Best Racing Games on PS4 in 2026: Top 8 Ranked
Original illustration — GameVexo
Looking for the best racing games on PS4 in 2026? We’ve tested and ranked the top PS4 racing games — from realistic sims to pure arcade fun — so you can pick the right one for your garage.
The PS4 might not be Sony’s newest console anymore, but it still has one of the best racing libraries around. Whether you want to tune real cars lap after lap, drift through a cop chase, or race karts with friends on the couch, there’s a great PS4 racing game for you. Below is our updated list for 2026, based on what’s still actively supported, well-reviewed, and fun to play right now.
We picked these games by looking at what’s still actively playable and well-supported on PS4 in 2026, how they hold up against newer racers, and how much fun they are for different types of players — from serious sim racers to people who just want to smash friends off a kart track. If you’re weighing up whether to stick with a PS4 at all, our guide on whether the PS4 is still worth buying in 2026 can help you decide.
Gran Turismo 7
Racing SimulationGran Turismo 7 is still the gold standard for racing sims on PS4. It packs more than 570 cars and 41 track environments, and Polyphony Digital keeps adding free cars and tracks years after launch.
✓ Why We Love It
- Huge, constantly growing car and track list
- Deep tuning and livery customization
- Free content updates keep it feeling new in 2026
✕ Keep In Mind
- In-game economy can feel grindy early on
- PS4 version runs at lower resolution than PS5
If you only buy one racing game on PS4 in 2026, this is it. It covers everything from gentle License Tests to full endurance racing, and the free-to-play spin-off My First Gran Turismo is a great way to try it before committing.
The Crew 2
Open-World RacingThe Crew 2 turns a scaled-down United States into your playground. Switch between cars, motorcycles, boats, and planes instantly with the Fast Fav system as you chase motorsports fame across the country.
✓ Why We Love It
- One of the biggest open worlds in any racing game
- Switch between cars, boats, and planes on the fly
- Offline mode finally added, so no connection required
✕ Keep In Mind
- Handling leans arcadey rather than realistic
- Some content still favors online play
Unlike Gran Turismo’s precision, The Crew 2 is all about scale and freedom. Ubisoft added a proper offline Hybrid Mode in late 2025, which fixed one of the game’s longest-standing complaints and makes it a much easier recommendation now.
F1 24
Motorsport SimulationF1 24 is the official video game of the FIA Formula One World Championship, and it’s the last F1 title to launch on PS4 — the series moved to PS5-only starting with F1 25.
✓ Why We Love It
- Officially licensed drivers, teams, and calendar
- Overhauled Career mode and handling model
- Split-screen and online multiplayer included
✕ Keep In Mind
- No Braking Point story mode this entry
- It’s the final F1 game PS4 will ever get
Since F1 25 skipped PS4 and Xbox One entirely, F1 24 is now the definitive way to play official Formula 1 on PS4. It’s a fitting send-off for the platform, with a genuinely improved handling model over earlier entries.
Need for Speed: Rivals
Arcade RacingNeed for Speed: Rivals was one of the PS4’s launch-window racers, and it still holds up as a fun cops-versus-racers arcade game with a seamlessly integrated open world.
✓ Why We Love It
- Play as a cop or a racer with different goals
- Fast, forgiving arcade handling
- Other players’ games blend into your world seamlessly
✕ Keep In Mind
- Visuals and car list feel dated next to newer titles
- Online population is much smaller than at launch
If you want speed without the fuss of a simulator, Rivals is a easy pick-up-and-play option that’s usually very cheap on PS4 in 2026, making it a good budget entry point into the arcade racing genre.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
Kart RacingThis full remaster of the 1999 classic bundles in tracks and karts from Crash Nitro Kart too, giving you 56 characters and 40+ tracks of couch-friendly chaos.
✓ Why We Love It
- Faithful remaster plus loads of bonus content
- Great local split-screen and online racing
- A genuinely challenging alternative to Mario Kart
✕ Keep In Mind
- Adventure mode’s difficulty can be brutal for newcomers
- In-game currency was added after launch
Nitro-Fueled never got a PC release, so it’s stayed a console favorite — and PS4 owners get the full experience with the original PlayStation-exclusive retro skins and track thrown in as a bonus.
WRC Generations
Rally SimulationThe official FIA World Rally Championship game, WRC Generations packs in 37 legendary cars and 165 special stages across 22 countries, including the new-for-2022 hybrid Rally1 cars.
✓ Why We Love It
- Officially licensed FIA WRC cars and stages
- Huge amount of rally content — 165 stages
- Split-screen and online co-driver mode
✕ Keep In Mind
- Physics take real practice to master
- Presentation looks dated next to newer racers
Where WRC Generations pulls ahead of other PS4 racers on this list is sheer stage variety — with 22 countries represented, no other rally game on PS4 offers this much terrain to learn.
Hot Wheels Unleashed
Arcade Toy RacingHot Wheels Unleashed puts you behind the wheel of tiny die-cast cars racing through orange plastic tracks built inside kitchens, garages, and bedrooms — with a powerful track editor to build your own.
✓ Why We Love It
- Colorful, welcoming, and genuinely fun for all ages
- One of the best track editors in any racing game
- Regular free and paid crossover content
✕ Keep In Mind
- PS4 version reviewed more mixed than the PS5 edition
- Can feel repetitive without friends to race
It’s the most kid-friendly game on this list, but the drift-and-boost mechanics have enough depth to keep adult racing fans hooked too — this is the PS4 racer to grab for family game night.
Redout 2
Anti-Gravity RacingInspired by F-Zero and WipEout, Redout 2 has you piloting anti-gravity ships at speeds over 1,000 km/h across 36 reversible tracks — it’s the fastest racing game on this whole list.
✓ Why We Love It
- Blistering, arcade-perfect sense of speed
- 36 reversible tracks means 72 layouts to master
- Deep ship customization across 12 chassis
✕ Keep In Mind
- Extremely tough learning curve
- Online matchmaking population is on the smaller side
If Redout 2 sounds like your speed, and you’re curious what other genres PS4 still supports well, our list of the best trading card games of 2026 is a good change of pace between high-speed sessions.
Quick Comparison
| Game | Genre | Platform | Best For | Our Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 7 | Sim Racing | PS4 & PS5 | Overall best pick | #1 Best |
| The Crew 2 | Open World | PS4 | Exploring a huge map | #2 Open World |
| F1 24 | Motorsport Sim | PS4 | Official F1 racing | #3 F1 Fans |
| Need for Speed: Rivals | Arcade | PS4 | Cops vs. racers | #4 |
| Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled | Kart Racing | PS4 | Couch co-op fun | #5 |
| WRC Generations | Rally Sim | PS4 | Serious rally fans | #6 |
| Hot Wheels Unleashed | Arcade Toy Racing | PS4 | Family game night | #7 |
| Redout 2 | Anti-Grav Racing | PS4 | Pure high-speed thrills | #8 |