Info about American Truck Simulator - Road Trip: Ford:

Official game description:
Engines at the ready! Hit the highways of American Truck Simulator like never before with the Ford pack, a DLC add-on for the new Road Trip gameplay module! This pack brings together some of the most iconic vehicles ever to grace American roads. Step away from your big rig and into powerful new rides that bring a fresh perspective to ATS, while staying true to the spirit of the open road.
**Take the wheel behind:**
*   The iconic 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback
*   The all-purpose 2023 Ford F-150
*   The modern 2023 Ford Bronco
*   and the legendary 1998–2012 Ford Crown Victoria
With this DLC, you’ll unlock personal cars that offer a brand-new gameplay experience. Want to work? Take on job contracts delivering small packages. Want to explore? Hit the open road freely and earn beautifully designed postcards by visiting iconic locations.
We’re thrilled to partner with Ford to bring these iconic vehicles to life in-game, and we can’t wait to see where your next drive takes you! We're still working on this upcoming game module, so be sure to keep an eye on our official blog and social media channels for all the latest updates! Excited to shift gears? Be sure to add this DLC to your Steam Wishlist!

Release date: Sep 29, 2026

Categories: Driving Simulation, Open-World Exploration, Single-player, Vehicle Customization, Simulation, Road Trip Simulation, Collectibles

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair / Traditional DLC; summary: The audit found no evidence of predatory monetization. Reviews focus on the paid Road Trip DLC for American Truck Simulator, with most users describing its price as reasonable or excellent value. One reviewer criticizes having to pay $8 for a new game mode with no base cars, but this remains a traditional paid DLC rather than an in-game shop, loot box, gacha, battle pass, or pay-to-win system.
- Steam Deck: score 70; verdict: Broken - High Friction; summary: The filtered reviews present a mixed Steam Deck picture. Users praise the DLC's quality and driving feel, but controller configuration for truck versus car requires manual adjustment, and multiple users report hard crashes or forced closures, including when driving at high speed. One reviewer also notes platform-specific update behavior, but the dominant technical barrier is stability. Because crash reports indicate a broken rather than seamless experience, friction is rated high.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The Windows <8GB VRAM cohort is mostly positive, with all included recommendations reporting acceptable performance and only isolated caveats.
  - Sample size: 150 (19% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (positive, 54 reports): Reviewers report the game and its car mod/DLC working well, though one mentions a crash when driving too fast.
  - Caveats: 150 of 807 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The only direct base-game price signals in the evidence recommend buying the base game on sale and call it cheap. This suggests the community views a discounted price as the fair entry point, not a premium full price. Since no review states an exact base-game number, the fair range is best estimated broadly from a typical deep discount up to the standard full price for a simulator title, yielding $5 to $20 USD. Confidence is limited because the reviews mainly discuss DLC and only indirectly reference base-game pricing.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 3.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The quotes about a few hours of fun and a few hours with the available vehicles support an approximate DLC content completion of about 3 hours. The repeated 30-minute comments support a typical session length of about 0.5 hours. No review provides a concrete story-completion length, since the DLC is described as open driving content rather than a narrative. No review gives a specific post-completion or endgame playtime, so endgame is left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Reviewers most strongly signal immediate fun from the quick-job tutorial and early driving despite a learning curve, while others report later boredom after fleet expansion and criticize the job/progression loop.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: Quick job tutorial
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Limited job selection and no World of Trucks hookup, restricting destination freedom.; Steep learning curve for new players.; No clear progression path, skills, or unlock guidance.; Weak force feedback that makes driving tiring.; Boring, repetitive job tasks described as a box and a file.; Mundane car and monotonous highway views.
  - Unlock drivers: Choosing quick jobs makes the limited job selection less of an issue.
  - Conditions: The initial forced quick-job tutorial is where one reviewer's enjoyment begins.; Choosing quick jobs reduces the limited job selection problem.; Enjoyment depends on preferring driving and map exploration over job objectives.; Preference for truck complexity over mundane car driving affects fun.; Using an Xbox controller involves a learning curve but can still be fun.; Clear progression and unlock information would improve the reward loop.
- Player Archetypes:
  - Chill Free-Roam Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxing map exploration and freedom to drive a car wherever the road leads.
    - Playstyle: Casual free roam, sightseeing, and low-stakes driving rather than delivery grinding.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: The Crew 2
  - ATS/ETS Veteran Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Fresh car content inside the familiar ATS/ETS world they already invest in.
    - Playstyle: Long-session truck-sim play, mod use, and enthusiastic adoption of official DLC.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: big fan of ATS
    - Reference games: Euro Truck Simulator 2
  - Car Culture Modder (buy)
    - Motivation: Driving, tuning, and playing with specific favorite cars and car mods.
    - Playstyle: Free-roam car play, doughnuts, speed runs, and workshop mod experimentation.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Quality & Physics Skeptic (no buy)
    - Motivation: A polished, finished DLC with precise and enjoyable car handling.
    - Playstyle: Critical driving comparison across truck sim and racing games; avoids content that feels beta or imprecise.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Need for Speed


