GTA Vice City Vehicles Overview

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GTA Vice City is one of my personal favorite entries in the series; with the city based on Miami, it means blue skies, palm trees, and plenty of fun to be had. It has long been rumored that GTA 6 will be set in Vice City once again, although we’re still waiting for official confirmation by Rockstar Games at the time of writing this.

GTA Vice City was first released in 2002 as the second entry in the 3D era of games, following on from 2001’s Grand Theft Auto 3. Despite being 20 years old at this point, GTA Vice City is still incredibly fun to play, even if some of the mechanics are dated when compared to newer titles. Continue reading as we give a complete GTA Vice City vehicles overview and everything you need to know about each GTA vehicle found in the game.

Bottom Line Up Front

While you’re playing GTA Vice City or any entry in the series, you will find yourself driving around most of the time. Whether you’re going from mission to mission or just exploring the vast landscape, you are going to be in a vehicle to do so.

GTA Vice City expands upon the types of vehicles that are available when compared to Grand Theft Auto 3, adding bikes and planes/helicopters to the game and giving players a much greater variety of options. Apart from these new additions, many of the staples have returned from regular vehicles to public service vehicles, such as taxis and fire engines, which act as side missions in the game.

GTA Vice City Vehicles

There are just over 100 vehicles available to find and use in GTA: Vice City, ranging from cars and bikes to boats, planes, and more. This list would be too long if I highlight all 100+ vehicles in the game, so instead, I will detail each category and then highlight the best, or my favorite, from each category and go into more detail about it.

Cars And Vans

Two-door cars

  • Blista Compact
  • Cuban Hermes
  • Esperanto
  • Hermes
  • Idaho
  • Manana
  • Phoenix
  • Sabre
  • Sabre Turbo
  • Stallion
  • Virgo
  • Voodoo

Phoenix

GTA Vice City Phoenix
Image from David Coulson

There’s just something about muscle cars that tick the right boxes for me. The Phoenix has become a mainstay in the GTA series since it first appeared in GTA Vice City, with it also showing up in San Andreas, Vice City Stories, GTA V, and GTA Online. Rockstar Games took inspiration from the Pontiac Firebird and Chevrolet Camaro to create this iconic GTA vehicle.

The Phoenix is one of the fastest cars in the game, with a top speed of 200km/h, as well as having good acceleration and being a great drift car. It can also be delivered to the Sunshine Autos Import Garage as part of that side mission.

If you want to drive this muscle car yourself, you can find it throughout Vice Beach and Starfish Island, with a guaranteed spawn at the mansion located on the northwest part of the island.

Four-door cars

  • Admiral
  • Glendale
  • Greenwood
  • Oceanic
  • Perennial
  • Regina
  • Sentinel
  • Sentinel XS
  • Stretch
  • Washington

Sentinel XS

GTA Vice City Sentinel XS
Image from David Coulson

The Sentinel XS is a tuned version of the regular Sentinel, offering improved top speed, acceleration, and handling. This car is all about luxury, with Rockstar Games basing it on both the BMW L7 and the BMW M635CSi. The Sentinel XS has almost made appearances in Vice City Stories, GTA V, and GTA Online, although it has changed to a 2-door coupe in GTA V.

To find the Sentinel XS, you need to check three spawn locations, around Escobar International airport, Sunshine Autos, and Bayshore Avenue.

Sports

  • Banshee
  • Cheetah
  • Comet
  • Deluxo
  • Infernus
  • Stinger

Infernus

GTA Vice City Infernus
Image from David Coulson

When it comes to sports cars in GTA, I don’t think any of them are quite as iconic as the Infernus. It has been a staple in the GTA series since it was first introduced in GTA 3 and has featured in every game. The Vice City version of the Infernus is based on the Lamborghini Countach, the most well-known version being Lance Vance’s white Infernus which can be seen throughout the game.

Vance’s Infernus can be driven during the Back Alley Brawl and Guardian Angels missions but can’t be used outside of those missions. However, once you gain Diaz’s mansion, a white Infernus will be parked in its garage. The Infernus is also one of the vehicles needed for the Sunshine Autos import garage.

