EA Sports WRC’s Hard Chargers DLC hands-on: The final flourish

EA Sports WRC’s Hard Chargers DLC is now upon us, pitched as the final content pack for DiRT Rally 2.0’s spiritual successor.

While the new DLC adds six new cars and several new Greek and Swedish stages, questions remain about the future of the game; will it receive more DLC, will it receive another season expansion, or will it gain a whole new sequel? 

The other alternative is that this may well be the end of the franchise entirely, but let’s remain optimistic about its future as, after a shaky start, WRC has become a solid rally game with plenty of bobble-hatter-pleasing content (although performance issues persist, more on that later).

If the Hard Chargers DLC pack does turn out to be the final piece of content for WRC, does it represent a fitting swansong for the series? Find out my thoughts below.

New stages

12 new stages form part of the Hard Chargers DLC, split evenly between Sweden and Greece. Just like the preceding Le Maestros pack, however, these are in fact two long tests split into shorter sections, including reverse routes.

It’s a bit of a cop-out, then, but the inclusion of Umeå does allow rally fans to tackle a current real-world rally stage, seeing as it was the Power Stage on this year’s Rally Sweden.

WRC’s incumbent snow stages have often been criticised by fans for the lack of contrast between the road surface and the snow banks. Thankfully, Umeå’s environment looks so much better in comparison.

The distinction between the track and perimeter is much clearer now, with the ambient lighting especially atmospheric as you approach the ‘stadium’ section of the stage. The actual layout is a little dull, to be honest, with too many right-angled turns punctuated by long straights, but it’s realistic at least.

Those who weren’t a fan of WRC’s snow physics before will be disappointed, however, as handling feels unchanged, but Umea is at least a convincingly accurate location.

Harvati couldn’t be any more different to Umeå, featuring parched and rocky terrain. Also a real-world replica, Harvati was last used in the WRC in 2022 and it features water splashes, technical hairpins and perilous drops.

It’s standard Acropolis Rally fare then, and should feel familiar to WRC players right from the off. Playing through both new environments highlighted one crucial aspect of this new update, however, as I felt both were well-optimised.

I (and many WRC players) often experienced shader caching while watching replays but this appears to have genuinely improved with the Hard Chargers DLC update. In both Harvati and Umeå, I rarely saw pop-in and the issue was even reduced in the game’s other environments.

It still exists, but it’s much less noticeable for me. This is encouraging as it suggests WRC is still being refined even as its final DLC releases.

New cars

Although there are six new cars I felt a little underwhelmed by their announcement. Sure, there’s the championship-winning 2021 Hyundai i20 WRC, the 1999 Ford Focus WRC as driven by Colin McRae and the classic Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk1, but there’s also the Opel Corsa Rally4 as well as Rally3 and Rally4 versions of the Renault Clio. 

It’s hardly inspiring stuff and makes the absence of Toyota (outside of the present-day WRC license) even more apparent.

Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 2021

Predictably, the Hyundai feels very much like its Volkswagen, Ford and Citroen counterparts to drive. It’s unbelievably quick and has an aggressive exhaust note, highlighting how the 2017-2021 WRC class represents (in my opinion) the absolute peak of WRC performance.

Hyundai successfully claimed the Manufacturers’ Championships in 2019 and 2020 but the Korean marque missed out on the three-peat with this 2021 car, as Toyota finished 59 points clear. 

Thierry Neuville was Hyundai’s highest-placed driver in third position in 2021, with the car claiming three victories in total (two for Neuville, one for team-mate Ott Tanak).

Ford Focus WRC ‘99

Replacing the outgoing Ford Escort WRC, the Focus was introduced at the Monte Carlo Rally at the start of 1999, with two cars built for Colin McRae and promising French rookie Simon Jean-Joseph.

Although McRae raced to a podium finish with the brand-new car, the FIA excluded both M-Sport entries for having illegal water pumps. It was an inauspicious start, then, but victories for McRae on the Safari Rally and Rally Portugal proved the car’s potential.

Slotting into the 1997-2011 class, the Focus should be outgunned by the more modern machinery in its category, which also contains two further Focuses (Focii?), but it arguably looks the raciest of the lot thanks to its compact, two-door layout.

The Focus handles predictably, but it doesn’t feel or sound distinctive enough to be notable in my opinion. That iconic (I hate that word but it’s merited) Martini livery is worth the price of the DLC alone, though.

Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk1

Roger Clark’s 1972 RAC Rally-winning livery adorns the Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk1, which is by far the oldest car in the Hard Chargers pack.

