receiving Festival Playlist updates and now sitting on two full expansions and 900+ cars. This page is the hub overview: setting, map, biomes, car count, expansions, platforms and how it stacks up against FH6.
Key Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Developer | Playground Games |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Release date | 2021-11-09 |
| Setting | Mexico (fictionalised) |
| Map size (approx.) | ~107 km² (unconfirmed) |
| Biomes | 11 |
| Launch car count | 500+ |
| Expansions | 2 |
| Expansion 1 | Hot Wheels (2022-07-19) |
| Expansion 2 | Rally Adventure (2023-03-29) |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC, Steam, Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| Game Pass day one | Yes |
| Engine | ForzaTech |
| Predecessor | Forza Horizon 4 (UK, 2018) |
| Successor | Forza Horizon 6 (Japan, 2026-05-19) |
What is Forza Horizon 5?
Forza Horizon 5 is an open-world arcade-style racing game developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is the fifth mainline entry in the Horizon spin-off series of the broader Forza franchise and the direct successor to Forza Horizon 4, which was set in the United Kingdom.
The game launched on 9 November 2021 across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC (Microsoft Store and Steam) and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and was available day one on Xbox Game Pass. Wikipedia describes it plainly:
“Forza Horizon 5 is a 2021 racing video game developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is the fifth Forza Horizon title and twelfth main installment in the Forza series. The game is set in a fictional representation of Mexico.”
At launch it shipped with over 500 cars and the largest, most diverse map in the series to date — a fictionalised slice of Mexico spanning desert, jungle, coast, volcano and ancient ruins. Four-plus years of post-launch support have grown the roster to over 900 cars, making FH5 the deepest car-collection entry in the Horizon franchise heading into the FH6 era.
Mexico Setting and Map Size
FH5 is set in a stylised version of Mexico, the first time the series visited a Latin American country. Playground Games has stated the map is roughly 50% larger than Forza Horizon 4’s UK map; community measurements place it at around 107 km² (unconfirmed), as Microsoft has never published an exact official figure.
IGN’s review captures the scope well:
“Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico is the biggest, most diverse, and most beautiful map yet in the series.”
Key landmarks distributed across the map include:
- The Gran Caldera volcano in the centre-west, the highest point on the map.
- The colonial city of Guanajuato with its famous underground tunnel network.
- Baja California-inspired coastal dunes and beaches.
- Dense jungle and Mayan ruins in the south-east (Tulum-inspired).
- A working airport and multiple Horizon Festival sites scattered across biomes.
The map is fully drivable end to end with no loading screens and supports a dynamic seasonal weather system inherited and expanded from FH4. Seasons rotate weekly through Hot, Wet, Storm and Dry cycles, replacing FH4’s Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter calendar.
The 11 Biomes of FH5
Playground Games marketed FH5’s map around 11 distinct biomes — more than any previous Horizon title. The official Forza site introduced them at reveal:
“Explore a world of striking contrast and beauty in the largest, most diverse Horizon ever featuring 11 unique biomes.”
| # | Biome | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Living Desert | Arid scrub, sand, cacti |
| 2 | Sand Desert / Baja | Coastal dunes, soft sand |
| 3 | Rocky Coast | Cliffs, beaches, surf |
| 4 | Tropical Coast | Palm-lined shoreline |
| 5 | Jungle | Dense rainforest tracks |
| 6 | Arid Hills | Dry highland terrain |
| 7 | Canyon | Slot-canyon dirt routes |
| 8 | Farmlands | Agave fields, farmland |
| 9 | Volcano (Gran Caldera) | Volcanic ash, summit road |
| 10 | Guanajuato City | Colonial streets, tunnels |
| 11 | Mayan Jungle / Ruins | Stepped pyramids, deep forest |
Each biome carries its own weather profile: tropical storms and hurricanes along the coast and in the jungle, dust storms in the desert, and snow on the volcano summit. The variety means that a single cross-map drive can pass through radically different visual and handling environments within a few minutes — one of the defining strengths of the Mexico setting over its predecessors.
Cars, Expansions and Post-Launch Support
FH5 launched on 9 November 2021 with more than 500 cars and has expanded substantially since. The official forza.net/fh5cars database currently lists 902 cars — the result of four-plus years of Car Pass drops, expansion content and seasonal additions.
Two paid expansions have shipped:
| Expansion | Release date | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Wheels | 2022-07-19 | Sky-high orange-track biome floating above Mexico |
| Rally Adventure | 2023-03-29 | Sierra Nueva rally region with stage-based events |
Additional post-launch support includes:
- Car Pass (42 cars: 34 weekly drops + 8 Formula Drift pack cars).
