SCS Software has been very busy lately, as the proverbial trucks are just about to appear over the horizon, packed full of upcoming content for both of the main titles. The map expansions featured on the American side contain British Columbia, North Dakota and Indiana, while the European side contains Ireland, Iceland and Türkiye, alongside the hugely anticipated Coaches mode.
But the American Truck Simulator title has just pulled into its destination with a smaller payload compared to the rest, and inside it contains the first of the Road Trip DLC series, Road Trip: Ford.
What’s inside may just seem like four Ford cars available to drive around the American landscape, but there are a few additional features that make this a new experience for the title.
It’s all about the details
When you load into the DLC for the first time, the option to switch to the “Car Mode” at the bottom left of the menu is available, with the “Truck Mode” set as the default setting.
This is a first for either of the two Truck Simulator titles, as cars have only been available through mods up until now. These shared the exact same physics as the trucks and led to a disappointing experience. For the eventual release of the Coaches DLC on the European title, it would be expected to see a “Coach Mode” to switch between the two modes too.
Switch over to the Car Mode here, and you’re greeted with the similar sights you would expect from a new playthrough, as a tutorial is presented in the form of a Quick Job. Buy a car, and you unlock the Dispatch Market, which is the equivalent of the Cargo Market which truckers are already familiar with.
Unlike the massive loads of bulk grocery items, hazardous liquids or building materials, the freight on offer throughout these jobs is much smaller. These range from documents, small machine parts or product samples, all of which are placed on the driver’s seat in the form of cardboard boxes, envelopes or briefcases.
However, a smaller load does unfortunately carry a smaller reward, as you can earn around $1k – $3k expected per job, in comparison to the truck’s average reward of around $30k – $20k. Don’t expect a quick return on investment.
The stars of this DLC are of course the cars, featuring four different Ford models to choose from in-game, these being the Ford Mustang 1967 Fastback, the Ford Crown Victoria 2006 Sedan, the Ford F-150 2023 Lariat SuperCrew, and the Ford Bronco 2024 Badlands.
Every car features incredibly detailed and accurate interiors, with the Sedan and Mustang containing the retro styles of their time, all the way to the modern-day infotainment and dashboard screens inside the Bronco and F-150.
A lovely additional detail on the latter cars is the reverse cameras popping up on the infotainment screen – very helpful for navigating into a parking spot. Other animations are present within these vehicles too: the Crown Vic with its gearstick on the right side of the steering wheel, and the others with their individual automatic sticks within the centre of the car, as well as window opening/closing buttons being pressed, or in the Mustang’s case, the hand crank being rolled.
These details are exactly what you would expect to see from SCS’s care within each truck, and these cars are no different.
Each car has a small number of customisation options available, but not as many as the trucks do. None of the internals are available to be changed around, but you can change up the paints, install some small external accessories such as a roof rack or optional body parts, or alter the interior’s colours to your liking.
There are a handful of accessories across the dash, but there are very few options for the exterior of the car. Then again, it is most likely illegal to have your F-150’s bull bar equipped with a multitude of lights and horns to blare at the infuriating slow traffic ahead.
Car-like handling
When it comes to handling, thankfully these cars don’t feel the same as the titular vehicles. They feel great, with faster acceleration, higher speeds and the ability to take tighter corners without having to adjust for a trailer being towed behind.
It’s enjoyable to finally be the fastest vehicle on the freeway and not have to experience the constant sound of cars overtaking you. Gone are the days of worrying about merging into some idiot in the left lane who refuses to move over another lane, as you can easily accelerate past a truck before the merging lines end.
The Mustang is especially my personal highlight of this DLC, as this loud beast has the ability to drift, even with traction control turned on.
Seriously, you wouldn’t ever expect to say “Drifting” and “Truck Simulator” in the same sentence, unless you’re tasked with towing straw and a heater through the Millbrook Proving Ground that is. This car absolutely loves a heavy foot, as I just cannot resist flicking its tail out when leaving the lights at an intersection; it’s awesome.
Satisfying Atlas system
Outside of the regular jobs is the introduction of the Atlas, which puts the emphasis on exploring the map in the form of Tourist Boards.
Drive up to one of these tourist boards, and a list of nearby Points of Interests is shown on the map. Unlock all of the related locations, and you’re rewarded with a postcard that can be placed on the dash of either your car or truck, with a hefty price of just $120!
The addition of this mode is a lovely touch, especially when you want to take a break from the endless concrete sea and take in the scenery on offer. Taking the F-150 across the mountainous and winding roads of the Sierra Crossing is especially brilliant, featuring a viewpoint of the breathtaking Yosemite skyline, all while visiting the Inn at the Benton Hot Springs, all of which contain information about the specific points within their cutscenes.
For those lacking enthusiasm for driving these cars, the Atlas is still available to be completed within a truck, provided you own the DLC, of course. At the time of writing, the Atlas is only available for California within the base game, as well as the Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota DLC’s, with more states being available in the future.
Worthy addition
There are a few minor quibbles I have about this DLC, however. The skills you earn from the Truck Mode don’t carry over to the Car Mode, so the sense of progression is lacking here. If you’re also looking for a fast profit within your gameplay, then it’s probably best to stick to the trucks due to the low rewards earned from this mode. If you’re used to the slow nature of this series, expect it to get just a little bit slower.
Then there’s the job structure that could also use a bit of love, as its current form is similar to the main Truck Mode. Drive to point A, deliver to point B, and that’s it. No parking up, reversing a trailer or navigating through tight corners of a packed depot; just drive to the floating green icon and the job is finished. It feels a bit anticlimactic when ending a multi-state road trip.
Both titles feature the ability to walk around within either the showroom or garage, and introducing it to the outside world may be a heavy task to take on, but upon reaching the delivery point, having the option to park up and walk to a reception entrance with the deliverable in hand could go a long way for immersion
Especially when one of the jobs I had started right in the middle of a busy shipping depot, after a long drive through security checkpoints and speed bumps.
With only the four cars and the gameplay loop feeling almost the same as its main counterpart, there is definitely room to grow for the series. This first attempt at navigating through the American landscape in a car is still such a strong impression, and with a few more tweaks alongside the upcoming additional content, it’s hard to recommend anything but this title for realistic open-world driving in cars.
The Road Trip: Ford pack paves the way for even more variety within the series. With the RAM and Dodge DLC along the horizon for American Truck Simulator, and the Coaches DLC about to pull into its final destination for Euro Truck Simulator 2, having the option to finally drive cars is a long-awaited and welcome addition within the series. This DLC is for those who like to take it even slower.
Score: 8/10
Welcome cars and an exploration focus, leading to a much slower pace
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