Fitting into the H2 RWD class alongside its more modern Mk2 successor, as a production car the Mk1 was manufactured between 1970 and 1974 with just over 1,000 examples made to satisfy Group 2 rallying homologation rules.

Fitted with a Ford BDA twin-cam engine, the Escort is typically raucous and sounds much quicker than its 115 bhp would suggest… However, the game version appears to have a two-litre engine fitted, which produces 230 bhp, making it an absolute rocketship.

Still a favourite among historic rally competitors today, the Escort feels gloriously lairy on the power, with its lightweight design perfected by Ford UK’s Advanced Vehicle Operation division.

Renault Clio Rally3

Considering the Rally3 Clio won events during the 2024 season you’d be forgiven for expecting it to be included with WRC’s 2024 season expansion, released in October last year.

For some reason, however, it wasn’t, but it now at least gives the incumbent Rally3 Ford Fiestas a bit of competition.  

In the hands of Frenchman Mattéo Chatillon, the Clio tasted victory on last season’s Central European Rally, while Estonian Joosep Ralf Nõgene won the Rally3 class in Latvia, proving the Renault has the pace to challenge for top honours.

Unsurprisingly, the Clio handles similarly to its Fiesta rival, with its Alpine Racing-developed chassis being both predictable and intuitive to drive. 

With around 260 bhp on tap, the Clio’s three-pot engine has enough va-va-voom to drag it through the most treacherous of Greek stages but has enough manoeuvrability to tame the fast, ice-laden sweepers of Sweden too.

Renault Clio Rally4

As a front-wheel-drive car, it’s difficult to achieve a satisfying driving experience off-road in the Rally4 Clio. It demands that you carry momentum between corners, which feels good on the new Swedish stages but frustrating on the slower, more technical Greek tests.

The Rally4 Clio looks similar to its Rally3 stablemate but actually has more in common with its Rally5 cousin, with both developed in-house by Renault Sport.

The Clio weighs just over a metric ton and features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that outputs just over 200 bhp. It feels a little anaemic when presented with a steep gradient but I  found it the ideal car in which to re-learn WRC’s physics after some time away.

Opel Corsa Rally4

Sounding glorious thanks to its sonorous three-cylinder engine, the Opel Corsa Rally4 is the fourth and final modern-day Rally4 car to make it to WRC.

Replacing the German firm’s Adam R2 car, the Corsa has already enjoyed success in its class in the Junior European Rally Championship and the European Rally Championship, claiming 18 victories since 2022.

Again, it drives like the other Rally4 cars in-game; it’s not massively exciting to drive but is extremely forgiving, which makes it ideal as an entry-level steed.

New liveries

18 new car liveries also form part of the Hard Chargers DLC, with recognisable paint schemes including Malcolm Wilson’s Michelin-adorned Ford Escort RS Cosworth, Marcus Grönholm’s 2006 Castrol-sponsored Ford Focus RS Rally 2008 and Craig Breen’s 2015 Peugeot 208 T16 R5 livery.

New Moments

16 new Moments are also included, with WRC’s Game Designer Jon Armstong featuring. The Northern Irishman’s 2022 Junior WRC Rally Sweden victory is showcased, with players also utilising the new Hyundai i20 in Spain and the Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk1 on the fast and flowing roads of Finland.

I was unable to test the new Moments ahead of release but have enjoyed the fresh impetus they provide by wandering down rallying’s memory lane.

Final flourish

Although the Hard Chargers DLC feels like a bit of a let-down in comparison to the Le Maestros Pack, the Hyundai, Escort and Focus are still vital pieces of rally content given their provenance.

The Rally3 Clio should perhaps have been included in the WRC 2024 update and the Rally4 Clio and Corsa are unlikely to set pulses racing, which means this DLC pack lacks a little sparkle. 

Although improved optimisation and graphics performance weren’t specifically promised for the WRC’s accompanying game update, I found that the two new stages ran much better than I’ve experienced previously, with other locations also seemingly given some attention. Whether this is a more widespread phenomenon or not is yet to be determined.

Umeå and Harvati are faithfully recreated real-world additions to the game, with Umeå in particular improving the way the game displays snow-covered stages. It’s also worth noting that both new stages will only be available in Time Trial, Moments, Quick Play and Clubs modes (initially, at least, but this may change at a later date).

EA SPORTS WRC’s Hard Chargers DLC is possibly one for completionists or dyed-in-the-wool rally nerds, but the optimisation improvements offer a tantalising glimpse of the future of the series.