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Driving Cars Is Fun (weight 0.39): Players find the core driving experience enjoyable, realistic, and a lot of fun across multiple vehicles and contexts. The handling and feel of the cars are consistently praised as a major strength of the content.
- DLC Is A Brilliant Addition (weight 0.37): The content is widely regarded as a top-tier addition to the game, with players calling it the best DLC ever and a game-changer. It is seen as a well-implemented feature that brings fresh life to the experience.
- High-Quality Car Models (weight 0.37): The visual quality of the cars is a major highlight, with players consistently praising the detailed models, beautiful exteriors, and well-crafted interiors. The vehicles are described as looking incredible and being very well made.
- Mustang Drives and Sounds Great (weight 0.35): The Ford Mustang is a standout vehicle, praised for its powerful engine sound, enjoyable driving feel, and ability to perform stunts like drifting. It is frequently highlighted as a primary source of fun in the expansion.
- DLC Offers Excellent Value (weight 0.32): The downloadable content is widely considered to be very reasonably priced or even cheap for the amount of enjoyment and content it provides. Many reviewers feel it offers great value for money.
- Cars Have Amazing Physics (weight 0.27): The driving model and physics for the cars are frequently described as realistic, phenomenal, and enjoyable. Players appreciate the distinct handling characteristics of each vehicle.
- A Great Change From Trucks (weight 0.2): Driving cars provides a welcome and fun change of pace from the game's traditional truck driving. It offers a completely different perspective and driving feel that many players find refreshing.
- Ford Cars Included (weight 0.12): This content specifically adds several cool Ford cars, including the classic Mustang, which is a highlight for many players. The inclusion of these recognizable vehicles is a key selling point.
- Fun Courier and Road Trip Modes (weight 0.1): New gameplay modes like courier tasks and the road trip feature are considered interesting and fun additions. These modes provide structured and enjoyable activities to do with the new cars.
- Official Cars Finally Added (weight 0.07): Players are thrilled to finally have officially licensed cars in the game after a long wait. The addition is seen as a major and entertaining new feature.
- Good Base for Modding (weight 0.06): The cars and their physics provide a solid foundation for modders to work with and create new content. This potential for future community creations is seen as a positive aspect.
- Car Mode Is Well Implemented (weight 0.05): The specific car mode added to the game is considered to be well-implemented and enjoyable by the players who mention it. It is described as a fun and worthwhile new feature.

