State of Decay 2: Best Vehicles, Ranked

Whether players are playing through Undead Labs’ zombie survival game State of Decay 2 by themselves or with others, they can’t go wrong with having a vehicle or two on hand. They make traveling through the open-world wasteland much safer and get players to where they’re going much faster than if they travel on foot.

They can also increase the amount of items players can carry. Of course, players also need to keep their cars maintained and refueled if they plan on making it their primary source of traversal. While there are no bad choices when it comes to vehicles, it certainly helps to know which ones are the best, and which ones are worth upgrading.

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Updated on January 20, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Vehicles are essential in the State of Decay 2 for exploration and resource gathering, as traversing on foot not only consumes a lot of energy but also makes the game feel tedious. Also, no backpack can match the size of a massive trunk.

Each camp can have multiple vehicles for a variety of purposes. Some vehicles are just big enough to pack a lot of items in, and some others come at higher speeds for faster traversal. Every vehicle features an upgrade capability that strengthens some of its aspects.

13

Road Racer

Trunk Size: 3 Slots

Basically, Road Racer is quite a situational vehicle as it’s never good enough for gathering resources with 3 storage slots. However, for players who like fast traversal to mission locations or maybe getting away from hordes of zombies, Road Racer could come in handy.

The base version of Road Racer comes with a lower fuel consumption compared to its MX variant, which sacrifices more fuel for higher speed. However, the handling is also quite important, and Road Racer is more tamable compared to its MX version.

12

Legendre

Trunk Size: 4 Slots

The Legendre seems like an average vehicle for the zombie survival game but combined with upgrades it becomes a beast. It seats four and also has a storage of four. Its speed is average, but its complimented with high acceleration.

With a medium upgrade kit, the Legendre can be upgraded into the Impaler. The Impaler has all the same features that the Legendre has, but not only adds an extra seat but a nice battering ram to plow through zombies.

11

Rhames V

Trunk Size: 7 Slots

Players with a large party and lots to store may want to keep their eyes peeled for the Rhames V. People can sit in the truck bed as well as inside the vehicle, which holds a total of four and has a storage of six.

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The medium upgrade kit turns the Rhames V into the Viking. Unfortunately, this removes the bed. But as a trade-off, it adds both larger fuel storage and armor.

10

Smashwagon

Trunk Size: 10 Slots

Players waiting for State of Decay 3 may have fun with the Smashwagon in the meantime. It’s the upgraded version of a variety of vehicles in State of Decay 2, ranging from the Pilato to the Ranger SUV.

It has a massive storage of seven and seats four. The Smashwagon excels in nearly every area, with high speed and acceleration, fast handling, and very high durability.

9

Burninator

Trunk Size: 6 Slots

The Burninator not only looks and sounds cool, but it’s also one of the most unique cars in the game. As part of a 4th of July update, the vehicle can seat six, while also having a large storage area of six. It’s fast with high acceleration, but the real treat is a feature that acts as a whole new weapon.

Instead of a horn, honking will cause flames to shoot out from under the chassis, burning any nearby zombies to a crisp. Players should be aware, however, that this burns through the fuel much faster.

8

Cargo Van

Trunk Size: 15 Slots

Need to carry an abundance of items? The Cargo Van is perfect for anyone looking for extra storage space. It only seats two, so players shouldn’t plan on traveling with a large group.

However, the storage for the Cargo Van is huge when compared to the other vehicles in the game, being able to carry up to eight items. When upgraded, it becomes the Vandito, which adds extra seats and armor.

7

Wichita ES

Trunk Size: 7 Slots

Serving as a worthy upgrade to Miragra and Miragra NT, this vehicle comes with an expanded trunk size and sturdier body kit. Wichita ES has a great acceleration and works perfect for patroling with the community members.

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The 7 Slot trunk size makes it almost as great as Brogan Trekker, though it comes with a higher fuel consumption rate, which is a common thing among most upgraded vehicles. The stronger body armor, however, makes it a no-brainer for running over zombies and driving through dangerous zones.

6

Maximillian

Trunk Size: 4 Slots

The Maximillian is an ideal car for any long-time Mad Max fan. A reference to the action film franchise, the Maximillian can seat two and has a storage of four.

It also has an average speed but a very high acceleration. Upgrade the Maximillian to turn it into the Mega Max. This greatly increases both the car’s fuel capacity and durability.

5

Utility Truck

Trunk Size: 8 Slots

The Utility Truck is, in many regards, similar to the Rhames V. However, many features make it a much more ideal choice. It also seats four and has a storage of six. And while it also has the same amount of health as the Rhames V, it also has an added plow that the other vehicle unfortunately lacks.

Like the Rhames V, the Utility Truck can be upgraded into the Viking. Again, this removes the ability to seat people in the tray but adds larger fuel storage and armor. Unfortunately, upgrading it also removes the plow.

4

Military Truck

Trunk Size: 8 Slots

Some players might prefer speed over armor. For those looking for an intimidating, fortified vehicle, they can’t go wrong with the Military Truck. Passengers can sit in the bed of the truck, so it can seat up to four and has a storage space of six.

When upgraded, the Military Truck becomes the Big Boss. With a heavy upgrade kit, this means that players can add more armor as well as spikes to their wheels.

3

Survey Car

Trunk Size: 5 Slots

Players will be doing a lot of scouting and exploring throughout State of Decay 2, so they might as well use a car to help them in their travels. Players who drive around with this vehicle will have locations added to their map.

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The Survey Car doesn’t pick up everything from the road, but overall the range is very good. It also seats four and has a storage of five. Players can upgrade this vehicle into the Hellion. While this adds armor and some color to the car, it also removes the survey camera, which is this vehicle’s key feature.

2

Trumball 4×4

Trunk Size: 6 Slots

Among all the pick-up trucks in State of Decay 2, Trumball 4×4 is the fastest one that also comes with impressive handling. This vehicle is a jack-of-all-trades and comes in handy in a variety of situations. The 6-slot trunk is also big enough to bring back some goodies when returning to the camp.

Trumball 4×4 is not a vehicle that players can grab easily, though. This is actually a bounty reward from the Anniversary Pack that goes live between May and August. In order to achieve the vehicle, the player must kill 7 Freaks with vehicles, which already requires a sturdy vehicle!

1

Brogan Trekker

Trunk Size: 8 Slots

To put it simply, the Brogan Trekker is one of the best cars in the game, especially for players traveling with large parties. The car has both a maximum seating of four and a maximum storage of eight.

It doesn’t have high acceleration but it’s fast. Like the Survey Car, players can upgrade it into the Hellion. And like the Survey Car, it’s probably best if players skip the Brogan Trekker’s upgrades. Turning the Brogan Trekker into the Hellion adds armor but unfortunately removes its massive storage space.

Systems

Released

May 22, 2018

OpenCritic Rating

Fair