EA SPORTS WRC’s Hard Chargers DLC release date

• EA SPORTS WRC’s Hard Chargers DLC will be released on the 25th of March 2025 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

EA SPORTS WRC Hard Chargers DLC cars

• Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ‘21
• Ford Focus WRC ‘99
• Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk1
• Renault Clio Rally3
• Renault Clio Rally4
• Opel Corsa Rally4

EA SPORTS WRC Hard Chargers DLC liveries

• Fiat 131 Abarth Rally: “Fiat” (1976)
• Ford Escort MK2: “Ford” (1979)
• Ford Escort RS 1600 MK1: “Team Esso” (1973)
• Ford Escort RS 1600 MK1: “Ford” (1973)
• Ford Escort RS Cosworth: Malcolm Wilson (1993)
• Ford Focus RS Rally 2008: Marcus Grönholm (2006)
• Ford Focus RS Rally 2008: Matthew Wilson (2010)
• Ford Focus WRC ‘99: Colin McRae (1999)
• Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ‘21: “Hyundai #6” (2021)
• Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ‘21: “Hyundai #11” (2021)
• Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ‘21: “Hyundai #42” (2021)
• Opel Corsa Rally4: “Launch Livery” (2021)
• Peugeot 206 Rally: Marcus Grönholm (1999)
• Peugeot 208 T16 R5: Craig Breen (2015)
• Renault Clio Rally3: “Test Livery” (2023)
• Renault Clio Rally3: Mattéo Chatillon (2024)
• Renault Clio Rally4: “Launch Livery” (2021)
• SEAT Córdoba WRC: “Privateer” (2001)

EA SPORTS WRC Hard Chargers DLC Stages

Two locations (Rally Sweden – Umea & Umea Sprint and EKO Acropolis Rally Greece – Harvati) make up the following 12 new stages:

• Sweden – Umeå (10.8km)
• Sweden – Sandbacka (10.8km)
• Sweden – Ersmark (10.1km)
• Sweden – Ersboda (10.0km)
• Sweden – Umeå Sprint (5.2km)
• Sweden – Haga (5.0km)
• Greece – Harvati (14.1km)
• Greece – Pisia (14.2km)
• Greece – Drosopigi – Aghia Triada (8.8km)
• Greece – Perachora (8.8km)
• Greece – Irini – Schinos (8.3km)
• Greece – Posidonia (8.2km)

EA SPORTS WRC Hard Chargers additional content

• 16 new Moments challenges
• 18 new real-world livery designs

EA SPORTS WRC version 2.3.1 changelog

Achievements & Trophies

• Regularity Renaissance – Fixed an issue in which this Achievement could be unlocked while driving in Rally events.

Audio

• Fixed an issue in which the French language co-driver’s audio would get drowned out by the car’s engine audio.

Builder

• Fixed an issue in which the game would soft-lock when navigating between Exterior and Interior tabs while building a car.

Career

• Fixed an issue in which skipping a Regularity Rally Event would result in unexpected results from AI drivers.

Cars 

• Please note that new cars from the Hard Chargers Content Pack are only available in Time Trial, Moments, Quick Play & Clubs.

• Added a new car class: Rally3.
• Added a new car to WRC 2017-2021 class: Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ‘21.
• Added a new car to WRC 1997-2011 class: Ford Focus WRC ‘99.
• Added a new car to Rally3 class: Renault Clio Rally3.
• Added an existing car to Rally3 class: Ford Fiesta Rally3.
• Added a new car to Rally4 class: Renault Clio Rally4.
• Added a new car to Rally4 class: Opel Corsa Rally4.
• Added a new car to H2 RWD class: Ford Escort RS 1600 MK1.
• Citroën C2 Super 1600 – Fixed an issue in which the driver’s hand would not grab the handbrake correctly.
• Citroën C3 Rally2 – Fixed an issue in which the game would softlock when accessing the livery editor for this car.
• Citroën C3 WRC – Fixed an issue in which the rear fog light was incorrectly activated while driving.
• Citroën C3 WRC – Fixed an issue in which bonnet light pods would suddenly appear mid-stage while driving in interior views.
• Fiat 131 Abarth Rally – Added 1 livery from the 1976 season.
• Ford Escort MK2 – Added 1 livery from the 1979 season.
• Ford Escort RS 1600 MK1 – Added 2 liveries from the 1973 season.
• Ford Escort RS Cosworth – Added 1 livery from the 1993 season.
• Ford Fiesta Rally3 – Added 1 livery from the 2022 season.
• Ford Focus RS Rally 2001 – Fixed an issue in which the stripes on the livery were incorrectly applied at the rear of the car.
• Ford Focus RS Rally 2008 – Fixed an issue in which the front rollcage bars were incorrectly positioned, obstructing the player’s view.
• Ford Focus WRC ‘99 – Added 1 livery from the 1999 season.
• Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ‘21 – Added 2 liveries from the 2021 season.
• Opel Corsa Rally4 – Added 1 livery from 2021.
• Peugeot 206 Rally – Added 1 livery from the 1999 season.
• Peugeot 208 Rally4 – Fixed an issue in which placeholder textures were present on the ghost car in Time Trial.
• Peugeot 206 T16 R5 – Added 1 livery from the 2015 season.
• Renault Clio Rally3 – Added 1 livery from 2023.
• Renault Clio Rally3 – Added 1 livery from the 2024 season.
• Renault Clio Rally4 – Added 1 livery from 2021.
• SEAT Córdoba WRC – Added 1 livery from the 2001 season.