Common complaints:
- Limited Customization Options (weight 0.35): Customization is extremely limited, with few accessories and mostly color changes. Both mechanical and aesthetic personalization are lacking.
- Poor Car Driving Physics (weight 0.26): Many players find the car physics unrealistic and floaty, lacking weight and contact with the ground. The handling is often compared to driving mini trucks or hovercrafts.
- Terrible Engine Sounds (weight 0.23): Engine sounds are frequently described as poor quality, resembling a vacuum cleaner. The sound design is flat and unconvincing.
- Force Feedback Issues (weight 0.18): Force feedback is often nonexistent or poorly implemented, especially at high speeds. It behaves inconsistently on certain wheels like the Logitech G923.
- Shared Control Settings Problem (weight 0.13): Control settings are shared between truck and car modes, causing steering sensitivity and force feedback to be calibrated for trucks, resulting in light and twitchy car handling.
- Only Four Cars Available (weight 0.09): The game includes only four cars, which players find too sparse for a satisfactory experience.
- Automatic Transmission Shifting Issues (weight 0.06): The automatic transmission shifting logic is poorly tuned and problematic, affecting the driving experience.
- DLC Not Worth It (weight 0.06): The DLC feels like wasted money and effort, not worth the price, and is considered uninteresting.
- Bronco Lighting Inaccuracies (weight 0.06): The Bronco model has incorrect lighting: missing marker lights, indicators acting as front marker lights, and brake lights linked to rear marker lights.

Gameplay feedback:
- Car DLC adds Ford vehicles (weight 0.49): The paid DLC adds four officially licensed Ford cars, including the Mustang, F-150, Bronco, and Crown Victoria. These cars are drivable within the existing truck world and are integrated into the gameplay.
- Driving both trucks and cars (weight 0.37): Players can drive semi-trucks for jobs and also drive passenger cars casually, switching between them. The game includes multiple vehicle types, such as pickups and licensed cars like the Mustang.
- Car mode and Road Trip (weight 0.26): The game features a dedicated car mode, including a career and Road Trip mode. This mode is integrated into the main game and allows players to drive cars in the open world.
- Cars have distinct physics (weight 0.22): Car physics differ from those of semi-trucks, offering a distinct driving experience. Each car model has its own handling characteristics, with realistic suspension and road feel.
- Car delivery jobs available (weight 0.15): The game includes a vehicle delivery mode where players transport cars from one dealership to another. These car-based delivery jobs are available through on-demand driver assignments.
- Open-world driving exploration (weight 0.14): The game offers an open-world map with roads to discover, focusing on a driving experience rather than racing. Players can explore new locations while driving cars or trucks.
- Seamless switching between vehicles (weight 0.1): Players can seamlessly switch between truck and car classes with a simple button press, without needing to change control settings. This smooth transition enhances the driving experience.
- Adjustable steering sensitivity settings (weight 0.08): Players can adjust steering sensitivity and linearity via the settings menu. This is particularly useful because default settings can feel too sensitive for small cars.
- Smaller fuel tanks for cars (weight 0.08): Cars have a smaller fuel range and smaller gas tanks compared to trucks. They also feel lighter, which affects driving dynamics.

Performance notes:
- Force feedback is broken (weight 0.15): Multiple reviewers report that force feedback is nearly absent, fails to center the wheel, and behaves erratically on Logitech G923. Steering resistance is also completely unbalanced, ranging from too loose at speed to overly heavy at low speeds.
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.1): Crashes occur during normal driving, when loading saves, when buying a car, and even spontaneously close the game. These issues severely disrupt gameplay and appear across multiple scenarios.
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.07): The game runs poorly even on high-end hardware, with low frame rates despite low CPU and GPU usage. Changing graphics settings from minimum to maximum yields no visible difference, indicating severe optimization problems.
- Questionable physics and handling (weight 0.07): Reviewers note that car weight feels incorrect, physics are underwhelming, and steering is overly sensitive to road bumps. These issues detract from the driving simulation experience.
- World and collision issues (weight 0.06): Players encounter strange collision behavior, traffic problems, and world-rendering glitches. These issues break immersion and can affect gameplay.
- VR workaround available (weight 0.02): One reviewer found that using the -openxr launch option instead of -openvr resolves VR issues. This suggests a potential fix for other players experiencing similar problems.

