Mafia III Best Car: Top 10 Vehicles Ranked

So you've taken over New Bordeaux, and now you want a ride that matches your reputation. Finding the best car in Mafia III isn't about picking the prettiest paint job — it's about balancing raw speed, acceleration, handling, and how many bullets the chassis can eat before it gives out. With over 75 drivable vehicles split across Street, Sports, Exotic, Standard, and Utility classes, the choice can feel overwhelming.

Related Mafia III guides you may find useful:

• Mafia 3 Missions List: All Story Chapters by District
• Mafia III Walkthrough: Full Mission Guide & Tips
• Mafia III Kickback Explained: How to Earn More Cash This guide breaks down the Mafia III best car candidates using in-game stat data, explains what each class is actually good for, and shows you how to unlock the top-tier rides through the Vehicle Delivery service and underboss favors.

How Vehicle Stats Work in Mafia III

Every car in Mafia III is rated on five core stats: Speed, Acceleration, Handling, Durability, and Top Speed (measured in mph). These numbers come from unmodified vehicles, so any upgrades you unlock through underboss favors will shift them upward.

The key thing to understand is that no single car maxes out every stat. The Griffin Marauder, for example, has a blistering 127 mph top speed and 84 handling, but its durability is a laughable 10 — one sustained shootout and it's done. Meanwhile, Utility vehicles like the Pinkerton Titan sit at 100 durability but handle like a brick.

Your "best" car depends entirely on whether you're racing, fleeing the cops, or just cruising the bayou.

The 10 Best Cars in Mafia III Ranked

Here's our ranked shortlist based on raw stats, real-world usability, and how often the community names each car as a favorite.

1. Griffin Marauder — The Fastest Car in the Game

If pure speed is your metric, the Griffin Marauder is the best car in Mafia III. It tops out at 127 mph with an 84 handling rating, making it the ideal pick for the Custom 358 achievement, which requires you to hold 120 mph for 20 seconds. Just be warned: with only 10 durability, it's essentially a glass cannon. Player experience suggests avoiding this one for story missions with heavy firefights.

2. Samson Harrier — The All-Around Winner

The Samson Harrier is a DLC vehicle included in the Mafia III: Definitive Edition and the Sign of the Times expansion. It pairs a 126 mph top speed with 73 acceleration and 41 durability — a far more forgiving package than the Marauder. It's also tied to the Street Rocket achievement, which asks you to drive 50 km in it. For most players, this is the practical answer to "what's the best car in Mafia III."

3. De'Leo 58 — Best Handling Exotic

The De'Leo 58 delivers a 119 mph top speed with a standout 70 handling score. It's one of the most agile exotics in the game, making it a joy through New Bordeaux's tight downtown streets. Durability sits at 31, so it's better for racing than for war.

4. Smith Moray MX100 — Balanced DLC Exotic

With 72 handling and 48 durability, the Moray MX100 is the most well-rounded exotic on this list. It won't win a straight drag race against the Marauder, but it survives longer and corners beautifully.

5. Lassiter Courant — Best Non-DLC Street Car

If you don't own any DLC, the Lassiter Courant is your best bet. It offers 108 mph, solid 65 durability, and is easy to find in the wild. Community reports frequently name it the best free-roam car for players without the Family Kick-Back Pack.

Best Car by Playstyle

Not every player wants the same thing. Here's how to pick based on what you actually do in New Bordeaux.

How to Unlock the Best Cars

Mafia III doesn't let you permanently store vehicles in a garage. Instead, the game uses a Vehicle Delivery service with up to 19 predetermined cars you unlock through story progression, DLC, and Game Ownership Bonuses.

• DLC vehicles like the Samson Harrier and Smith Moray MX100 come with the Definitive Edition or the Family Kick-Back Pack.
• Game Ownership Bonus (GOB) vehicles like the Shubert Frigate unlock if you own Mafia: Definitive Edition, Mafia II: Definitive Edition, or the Mafia: Trilogy.
• Base game vehicles unlock as you take over districts and complete missions.

One quirk worth knowing: the game saves whatever car you're currently driving, even if it isn't in the delivery menu. However, community reports note that bugs can cause the wrong vehicle to spawn after certain missions or reloads.

Upgrade Your Ride With Underboss Favors

Raw stats only tell half the story. The best car in Mafia III becomes even better once you apply performance upgrades earned through Lincoln's underbosses during the second and fourth district takeovers.

Pro tip: After unlocking an upgrade, you must order a fresh vehicle from the delivery menu before it takes effect. Also, the bulletproof tires upgrade is currently bugged — reloading your game removes the effect until you order another car.

Cosmetic Customization at Big Rick's

Take any delivery-menu vehicle to a Big Rick's Custom Auto and you can apply superchargers, spoilers, paint, decals, rims, tires, and custom license plates. Most cosmetic items unlock by winning New Bordeaux Racing events and beating track records, while some decals require completing specific DLC missions.

Here's the catch: aside from gear ratios, everything at Big Rick's is purely cosmetic. It won't change your performance or handling. For real stat gains, you need the underboss favors listed above.

Repairing and Cleaning Your Car

There's no manual repair or wash mechanic in Mafia III. Instead, your car is restored automatically in a few ways:

• Big Rick's Custom Auto — entering the garage cleans and repairs delivery-menu vehicles.
• Safehouses and rackets — your car is parked and fully repaired when you enter.
• Racing events — your vehicle is repaired when you start a New Bordeaux Racing event.
• Game reload — loading a save spawns your current car clean and repaired.

This makes durability less punishing than it first appears, since you can top up your ride just by walking into a safehouse.

Final Verdict: What's the Best Car in Mafia III?

If you want one answer: the Samson Harrier is the best car in Mafia III for most players, thanks to its 126 mph top speed, strong acceleration, and survivable durability. If you're chasing pure speed records, the Griffin Marauder wins outright. And if you're playing without DLC, the Lassiter Courant is the best all-purpose street car you can reliably find.

Pair whichever you choose with Vito's supercharger and Cassandra's armor, and you'll have a ride worthy of the new boss of New Bordeaux.