Clubs

• Fixed an issue in which a Club Admin could not edit an upcoming Event after it has been added to a Championship.
• Fixed an issue in which the penalty for exceeding the service area time limit for repairs would not be applied, when the player quits and rejoins the service area, after applying said repairs.
• Graphics & Performance
• Fixed an issue in which changing the Quality Preset would cause Ground Cover objects to float.

Locations 

• Please note that all fixes also affect the other stages on those locations that share the same road sections.
• Please note that new stages from the Hard Chargers Content Pack are only available in Time Trial, Moments, Quick Play & Clubs.
• Added a new stage to Sweden: Umeå (10.8km).
• Added a new stage to Sweden: Sandbacka (10.8km).
• Added a new stage to Sweden: Ersmark (10.1km).
• Added a new stage to Sweden: Ersboda (10.0km).
• Added a new stage to Sweden: Umeå Sprint (5.2km).
• Added a new stage to Sweden: Haga (5.0km).
• Added a new stage to Greece: Harvati (14.1km).
• Added a new stage to Greece: Pisia (14.2km).
• Added a new stage to Greece: Drosopigi – Aghia Triada (8.8km).
• Added a new stage to Greece: Perachora (8.8km).
• Added a new stage to Greece: Irini – Schinos (8.3km).
• Added a new stage to Greece: Posidonia (8.2km).
• Central Europe – Lukoveček (Sector 5) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Estonia – Elva (Sector 2) – Fixed an issue in which the player’s car does not reset when entering a spectator area.
• Estonia – Kooraste (Sector 1) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Estonia – Kooraste (Sector 2) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit. 
• Japan – Lake Mikawa (Sector 3) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Kenya – Soysambu (Sector 12) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Latvia – Kalvene (Sector 3) – Fixed an issue in which the player could fall through the environment near the medical point in this sector.
• Latvia – Vecpils (Sector 1) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Latvia – Vecpils (Sector 5) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Mexico – El Chocolate (Sector 1) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 1) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 2) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 3) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 4) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 5) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 6) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 7) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Monte Carlo – “La Bâtie-Neuve – Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes” (Sector 8) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Pacifico – Talao (Sector 2) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Pacifico – Talao (Sector 5) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Pacifico – Talao (Sector 9) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
• Poland – Swietajno (Sector 2) – Fixed an issue in which a log pole near the road edge was missing collision detection.
• Portugal – Fafe (Sector 8) – Adjusted replay camera angles to more closely represent real-world TV footage at Fafe jump.
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 1) – Fixed an issue in which the player could fall through the ground if they drove behind a spectator area.
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 8) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit. 
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 9) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit. 
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 11) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 12) – Resolved a number of corner-cutting exploits.
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 14) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit. 
• Sweden – Hof-Finnskog (Sector 16) – Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.

Moments 

• “Teamwork from the Start” – Fixed an issue in which this Moment was missing a Service Area.

Quick Play

• Fixed an issue in which saving multiple Quick Play Solo Championship Templates would overwrite older ones.
• Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which a blocked player is not muted when they join the lobby of a player who previously blocked communications with them. 

Rally Pass

• Added 15 new levels to Rally Pass, the new upper limit is now Level 75
• Added 25 new Livery Editor decals to Rally Pass rewards, from Levels 61 to 75.

Rally School 

• Lesson 2 – Fixed an issue in which the player could fall through the ground at the end of Sector 3.
• Lesson 3 – Fixed an issue in which the “Accelerate off the start line within 0.8 seconds” objective could not be failed.

Miscellaneous

• Addressed a number of minor issues throughout the game.