Recommendations:
- Strong general recommendations (weight 0.28): A large number of players highly recommend the game and DLC, often with 10/10 scores and encouragement for those on the fence. The sentiment is overwhelmingly positive across multiple clusters.
- Great value for price (weight 0.23): Many reviewers consider the game and its DLC well worth the cost, frequently citing the low price point. The DLC in particular is often described as great value for the money.
- Caution for DLC purchase (weight 0.16): Some reviewers cannot recommend the DLC in its current state, suggesting a mod instead or waiting for fixes. Others say it is not worth it until things are improved.
- Appeals to car fans (weight 0.15): The DLC is recommended for those who want to drive passenger cars and for Ford fans. It fulfills the desire to drive cars in the game, though it may not appeal to those uninterested in cars.
- Essential for ATS players (weight 0.1): The DLC is highly recommended for anyone who plays American Truck Simulator frequently, with some calling it the most fun expansion from SCS Software. It would be the first expansion to buy for new ATS players.
- Worth it despite missing options (weight 0.05): Even though the DLC lacks customization options, players still recommend it. The core experience is enjoyable enough to overlook the limited features.
- Good for base game owners (weight 0.05): Those who already own and enjoy the base game are likely to enjoy this DLC. It is a natural extension for fans of the original experience.
- Recommended for wheel users (weight 0.05): Players who enjoy driving with a steering wheel highly recommend the DLC. It is especially worthwhile for those who like a more immersive driving experience.