- Multiple standalone Car Packs released through 2024 (Chinese Lucky Stars, European Automotive, Acceleration, Apex Allstars, Universal Icons, JDM Jewels).
- A weekly Festival Playlist — all previous Playlist-exclusive and Backstage Vote cars are now permanently collectable from the Backstage Shop.
- Free updates adding new modes including Horizon Realms events and improvements to the EventLab community track editor.
FH5 continues to receive Festival Playlist updates in parallel with FH6’s launch, but Playground Games has signalled that major new content will now shift to FH6 going forward.
Platforms, Game Pass and Reception
FH5 is available on the following platforms:
- Xbox Series X|S — native, up to 4K/60 in Performance mode.
- Xbox One — 1080p/30 baseline.
- Windows 10/11 PC via both Microsoft Store and Steam.
- Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud).
- Xbox Game Pass / PC Game Pass day one, still included in the service as of May 2026.
Critical reception at launch was overwhelmingly positive. PC Gamer wrote:
“Playground Games shrewdly delivers the most beautiful, exhilarating, and joyous Forza Horizon yet.”
IGN scored it 10/10, calling Mexico “the biggest, most diverse, and most beautiful map yet in the series.” Within its first week the game reached 10 million players, the biggest first-week launch in Xbox Game Studios history at the time.
How FH5 Compares to FH6
With Forza Horizon 6 launching 2026-05-19 in a new Japan setting, here is the high-level comparison players are asking about. For the full map breakdown see FH6 vs FH5 map comparison.
| Feature | FH5 (Mexico) | FH6 (Japan) |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | 2021-11-09 | 2026-05-19 |
| Setting | Fictionalised Mexico | Fictionalised Japan (Honshu) |
| Launch cars | 500+ | 550+ (unconfirmed) |
| Biomes | 11 | (unconfirmed) |
| Expansions (so far) | 2 (Hot Wheels, Rally Adventure) | 0 (day-one) |
| Game Pass day one | Yes | Yes |
FH5 remains the deepest current car collection at 902 cars and is unlikely to be matched by FH6 until FH6 reaches a comparable post-launch lifespan. Both titles will run in parallel on Game Pass.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Forza Horizon 5 come out?
FH5 was released worldwide on 9 November 2021 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Steam, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and was available day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Where is Forza Horizon 5 set?
FH5 is set in a fictionalised version of Mexico — the first time the series visited Latin America — covering desert, jungle, coast, a volcano, the colonial city of Guanajuato, and Mayan ruins.
How big is the FH5 map?
Playground Games has stated the map is roughly 50% larger than Forza Horizon 4, with community measurements around 107 km². Microsoft has not published an official square-kilometre figure, so this number is (unconfirmed).
How many biomes does FH5 have?
Eleven biomes — the most in any Horizon to date — including living desert, sand desert, rocky and tropical coasts, jungle, arid hills, canyon, farmland, volcano, the city of Guanajuato, and Mayan jungle/ruins.
How many cars are in Forza Horizon 5?
The game launched with more than 500 cars; the live forza.net/fh5cars database currently lists 902 cars after 4+ years of Car Pass, expansions and Festival Playlist additions.
Is Forza Horizon 5 on Game Pass?
Yes. FH5 launched day one on Xbox Game Pass / PC Game Pass on 9 November 2021 and is still included in the service as of May 2026.
What expansions does FH5 have?
Two paid expansions: Hot Wheels (released 19 July 2022), which adds a sky-high orange-track biome, and Rally Adventure (released 29 March 2023), which adds the Sierra Nueva rally region.
Is FH5 still worth playing with FH6 launching?
Yes — FH5 currently has 900+ cars, two full expansions and 4+ years of seasonal content, whereas FH6 launches 2026-05-19 with about 550 cars and no expansions yet. Both will run in parallel on Game Pass.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Forza Horizon 5
- IGN — Forza Horizon 5 Review
- Forza.net — Forza Horizon 5 Launches Worldwide
- Forza.net — Forza Horizon 5: Explore the 11 Biomes of Mexico
- Forza.net — Forza Horizon 5 Cars
- Forza.net — Forza Horizon 5: Rally Adventure - Available Now
- PC Gamer — Forza Horizon 5 review
- Xbox Wire — Forza Horizon 6 Heads to Japan - Launching May 19, 2026