4WD and utility

  • BF Injection
  • Bobcat
  • Landstalker
  • Mesa Grande
  • Rancher
  • Sandking
  • Walton

Bobcat

GTA Vice City Bobcat
Image from David Coulson

The Bobcat is one of the most common pickup trucks in the GTA series, only being omitted from GTA Advance and GTA V. The Vice City version of the Bobcat is modeled on the Ford Ranger, with some inspiration also taken from the Dodge Ram D150 and Toyota Hilux. The Bobcat is a fairly slow vehicle but does work well when driven off-road, which is where it shines.

This vehicle is very common in the game, and it shouldn’t be long before you spot one in the city if you want to drive it. But, there are two guaranteed locations to get the Bobcat in Vice City. The first is behind the Mendez Mansion on Prawn Island, and the second is during the mission Autocide, where one of the size enemies drives a black and pink Bobcat.

Vans

  • Burrito
  • Gang Burrito
  • Moonbeam
  • Mr Whoopee
  • Pony
  • Rumpo
  • Securicar
  • Top Fun

Burrito

GTA Vice City Burrito
Image from David Coulson

The Burrito is a van that has appeared in most GTA games since its introduction in Vice City, with it being inspired by the Dodge Ram Van in this game. Despite being a large and heavy van, it is the fastest in Vice City and features some of the best handling and braking of any van in the game. The Burrito is a very common vehicle; you can easily find it across all three islands in Vice City.

Industrial trucks

  • Benson
  • Boxville
  • Flatbed
  • Mule
  • Linerunner
  • Packer
  • Spand Express
  • Yankee

Yankee

GTA Vice City Yankee
Image from David Coulson

The Yankee is one of the more common industrial vehicles in Vice City, with it looking similar to a moving truck with its box style and large cab. As with many industrial vehicles, it has a variety of paint jobs showcasing various logos of companies that can be found around Vice City.

The Yankee is based on the Ford F700 and is rather slow and not a vehicle you will ever really find yourself using unless it is a last resort. If you want to drive one yourself, they are usually found around Viceport as well as the Escobar International Airport.

Public service

  • Bus
  • Cabbie
  • Coach
  • Kaufman Cab
  • Taxi
  • Trashmaster
  • Zebra Cab

Zebra Cab

GTA Vice City Zebra Cab
Image from David Coulson

There are numerous variations of the Taxi in Vice City, four to be precise, but the Zebra Cab is the most stylish and eye-catching, so of course, I have to showcase this one. Like the Cabbie, the Zebra Cab is based on a Checker Taxi, commonly seen in US cities, especially Chicago, between the early 1900s and 1980s.

The Zebra Cab features improved performance and handling when compared to the regular Cabbie and is seen during the Cabmaggedon mission. Upon completing the mission, the Zebra Cab will permanently spawn at the cab depot, so you can drive it any time you’d like.

Government and emergency

  • Ambulance
  • Fire Truck
  • Patriot
  • Barracks OL
  • Police
  • Enforcer
  • FBI Rancher
  • FBI Washington
  • Rhino
  • VCPD Cheetah

Enforcer

GTA Vice City Enforcer
Image from David Coulson

The Enforcer is an armored truck used by the VCPD when you’re being chased on a high wanted level. It is based on the NYPD Freightliner truck with good acceleration and fairly high top speed, which is needed if law enforcement tries to catch you. It isn’t a vehicle you will spend any time using unless you steal one during a chase, but then it’s hard to keep it long-term unless you can remove your wanted level.

Bikes

  • Angel
  • Faggio
  • Pizza Boy
  • Sanchez
  • Freeway
  • PCJ 600

Freeway

GTA Vice City Freeway
Image from David Coulson

Perhaps no bike is more iconic than a Harley Davidson, and it is represented in Vice City as the Freeway. It is one of the fastest bikes in Vice City; however, it isn’t a good option for performing stunts due to its heavy chassis; the PCJ 600 is the better option for that.