Other player notes:
- DLC adds player cars officially (weight 0.37): The add-on introduces officially licensed cars, including iconic Ford and retro models, for exploration and jobs. It is a paid DLC that requires the base game, offering a different experience from the base game.
- Priced cheaply and fairly (weight 0.28): Reviewers consistently describe the DLC price as cheap, low, and fair, considering it a bargain, especially compared to other developers. The $8 price is seen as reasonable and good value.
- Desire for ETS2 version (weight 0.16): Many reviewers hope for a similar Road Trip DLC in Euro Truck Simulator 2, possibly with Volkswagen or Skoda vehicles. They also wish for more cars and car brands in the future.
- Made for American Truck Simulator (weight 0.15): This is a DLC for American Truck Simulator that adds variety to the trucking game. It allows driving cars in the ATS environment.
- Developed by SCS Software (weight 0.12): The DLC is developed by SCS Software, known for continuous support and development. SCS is expected to continue building upon the DLC.
- Perceived as hasty and weak (weight 0.1): Some reviewers feel the DLC is hastily made and weak overall. Despite a long development time, it was released in a state that disappointed some.
- Anticipation for future car DLC (weight 0.08): Reviewers look forward to future Dodge/Ram DLC and other car brands. They hope these will be as satisfying as current content.
- Compared to Test Drive Unlimited (weight 0.07): The DLC experience is compared to Test Drive Unlimited, which was the closest thing to what the reviewer was after until now. It offers a similar chilled cruise experience.
- Compared to Forza and BeamNG (weight 0.07): The DLC provides more fun than Forza games and a similar feeling to Forza Horizon. It exceeded expectations compared to Forza and BeamNG.drive.
- Best DLC compared to maps (weight 0.05): Compared to other DLCs for the game, this is the best and largest purchased. It is considered better than map DLCs by some reviewers.
- New gameplay layer for truck sim (weight 0.05): The DLC is seen as a new layer of gameplay for the truck simulation genre. It is a small DLC for a truck simulator that adds a different experience.
- First unique vehicle DLC for ATS (weight 0.05): It is the first DLC for a different vehicle in American Truck Simulator, bought on day one by some. This marks a new direction for ATS content.
- Thanks to SCS for quality (weight 0.04): Reviewers thank SCS for excellent work and note that SCS has shown quality again. This reflects appreciation for the developer's efforts.
- Modders may improve experience (weight 0.04): Reviewers believe modders will be able to make everything much better now. Modders may improve the experience in the future.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.2): Players expected a polished car driving experience but found limited customization, only four cars, poor engine sounds, and unrealistic physics that make cars feel like trucks. Job variety is scarce, fuel consumption forces frequent refueling, and the DLC feels unfinished or like a beta version, failing to meet the hype.
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Frequent game crashes, force feedback issues, and shared settings between truck and car modes require constant manual adjustments. Bugs like invisible walls, broken transmissions, and poor fuel station density cause repeated interruptions and make the driving experience janky and unreliable.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): The DLC offers a long-awaited sandbox driving experience with well-modeled cars, good handling, and realistic physics when assists are off. The low price and added gameplay modes like Road Trip and Atlas provide good value and a fun way to explore the map.
- Excitement (weight 0.11): The addition of officially supported passenger cars, especially iconic models like the Mustang and Crown Victoria, brings a fresh and thrilling way to experience the game. Players love the new physics, the ability to drive fast on familiar roads, and the potential for future car content and mods.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Driving cars on the huge American map is a fun and relaxing change of pace from trucking, with pleasant physics, immersive sounds, and the ability to discover tourist spots. The Atlas feature and postcard rewards add to the enjoyment of exploration.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Players feel joy from fulfilling long-time dreams of driving cars in the game, especially the Mustang, with fast acceleration and high speeds. The ability to explore the open world freely and share the experience with friends brings immense happiness.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): The DLC is seen as a top-notch addition that reignites enthusiasm for ATS, with detailed car models, realistic physics, and a new perspective on the virtual USA. It fills a niche no other driving game does and offers great value.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Players hope that SCS will continue to support and expand the car mode, adding more brands, tuning options, and fixing issues like sound quality and economy. They also look forward to future updates and mods that could enhance the experience.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): Dissatisfaction stems from poor car sounds, lack of ABS and braking issues, and high accelerator sensitivity. The DLC is criticized for limited tuning, few cars, short routes, and low payouts, with physics feeling unrealistic and no visual damage.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Players are grateful to SCS for fulfilling a long-time dream of driving cars in the game at a low price, with high-quality models like the Ford Crown Victoria. They appreciate the developer's effort to add this new mode.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players are eagerly looking forward to future content, including more cars, buses, taxi mode, and integration into ETS2. They hope for further development of the car mode and achieving 100% map completion.
- Relaxation (weight 0.01): The car mode provides a casual and relaxing way to explore the map, with comfortable driving and sightseeing that is less stressful than trucking. It offers a break from the grind and allows for stress-free road trips.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciate SCS's continued innovation and the effort put into the car DLC, which is well-made, detailed, and priced correctly. They value the new jobs, scenic locations, and the developers' respectful attitude toward the community.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): The car mode is seen as boring due to mundane tasks like delivering items and driving standard cars with nonexistent physics. The gameplay is limited to vehicle implementation, deliveries, and tourist spot visits, lacking challenge and variety.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by how well the car mode is implemented, with better-than-expected handling, acceleration, and a completely different feel from trucks. The low price of the DLC also exceeds expectations.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): The car mode turned out well, leading to happy experiences like playing for hours straight, discovering Ford models, and driving on a huge map. The increased player count and better ATS experience also contribute to happiness.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Players are confused about how to access cars, as they are hidden and require in-game money with no clear explanation. They also find the need to switch game modes to drive a car and the strange steering force feedback puzzling.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement comes from the outrage over the cheap price, the realistic frustration of getting stuck behind slow trucks, and the funny experiences like running out of gas in a Mustang or performing front flips in a Bronco.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance is caused by frequent refueling, long waiting times at delivery destinations, and the inability to move the camera inside the F-150. Complaints about cars in a truck game and the constant annoying sound also irritate players.
- Delight (weight 0.01): Players are delighted by the good physics, unique features like the Atlas, and the high-quality car models and interiors. Driving pickups and cars, especially the Crown Vic and F-150, brings a new way to enjoy the map.}