NFS Unbound: Handling tuning - modifying the car for racing and drifting Need for Speed Unbound guide
Handling tuning in Need for Speed Unbound is an option that allows you to modify the way your vehicle handles during gameplay, handling, or downforce. On this page of the guide you will find tips on this mechanic.
Last update: 06 December 2022
This page of our guide explains how to modify your car's settings via handling tuning while driving in Need for Speed Unbound.
What is handling tuning?
Handling tuning is an option letting you drastically change the way your car handles. You can activate it from the menu during free roaming, but not during a race.
It features three sliders and two toggle options.
- Handling - affects the car's handling as well as front (left) and rear (right) balance. Be careful when setting front balance!
- Steering sensitivity - directly affects the vehicle's reaction speed. Not every car behaves the same, making this a better option than changing sensitivity for every car in the game settings.
- Downforce - the higher it is, the better the car sticks to the road. The smaller it is - the easier it is to drift and increase maximum speed. Affects vehicle class points.
- Traction control - prevents spinning and makes it more difficult to drift, which can come in handy at the start of races and outside of them.
- Drift entry - this simple setting makes it easier to drift when using regular brakes, letting go of the gas pedal and pressing it again during a turn, in both of these situations or neither. The choice depends entirely on your preferences.
Not every starting car's handling can be modified. To unlock more settings purchase a better Suspension or Differential.
Racing settings
Before a race it could be worthwhile to lower Downforce to gain higher max speed. This can, however, make long curves problematic without drifting through them. Increasing steering sensitivity is often worth it, especially when driving weaker cars which have a slow reaction time to the player's actions. You should keep it high enough to still maintain precision (like when you're driving past parked cars to get nitro). The situation is slightly different depending on the used controller - regardless, you must find a balance.
Handling may end up being problematic. Though it doesn't seem that way at first, if the slider's all the way to the left, you may end up losing control over your vehicle during sharp turns. Be careful when modifying this parameter, especially if you're shifting balance to the front or rear. Still, moving the slider all the way to the left can give you great results on tracks without sharp turns.
Traction control is also helpful - it lets you start up the car much quicker and drive safer, although it does make drifting more difficult.
Always use traction control if you've moved the handling slider to the left - this should prevent you from losing control over the car, resulting in an effect simillar to high downforce.
Drifting settings
Disable traction control and lower downforce. You must also adjust steering sensitivity to your vehicle and its speed - setting it high makes it easier to enter drift, but setting it low makes it easier to drift in long arcs. Set the handling slider all the way to the left, although this parameter depends on the car's power - if a weak car tilts too much, it will lose speed and finish the drift early. Choose a drift style that suits your preferences.