But, as a bike to drive around Vice City, it is a perfect choice. If you want to find one for yourself, you can steal it from citizens riding around or head the either North Point Mall or Ocean Beach, where they regularly spawn.

Planes/Helicopters

  • Hunter
  • Maverick
  • Police Maverick
  • Sea Sparrow
  • Skimmer
  • Sparrow
  • VCN Maverick

Maverick

GTA Vice City Maverick
Image from David Coulson

The Maverick helicopter has been featured in every GTA game since its first appearance in Vice City. For those that are into helicopters, the Maverick is based on the Bell 206L-4 and is one of the most balanced helicopters in the game. If you want to find one in the game, check the roof of the Hyman Condo safehouse and the Vercetti Estate after completing the Rub Out mission.

Boats

  • Coast Guard
  • Cuban Jetmax
  • Dinghy
  • Marquis
  • Predator
  • Reefer
  • Rio
  • Speeder
  • Squalo
  • Tropic

Speeder

GTA Vice City Speeder
Image from David Coulson

If you’re going to travel across the water surrounding the Vice City islands, then a speed boat is the best way to do it. The Vice City version of the Speeder is based on the Haines Signature 1700S and features one of the game’s highest speeds and impressive handling. If you want to use one yourself, the Speeder can be found at the Ocean Beach marina and become a reward after completing the All Hands On Deck mission.

Remote Controlled Vehicles

  • RC Baron
  • RC Bandit
  • RC Goblin
  • RC Raider

RC Baron

GTA Vice City RC Baron
Image from David Coulson

The RC vehicles make appearances in some side missions, but the RC Baron plane is my favorite of the bunch. To use the RC Baron, you must enter the Top Van in the North Point Mall parking lot. This will trigger the mission, which pits you against three other racers. If you complete the race, you will earn $100, a requirement for reaching 100% completion.

Miscellaneous

  • Baggage Handler
  • Bloodring Banger
  • Caddy
  • Hotring Racer
  • Love Fist
  • Romero’s Hearse

Love Fist

GTA Vice City Love Fist Car
Image from David Coulson

Love Fist is a fictional hair metal band in Vice City that makes some minor appearances in the game and their music and interviews being heard on the radio stations. Because they are famous rock stars in the 1980s, they have their own Stretch limousine. The Love Fist vehicle is painted red and has a custom “LUVF1ST” license plate, the first time a custom plate has appeared in a GTA game.

The Love Fist Limousine is featured in two missions in the game, and then it will appear outside of the V-Rock Recording Studio to be used at any time except on the PlayStation 2 version of the game. It has to improve acceleration, speed, and handling compared to a regular Stretch.

FAQs

Question: Which GTA games are set in Vice City?

Answer: At the time of writing, there are four games that take place in Vice City. These games are GTA 1, GTA 2, GTA Vice City, and GTA Vice City Stories. It is worth noting that Vice City is one of the multiple locations in GTA 1 and GTA 2.

Question: Will GTA 6 take place in Vice City?

Answer: Although it hasn’t been confirmed yet by Rockstar Games, it is widely believed that Vice City will be the main location of GTA 6 based on previous leaks. There are also rumors that GTA 6 will feature a second location, possibly in a fictionalized South America.

Question: Which is the best vehicle in Vice City?

Answer: Many people will gravitate towards the Infernus as the best game vehicle. Still, one car deserves the top spot despite being marginally slower, the Cheetah. The Cheetah is the best vehicle in the game because it is incredibly fast, the second fastest car, but it also has great handling while going fast. The Infernus loses control at high speeds and often leads to you not being able to turn as well as you’d like and damage it, whereas the Cheetah should provide you with a much smoother ride.

Conclusion

With the series going 3D the year prior, Rockstar Games were able to do much more when it came to vehicles and driving. Vice City saw a much more expansive roster of vehicles and introduced many vehicles that would become iconic staples in future titles.

Since the release of GTA Vice City, the number of vehicles has only increased in future titles. With Vice City likely being the location of GTA 6, it will be interesting to compare the two and see just how far Rockstar Games and the GTA series have come in the two decades since the release of GTA Vice City.

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